Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2025

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

In the ordinary course of our business, we are subject to claims and administrative proceedings, none of which we believe are material or would be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operations.

Windstream Commitments

Following the consummation of our settlement agreement with Windstream, including entry into the Windstream Leases, we are obligated to make $490.1 million of cash payments to Windstream in equal installments over 20 consecutive quarters beginning in October 2020, and Uniti may prepay any installments due on or after the first anniversary of the settlement agreement (discounted at a 9% rate). As of March 31, 2025, the Company has made payments totaling $435.9 million.

Further, beginning in October 2020, we became obligated to reimburse Windstream for up to an aggregate of $1.75 billion for certain growth capital improvements in long-term fiber and related assets made by Windstream (“Growth Capital Improvements”) through 2029. Uniti’s reimbursement commitment for Growth Capital Improvements does not require Uniti to reimburse Windstream for maintenance or repair expenditures (except for costs incurred for fiber replacements to the property leased under the competitive local exchange carrier master lease agreement, up to $70 million during the term), and each such reimbursement is subject to underwriting standards. Uniti’s total annual reimbursement commitments for the Growth Capital Improvements under both Windstream Leases (and under separate equipment loan facilities) were limited to $225 million in 2024, and are limited to $175 million per year in 2025 and 2026; and $125 million per year in 2027 through 2029. If the cost incurred by Windstream (or the successor tenant under a Windstream Lease) for Growth Capital Improvements in any calendar year exceeds the annual limit for such calendar year, Windstream (or such tenant, as the case may be) may submit such excess costs for reimbursement in any subsequent year and such excess costs shall be funded from the annual commitment amounts in such subsequent period. In addition, to the extent that reimbursements for Growth Capital Improvements funded in any calendar year during the term is less than the annual limit for such calendar year, the unfunded amount in any calendar year will carry-over and may be added to the annual limits for subsequent calendar years, subject to an annual limit of $250 million in any calendar year. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, Uniti reimbursed $175.0 million of Growth Capital Improvements, of which $175.0 million represented the reimbursement of capital improvements completed in 2024 that were previously classified as tenant funded capital improvements. As of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we have reimbursed a total of $1.2 billion of Growth Capital Improvements.

Starting on the first anniversary of each installment of reimbursement for a Growth Capital Improvement, the rent payable by Windstream under the applicable Windstream Lease will increase by an amount equal to 8.0% (the “Rent Rate”) of such installment of reimbursement. The Rent Rate will thereafter increase to 100.5% of the prior Rent Rate on each anniversary of each reimbursement. In the event that the tenant’s interest in either Windstream Lease is transferred by Windstream under the terms thereof (unless transferred to the same transferee), or if Uniti transfers its interests as landlord under either Windstream Lease (unless to the same transferee), the reimbursement rights and obligations will be allocated between the ILEC MLA and the CLEC MLA by Windstream, provided that the maximum that may be allocated to the CLEC MLA following such transfer is $20 million per year. If Uniti fails to reimburse any Growth Capital Improvement reimbursement payment or equipment loan funding request as and when it is required to do so under the terms of the Windstream Leases, and such failure continues for thirty (30) days, then such unreimbursed amounts may be applied as an offset against the rent owed by Windstream under the Windstream Leases (and such amounts will thereafter be treated as if Uniti had reimbursed them).

Uniti and Windstream have entered into separate ILEC and CLEC Equipment Loan and Security Agreements (collectively “Equipment Loan Agreement”) in which Uniti will provide up to $125 million (limited to $25 million in any calendar year) of the $1.75 billion of Growth Capital Improvements commitments discussed above in the form of loans for Windstream to purchase equipment related to network upgrades or to be used in connection with the Windstream Leases. Interest on these loans will accrue at 8% from the date of the borrowing. All equipment financed through the Equipment Loan Agreement is the sole property of Windstream; however, Uniti will receive a first-lien security interest in the equipment purchased with the loans. No such loans have been made as of March 31, 2025.