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 11-1367 Released: August 5, 2011 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE ACQUISITION OF ASSETS OF US CABLE OF COASTAL-TEXAS, L.P. BY MIDCONTINENT COMMUNICATIONS STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 11-113 Comments Due: August 19, 2011 Reply Comments Due: August 26, 2011 On June 28, 2011, US Cable of Coastal-Texas, L.P. (US Cable) and Midcontinent Communications (Midcontinent) (collectively, Applicants) filed an application pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules1 to transfer US Cable assets in Minnesota and Wisconsin to Midcontinent. US Cable, a New Jersey limited partnership, provides competitive non-switched telecommunications services in New Jersey, Texas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in areas in which it also provides cable services. US Cable is owned by US Cable Holdings, L.P. and Comcast-USC, LLC, both U.S. entities.2 Midcontinent, a South Dakota general partnership, provides competitive local exchange carrier (LEC) and interexchange services in North Dakota, South Dakota, and portions of western and northern Minnesota. It also provides cable services in those states. Midcontinent Communications Investor, LLC and Comcast Midcontinent, LLC each own 50 percent of Midcontinent. Midcontinent Communications Investor, LLC, the managing partner of Midcontinent, is wholly owned by Midcontinent Media, Inc. (MMI). MMI is owned in equal shares of approximately 33 percent each by Patrick McAdaragh, Richard Busch, and Steven Grosser, all U.S. citizens.3 All entities are U.S. based. Comcast Midcontinent, LLC is wholly owned by Comcast Corporation, a publicly traded Pennsylvania corporation with no 10 percent or greater owners. Applicants state that there is no overlap between the service areas of US Cable and Midcontinent. They further state that Comcast Midcontinent, LLC has affiliates that provide competitive telecommunications services in multiple states,4 but that the affiliates do not provide any service in the geographic areas that US Cable serves in Minnesota and Wisconsin. 1 47 C.F.R § 63.03; see 47 U.S.C. § 214. Applicants filed an amendment to their domestic section 214 application on July 7, 2011. They filed supplemental information on August 5, 2011. 2 Applicants provided additional ownership information for US Cable Holdings, L.P. and Comcast-USC, LLC in their August 5, 2011 letter. 3 Applicants state that Mr. McAdaragh, Mr. Busch, and Mr. Grosser do not hold attributable interests in other telecommunications entities. 4 Applicants state that the following entities, all of which are non-dominant, are affiliated with Comcast Midcontinent, LLC and provide or are authorized to provide interstate telecommunications services: Comcast Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, US Cable is selling the assets associated with its operations in Minnesota and Wisconsin to Midcontinent.5 US Cable will continue to provide telecommunications services in other markets where it currently provides cable service. Applicants assert that the proposed transaction is entitled to presumptive streamlined treatment under section 63.03(b)(2)(i) of the Commission’s rules and that a grant of the application will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.6 Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Acquisition of Assets of US Cable of Coastal-Texas, L.P. by Midcontinent Communications, WC Docket No. 11-113 (filed June 28, 2011). GENERAL INFORMATION The transfer of assets 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 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 19, 2011, and reply comments on or before August 26, 2011. Unless otherwise notified by the Commission, the Applicants may transfer control on the 31st day after the date of this notice.7 Comments should be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). 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://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. Business Communications, LLC d/b/a Comcast Long Distance; Comcast WCS ME02, Inc., Comcast WCS ME04, Inc., Comcast WCS ME05, Inc. Comcast WCS ME16, Inc., Comcast WCS ME22, Inc., Comcast WCS ME26, Inc., Comcast WCS ME28, Inc., Comcast WCS ME19, Inc., SpectrumCo, LLC, Comcast Phone, LLC, Comcast Phone of California, LLC, Comcast Phone of Colorado, LLC, Comcast Phone of Connecticut, LLC, Comcast Phone of Florida, LLC, Comcast Phone of Georgia, LLC, Comcast Phone of Idaho, LLC, Comcast Phone of Illinois, LLC, Comcast Phone of Iowa, LLC, Comcast Phone of Louisiana, LLC, Comcast Phone of Maine, LLC, Comcast Phone of Massachusetts, Inc., Comcast Phone of Minnesota, Inc., Comcast Phone of Montana, LLC, Comcast Phone of Nebraska, LLC, Comcast Phone of Nevada, LLC, Comcast Phone of New Hampshire, LLC, Comcast Phone of North Carolina, LLC, Comcast Phone of North Dakota, LLC, Comcast Phone of Ohio, LLC, Comcast Phone of Oklahoma, LLC, Comcast Phone of Oregon, LLC, Comcast Phone of Pennsylvania, LLC, Comcast Phone of Rhode Island, LLC, Comcast Phone of South Dakota, LLC, Comcast Phone of Texas, LLC, Comcast Phone of Utah, LLC, Comcast Phone of Vermont, LLC, Comcast Phone of Virginia, LLC, Comcast Phone of West Virginia, LLC, Comcast Phone of Washington, LLC, Comcast Phone II, LLC, Comcast Phone of Alabama, LLC, Comcast Phone of Arkansas, LLC, Comcast Phone of Arizona, LLC, Comcast Phone of Delaware, LLC, Comcast Phone of D.C., LLC, Comcast Phone of Central Indiana, LLC, Comcast Phone of Kansas, LLC, Comcast Phone of Kentucky, LLC, Comcast Pone of Northern Maryland, LLC, Comcast Phone of Mississippi, LLC, Comcast Phone of Missouri, LLC, Comcast Phone of New Jersey, LLC, Comcast Phone of New Mexico, LLC, Comcast Phone of New York, LLC, Comcast Phone of South Carolina, Inc., Comcast Phone of Tennessee, LLC, Comcast Phone of Wisconsin, LLC and Comcast Phone of Michigan, LLC. 5 Joint Application of Consent to Assign Domestic Authority Pursuant to Section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, As Amended, WC Docket No. 11-113, Exh. 1 (Markets Served by U S Cable in Minnesota and Wisconsin) (filed June 28, 2011). 6 47 C.F.R. § 63.03(b)(2)(i). 7 Such authorization is conditioned upon receipt of any other necessary approvals from the Commission in connection with the proposed transaction. 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, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, tracey.wilson@fcc.gov; 3) Jodie May, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, jodie.may@fcc.gov; and 4) 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, 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 at (202) 418-1394 or Jodie May at (202) 418-0913. - FCC -