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Award-winning, national broadband provider implements succession plan following notable retirements and growth

PRINCETON, N.J. – November 16, 2021 – RCN, an award-winning provider of high-speed internet, digital TV and phone services today announced a new addition and several changes at the senior management level of its company as a result of its recent expansion and pending retirements.

Doug Guthrie recently joined RCN as Senior Vice President and General Manager for the New York market. In his new position, Guthrie will be responsible for residential and business customer operations, technical support, and developing and implementing marketing and sales strategies. Prior to this, Guthrie served as a Senior Vice President at Comcast Cable and brings over 34 years of experience in the communications industry. Doug spent nearly twenty years at Comcast and is one of the few who has worked in all three of their divisions, as well as the corporate office.

Sanford Ames, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the company’s Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., markets will now add oversight and management of the Boston market to his responsibilities. Ames joined the RCN team in 2011 and has significantly impacted the markets he manages. Under his tenure, Lehigh Valley’s customer base has risen by 40% and he has been recognized as one of the most influential businesspeople in the Greater Lehigh Valley area.

Tori Faulkenberry, Vice President of Customer Care at RCN was recently promoted to Senior Vice President of Customer Care. As SVP, Faulkenberry will be spearheading customer service, training, performance management, sales, and operational efficiencies. For over 20 years, she has developed, restructured and expanded organizations in competitive environments, and plans to continue to elevate RCN from within.

Michael McPhillips has recently joined the RCN team as Vice President of Business Solutions for the company’s Central Region. McPhillips has more than 20 years of telecommunications industry experience, building and leading high performing teams over large and diverse regions. He joins from Comcast and has a consistent track record of exceeding revenue targets in high growth and startup environments and plans to continue those successes in his new role.

After long tenures, those retiring from RCN include Bill Sievers, Senior Vice President of Customer Care; Jeff Carlson, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Boston; Bruce Abbott, Senior Vice President and General Manager, New York; Ted White, Vice President of the Central Region; Ken Conrad, Vice President of Human Resources, and Tom Steel, Vice President, Regulatory & Public Affairs.

“We are excited Doug and Michael are joining the RCN team and thrilled to elevate Sanford and Tori’s roles within the company,” said Chris Fenger, COO of RCN. “These colleagues are highly trusted and respected veterans in the industry and have successful track records in their fields. Sanford, Tori, Doug and Michael are very accomplished individuals with extraordinary abilities to transform, inspire and drive positive change. Through their leadership and strategic insights, our company can expect to continue to deliver growth and innovation with an unwavering commitment to our customers. We also want to thank Bill, Jeff, Bruce, Ted, Ken and Tom for their dedication and hard work over the years. They have been instrumental in guiding our business in their respective areas for many years and we wish them a happy, healthy, and well-deserved retirement.”

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About Astound Broadband

Astound Broadband (astound.com) is the sixth largest cable operator in the U.S., providing award-winning high speed internet, broadband communications solutions, TV, phone services and fiber optic solutions for residential  and business customers across the United States. Astound Broadband is comprised of organizations formerly  known as RCN, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, and enTouch. The company services Chicago, Indiana, Eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Washington, DC, Texas, regions  throughout California, Oregon and Washington.

PRINCETON, N.J. – November 1, 2021 – Astound Broadband (Astound), the sixth largest U.S. cable operator in the United States that operates leading regional providers RCN, Grande, Wave, and enTouch has completed the acquisition of the broadband systems of WideOpenWest, Inc. (WOW!) located in Chicago, IL, Evansville, IN, and Anne Arundel, MD for $661 million.

With the closing of this transaction, Astound expands its existing network footprint and customer base in these new markets. The acquired broadband systems serve approximately 128,000 residential and business customers, pass more than 700,000 homes, and include 5,700 miles of plant.

“Astound Broadband’s acquisition of WOW!’s Illinois, Indiana, and Maryland markets significantly advances our footprint in areas largely adjacent to the company’s existing operations,” said Jim Holanda, CEO of Astound Broadband. “This expansion enables us to leverage incumbent fiber-rich network assets, nearby operations talent, award winning customer service, and a strong product set to serve even more customers. We’re excited to officially welcome WOW! customers and colleagues to Astound.”

Since the transaction was initially announced in June 2021, both companies have been preparing to transition employees and customers in WOW!’s Chicago, IL, Evansville, IN, and Ann Arundel, MD service areas to Astound Broadband. In the short term, the acquired markets will continue to operate without interruption under the WOW! name and trademark and will be rebranded following the integration period.

“With Astound Broadband, WOW! has found a good steward for our operations in Chicago, Evansville, and Ann Arundel,” said Teresa Elder, WOW! CEO. “The team at Astound shares the same employee and customer-centric culture and values and has the resources and commitment to provide the same quality of service our customers have come to expect from WOW!.”

JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley are acting as financial advisors to Astound and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as legal advisor. Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is acting as regulatory advisor, with Deloitte & Touche LLP serving as tax and accounting advisor.

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About Astound Broadband

Astound Broadband (astound.com) is the sixth largest cable operator in the U.S., providing award-winning high speed internet, broadband communications solutions, TV, phone services and fiber optic solutions for residential  and business customers across the United States. Astound Broadband is comprised of organizations formerly  known as RCN, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, and enTouch. The company services Chicago, Indiana, Eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Washington, DC, Texas, regions  throughout California, Oregon and Washington.

Internet, TV, and phone providers named leading ISPs across multiple categories in top-tier publications

PRINCETON, N.J. – August 24, 2021 – RCN, Grande and Wave, award-winning providers of high-speed internet, digital TV and phone services across the U.S., today announced its recognition as exemplary organizations in PCMag’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards, PCMag’s 2021 Business Choice Awards, PCMag’s 2021 Fastest ISPs of 2021, and U.S. News & World Report’s Best Internet Service Providers of 2021 list.

According to PCMag, the largest professional reviewer of consumer electronics and technology products worldwide, and its readers, RCN, Grande and Wave were ranked among the top Best Internet Service Providers (ISP) of the year. RCN and Grande have also been recognized as a top small-to-medium business ISP. The results from PCMag’s 2021 Reader’s Choice Awards include accolades in the following categories:

• RCN*, Grande* and Wave* were a top ranked Residential ISP in: Overall Satisfaction, Installation/Setup, Cost/Value, Reliability, Speed, Ease of Use, Customer Service, Tech Support, Repairs, and Likelihood to Recommend.
• RCN and Wave Business* ranked #1 Business ISP in Overall Satisfaction. Wave Business also ranked #1 in Installation/Setup, Reliability, Ease of Use and Tech Support. This year, RCN Business received PCMag’s coveted Business Choice ISP for 2021, with a “whopping” customer rating of 8.7 for overall satisfaction – the highest PCMag has ever seen in the history of this survey.

Additionally, U.S. News & World Report’s 360 Reviews team recognized RCN as a target=”_blank”>Best Internet Service Provider of 2021. U.S. News’ online guide features in-depth information on choosing an internet service provider and covers a range of topics including connection type, download/upload speed, and value. RCN is recognized as one of the most affordable options in the U.S. News ratings.

“Thank you to all of our loyal residential and business customers who continue to trust us with their internet connectivity needs,” said Chris Fenger, COO of RCN, Grande, and Wave. “We appreciate continuing to be recognized as a top provider across the country. At RCN, Grande, and Wave we remain focused on providing our customers with innovative new technologies and unmatched customer service. Additionally, we want to recognize and thank our front-line teams across the nation who continue to work tirelessly to provide customers with excellent service, without whom recognition from our customers through these awards programs would not have been possible.”

Customers have recognized the companies for their unwavering commitment to quality and customer service throughout the years. As the joint organization continues to expand into new markets, it remains an industry leader in residential and business solutions through a growing portfolio of technology offerings of fiber and broadband services that offer some of the fastest speeds available.

For information on RCN, please visit, www.rcn.com. For more on Grande Communications, please visit mygrande.com. For more on Wave Broadband, please visit www.wavebroadband.com.

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About Astound Broadband

Astound Broadband (astound.com) is the sixth largest cable operator in the U.S., providing award-winning high speed internet, broadband communications solutions, TV, phone services and fiber optic solutions for residential  and business customers across the United States. Astound Broadband is comprised of organizations formerly  known as RCN, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, and enTouch. The company services Chicago, Indiana, Eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Washington, DC, Texas, regions  throughout California, Oregon and Washington.

Acquisition represents the largest broadband & telecom transaction in the past five years

New York, N.Y. and Princeton, N.J. – August 19, 2021 – Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets, today closed its previously announced $8.1 billion acquisition of Astound Broadband (Astound), the sixth largest U.S. cable operator in the United States, operating leading regional providers RCN, Grande Communications (Grande), Wave Broadband (Wave) and enTouch Systems (enTouch).

Astound, led by the Patriot Media management team, has built modern, high-speed communication networks for residential and businesses customers of all sizes. The company offers gigabit speeds serving eight of the top ten largest metro areas throughout the United States. RCN, Grande, Wave and enTouch together serve over one million customers with 23,000 miles of fiber across Chicago, Eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York City, Northern California, Oregon, Texas, Washington, DC., and Washington state.

