Windstream Wins 5G Spectrum in FCC Auctions to Boost Rural Broadband Speeds

Company will expand availability of high-speed broadband with speeds up to 1 Gig

Windstream, a leading provider of advanced network communications and technology solutions, today announced that it won spectrum blocks in the 24 GHz and 28 GHz 5G airwaves auctions recently conducted by the Federal Communications Commission.

“Windstream will use this new 5G spectrum to expand the availability of high-speed broadband, enabling consumers and small and medium-sized businesses in rural areas to access broadband speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second,” said Jeff Small, president of Windstream’s Kinetic business segment.

Windstream will pay a total of $26.6 million for blocks of spectrum in 14 states covering more than 5 million total households, including approximately 2 million households in locations where Windstream is the incumbent local exchange carrier. The spectrum and associated electronics and equipment will be wholly owned by Windstream.

In homes equipped with Gig service, consumers can engage in multiple bandwidth-intensive activities simultaneously – such as streaming music, 4K video and virtual reality applications and games – without buffering. For businesses, Gig service enables next-generation network, cloud, voice, security and business continuity solutions.

“Windstream is committed to bringing best-in-class Internet to rural communities, many in thinly populated areas, across our Kinetic footprint,” Small said. “We’re using a variety of methods to accomplish that goal, including software enhancements, fiber expansion, fixed wireless and now 5G wireless technology in our passionate pursuit to satisfy our customers’ growing demand for faster broadband speeds.”

Source: Windstream media announcement