Oregon Public Utility Commission Approves CenturyLink-Qwest Merger

The Public Utility Commission of Oregon (PUC) issued an order approving the pending merger between CenturyLink and Qwest Communications. This is the final approval needed to complete the merger. The PUC conducted a substantive review of the transaction, including agreements on wholesale matters the companies reached with several competitive carriers in Oregon and other states. When the merger is completed, the combined company will serve about 800,000 access lines in the state. As part of the approval process, the companies committed to investing a minimum of $45 million in broadband infrastructure in Oregon over five years.