Windstream announced their latest broadband stimulus funded project is now underway in South Carolina. This latest project indicates a quickening of the pace of stimulus funded broadband construction for Windstream, who was the largest winner of stimulus funds at $181.3 million. Windstream intends to invest $60 million of their own money in these programs for a total of $241 million in broadband stimulus related projects.
Considering that large amount of funding and the closing window to get broadband stimulus funded projects started and completed, it’s no wonder Windstream appears to be more active with their stimulus projects.
The South Carolina project will take place in Lexington and will bring broadband to approximately 160 customers. Windstream’s broadband stimulus take in South Carolina was $3 million and they intend to spend an additional $1 million of their own.
Windstream recently contacted Telecompetitor to clarify their broadband stimulus construction activity. We’ve opined that given the amount of stimulus funding they received, they seemed to be taking a somewhat small scale build strategy. Windstream clarified that there is much activity behind the scenes which does not necessarily get reported by the company. They announce when a stimulus project begins for any given state, but don’t provide updates of all the activity which follows that initial announcement in those states.
Regardless, the activity seems to be building momentum, with construction activity now announced in six states, including Mississippi, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Florida, and now South Carolina.
