Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNSL) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

Robert Udell: Yes. And frankly, I’ve got 3 new team members, and we’re doing a lot of work with the go-to-market strategy. And so while internally, we’re absolutely focused on the turn and seeing that sequentially. We’re trying to maximize the wireless backhaul opportunities, as Fred mentioned, and doing a lot of work on the go-to-market strategy on the consumer side and a new small base offering at Fidium@Work. So I’m pretty optimistic and feel great about the ramp through 2023, but the offset on the carrier contracts and wireless backhaul, it’s just a little bit less predictable.

Robert Williams: Got it. And then just kind of a follow-up on that, if I may. Thinking about how far through you guys are on the fiber-to-the-tower kind of renegotiations, and any expected additional pricing pressure from that front or do you feel like you’re in a good spot now kind of going through the base and getting that behind you as this run rate into the numbers?

Robert Udell: Yes, I am quite confident that we’ll get that behind us in 2023, and it’s opening a door for more towers. And so what we’re essentially doing and the reason it’s less predictable is we’re trading some write-downs for new opportunity, and I feel good about that. The partnership tone is good. The relationships are solid. We’re changing some partnerships in different markets based on access to capital for those partners. And so I think we’re in a good spot. It’s just in the mid negotiation stage, and so a little bit less predictable as to when we finish it up. But it’s a…

Operator: . Ladies and gentlemen, that is all the time we have for questions today. I will now like to turn the call back over to Bob Udell for additional or closing remarks.

Robert Udell: Thank you, and thank you all for joining the call today. We’re very excited about our energy and the team dynamic we’ve developed with the restructuring of our team, and I’m very appreciative of your interest in Consolidated. So thanks for tuning in, and we look forward to updating you on our next call. Have a great day.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today’s conference call, and we thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect.