Windstream may not be among the biggest service providers in the U.S., but it does have a retail consulting firm that's a key differentiator.

Windstream acquired retail management consulting firm BRP when it bought Earthlink for $1.1 billion early last year. BRP largely helped out retail stores on the application level, but now it's taking a network approach as retailers move more of their applications and service to the cloud.

While BRP is able to help retail customers with their digital transformation, Windstream also benefits from sitting at the same table.