Since the announcement of the transaction with Stonepeak in November 2020, Astound has continued to execute on strategic growth initiatives including signing two additional transactions that bolster the company’s capabilities in key markets: the acquisition of WideOpenWest’s Chicago, Indiana, and Maryland markets, and the acquisition of Harris Broadband, a leading provider of fiber to the home services across central Texas. Stonepeak will partner closely with the Astound management team to continue this positive momentum as the company remains active across multiple growth areas, including organic network expansion, additional M&A opportunities and efforts to accelerate its residential and commercial segments.

“Stonepeak’s experience building businesses and its commitment to helping companies grow make it the ideal partner as we continue to deliver high-performing broadband and provide exceptional service to our customers,” said Jim Holanda, CEO. “We look forward to working together to invest in our network, continuing to enhance our product and services, and capitalize on exciting growth opportunities.”

Patriot Media chairman and industry veteran Steve Simmons added, “As we continue to expand our platform, our core objectives remain aligned to deliver exceptional service to our customers and communities, a best-in-class experience for our employees, outstanding results for our investors, and top tier growth.”

“The acquisition of Astound marks Stonepeak’s second investment in residential broadband in North America and represents the largest asset in Stonepeak’s global communications portfolio, which includes eight digital infrastructure investments to date,” said Brian McMullen, Senior Managing Director at Stonepeak. “Broadband plays a critical role in today’s economy and society, particularly as the need for faster speeds and greater coverage continues to grow. We are excited to close this transaction and to continue working with Jim, Steve and the Patriot Media team to further accelerate Astound’s growth and provide greater access to critical digital infrastructure across the country.”

The Stonepeak digital infrastructure portfolio includes data center, fiber, residential broadband, small cell and tower assets across the Americas, Asia and Europe with cumulative enterprise value and equity commitments of more than $30 billion.

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About Astound Broadband

Astound Broadband (astound.com) is the sixth largest cable operator in the U.S., providing award-winning high speed internet, broadband communications solutions, TV, phone services and fiber optic solutions for residential  and business customers across the United States. Astound Broadband is comprised of organizations formerly  known as RCN, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, and enTouch. The company services Chicago, Indiana, Eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Washington, DC, Texas, regions  throughout California, Oregon and Washington.

PRINCETON, NJ – (July 19, 2021) – Grande Communications, a division of Astound Broadband, the sixth largest cable operator in the United States, today announced the acquisition of Harris Broadband, L.P (“Harris”), a leading provider of fiber-to-the-home (“FTTH”) services, offering internet, TV and voice services in areas of Central Texas. Houlihan Lokey served as Harris’s financial advisor on the sale process. Seyfarth Shaw LP served as Grande’s legal adviser on the deal. Upon closing, this acquisition will add over 6,000 customers, 12,500 homes passed and 150 miles of fiber plant to Grande’s operations in Texas. The company expects the transaction to close later this year.

Adding Harris to Grande’s regional operations provides a strong strategic fit with its existing network footprint. This union also brings broadband expansion opportunities to underserved markets, and will help bridge the digital divide in areas of Central Texas.

“We expect to combine Harris Broadband’s localized expertise and leadership with our broader network and resources to provide more services to more customers throughout Central Texas and beyond,” said Jim Holanda, CEO of Grande Communications and Astound Broadband. “We will leverage best practices from our family of companies to build upon Harris’s long track record of success in providing advanced broadband services.”

“We’re excited to become a part of the Grande Communications family,” said Philip Harris, President of Harris Broadband. “This transaction provides us with access to nationally recognized technical expertise, highly regarded operational management systems and processes, and unparalleled financial acumen to further the expansion of Harris Broadband. Moreover, this transaction is great for not only customers we currently serve, but surrounding communities in and around Brownwood and Early.”

Harris currently operates in Brownwood and Early TX, providing the latest in FTTH technology to deliver video, internet and voice services to customers, and is a natural fit and extension of Astound Broadband’s existing Grande Communications’ footprint in Texas, which includes Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, San Marcos, Corpus Christi, Waco, Temple, Houston and Midland/Odessa.

For the immediate future, Harris Broadband customers will continue to receive billing statements and communication directly from Harris Broadband. Customers can continue to call 1-325-646-9493 for customer service, billing or technical support inquiries.

To learn more about Grande Communications, please visit: https://mygrande.com/. To learn more about Harris Broadband, please visit: https://www.harrisbb.com/.

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About Astound Broadband

Astound Broadband (astound.com) is the sixth largest cable operator in the U.S., providing award-winning high speed internet, broadband communications solutions, TV, phone services and fiber optic solutions for residential  and business customers across the United States. Astound Broadband is comprised of organizations formerly  known as RCN, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, and enTouch. The company services Chicago, Indiana, Eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Washington, DC, Texas, regions  throughout California, Oregon and Washington.