Federal Communications Commission DA 26-543 DA 26-543 Released: June 2, 2026 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN ASSETS OF WINDSTREAM MISSISSIPPI, LLC AND WINDSTREAM COMMUNICATIONS, LLC BY UPLINK, LLC NON-STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 26-77 Comments Due: June 16, 2026 Reply Comments Due: June 23, 2026 By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment from interested parties on an application filed by Windstream Mississippi, LLC (Windstream Mississippi) and Windstream Communications, LLC (Windstream Communications) (together, Windstream) and Uplink LLC (Uplink) (collectively, Applicants) pursuant to section 214(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and section 63.04 of the Federal Communications Commission’s (Commission) rules, See 47 U.S.C. § 214(a); 47 CFR § 63.04. requesting Commission approval for the acquisition of Windstream’s Rural Development Opportunity Fund (RDOF) support and related obligations for 244 locations in census blocks in Coahoma County, Mississippi to Uplink (Assigned Census Blocks). Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Acquisition of Certain Assets of Windstream Mississippi, LLC and Windstream Communications, LLC by Uplink, LLC, WC Docket No. 26-77 (filed Apr. 2, 2026) (Application). Applicants filed a supplement to the Application on May 18, 2026. Letter from John Kuykendall, Counsel for Uplink, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 26-77 (filed May 18, 2026) (Supplement). Applicants also filed an application for the transfer of authorizations associated with international services. Any action on this domestic section 214 application is without prejudice to Commission action on other related, pending applications. Windstream Mississippi, a Delaware limited liability company, is an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) and broadband service provider in Mississippi. Application at 3. Windstream Communications, a Delaware limited liability company, is a long distance service provider and a competitive LEC. Id. Windstream currently provides voice and broadband services to residential and business subscribers in Mississippi, using a mix of technologies, including legacy copper technology and next-generation fiber-to-the-home. Id. at 3-4. Windstream, a designated Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC), receives high-cost Universal Service Fund support in the form of RDOF in the Assigned Census Blocks. Id at 4, 8. Windstream does not provide service or have any customers within the Assigned Census Blocks. Id. at 7., 10 Uplink, a Mississippi limited liability company, provides voice and broadband services to residential and business customers in rural Mississippi from its base in Lyon, Mississippi. Id. at 4-5. Uplink currently has approximately 1,500 subscribers across Mississippi and Arkansas who receive voice and broadband services over Uplink’s fiber and fixed wireless networks in areas adjacent to the Assigned Census Blocks. Id. at 5. Applicants state that Uplink currently offers fiber broadband service to 15 locations within the Assigned Census Blocks. Id. at 10. Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, Uplink agreed to acquire the Assigned Census Blocks from Windstream and to assume the related RDOF obligations. Id. at 6. Applicants state that Windstream commits to transfer to Uplink all remaining RDOF support associated with the Assigned Census Blocks and any assets purchased or acquired with RDOF support to meet RDOF program requirements, to the extent practicable, including network facilities and related permits. Id. Applicants assert that a grant of the Application would serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity. Id. at 11-16. Because the proposed transaction would involve the exchange and assumption of Universal Service Fund high-cost mechanism obligations, in order to sufficiently analyze whether the proposed transaction would serve the public interest, we accept the Application for non-streamlined processing. See 47 CFR § 63.03(c)(1)(v). Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Acquisition of Certain Assets of Windstream Mississippi, LLC and Windstream Communications, LLC by Uplink, LLC, WC Docket No. 26-77 (filed Apr. 2, 2026). GENERAL INFORMATION The Application identified herein has been found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing. The Commission reserves the right to return any application if, upon further examination, it is determined to be defective and not in conformance with the Commission’s rules and policies. Interested parties may file comments and reply comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this document. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. § Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be addressed to the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. § Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the FCC’s mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building. § Commercial courier deliveries (any deliveries not by the U.S. Postal Service) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. § Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530. In addition, e-mail one copy of each pleading to each of the following: 1) Megan Danner, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, megan.danner@fcc.gov; 2) Robert Martin, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, robert.martin@fcc.gov; 3) Audra Hale-Maddox, Telecommunications Access and Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, audra.hale-maddox@fcc.gov; 4) Karen Johnson, Office of International Affairs, karen.johnson@fcc.gov; and 5) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, jim.bird@fcc.gov. The proceeding in this Notice shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter’s written comments, memoranda or other filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b), 47 CFR § 1.1206(b). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules. To allow the Commission to consider fully all substantive issues regarding the Application in as timely and efficient a manner as possible, petitioners and commenters should raise all issues in their initial filings. New issues may not be raised in responses or replies. See 47 CFR § 1.45(c). A party or interested person seeking to raise a new issue after the pleading cycle has closed must show good cause why it was not possible for it to have raised the issue previously. Submissions after the pleading cycle has closed that seek to raise new issues based on new facts or newly discovered facts should be filed within 15 days after such facts are discovered. Absent such a showing of good cause, any issues not timely raised may be disregarded by the Commission. For further information, please contact Megan Danner, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-1151 or Robert Martin, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-2903. -FCC- 2