Delegates urge FCC to review sale of Verizon land lines

DELEGATES URGE FCC TO REVIEW SALE OF VERIZON LAND LINES
[SOURCE: Associated Press]
Members of the U.S. House from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are asking the Federal Communications Commission to carefully review the proposed sale of Verizon's land telephone lines in the three states. The five House members also asked in a letter that the FCC hold off on making any decision on the sale to FairPoint Communications until after regulators in all three states have ruled on the plan. The FCC also must approve before the sale can go through. The letter was signed by Maine Reps. Thomas Allen and Michael Michaud, New Hampshire's Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter and Vermont's Peter Welch. The group wrote that by delaying its decision, the FCC would be better able to rule after issues raised by the proposal are aired, in detail, in state regulatory hearings this fall. Critics, including the union representing Verizon employees, say FairPoint is too small to take over existing service and expand Internet access.
http://nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070929/BUSINESS/...