Windstream’s enhanced ‘Cloud Connect’ solution offers highly secure, performance-optimized access to public & private cloud providers

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Aug. 30, 2017 -- Windstream (NASDAQ:WIN), a leading provider of advanced network communications, today introduced an enhanced version of its Cloud Connect solution. The new solution allows customers to use the Windstream network of their choice to create a dedicated, high-speed, highly secure cloud-optimized network connection to major Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, IBM Bluemix, Google Cloud, Oracle Fast Connect and Salesforce.

As enterprises migrate mission-critical workloads and business processes to the cloud, there is an increasing demand for highly secure, reliable and dedicated access to cloud resources. Enterprises require higher levels of performance, uptime and security for cloud-based applications than public internet connections can deliver. Windstream Cloud Connect is designed to deliver best-in-class performance levels that enterprises can trust when connecting to Cloud Service Providers.

“Windstream Cloud Connect enables customers to confidently and more cost-effectively migrate mission critical applications, workloads and business processes to the cloud,” said Joseph Harding, executive vice president and enterprise chief marketing officer at Windstream. “We are confident that Windstream Cloud Connect will deliver a better and more cost-effective experience for large and mid-sized enterprises than any of our competitors.”

Windstream Cloud Connect offers customers flexible bandwidth options ranging from 50 Mbps to 10 Gbps, with the ability to design customer solutions using multiple 10 Gbps connections. It also supports a variety of connectivity options – including SD-WAN, MPLS VPN, VLS or new Wavelengths – that give customers the flexibility and diversity they require to create a cloud optimized network, and it is supported by Windstream’s technical assistance team of engineers who are available 24 x 7.

Windstream Cloud Connect allows customers to more easily move data and workloads between cloud environments, as well as maximize flexibility and scalability by integrating dedicated onsite IT infrastructure with shared offsite cloud-based environments. These cloud-based environments enable them to optimize application performance and reliability, increase network resiliency and simplify network management.

“Cloud services are only as strong as the network that connects them, and Windstream Cloud Connect provides the underlying network connectivity, technologies and services to effectively connect and integrate cloud services and applications with a customer’s IT infrastructure,” Harding added.  “Demand for cloud services in the U.S. is expected to double in the next five years, and that is due in part to solutions such as Windstream’s Cloud Connect that offer dedicated connections that are fast, highly secure and reliable.”

Windstream’s Cloud Connect solution is available immediately to companies in Windstream’s nationwide service area.

Windstream offers a full suite of advanced network communications and technology solutions like SD-WAN, UCaaS, Ethernet, Wavelength Services, MPLS  and dedicated high-speed Internet along with voice and data services such as VoIP access and SIP trunking. Windstream also offers managed services, cloud connectivity and network security services designed to help businesses increase productivity and improve operational costs. For more information, visit windstreambusiness.com.

About Windstream
Windstream Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:WIN), a FORTUNE 500 company, is a leading provider of advanced network communications and technology solutions for consumers, businesses, enterprise organizations and wholesale customers across the U.S. Windstream offers bundled services, including broadband, security solutions, voice and digital TV to consumers. The company also provides data, cloud solutions, unified communications and managed services to small business and enterprise clients. The company supplies core transport solutions on a local and long-haul fiber network spanning approximately 150,000 miles. Additional information is available at windstream.com. Please visit our newsroom at news.windstream.com or follow us on Twitter at @Windstream.

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