A bipartisan group of Georgia Congressmen is pressing Windstream for answers regarding its continued lack of high-speed internet access in some rural areas.
Representatives Doug Collins, Austin Scott, and Sanford Bishop Friday sent a letter to the president and CEO of Windstream, Tony Thomas. They stressed the importance of broadband access in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Democrat and two Republicans represent thousands of rural voters in the 2nd, 8th, and 9th Georgia congressional districts.
In recent years, Congress has freed up federal funds to help internet providers expand broadband access in rural areas. Windstream has used that money and the congressmen were clear to point that out in their letter to Thomas.
“In the past, we have written to you regarding the inadequate internet service our constituents are receiving despite your company’s acceptance of federal dollars to expand access,” they wrote. “While we know Windstream has upgraded some areas that are more populated and less rural, many of our constituents continue to struggle with poor broadband speeds.”
Experiencing it firsthand
Windstream has been a consistent target of politicians and consumers angry over the company’s slow internet speeds, billing practices, and unreliable service. Complaints have slowed in some areas of Northeast Georgia due to system upgrades but not everywhere.
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The problem has been pushed to the forefront by the pandemic which has forced an increasing number of Georgians to rely on the internet for work, school, socializing, and even campaigning.
Collins, Scott, and Bishop are experiencing it themselves.
“Over the past several years, we have heard complaints of a network that is overburdened and cannot keep up during peak use. Even though we have been calling for increased internet access in rural areas for years, this moment in time shows that Windstream has yet to meet the mark. Now, as we move to hosting meetings virtually, we are experiencing the connection issues our constituents are having firsthand,” they wrote.
The congressmen asked Thomas to answer a series of questions regarding how the company is responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
Windstream spokesperson Scott Morris tells Now Habersham the company is preparing a formal answer to the congressmen’s letter.
“We take seriously the obligation to keep our customers connected, and over the past few years we have made extensive upgrades to our broadband network,” he says. “Going forward, our customers may rest assured we will continue to invest in the network to meet their need for high-speed internet service.”
READ full letter here
This article has been updated to include comments from Windstream spokesperson Scott Morris
