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Public hearing next week in Everett on Verizon’s phone line sale to Frontier
 
Oct. 8, 2009
Docket Number: UT-090842

MEDIA ADVISORY

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Customers of Verizon Communications Inc. will be able to tell state regulators their views next week in Everett on the proposed sale of the company’s non-wireless business in Washington to Frontier Communications.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) must approve the sale before the transaction can be completed. The two phone companies hope to close the deal by next May. Frontier shareholders will hold a meeting in Stamford, Conn., on Oct. 27 to vote on the sale. There is no deadline for the commission to make a decision; however, a final determination should be made by mid-March next year.

WHAT
Public hearing on proposed sale of Verizon Communications Inc. landline telephone business in Washington to Frontier Communications

WHO
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

WHEN
6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15

WHERE
Gray Wolf Hall
Conference Center
Everett Community College
2000 Tower St.
Everett

BACKGROUND
On May 29, Verizon Communications, Inc. and Frontier Communications Corp. filed an application with the UTC for approval of Verizon’s sale of its landline residential and commercial phone business in Washington to Frontier Communications. The commission will consider whether state ratepayers would be harmed from the proposed transaction, which is part of an $8.6 billion bid by Frontier to acquire 4.8 million Verizon phone lines in 14 states. The Federal Communications Commission must approve the transaction and government regulatory approval is needed in nine states. The sale has no effect on Verizon Wireless customers.

The commission has received 62 public comments with three in favor, 18 undecided and 41 opposed to the proposed sale. Customers who are unable to attend the public hearing but wish to comment on the proposed sale can mail their correspondence to: P.O. Box 47250 Olympia, Wash., 98504; e-mail comments to comments@utc.wa.gov or call toll-free 1-888-333-9882. The commission’s deadline for accepting public comments is Jan. 11, 2010.

Verizon, created in 2000 by a merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE, is the second-largest local telephone service provider in Washington, serving about 487,000 phone lines in cities such as Redmond, Kirkland, Everett, Bothell, Woodinville, Wenatchee, Kennewick, Pullman, Chelan, Richland, Naches, Westport, Lynden, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Newport, Oakesdale, Republic and Camas-Washougal. Headquartered in Stamford, Conn., Frontier Communications serves 2.3 million customers in rural and smaller-city markets.

The UTC is the state agency in charge of regulating the rates and services of telephone companies operating in the state of Washington.