Kinetic’s Project Glass Echo Offers Free Internet Boost to 33,000 Customers

By: Windstream Holdings via Business Wire

June 10, 2024 at 09:30 AM EDT

More than 8,000 Kinetic customers could see an 1,100% speed boost
Ongoing construction and upgrades a constant commitment to helping customers
Average American home has 20 or more devices connected to the internet
Two-thirds, nearly 20,000 customers, in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Kentucky, Texas

In a move to provide the best possible digital experience, Kinetic today made public Project Glass Echo, a transformative initiative aimed at increasing internet speeds for 33,000 current customers at no additional cost to them.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240607002174/en/

Not all customers will see the same results in speeds and performance. Actual speed and performance may vary based on factors such as the condition of wiring inside a specific location; customer proximity to equipment supporting the service; computer configuration; network or Internet congestion, particularly during peak hours very generally defined as 7p.m. – 11p.m. weeknights; number of concurrent users; and the server speed.

This program will upgrade tens of thousands of customers internet speeds across Kinetic’s 18-state footprint. Some customers who had speeds of less than 25 Megabits per second are moving to speeds over 300 Megabits per second on fiber, marking a significant leap in enhancing America’s digital infrastructure.

For some 20,000 customers, this initiative will see a three-fold increase in internet speeds; while more than 8,000 customers may be able to experience an approximate 1,100% speed boost. All they need to do is call to activate.

“This is not just about faster internet; it's about enabling customers to fully embrace the digital age, whether for education, work, or staying connected with loved ones,” said Ben Midanek, Kinetic’s chief marketing officer. “This effort is another way Kinetic demonstrates its commitment and dedication to not only providing state-of-the-art internet but also to ensuring no customer is left behind. There is no cost, and your bill won’t go up because of this.”

The program is a direct result of Kinetic’s multi-year $2 billion investment to upgrade digital connectivity, especially for rural Americans. Customers are invited to contact Kinetic directly at 1 (800) 347-1991 to benefit from this free speed upgrade. The offer underscores Kinetic’s ongoing commitment to continue building fiber and upgrading locations across its footprint that are in either unserved, or underserved, communities. Additional plans and increased speeds are available.

In 2023 alone, Kinetic successfully upgraded 58,000 customers to Fiber.

Hassle-Free Whole Home WiFi

Customers need not worry about the switch, because Kinetic will include free Whole Home WiFi installation, ensuring all devices are connected before technicians leave the home. This upgrade comes at a crucial time when the average American home has more than 20 connected devices.

Benefits of Speed Benefit All Family Members

And with many of today’s streaming, music, television and gaming-downloads requiring more speeds, it’s easy to see why a fiber upgrade is vital to enhancing a customer’s experience.

In one example, some families which might download a state-of-the-art 50 GB video game a somewhat standard file size of high-quality games today—on a standard 25 Mbps connection--it could take upwards of four hours. At 100 Mbps, the download may take around one hour. However, with Kinetic's 300 Mbps fiber connection, some customers will see that download time reduce to about 22 minutes. With, Kinetic’s one-gigabit fiber connection, some customers could see that same game download in roughly seven minutes—a staggering 97% increase in speed compared to the 25 Mbps connection.

This stark contrast highlights the importance of higher speeds for a more efficient online experience, whether you’re a gamer looking to dive into the latest release, a family wanting to stream a movie in ultra-high definition, or a music enthusiast downloading new albums. Faster speeds not only save time but also enhance the overall quality of the entire family’s digital life.

Benefits of Digital Telephone

Some customers may also need to upgrade their landline to digital voice service. Transitioning to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services delivers numerous advantages, including significant cost savings, enhanced flexibility, advanced features, and superior voice quality, all leveraging an internet connection.

“Tens of thousands of customers are at the digital divide, but haven't crossed,” Midanek said. “Despite considerable boosts in speed, service quality, and technology that we've introduced, it's important to note these upgrades come at no additional cost. Moreover, our complimentary, industry-acclaimed Whole Home WiFi installation from RouteThis, ensures customers and all their devices will be seamlessly connected to the internet before our technicians even step out the door.”

Benefits of Security

Fiber broadband doesn’t emit signals, so it’s almost impossible to physically intercept, which is good news for people who bank, work or shop online or trust fiber for personal information, like telemedicine. That technology, coupled with Kinetic's cybersecurity solution, Kinetic Secure, customers can feel safe about their online transactions, data, and activities through an advanced feature that blocks online threats before they reach devices.

Fiber is more reliable than other connections, it experiences fewer outages and doesn't slow down when more people use it, like cable, or fixed wireless. It’s also not dependent on weather conditions, like satellite internet.

For further details on how to take advantage of this significant upgrade or to learn more about the benefits of VoIP and Kinetic’s other services, like Kinetic Secure, contact Kinetic at 1 (800) 347-1991.

About Kinetic:

Kinetic, a Windstream company, offers fiber-based broadband to residential and small business customers in 18 states. The company’s quality-first approach connects customers to new opportunities and possibilities by delivering a full suite of advanced communications services. Kinetic is one of three brands managed by Windstream. The company also offers managed cloud communications and security services to mid-to-large enterprises and government entities across the U.S. as well as customized wavelength and dark fiber solutions to carriers, content providers and hyperscalers in the U.S. and Canada. Windstream is a privately held company headquartered in Little Rock, Ark. Additional information about Kinetic is available at GoKinetic.com or windstream.com.

Category: Kinetic