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 14-1068 July 25, 2014 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE ACQUISITION OF ASSETS OF LINE SYSTEMS, INC., INFINITE COMMUNICATION, LLC AND MAGELLAN HILL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC BY BLOCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC. STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 14-106 Comments Due: August 8, 2014 Reply Comments Due: August 15, 2014 On July 14, 2014, Line Systems, Inc. (LSI), Infinite Communication, LLC (IC), Magellan Hill Technologies, LLC (MHT), Block Communications, Inc. (BCI) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Block Line Systems, LLC (BLS) (together, Applicants) filed an application pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules to transfer certain customers and other assets from LSI, IC, MHT to BLS.1 LSI, a Pennsylvania corporation, is authorized to provides service as a competitive local exchange carrier in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania and provides long distance services in California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. IC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company, provides competitive local exchange service and resold interexchange service in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. MHT, a New Jersey limited liability company is authorized to provide competitive local exchange service in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island and provides resold interexchange services in these same jurisdictions as well as Ohio and Virginia. As a competitive LEC, MHT provides its facilities-based local exchange service and its resale interexchange services in competition with other non-LSI and non-IC carriers, including the applicable incumbent local exchange carrier within the geographic services area within which MHT operates. BCI, an Ohio corporation, operates full-service television stations, low-power television stations, newspapers and cable television systems. BCI is not a carrier, however, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Buckeye TeleSystem, Inc., provides competitive LEC services in Ohio and Michigan and resold interexchange services. BCI’s wholly-owned subsidiary provides cable television service but, to the best 1 47 C.F.R § 63.03; see 47 U.S.C. § 214. Applicants also filed an application for transfer of control associated with authorizations for international services. Any action on this domestic section 214 application is without prejudice to Commission action on other pending applications. Applicants filed a supplement to their Application on July 23, 2014. of its knowledge, operates outside of the geographic areas in which LSI, MHT and IC operate. BCI has also announced plans to acquire MetroCast Mississippi, a cable system that provides cable television, telephone, and Internet services in Mississippi and to the best of BCI’s knowledge, MetroCast Mississippi operates outside of the geographic areas in which LSI, MHT and IC operate. BLS was formed for the purposes of this transaction. The following individuals (all U.S. citizens) are the ten percent or greater shareholders of BCI: Allan J. Block (17.59 percent), John R. Block (17.59 percent), William Block, Jr. (12.91 percent), Donald G. Block (12.68 percent), Barbara L. Block (11.49 percent), Cyrus P. Block (12.04 percent) and Karen D. Johnese (10.13 percent).2 Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, BLS will acquire certain assets, including operating assets, contracts and agreements, certain customer accounts, certain equipment and certain intellectual property from LSI, IC and MHT. As part of the purchase of assets, BLS will receive such assets related to the provision of local exchange and exchange access services and the provision of interexchange domestic resold long distance services. 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.3 Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Acquisition of Assets of Line Systems, Inc., Infinite Communication, LLC, and Magellan Hill Technologies, LLC by Block Communications, Inc., WC Docket No. 14-106 (filed July 14, 2014). 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 8, 2014, and reply comments on or before August 15, 2014. Pursuant to section 63.52 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 63.52, commenters must serve a copy of comments on the Applicants no later than the above comment filing date. Unless otherwise notified by the Commission, the Applicants may transfer control on the 31st day after the date of this notice. Pursuant to section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 63.03, parties to this proceeding should file any documents in this proceeding using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS): http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. In addition, e-mail one copy of each pleading to each of the following: 1) Myrva Charles, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, myrva.charles@fcc.gov; 2) Dennis Johnson, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, dennis.johnson@fcc.gov; 3) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, jim.bird@fcc.gov. 2 Cyrus P. Block is also a Canadian citizen. 3 47 C.F.R. § 63.03(b)(2)(i). 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). The proceeding in this Notice shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter’s written comments, memoranda or other filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b), 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules. For further information, please contact Myrva Charles at (202) 418-1506 or Dennis Johnson at (202) 418-0809. - FCC -