PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 08-635 Released: March 21, 2008 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF BISHOP COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION TO IOWA TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INC. STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 08-40 Comments Due: April 4, 2008 Reply Comments Due: April 11, 2008 Pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules, Bishop Communications Corporation (BCC) and Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. (Iowa Telecom) (collectively, Applicants), request authority to transfer control of the domestic section 214 authorizations held by Lakedale Telephone Company (Lakedale), Lakedale LINK, Inc. (Lakedale LINK), and EN-TEL Communications, Inc. (EN- TEL) from BCC to Iowa Telecom.1 BCC, a Minnesota corporation, owns Lakedale, Lakedale LINK, and EN-TEL, U.S.-based entities that serve fewer than 25,000 access lines. Lakedale, an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) that is directly and wholly owned by BCC, offers local exchange and long distance services (as a billing agent for Lakedale LINK) to business and residential customers in the following six rural exchanges in Minnesota: Annandale, Maple Lake, Montrose, Waverly, South Haven, and Paynesville. Lakedale LINK, a competitive LEC that is directly and wholly owned by BCC, offers local exchange and long distance services to business and residential customers in 89 exchanges throughout Minnesota where the incumbent LEC is Embarq or Qwest. EN-TEL, a competitive LEC that is two-thirds indirectly owned by BCC, offers local exchange and long distance services to business and residential customers in the Willmar exchange in Minnesota. Iowa Telecom, a publicly-traded Iowa corporation, operates 288 telephone exchanges in Iowa as an incumbent LEC.2 Through its subsidiaries, Iowa Telecom Communications, Inc. and IT Communications, LLC, Iowa Telecom serves as a competitive LEC in all Iowa exchanges in which Qwest is the incumbent LEC. Applicants state that none of Iowa Telecom’s exchanges are adjacent to any exchanges served by Lakedale, Lakedale LINK, or EN-TEL. Applicants state that, to the best of Iowa Telecom’s knowledge, no party directly or indirectly holds a ten percent or greater equity interest in Iowa Telecom. Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, Iowa Telecom will acquire all 1 47 C.F.R § 63.03; see also 47 U.S.C. § 214. Applicants are also filing applications for transfer of control associated with authorization for international and wireless services. Any action on this domestic section 214 application is without prejudice to Commission action on other related, pending applications. Applicants filed a supplement to their domestic section 214 application on March 21, 2008. 2 Iowa Telecom’s wholly owned subsidiary, Montezuma Mutual Telephone Company, provides services solely within Iowa. 2 outstanding shares of BCC, which will be held by IWA Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Iowa Telecom. Applicants assert that the proposed transaction is entitled to presumptive streamlined treatment under section 63.03(b)(2)(iii) of the Commission’s rules and that a grant of the application will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.3 Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Transfer of Control of Bishop Communications Corporation to Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc., WC Docket No. 08-40 (filed Mar. 7, 2008). GENERAL INFORMATION The Wireline Competition Bureau finds, upon initial review, that the transfer of control identified herein is 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 C.F.R. § 63.03(a), interested parties may file comments on or before April 4, 2008, and reply comments on or before April 11, 2008. Unless otherwise notified by the Commission, the Applicants may transfer control on the 31st day after the date of this notice.4 Comments must be filed electronically using (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or (2) the Federal Government’s eRulemaking Portal. See 47 C.F.R. § 63.03(a) (“All comments on streamlined applications shall be filed electronically . . . .”); Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). § 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. In addition, email one copy of each pleading to each of the following: 1) The Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., fcc@bcpiweb.com; phone: 202 / 488-5300; fax: 202 / 488-5563; 2) Tracey Wilson-Parker, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Tracey dot Wilson at fcc dot gov; 3 47 C.F.R. § 63.03(b)(2)(iii). 4 Such authorization is conditioned upon receipt of any other necessary approvals from the Commission in connection with the proposed transaction. 3 3) Adam Kirschenbaum, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Adam dot Kirschenbaum at fcc dot gov; 4) David Krech, International Bureau, Policy Division, International Bureau, David dot Krech at fcc dot gov; and 5) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, Jim dot Bird at fcc dot gov. Filings and comments are 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; email: fcc@bcpiweb.com; url: www.bcpiweb.com. 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). For further information, please contact Tracey Wilson-Parker at 202-418-1394 or Adam Kirschenbaum at 202-418-7280. – FCC –