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Entries from November 1, 2010 - November 30, 2010

Tuesday
Nov302010
DateTuesday, November 30, 2010 at 1:33PM

DISH Seeks Majority Stake in Liberty Bell Telecom

Source: FCC 214 Application

DISH Media Holdings Corporation (DISH Media), Liberty-Bell, LLC, and Liberty-Bell Telecom, LLC (Liberty-Bell Telecom) (together, Applicants) filed an application pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules to transfer control of Liberty-Bell Telecom to DISH Media.      

Liberty-Bell Telecom, a Colorado limited liability company, provides competitive local exchange carrier (LEC) and long distance services in Colorado and has limited operations in New Mexico and Utah. It is wholly owned by Liberty-Bell, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company that operates as a holding company and does not itself provide telecommunications services.  DISH Media, a Colorado corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (DISH Network), a U.S.-based publicly traded holding company that provides pay-TV services nationwide.  Applicants state that DISH Media does not provide telecommunications services.  Charles W. Ergen, a U.S. citizen, owns 53.6 percent, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and GS Investment Strategies, LLC (together, Goldman Sachs Asset Management), Delaware-based investment entities, own 13.4 percent of DISH Network.  Goldman Sachs Asset Management is wholly owned by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a publicly traded Delaware corporation with no 10 percent or greater interest holders. Applicants state that, following the transaction, no other entity will directly or indirectly own or control 10 percent or more of Liberty-Bell Telecom, LLC.

Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, DISH Media will purchase shares and acquire majority ownership and control of Liberty-Bell, LLC, including the right to appoint a majority of the board of managers, 90 percent of the equity interests, and 93.1 percent of the voting interests of Liberty-Bell, LLC.  Applicants assert that the proposed transaction is entitled to presumptive streamlined treatment under section 63.03(b)(2)(i) of the Commission’s rules and that a grant of the application will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.

AuthorDeborah Rand | Comment2 Comments | | | Print ArticlePrint Article
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Tuesday
Nov302010
DateTuesday, November 30, 2010 at 10:51AM

CenturyLink Announces Post-Merger Regional Operating Structure

Source: CenturyLink Press Release

CenturyLink (NYSE:CTL) announces the regional structure that will become effective when the company's merger with Qwest (NYSE:Q) clears all state and federal regulatory approval processes and upon the legal closing of the transaction. The merger is expected to be completed during the first half of 2011.

The combined company's 37-state service area will be organized into six regions and led by region presidents. The region presidents are responsible for revenue, customer retention, customer satisfaction and service delivery throughout their local markets. The regions, region presidents, region headquarters locations, and states within each region are:

  • Eastern Region
  • President: Todd Schafer, currently president of CenturyLink's Mid-Atlantic Region
  • Headquarters: Wake Forest, N.C.
  • States: Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
  • Midwest Region
    • President: Duane Ring, currently president of CenturyLink's Northeast Region
    • Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minn.
    • States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
  • Mountain Region
    • President: Kenny Wyatt, currently president of CenturyLink's South Central Region
    • Headquarters: Denver, Colo.
    • States: Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming
  • Southern Region
    • President: Dana Chase, currently president of CenturyLink's Southern Region
    • Headquarters: Orlando, Fla.
    • States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas
  • Northwest Region
    • President: Brian Stading, currently vice president of network operations and engineering for Qwest
    • Headquarters: Seattle, Wash.
    • States: California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
  • Southwest Region
    • President: Terry Beeler, currently president of CenturyLink's Western Region
    • Headquarters: Phoenix, Ariz.
    • States: Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada

    • Each region will be segmented into several local markets, each of which will be led by a vice president/general manager who will be responsible for the market's financial and operational performance. CenturyLink will name these executives and their locations in the near future.

    As of Sept. 30, 2010, CenturyLink served approximately 2.4m broadband customers, 6.6m access lines and 588,000 satellite video subscribers. On the same date, Qwest served approximately 2.9m broadband customers, 9.1m access lines, 960,000 video subscribers and more than one million wireless customers.

    AuthorMatt Lydon | CommentPost a Comment | | | Print ArticlePrint Article
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    Monday
    Nov292010
    DateMonday, November 29, 2010 at 5:22PM

    CenturyLink and Qwest Reach Agreement with AZ Corporate Commission

    Source: CenturyLink Press Release

    CenturyLink (NYSE:CTL) and Qwest Communications (NYSE:Q) have reached an agreement with the staff of the Arizona Corporate Commission (ACC) and the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) on the proposed merger of the two companies. The commission staff and the RUCO find that the merger is consistent with and not contrary to the public interest, and that it should be approved by the ACC based on the terms and conditions in the agreement. The staff’s recommendation is subject to review and approval by the commission members. 

    The companies, the ACC staff and the RUCO agreed to a resolution of retail and wholesale issues, which includes the companies providing regular integration updates and reports. Additionally, the combined company will invest a minimum of $70m in broadband infrastructure in Arizona over five years. 

    In addition to the commission staff and the RUCO in Arizona, CenturyLink and Qwest have reached merger agreements with the staff of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and the Minnesota Department of Commerce. In Utah, the companies have agreements with the Utah Division of Public Utilities, the Utah Office of Consumer Services and the Salt Lake Community Action Program. In addition, agreements have been reached with the federal government in Arizona, Colorado and Utah. The companies also have entered into agreements with Integra Telecom, Cox Communications and other competitive local exchange carriers.

    AuthorMatt Lydon | CommentPost a Comment | | | Print ArticlePrint Article
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    Monday
    Nov292010
    DateMonday, November 29, 2010 at 4:32PM

    Microsoft Considers Video Service for Xbox

    Source: Reuters

    According to an article in Reuters, Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT) has recently been involved in talks with TV networks to create a subscription-based video service for its Xbox game console.  One possible scenario would be for Microsoft to operate a virtual cable operator, which would offer access to networks such as ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS, ESPN or CNN for a monthly fee.  Other scenarios include allowing cable subscribers to access more interactive functions such as messaging with friends while watching shows.  According to the article, the service may not be available for another year.

    AuthorMatt Lydon | CommentPost a Comment | | | Print ArticlePrint Article
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    Monday
    Nov292010
    DateMonday, November 29, 2010 at 4:21PM

    Maine Fiber Co. Selects NextGen for Three Ring Binder Stimulus Project

    Source: Maine Fiber Press Release

    Maine Fiber today announced that it has selected nextGen Telecom Services Group as the prime network infrastructure construction contractor for the Three Ring Binder project, an 1,100 mile fiber optic network spanning 100 Maine communities that encompasses 110,000 households, 600 schools, libraries and other anchor community institutions, and 38 government facilities. NextGen has also been selected by Maine Fiber to provide on-going maintenance and emergency restoration services.

    Maine Fiber was formed to manage the construction, maintenance and leasing of the Three Ring Binder network that is being built using a combination of federal grant money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and private investment. Maine Fiber Company provides access to its high-capacity network to all qualified users on an open access, non-discriminatory basis. Any carrier or other organization requiring fiber optic facilities may lease network capacity to provide quality, affordable services to business and consumer end users within these communities – and to hundreds of other communities based on building laterals from the main network.

    NextGen has already begun work on the project and expects to complete the construction phase in two years. The company currently operates from its primary facility in Gardiner, Maine, and anticipates expanding to multiple other staging and warehouse facilities in strategic locations throughout the State during construction. NextGen also expects to ramp up its Maine workforce of line foremen, linemen, laborers, traffic control flaggers and warehouse personnel throughout the duration of the construction phase of the project.

    AuthorMatt Lydon | CommentPost a Comment | | | Print ArticlePrint Article
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