Windstream suffers voice network outage across several states

Thousands of customers may be affected; total number unconfirmed

April 29, 2013 | By Sean Buckley

Windstream (Nasdaq: WIN) reports that it is suffering a "widespread" outage on its voice network, an issue that's affecting the ability of customers in several states to make long-distance and toll free calls. The number of customers affected is not known at this time.

The telco said on its website that the outage occurred around 11:30 a.m. EDT.

In addition to long-distance and toll-free voice services, the telco said on its Facebook page that the outage is affecting its ability to receive inbound calls to its support centers and that it is "investigating reports that local inbound and outbound calling also may be disrupted for some customers."

Windstream added that it "is working with the manufacturer on a resolution to the issue," but "an estimated time for restoral is not known." The service provider added that service will be "intermittent" until all of the problems are fixed.

A number of FierceTelecom readers, commenting on an earlier report about a separate outage in South Florida, said that the the voice network outage is in 23 states.

Earlier today, the telco reported that it experienced a failure on one of its switches Sunday afternoon, which interrupted service to about 30,000 local business and residential lines in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and surrounding areas.

Scott Morris, senior consultant, corporate communications for Windstream, told FierceTelecom he could not confirm "how many states are involved" and that "customers are beginning to come back in service."

Not surprisingly, the hardest-hit segment of the outage has been Windstream's business customers. One customer commenting on the outage said that "those customers of ours who have reached us by email or cell phone have not been happy, and I fear we have lost some loyal clients."