Kinetic Named ‘2026 Telecommunications Company of the Year’ by the American Business Awards®

• Gold Stevie® Award recognizes company’s community impact and rapid fiber expansion in predominantly rural, underserved areas
• Award comes on the heels of two other major accolades for fiber internet

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kinetic, a leading residential and business fiber internet provider, received a Gold Stevie® Award for the ‘2026 Telecommunications Company of the Year’ in the 24th Annual American Business Awards®.

Kinetic was recognized for its community involvement and its commitment to provide more rural and suburban communities with better internet at a better value.

“To be recognized with a Gold Stevie in our field reaffirms our mission to help customers Internet Better™, and we are tremendously honored to receive this award,” said John Harrobin, president of Kinetic. “What makes this award especially meaningful is that it reflects our commitment to setting a new standard for the category and delivering the best overall experience to customers everywhere.”

The American Business Awards recognized Kinetic for:

• A major investment to lift up rural and underserved communities across the U.S. with high-speed fiber internet. In 2025, Kinetic wrapped up a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar initiative to bring fiber internet to these underserved, or often unserved, areas.
• Leading the campaign to end copper wire theft. Kinetic continues to spearhead a coordinated effort to combat copper wire theft, which poses a direct threat to public safety and access to critical emergency services, working with stakeholders to adopt tougher laws, penalties and enforcement programs.
• A project to bring high-speed Wi-Fi community-focused connectivity in Lexington, Kentucky. Kinetic donated a powerful Wi-Fi network in Lexington, a once neglected urban park that was transformed into a beautiful, bustling and digitally connected community hub, Gatton Park. This demonstrates the importance of being a rooted member in local communities and delivering value beyond high-speed internet.

“This award is proof that a fiber internet provider can do more for its customers than just deliver outstanding connectivity. We can help communities grow, create opportunity where it is needed most, and show up as true partners in the places we serve,” added Harrobin.

The American Business Awards are among the nation’s premier business honors, recognizing excellence across industries and organizations of every size. This year, more than 3,600 nominations were submitted, and more than 250 professionals participated in the judging process.

Earlier this year Kinetic was selected as the best multi-gig internet value from Compare Internet and named CNET’s best rural fiber internet provider for the second year in a row. Kinetic has also earned the highly coveted A+ accreditation from the Better Business Bureau.

Kinetic will continue expanding its fiber-optic network to deliver a better internet experience to more communities. With millions of fiber strand miles across its 18-state footprint, Kinetic’s network is expected to reach 3.5 million homes and businesses by 2029.

“Organizations across the United States continue to set a high standard for innovation and performance,” said Maggie Miller, Stevie Awards president. “The breadth and quality of nominations submitted to the 2026 American Business Awards reflect a dynamic and competitive business environment, where organizations are finding new ways to drive growth, deliver value, and make an impact. We congratulate all of this year’s Stevie Award winners and look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at our June 9 awards ceremony in New York.”

Residents who want to check fiber availability or construction updates can call 1- 877-90-FIBER (877-903-4237) or visit www.gokinetic.com.

About Kinetic: Named the 2026 Telecommunications Company of the Year (Stevie GOLD/American Business Awards), Kinetic is a business unit of Uniti (NASDAQ: UNIT), and is a premier insurgent provider of multi-gigabit fiber internet, whole-home Wi-Fi, internet security, and voice services in 1,400 markets across 18 states in the Southwestern, Southeastern, Midwestern, and Northeastern U.S. Additional information is available at gokinetic.com.

Media Contact: 
Megan Krtek
uniti.kinetic.pr@uniti.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and management’s current expectations with respect to the future, involve certain risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the strategic expansion of the Kinetic fiber network. The words “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “would,” “predicts” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Uniti may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Future results may differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that Uniti makes. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, that could cause events and results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to the merger of Uniti and Windstream; competition and overbuilding in consumer service areas and general competition in business markets; risks related to the Company’s indebtedness, which could reduce funds available for business purposes and operational flexibility; rapid changes in technology, which could affect its ability to compete; risks relating to information technology system failures, network disruptions, and failure to protect, loss of, or unauthorized access to, or release of, data; risks related to various forms of regulation from the Federal Communications Commission, state regulatory commissions and other government entities and effects of unfavorable legal proceedings, government investigations, and complex and changing laws; risks inherent in the communications industry and associated with general economic conditions; and additional risks set forth in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company’s most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The discussion of such risks is not an indication that any such risks have occurred at the time of this filing. Uniti does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.