Vermont, FCC Ok Fairpoint DealDemocratic Commissioners have their doubts... ( old news - 08:52AM Thursday Jan 10 2008) tags: fcc · business · Verizon Online DSL · Fairpoint CommunicationsTipped by TK Junk Mail  Last month Vermont regulators denied Verizon's $2.6 billion sale of their networks in New England to New Hampshire, making it appear as if the deal might not happen. Vermont regulators now appear to be reversing course, and have struck a tentative deal with the companies that would allow the deal to move forward with a few changes (barring a vote). Most of the provisions have to do with lightening Fairpoint's post-deal debt load and mandating rural coverage watermarks. In related news, the FCC has voted along partisan lines to approve the deal (pdf). Both of the agency's Democratic commissioners expressed concern that Fairpoint would still be so saddled with debt after the deal (which largely benefits Verizon) that they wouldn't be able to keep their promises. Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein says in a statement that the FCC has failed once again to address rural broadband deployment: We hear so much about promoting broadband deployment, but here the Commission has a specific opportunity to promote the public interest and fails to take any concrete steps to ensure that the consumers of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire will not be deprived. There are no binding commitments, no reports to monitor progress, and no commitment to oversight. That might be ok if the State-level agreements demand certain deployment percentages be met and regulators hold Fairpoint's feet to the fire should they fail to meet them. Having watched this industry since inception, we'll note it's usually the latter that fails to happen.
Related:- Vermont Approves FairPoint Sale
- New Hampshire Approves Fairpoint Deal
- Verizon/Fairpoint Deal a Lose-Lose Scenario For Consumers
- Special Sunday Meeting May Block Verizon-Fairpoint Sale
- Verizon Sells ME, NH, VT Networks
- Fairpoint Makes Poor First Impression In New England
- FairPoint Extends Cutover, Again
- Fairpoint Insists They're On Schedule. Really.
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wruckman
Ruckman.net
join:2007-10-25
Northwood, OH
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Broadband Deployment Promoting is one thing, but forcing or requiring is another. We should never pass laws or regulations requiring deployment. If business wants to make money and the area has the need someone will deploy. If big business passes it up then small business will take its place. If the people of the community want it make them pay for it out of their pockets. But don't burden everyone else's pockets nationally or statewide by spending my tax dollars on a community I will never go to or care about.
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William Ruckman
»ruckman.net
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|  | karlmarx
join:2006-09-18
Nashua, NH
 ·Fairpoint Communic..
| Re: Broadband Deployment Gee, you're in ohio. By your logic, that means you shouldn't help pay for the interstate highway in florida, I mean you'll never use it.
Business exists to serve the customer. If the customer happens to be a city or town or state, they have every right to REQUIRE certain features.
Of course, the reversal of the vote just goes to show you how corrupt all the officials are. I'm sure most of the 'voters' got a nice envelope filled with cash to 'reconsider' their vote. Cash from Verizon of course.
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Stick it to the MAN. Support your local torrent sites. Proudly providing 100mb of upstream for all your TV, Movie, and MP3 needs. | |
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wruckman
Ruckman.net
join:2007-10-25
Northwood, OH | Re: Broadband Deployment exactly. Business exist to make money, not take federal, state, or local funding. They could always get a loan though. You never vote for tax dollars to go to private entities. They have no right to spend my hard earned dollars. Crooks. | |
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wifi4milez
In Need Of Garbage Pail Kids 1st Series
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| said by karlmarx :Gee, you're in ohio. By your logic, that means you shouldn't help pay for the interstate highway in florida, I mean you'll never use it. As usual, you are comparing apples to kumquats. A business (which exists to make money), has absolutely nothing to do with a federal highway system.
said by karlmarx :Business exists to serve the customer. If the customer happens to be a city or town or state, they have every right to REQUIRE certain features. No, they have every right to request certain features. If the business determines it is unprofitable (or impossible) to provide that service then the customer is out of luck.
said by karlmarx :Of course, the reversal of the vote just goes to show you how corrupt all the officials are. I'm sure most of the 'voters' got a nice envelope filled with cash to 'reconsider' their vote. Cash from Verizon of course. Ha! Thats a funny one. While we are on the topic, I have a great bridge to sell you in this little place called Brooklyn.....
