CenturyLink, Windstream Dominate Our Top 7 Most-Read

We wrote seven days ago about how carriers enjoyed a good week.

This week? Well, maybe not so good.

Some of the ongoing regulatory and financial dramas that sporadically liven our news coverage resurfaced recently. Two large service providers saw their stocks drop — literally. We did see an interesting security report from Verizon and an Ethernet victory for CenturyLink, but our most-read stories for the week of March 3 were controversial in nature.

We’ve assembled our top seven stories from the last seven days for you – our dear readers – as you start your weekend.

7. Avaya Unveils New Video Collaboration Products, Service Plan

The UCaaS provider‘s new offerings target video conferencing in small meeting rooms.

The Avaya IX Collaboration Unit and IX Huddle Cameras allow employees to broadcast meetings without using a laptop. Avaya also rolled out a “Huddle as a Service” subscription that puts the aforementioned products and related components into a single bill.

Learn more about the offerings.

6. Verizon Mobile Security Index Exposes Troubling Employee Wi-Fi Habits

The latest security report was a troubling read for all, especially if you were working remotely when you read it.

The 2019 Verizon Mobile Security Index showed how libertine employee wireless habits can lead to a company’s downfall. The study, as well as a Verizon executive, called out workers for connecting their phones to public Wi-Fi networks, even when company policy forbade it. There are more risks than many of us realize.

The information wasn’t entirely depressing and offered interesting data about how businesses view and practice mobility.

Read my analysis of the index.

5. Rackspace Refreshes Brand to Match New Strategy

The cloud services provider switched up its mantra.

The company’s “fantatical support” slogan is now “fanatical experience.” The change builds on the growing initiative in the channel to prioritize the customer experience. Rackspace’s chief marketing officer told us that the company’s service portfolio has deepened.

Our Edward Gately penned an article about the news.

4. Image Gallery: PlanetOne’s New Digs

My compatriots Craig Galbraith and Thomas Baker toured PlaneOne Communications‘ new headquarters.

The master agent maintains its base in Scottsdale, Arizona, but moved a little bit north. The new space is large enough to fit an influx of new staff that PlanetOne hopes to hire.

Galbraith and Baker snapped some pictures and assembled a gallery for your viewing pleasure.

3. CenturyLink, AT&T, Verizon Top 3 Incumbent Ethernet Carriers

CenturyLink took first place in the latest Vertical Systems Group rankings.

AT&T and Verizon trailed it as the next best facilities-based telecom companies when it comes to selling Ethernet ports. 1.1 million ports came from incumbent carriers at last check, accounting for more than half of the total number of ports, according to the study.

See the full leaderboard.

2. CenturyLink Stock Hits Historic Low, Company Misses Level 3-Related Filing Deadline

You’ve read your happy CenturyLink story; here’s the downer edition.

CenturyLink‘s stock price hit its lowest in 20 years when it missed an important SEC filing deadline. The telco was supposed to …… submit its annual financial performance report, but blamed its integration with Level 3 Communications for the delay.

Get details on the fiasco.

1. Windstream Bankruptcy Draws Nasdaq Delisting, Congressman’s Scorn

The bankruptcy saga continues to draw the channel’s attention, and apparently Capitol Hill’s attention as well.

A Republican representative for the state of Georgia claimed that Windstream has squandered “substantial” tax breaks and failed to deliver the speeds it promised to customers. But Windstream executives assured their partners that day-to-day operations aren’t changing at all.

Here’s Edward Gately’s report of the controversy.