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 09-1509 Released: July 7, 2009 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF PYMATUNING INDEPENDENT TELEPHONE COMPANY TO TOWNES TELE- COMMUNICATIONS, INC. STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 09-117 Comments Due: July 21, 2009 Reply Comments Due: July 28, 2009 On June 25, 2009, Pymatuning Holding Company, Inc. (PHC) and Townes Tele- Communications, Inc. (Townes) (collectively, Applicants) filed an application pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules to transfer control of Pymatuning Independent Telephone Company (Pymatuning) and its wholly owned subsidiary P.T. Communications Corporation (PTCC) from PHC to Townes.1 PHC, a Delaware corporation, is a holding company formed for the purpose of acquiring, owning and operating Pymatuning and PTCC. Pymatuning, a Pennsylvania corporation, is an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC), providing local exchange services in a single exchange serving portions of the Borough of Greenville in Mercer County in northwestern Pennsylvania. PTCC, also a Pennsylvania corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pymatuning that resells interstate and intrastate long distance toll services and other telecommunications–related services in and around Pymatuning’s local exchange service area. Townes, a Texas corporation, is a holding company that directly or indirectly owns the following incumbent LECs that provide service in rural portions of Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, and Florida: Tatum Telephone Company; Electra Telephone Company; Walnut Hill Telephone Company; MoKan Dial, Inc.; Choctaw Telephone Company; Haxtun Telephone Company; and Northeast Florida Telephone Company. After consummation of the proposed transaction, Pymatuning will be wholly owned by Townes. Townes is jointly owned by Larry C. & Phillis Townes (100 percent), both U.S. Citizens. 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.2 1 47 C.F.R § 63.03; see 47 U.S.C. § 214. Applicants are also filing applications for transfer of control associated with authorizations for international services and Pymatuning’s Conventional Industrial/Business Pool Service Station WYG797 and its Paging and Radiotelephone Service Station WYG797. Any action on this domestic section 214 application is without prejudice to Commission action on other related, pending applications. 2 47 C.F.R. § 63.03(b)(2)(iii). Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Transfer of Control of Pymatuning Independent Telephone Company to Townes Tele-Communications, Inc., WC Docket No. 09-117 (filed June 25, 2009). 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 July 21, 2009, and reply comments on or before July 28, 2009. Unless otherwise notified by the Commission, the Applicants may transfer control on the 31st day after the date of this notice.3 Comments must be filed electronically using (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or (2) the Federal Government’s e-Rulemaking 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 e-Rulemaking 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, e-mail 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.wilson-parker@fcc.gov; 3) Dennis Johnson, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, dennis.johnson@fcc.gov; 4) David Krech, Policy Division, International Bureau, david.krech@fcc.gov; 5) Erin McGrath, Wireless Bureau, erin.mcgrath@fcc.gov; and 6) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, jim.bird@fcc.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, 3 Such authorization is conditioned upon receipt of any other necessary approvals from the Commission in connection with the proposed transaction. 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; e-mail: 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 Dennis Johnson at (202) 418-0809. -FCC-