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AnonProxy
Proxy of Anon
Premium
join:2001-05-12
ß | Vermont is stupid They are going to end up losing phone service for all landlines in the state.
Fairpoint doesn't have the money, the skill, or the staff to do what it has said it would. | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: Vermont is stupid said by AnonProxy :They are going to end up losing phone service for all landlines in the state. Fairpoint doesn't have the money, the skill, or the staff to do what it has said it would. And that's exactly what they will tell the government when the time comes and I'm sure our wonderful government will come and bail out Fairpoint. | |
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cableties
Premium
join:2005-01-27
Levittown, PA
| This sucks... for my friend in Vermont. He's going to have to re-negotiate his employment with FairPoint. Which leads me to, what about jobs? Verizon bails on taxes (stick it to the consumer), FairPoint picks up debt and rural infrastructure of Verizon (copper lines are the way of dodo), FCC learns how to toss Verizon's salad. But no one promised to keep and add new positions.
And for you southerners, poke it. I know how you work. I've seen how NC health insurance is an option for employers to offer. And how you make folks work weekends (no OT or Dtime).
All this from the south that teachs (still and in their colleges) the Great Northern Aggression as the Civil War.
Will "whistling Dixie" be the new dial tone? 
(I am being sarcastic) | |
| | | probboy
join:2008-01-10
Natick, MA
| Re: Deal has to go forward said by TK Junk Mail :This deal had to be approved. If it wasn't, then service is GUARANTEED to degrade as Verizon just walks away from doing ANY upgrades or spending any REAL money on maintenance. They just can't walk away--landlines are a tariffed service. They might not invest in non-tariffed services (like DSL or FIOS), but they would have to meet minimum service standards for landlines. I'm not entirely sure what the penalties are for not meeting these standards, but I'd imagine that they might include seizing the assets and allowing another company to provide service.
The folks in Northern New England end up getting screwed while Verizon walks away from a boatload of debt. Once this gets approved, I'd imagine that Verizon tries something similar in western Massachusetts, central PA, etc. | |
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TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
clubs:
·Comcast
| Re: Deal has to go forward said by probboy :said by TK Junk Mail :This deal had to be approved. If it wasn't, then service is GUARANTEED to degrade as Verizon just walks away from doing ANY upgrades or spending any REAL money on maintenance. They just can't walk away--landlines are a tariffed service. I'm not entirely sure what the penalties are for not meeting these standards, but I'd imagine that they might include seizing the assets and allowing another company to provide service. Who? Fairpoint?
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Matt_
@comcast.net
| Vermont the First US E-State by 2010 ...what a joke Jim Douglas Vermont's Governor wants Vermont to be the first US e-state by 2010 with this Fairpoint deal I think hes going to struggle to make that a reality especially with this Fairpoint deal is already looking doomed to fail .
»youtube.com/watch?v=IgxM50Awevc
Youtube video of Jim Douglas talking about his estate initaitive back in March . | |
| ltt75
join:2001-01-22
Hollis, NH | vote split The vote was 7-6 for the deal. I am intersested in reading the decision notes from those 6 individuals that voted against it. | |
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RangerTX
Premium
join:2006-05-17
Los Angeles, CA | Re: Correction to BBR posted story source? | |
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HowardTheDuck
@verizon.net
| yyyeeeaaaaaghhhhh! Land of Howard Dean?
»youtube.com/watch?v=KDwODbl3muE
The scream heard around the world. And we're gonna put FIOS here and there, and over here and over there... and on the ski slopes, and in residential backyards, outhouses, and at the teddy bear factory, YEEEAAAAGHHH!!! Oh well, now it's Fairpoint's turn at the podium. | |
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What could they have done?
Deal has to go forward