Windstream puts cloud services into medium-sized businesses with dedicated offering

Windstream is giving its customers another method to get cloud access with its new Cloud Connect solution, reflecting the growing demand from medium businesses to use cloud as an foundation for their IT strategy.

What's compelling is that Windstream can bring the service, one that's been only available to larger enterprise customers, into the medium-sized business market. This will enable Windstream to address a larger set of customers.

A key focus of the offering is privacy.

Unlike traditional early cloud systems that ran over the public Internet, Cloud Connect provides business customers dedicated access to cloud providers and cloud-based applications.

The new Cloud Connect solution, which can provide cloud connectivity through highly secure, performance-optimized virtual and dedicated private access to third-party public and private cloud providers, can be leveraged by business customers in conjunction with Ethernet, MPLS and optical wavelength services.

Specifically, Windstream offers a variety of custom connectivity options, including switched Ethernet, MPLS, VPN or point-to-point, while supporting virtual and dedicated connectivity models.

Business customers can also optimize their bandwidth and get a secure dedicated connection.

The service also allows customers to bring their own cloud to Windstream with support for AWS and MS Azure ExpressRoute. Windstream said it plans to support additional platforms this year.

Windstream's timing for the service could not be better.

A recent IDC report revealed that two-thirds of U.S. businesses currently use public cloud services for production workloads and applications, and nearly three-quarters of companies regularly utilizing cloud are using two or more cloud providers.

Additionally, this service will also enable Windstream to further its bond with its business customers, particularly as it looks to enhance revenues in this segment.

During the first quarter, Windstream's enterprise service revenues were $491 million, up 3 percent year-over-year.

For more:
- see the release

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