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 15-1372 December 1, 2015 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF AYRSHIRE FARMERS MUTUAL TELEPHONE COMPANY TO NORTHWEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 15-281 Comments Due: December 15, 2015 Reply Comments Due: December 22, 2015 Ayrshire Farmers Mutual Telephone Company (Ayrshire) and Northwest Communications, Inc. (Northwest) (together, Applicants) filed an application pursuant to section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and section 63.03 of the Commission’s rules, requesting consent to transfer control of Ayrshire to Northwest.1 Ayrshire, an Iowa corporation, is an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) providing telecommunications and DSL broadband services to rural communities in its telephone service area. No person holds an ownership interest in Ayrshire of more than 10 percent. A.T.C. Cablevision Co. (ATC), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ayrshire, providing cable television and DSL broadband services in its Ayrshire and Gillett Grove exchange areas and in CenturyLink’s Whittemore exchange area. Northwest, an Iowa corporation, provides cable television, broadband internet and wireless communications services in parts of Pocahontas, Palo Alto and Kossuth Counties in northwestern Iowa. Northwest is a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwest Telephone Cooperative Association (NWTCA), and Iowa entity, providing incumbent LEC telephone operations in the Havelock, Plover, West Bend and Curlew exchanges. Applicants state that both Ayrshire and Northwest each hold a 14.29 percent interest in Skylink, LC, which provides mobile wireless services in Iowa. Applicants explain that Ayrshire and NWTCA serve adjacent exchanges, but do not provide overlapping services. Applicants state that no person holds an ownership interest in NWTCA of more than 10 percent. Applicants (together with Ayrshire’s shareholders) entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement pursuant to which Northwest will acquire one hundred percent of the stock of Ayrshire. As a result, Ayrshire will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwest and, therefore, ultimately controlled by NWTCA. Applicants assert that the proposed transaction will serve the public interest. They state that the Licensees will continue to provide service at the same rates, terms and conditions as are in effect 1 See 47 C.F.R § 63.03; 47 U.S.C. § 214. 2today. Applicants state that there will be no reduction, impairment, or discontinuance of service to any customer as a result of the proposed transaction. We accept this for streamlined processing pursuant to our authority to afford streamlining to particular applications on a case-by-case basis.2 Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Transfer of Control of Ayrshire Farmers Mutual Telephone Company to Northwest Communications, Inc., WC Docket No. 15-281 (filed Nov. 13, 2015). 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 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 December 15, 2015, and reply comments on or before December 22, 2015. 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://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. In addition, e-mail one copy of each pleading to each of the following: 1) Tracey Wilson, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, tracey.wilson@fcc.gov; 2) Gregory Kwan, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, gregory.kwan@fcc.gov; 3) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, jim.bird@fcc.gov. 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), 1-888-835-5322 (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 2 See Implementation of Further Streamlining Measures for Domestic Section 214 Authorizations, Report and Order, 17 FCC Rcd 5517, 5531-32, 5535, paras. 28, 34 (2002); 47 C.F.R § 63.03(a). 3presentation 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 Tracey Wilson at (202) 418-1394 or Gregory Kwan at (202) 418-1191. - FCC -