In addition to approximately 59,000 new net broadband customers, Windstream added approximately 35,000 net digital TV customers in its first quarter ending March 31, both records for the company.

Now with 122,000 digital TV customers, the company’s patience over jumping on the IPTV bandwagon is bearing fruit. Windstream has an agreement with EchoStar Communications to offer DISH Network satellite TV service.

Jeff Gardner, president and CEO of Windstream said that broadband and digital TV are two of the companies most important services.

The growth helped push the company’s quarterly earnings up 11% from last year with revenues of $784 million. However, net income was down 11% at $100 million. Operating income was $270 million, a 55% increase year-over-year.

Enhanced services also appear to be pushing up average revenue per user, which up 6% to $76.60.

The unstoppable decline in access lines came in at 4.5% with 29,000 losses. Windstream now has approximately 3.2 million access lines across its 16 state service area.

The company also announced it expects to substantially complete in the third quarter the split-off of its directory publishing business in a tax-free transaction to Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, a private equity investment firm. The transaction was originally announced on Dec. 12, 2006.