Report: Windstream hiking rates on some sub-$1,500 SMB accounts

Windstream, Channel Partners, an industry publication, reported, has notified some of its SMB customers with sub-$1,500 accounts that it will raise rates on some deals.
Windstream, a telecommunications provider based in Little Rock, Ark., with an office in Providence, is shifting its focus to its enterprise unit and enterprise partners, according to the report.
“We have less than 3 percent of our partner base that’s being looked at, a small percentage of customers,” Jason Dishon, Windstream’s channel chief of enterprise sales and operations, told Channel Partners. “This is a four-month plan where we will be notifying a very small percentage that they would receive rate increases. This is essentially based on market-level deals and if those deals were potentially under water, not making money.”
Customers have a choice of either paying the rate increase or retiring services. If they choose the latter, they can move on without incurring a penalty, Dishon said.
The report quoted David Avery, Windstream spokesman, who said affected customer accounts are in locations where Windstream incurs extra costs to lease certain network infrastructure in order to serve the accounts.
“We remain fully committed to continuing to sell and service the small- and medium-sized business market. The rate change affects a very small group of our small business customers in isolated locations and are necessary in order to provide services in a cost-effective manner,” Avery told Providence Business News.
Avery said the company does not disclose how many clients it has in a market.

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