Windstream has ridden some windy currents these past several months, from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to reporting months of broadband subscriber growth. But company spokesmen see a positive outlook because of a course set by the leadership.
"We did file for Chapter 11 Feb. 25 of this year," said Daniel Ferguson, Windstream region president of field operations for Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. "We had a conflict between bond holders and company executives which went to court in New York. The court ruled in their favor."
The filing did not change company operations and service, however.
"We were never at any point on the verge of going out of business," Ferguson said. "We continued the programs we had in place as well as our investment into the infrastructure needed to bring faster internet service to our customers."
The key investment, according to Ferguson, was increasing broadband, or speed in internet terms, for household customers.
"Our subscriber base had been in decline since 2012," he said. "But about a year ago, we arrested that decline. Recently, we've been registering positive growth as a result of the emphasis in our infrastructure."
Windstream has invested millions in broadband capacity. By the end of 2018, more customers were taking notice of what the company was doing. Subscriber numbers started going in the right direction.
"We expect to continue our company's initiatives in increasing internet speed," Ferguson said. "We have solidified things with our household customers. We have new initiatives coming to reach out to business customers as well."
Ferguson noted that Texarkana customers in particular can expect to benefit from company investments.
"Starting this quarter, we will be improving the infrastructure in the Texarkana area," he said. "These investments should be advantageous to local business interests. These include fiber-based internet service capable of one gigabyte in speed."
Besides infrastructure development, the company emphasizes the basics of the business.
"We have a strong leadership team that is making the right decisions," Ferguson said, listing the following:
- Product-in the world of the internet, this means speed.
- Competitive price-value offered for price asked.
- Good service and professionalism.
"We are a significant player in Texas and Arkansas," he said. "We employ 600 people in Texas and 11,000 in Arkansas. And this year, our customers can expect more of our primary product, more speed on the internet. Stay tuned."