LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Windstream (NYSE: WIN) today announced the company now serves 1 million high-speed Internet customers on its 16-state network.  

“The Internet is forever changing the way we learn, live, work and play,” said Jeff Gardner, president and chief executive officer for Windstream. “This achievement is a testament to Windstream’s focus and ability to transform our business around this cornerstone product.”

Windstream has added approximately 21,000 new high-speed Internet customers thus far in the first quarter of 2009, surpassing the approximately 16,000 new customers added during the fourth quarter of 2008.

Windstream offers high-speed Internet connection speeds from 1.5 Mbps to 12 Mbps in a variety of bundles for customers. Internet service is available to roughly 88 percent of its 3 million access lines. Overall broadband penetration at the end of 2008 was 32 percent of total access lines and 49 percent of primary residential lines.

Windstream began offering high-speed Internet service in 1999 as the landline division of Alltel Corp. The company topped the half-million customer mark in August 2006 following the spinoff from Alltel and merger with VALOR Communications Group. 

About Windstream

Windstream Corporation is an S&P 500 company that provides digital phone, high-speed Internet and high-definition video and entertainment services to residential and business customers in 16 states. The company has approximately 3 million access lines and about $3.2 billion in annual revenues. For more information, visit www.windstream.com.

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Media Relations Contacts:
David Avery, 501-748-5876
david.avery@windstream.com

Larry White, 501-748-6250
larry.d.white@windstream.com