PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 TTY 202 / 418-2555 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov DA 07-3413 Released: July 26, 2007 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF NORTH PITTSBURGH SYSTEMS, INC. TO CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, INC. STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 07-151 Comments Due: August 9, 2007 Reply Comments Due: August 16, 2007 On July 17, 2007, Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (“CCH”) and North Pittsburgh Systems, Inc. (“NPSI”, together with CCH, “Applicants”), filed an application pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules requesting approval to transfer control of NPSI and its subsidiaries to CCH.1 NPSI is a publicly-traded Pennsylvania holding corporation. NPSI’s wholly-owned subsidiaries are: North Pittsburgh Telephone Company (“NPTC”) and Penn Telecom, Inc. (“Penn Telecom”), both of which are incorporated in Pennsylvania. NPTC is an incumbent local exchange carrier (“LEC”) offering traditional voice and broadband services in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, and Westmoreland counties in Western Pennsylvania. Penn Telecom is a competitive LEC offering voice and broadband services in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area. CCH is a Delaware corporation that, through its operating subsidiaries,2 all U.S. corporations, offers services as an incumbent LEC and competitive LEC to customers in Illinois and in Texas. The only 10% or greater interest holder in CCH is Richard A. Lumpkin, a U.S. citizen.3 1 47 C.F.R § 63.03; see 47 U.S.C. § 214. Applicants are also filing an application for the transfer of control associated with authorization for international services. Any action on this domestic section 214 application is without prejudice to Commission action on other related, pending applications. Applicants filed supplements to their domestic application on July 26, 2007. 2 The following affiliates of CCH’s are incumbent LECs: Consolidated Communications of Texas Company, Consolidated Communications of Fort Bend Company, Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company. Another affiliate of CCH, Consolidated Communications Network Services, Inc., provides competitive LEC and long distance services in Illinois and Texas. Consolidated Communications Public Services, Inc. provides inmate payphone services and Consolidated Communications Telecom Services of Texas Company provides long distance services. 3 Mr. Lumpkin holds an indirect interest in CCH through the following ownership chain: CCH is wholly-owned by Consolidated Communications, a U.S. corporation. Consolidated Communications is partly owned (25%) by Central Illinois Telephone, LLC (CIT), a U.S. limited liability company, which is owned (81.9%) by SKL Investment Group (SKL), a Delaware limited liability company. SKL is owned by Richard A. Lumpkin and his 2 Applicants assert that the proposed transaction is entitled to presumptive streamlined treatment under sections 63.03(b)(2)(ii) and (iii) of the Commission’s rules and that a grant of the application will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.4 Application Filed for a Transfer of Control of North Pittsburgh Systems, Inc. to Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc., WC Docket No. 07-151 (filed July 17, 2007). GENERAL INFORMATION The transfer of control identified herein has been found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing as a streamlined application. The Commission reserves the right to return any transfer of control application if, upon further examination, it is determined to be defective and not in conformance with the Commission’s rules and policies. Pursuant to section 63.03(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 63.03(a), interested parties may file comments on or before August 9, 2007 and reply comments on or before August 16, 2007. Unless otherwise notified by the Commission, Applicants are permitted to transfer control on the 31st day after the date of this notice.5 Comments may be filed using: (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government’s eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting comments. § For ECFS filers, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one electronic copy of the comments for each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, filers should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, and include the following words in the body of the message, “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in response. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. family. Mr. Lumpkin is the Chairman of SKL and is CIT’s sole Managing Member with respect to its investment in CCH. 4 47 C.F.R. §§ 63.03(b)(2)(ii) and (iii). 5 Such authorization is conditioned upon receipt of any other necessary approvals from the Commission in connection with the proposed transaction. 3 Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. The Commission’s contractor will receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Suite 110, Washington, D.C. 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington D.C. 20554. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). In addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to each of the following: 1) The Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, www.bcpiweb.com; phone: (202) 488-5300 fax: (202) 488-5563; 2) Tracey Wilson-Parker, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-A103, Washington, D.C. 20554; email: tracey.wilson-parker@fcc.gov; 3) Dennis Johnson, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B155, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: dennis.johnson@fcc.gov; 4) David Krech, Policy Division, International Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 7-A664 Washington, D.C. 20554; email: david.krech@fcc.gov; and 5) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 8-C824, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: jim.bird@fcc.gov. Filings and comments are also available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. They may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail www.bcpiweb.com. For further information, please contact Tracey Wilson-Parker at (202) 418-1394, or Dennis Johnson at (202) 418-0809. - FCC -