1-866-445-8084Law Enforcement Support Center
These operational guidelines are for law enforcement agencies seeking records from Windstream and its subsidiaries. For private party requests, including requests from civil litigants and criminal defendants, please visit the Private Parties section. Customers seeking records on their own accounts can access the Resource page for the appropriate forms to use. For general information or questions regarding legal process please call Windstream's Law Enforcement Support center at 877-999-7705 option 1, or email [email protected].
Legal Response Guidelines
Windstream’s Law Enforcement Support Center assist law enforcement agencies in their investigations while protecting subscriber privacy as required by law and applicable privacy policies. The main federal statutes that Windstream must conform to when releasing subscriber information are: The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 (47 U.S.C. § 551); The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2522, 2701-2712, 3121-3127); Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (47 U.S.C. §§ 1001-1010); the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (particularly, 47 U.S.C. § 222 pertaining to customer proprietary network information or CPNI) and Stored Communications Act (“SCA”), 18 U.S.C Sections 2701-2712. Windstream also complies with all applicable state and federal laws.
Windstream's Privacy Policy and Law Enforcement Disclosures
Windstream’s network management practices are designed to provide the best possible online experience to its customers. To that end, Windstream monitors traffic flows between points within its network and between its network and locations on the Internet for purposes of providing security for its customers, planning for future needs, and ensuring that its network runs efficiently. Monitored information includes the amount of data sent to and from your connection, the source and destination of the data, and the type, but not the contents of information sent and received. In limited circumstances, Windstream may also investigate the contents of the information to determine whether it is malicious in nature (such as a virus, spam, worm, etc.) or when required by law to comply with judicial orders or regulations. Windstream cares deeply about the privacy of our subscribers’ information and will protect the privacy of our subscribers even while working with law enforcement to prevent criminal activity. For more information about Windstream’s Privacy Policy, please visit https://www.windstream.com/about/legal/Privacy-Policy , which provides details on how Windstream protects its customers’ Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”) from inappropriate use. See: The Acceptable Use Policy.
Service of Process
Windstream uses Registered Agent Solutions, Inc (RASi) as its registered agent. RASi accepts submission of legal requests for criminal and civil matters (example: subpoena, court order, search warrant). Please check your Secretary of State website for the correct RASi address to send the legal request. RASi can accept legal request through fax or email in some states. The email address to send legal request can be sent to [email protected]. Please call RASi at 888-705-7274 to determine which states can legally accept requests electronically and for any other questions you may have.
Additionally, in early 2017, EarthLink and Broadview Networks was merged with Windstream. Please refer to the Secretary of State’s website for your state to ensure that your request is addressed appropriately. For Windstream subpoenas, ‘Windstream Services, LLC c/o RASi’ or for EarthLink subpoenas, ‘EarthLink Holdings, LLC c/o RASi'; for Broadview Networks subpoenas, ‘Broadview Networks c/o RASi’; or ‘(active business entity) c/o RASi' that is registered within the Secretary of State site for the state where the court or agency is located.
Furthermore, Windstream sold the legacy EarthLink consumer (residential) internet business on 12/31/18. Any legal request needing information on Earthlink consumer accounts will need to go to EarthLink LLC, 1439 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30309 or their registered agent, Corporation Service Company. CSC can be reached at 866-403-5272. This does not affect EarthLink business accounts, please continue to send those requests to Windstream’s registered agent.
Emergency Requests
The EXIGENT on-call number 501-748-7364, is monitored 24x7x365 for Law Enforcement Exigent Circumstances Only, in responding to matters involving imminent harm to a child, risk of death, or serious physical injury to any person and requiring disclosure of information without delay. This number should not be used for status requests or questions about Windstream response. A Law Enforcement Official may submit an exigent request through the Exigent Online Request Portal. Note: Windstream will not review or respond to exigent requests submitted by non-law enforcement officials. Customers aware of an emergency/exigent situation should immediately and directly contact law enforcement officials.
Account Identifiers
When seeking customer information, please provide as much of the following information as possible. Examples below:
Telephone Request
Target telephone number.
The date and time of incident
IP Request
Targeted IP address
A specific date, time, and time zone
Misc. Request
Individual’s/Business name and/or
Account number and/or
Complete address (e.g. street address, Apt. #, city, state & zip code) and/or
Email address
Note that Windstream does not retain information indefinitely and that the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2701 et seq. ("ECPA"), prohibits an electronic communications service provider, such as Windstream, from producing electronic communications content without a search warrant or pursuant to an emergency disclosure request.
