Suddenlink Celebrates 10 Years

ST. LOUIS (Feb. 12, 2013) – The company known today as Suddenlink is celebrating its first decade.

The name Suddenlink was introduced in May 2006, but the company's origins can be traced to Feb. 12, 2003, when its management team assumed responsibility for what, at the time, was the twelfth largest U.S. cable operator, Classic Communications. Classic served approximately 300,000 customers in primarily rural communities.

Chairman and CEO Jerry Kent assembled a veteran management team to lead the enterprise, which was renamed Cebridge Connections in August 2003. The company more than quadrupled in size in 2006, when it acquired Cox cable systems serving approximately 900,000 customers and Charter cable systems serving approximately 240,000 customers.

"Through the hard work of our team, an unrelenting focus on customer care, plus transformative acquisitions, billions of dollars in financings and capital investments, we turned a small, bankrupt company into the nation's seventh largest cable operator with financial and operating results that are among the very best in the industry," said Suddenlink Chairman and CEO Jerry Kent. "In 2003, several friends in the industry called to ask me why we agreed to take on such a long-shot risk. A decade later, our team has made that long shot look like a sure thing. My hat is off to them for everything they've accomplished. It's been an incredible journey."

When Kent and team first took over the management of Classic in 2003, the company offered Internet service (with a top download speed of 1.5 megabits per second) in only half of its cable systems – and offered phone service in none. Today, Suddenlink offers high-speed Internet service in all of its communities, with download speeds up to 107 Megabits per second in many areas;phone service to substantially all customers; wireless home networking; a robust line up of high-definition TV channels; TV Caller ID; a video on demand library with more than 10,000 titles; an online video service known as Suddenlink2GO; home security; and a suite of commercial services, including advertising and carrier services.

Company Timeline: Selected Milestones

Feb. 2003 – Began managing Classic Communications

June 2003 – Acquired Kingwood, TX, cable system from Shaw Communications

Aug. 2003 – Changed name to Cebridge Connections

Jan. 2004 – Acquired cable systems from Alliance Communications Partners

April 2004 – Acquired cable systems from Thompson Cablevision

June 2004 – Acquired cable systems from Tele-Media Corporation

Aug. 2004 -- Acquired cable systems from USA Media

May 2006 – Acquired cable systems from Cox serving approx. 900,000 customers

July 2006 – Acquired cable systems from Charter serving approx. 240,000 customers

Jan. 2007 – Began expansive rollout of phone service

May 2008 – Completed West Texas fiber ring

Nov. 2008 – Opened new $3.5 million call center in Parkersburg, W. Va.

Feb. 2009 – Launched TV Caller ID

April 2009 – Launched business-class phone

May 2009 – Began expansion of home security service

Aug. 2009 – Launched WiFi@Home; expanded DOCSIS 3.0 roll out

Nov. 2009 – Launched Project Imagine (3-year, $350 million capital investment program)

Mar. 2010 – Introduced High-Speed Internet MAX 107.0 service

Aug. 2010 – Acquired Greenwood, Miss., cable system from Windjammer

Aug. 2010 – First major cable operator to have all technicians SCTE certified

Sept. 2010 – Reached 3 million revenue generating units (RGUs)

Dec. 2010 – Launched TiVo® HD/DVR

April 2011 – Acquired NPG Cable

June 2011 – Launched Suddenlink2GO online video service

Sept. 2012 – Completed Project Imagine

Oct. 2012 – Launched TiVo Stream

Nov. 2012 – Reached 1 million high-speed Internet customers

Nov. 2012 – Company acquired by management and new equity investors

Suddenlink(suddenlink.com) is the seventh largest cable operator in the United States, supporting the information, communication and entertainment demands of approximately 1.4 million residential and commercial customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and elsewhere. Suddenlink simplifies its customers' lives through one call for support, one connection, and one bill for TV, Internet, phone and other services.