NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Jan 6, 2012) - The telecom industry has posted tremendous revenue growth in recent years as new technologies drive the sector. LTE deployments and 3G and 4G expansion have boosted the top lines of several U.S. telecom companies, while the hefty dividends many telecoms pay continues to attract safe-haven investors. The Bedford Report examines the outlook for companies in the Telecom sector and provides research reports on Alaska Communications Systems Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ ALSK ]) and Windstream Corporation (NASDAQ: [ WIN ]). Access to the full company reports can be found at:

[ www.bedfordreport.com/ALSK ]
[ www.bedfordreport.com/WIN ]

According to a recent report from the market research firm, Infonetics, telecom capital expenditures (CAPEX) were up 6% to $311 billion in 2011, while revenue was up 8% to $1.86 trillion. Stephane Teral, principal analyst for mobile and FMC infrastructure at Infonetics Research claims that the "near-6% increase in global telecom carrier CAPEX we expect in 2011 over 2010 is due in large part to AT&T's ramping LTE deployments, HSPA+ upgrades, and investments in WiFi hotspots for traffic offload."

In the long term, Research and Markets reports that revenues across all segments within the U.S. telecom industry presently total almost $750 billion and the firm says that revenues are expected to grow about +3.9% per year through the year 2020 to reach almost $1.2 trillion in revenue.

The Bedford Report releases regular market updates on the telecom sector so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at [ www.bedfordreport.com ] and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.

Telecoms are well known for paying some of the strongest dividends on Wall Street. Last month Alaska Communications Systems Group announced that its board of directors approved a fourth quarter dividend of $0.05 per share, payable on January 18, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 30, 2011. According to a press release issued from the company, the current dividend represents a dividend level of $0.20 per share on an annualized basis, compared to prior level of $0.86 per share, allowing the company to retain $29.8 million cash on an annualized basis.

Windstream Corporation currently pays an annual dividend of one dollar per share for a yield of around 8.5 percent. Windstream provides high-speed Internet, voice, and digital television services to residential customers primarily located in rural areas.

The Bedford Report provides Market Research focused on equities that offer growth opportunities, value, and strong potential return. We strive to provide the most up-to-date market activities. We constantly create research reports and newsletters for our members. The Bedford Report has not been compensated by any of the above-mentioned companies. We act as an independent research portal and are aware that all investment entails inherent risks. Please view the full disclaimer at: [ http://www.bedfordreport.com/disclaimer ]