Account Preservation
Windstream will take steps to preserve account records upon receipt of a preservation letter. These notices typically request Windstream to preserve the information 90 days from the date the request. You may expedite a preservation requests by submitting it to Windstream's email at [email protected] or fax #330-486-3131. Otherwise mail it in to ATTN: LESC, Windstream Services, LLC, 4005 Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, AR 72212. Preservation requests are the only types of requests that Windstream will accept directly. We may honor requests for extensions of preservation requests, but encourage law enforcement agencies to seek records through the appropriate channels in a timely manner, as we cannot guarantee that requested information will be available.
Child Safety Matters
We report all apparent instances of child exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), including content drawn to our attention by government requests. NCMEC coordinates with the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children and law enforcement authorities from around the world. If a request relates to a child exploitation or safety matter, please specify those circumstances (and include relevant NCMEC report identifiers) in the request to ensure that we are able to address these matters expeditiously and effectively.
Response Time
Requests are processed in the order received subject to emergency and priority requests. Responses are generally provided within 10 business days. If a request relates to a child exploitation or safety matter, please specify those circumstances (and include relevant NCMEC report identifiers) in the request to ensure that we can address these matters expeditiously and effectively. Exigent responses are attempted to be made in real time. If you are requesting information in an exigent circumstance please call 501-748-7364 or submit a request through the Exigent Online Request Portal. To assist in timely responses, please do not request a status update for at least 10 business days from the date that you submitted your request. You may email status requests or other questions to [email protected], or call 501-748-9450.
Data Retention and Availability
Windstream will search for and disclose data reasonably available limited to the specific and particular legal request received. Windstream does not retain data for law enforcement purposes without a valid preservation request.
Call Detail Records
Windstream is required to keep 18 months and may have up to 24 months of calls on a rolling calendar. All calls older than 24 months are purged from Windstream records. Windstream will release customer outbound and toll-free call records when available with a notarized release of records form. Windstream will not release incoming call records, without receipt of a subpoena from a court of law or intervention, from local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies to obtain the requested records in an exigent circumstance.
Email Content
Legal requests seeking the contents of emails or attachments to emails can only be provided with a Search Warrant. Request for email content should be aware of the following:
When customers use Windstream email, they may use the Windstream Webmail service. This permits customers to access their email from any Internet connected computer. In this case, the contents of emails are stored on Windstream’s email servers where they may be produced in response to a legal request if they have not been deleted by the customer. Windstream requires a warrant for the release of all content data regardless of the amount of time the content has been in electronic storage.
Customers may also use an email client program like Outlook Express, Outlook, Vista mail or Eudora to move or “pop” email from Windstream’s email servers to their own personal computers. In those cases, emails may be deleted from Windstream’s email servers and if so, they are not accessible by Windstream.
Customers may also use Webmail and an email client program and leave emails on Windstream’s email servers as well as copy (not move) them to their personal computers. In these cases, emails that remain on Windstream’s email servers may be produced in response to a proper legal request if they have not been deleted by the customer. Windstream requires a warrant for release of all content data.
IP Records
Windstream currently maintains dynamic IP address log files for many years, however once a customer closes an account, it is no longer kept for business purposes and is purged from Windstream’s records
Testimony
Windstream employees can offer testimony in support of subscriber identifications in criminal cases. Windstream Services, LLC is not required to provide expert testimony in civil cases. Windstream encourages the use of affidavits to avoid personal court appearances and cost wherever possible. If a special affidavit is required, please attach it to your request.
Cost Reimbursement
Windstream does not charge for responses to legal process served by a government entity involving child exploitation. Windstream reserves the right to seek reimbursement for processing and responding to all other legal process as permitted by law. The fees for certain requests can be found on the Windstream Fee Schedule. Requesting parties will be provided an invoice at the time of disclosure. Additional charges may apply for (i) requests that are voluminous in nature, (ii) requests for information that are not retrievable in the ordinary course of business, (iii) Court Orders requiring the installation of pen register/trap and trace devices, and (iv) Court Orders requiring interception of communications. All Civil cases billed are due and payable prior to the delivery of documents to the requesting party.