Source: BV Investment Partners Press Release

BV Investment Partners announced the signing of a definitive agreement to sell Vision Communications, a Louisiana based communications and broadband services provider, to EATEL.

Vision provides a comprehensive suite of residential and commercial communications services, including digital video, high-speed Internet, local and long distance telephone, alarm monitoring, and commercial data services. BV acquired the Company in late 2007 from the Pat Brady family, which had previously owned the business since its founding in 1945. Under BV's ownership, the Company expanded its service offerings to include Ethernet Transport services, cell tower fiber backhaul, fiber connectivity to schools, libraries and other governmental agencies as well as alarm monitoring & security.

Louis V. Bertocci, a Partner at BV, commented, "This has been a successful investment for us and we have been very pleased with the operating performance of Vision. On behalf of BV, I want to thank Vision's management team for their dedication and hard work over the past several years. They have been great operating partners."

Tony Duet, Chief Executive Officer of Vision, said, "Working with the professionals at BV, who have deep experience in the communications sector, proved very valuable in improving our operations. Our partnership with them has been enormously beneficial in terms of the daily operation of our company as well as planning long-range initiatives. Furthermore, we expect our customers to benefit from this transaction and the exciting opportunity it brings."

The transaction is subject to normal regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

Source: FCC 214 Release

On August 9, 2011, the current shareholders of Andrew Telephone Company, Inc. and LaMotte Telephone Company, Incorporated  filed an application pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules to transfer control of Andrew to LaMotte. 

Applicants do not seek streamlined processing for this application under section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules.

Andrew, an Iowa corporation, is a rural incumbent local exchange carrier serving approximately 280 access lines in the Andrew exchange in the city of Andrew in Jackson County, Iowa, located in the northeastern portion of the state. The following U.S. citizens own at least 10 percent of the equity of Andrew:  Robert Mauer (30 percent), Virginia Mauer Cox (30 percent), Valerie Mauer Weis (30 percent), and Ed Buchanan (10 percent). 

LaMotte, an Iowa corporation, is a rural incumbent LEC serving approximately 700 access lines in the LaMotte exchange, which includes the cities of LaMotte and St. Donatus in Jackson County, Iowa, and Zwingle in Dubuque County, Iowa.  LaMotte also holds a PCS broadband license and provides digital television service in and around LaMotte, St. Donatus, Zwingle, and Cottonville, Iowa.  Applicants state that LaMotte has approximately 181 shareholders, all U.S. citizens and none of whom is permitted by the company’s articles of incorporation to own or control, directly or indirectly, more than three percent of its ownership.  Applicants further state that the Andrew and LaMotte service areas are adjacent to each other.  Because of the incumbent LEC adjacent service areas the Applicants have identified, this application is not entitled to presumptive streamlined treatment. 

Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, LaMotte will acquire all of the issued and outstanding stock of Andrew.  Andrew will continue as an incumbent LEC in its service territory.  Applicants state that the proposed transaction is in the public interest because LaMotte is an experienced rural incumbent LEC and will ensure the continued availability of high quality telecommunications services at affordable rates for Andrew’s customers.