DA 18-681
	Released:  June 29, 2018
NOTICE OF NON-STREAMLINED DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION GRANTED
WC Docket No. 18-128
By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants the application filed by the shareholders of Respond Communications, Inc. (Respond) and Wabash Independent Networks, Inc. (WIN) (collectively, Applicants), pursuant to section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and sections 63.03-04 of the Commission’s rules, requesting consent to the transfer of control of Respond and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Montrose Mutual Telephone Company (Montrose Mutual) and Montrose Mutual Long Distance, Inc. (Montrose LD), to WIN. See 47 U.S.C. § 214; 47 CFR §§ 63.03-04; Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Transfer of Control of Montrose Mutual Telephone Company and Montrose Mutual Long Distance, Inc. to Wabash Independent Networks, Inc, WC Docket No. 18-128, Public Notice, DA 18-492 (rel. May 14, 2018) (Application).  Montrose Mutual provides service as a rural incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) to four exchanges in Effingham, Jasper, and Cumberland Counties, Illinois, and Montrose LD provides domestic interexchange services in and around Montrose Mutual’s service territory.  Application at 9.  WIN is a wholly owned by Wabash Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (Wabash), which provides service as a rural incumbent LEC in nine exchanges in Clay, Wayne, Effingham, Jasper, Marion, Edwards, Wabash, and Richland Counties, Illinois.  Id. at 9.  Applicants state that the incumbent LEC service area of Wabash is adjacent to the incumbent LEC service area of Montrose Mutual.  Id. at 10.  WIN provides competitive LEC service in Illinois and offers such service in the territory of Montrose Mutual and Montrose LD.  Letter from Sylvia Lesse, Counsel for WIN, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 18-128 at 1 (filed May 8, 2018).  Applicants also filed applications for the transfer of authorizations associated with international and wireless services.  Any action on the domestic section 214 applications is without prejudice to Commission action on other related, pending applications.  
  No commenter opposed grant of the Application.  

	The Bureau finds, upon consideration of the record, that the proposed transfer will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity and, therefore, grants the requested authorization.  See Joint Applications of Global Crossing Ltd. and Citizens Communications Company for Authority to Transfer Control of Corporations Holding Commission Licenses and Authorizations Pursuant to Sections 214 and 310(d) of the Communications Act and Parts 20, 22, 63, 78, 90, and 101 of the Commission’s Rules, File Nos. ITC-T/C-20000828-00530, CCBPol No. 00-1 20001005AD-09 0000209675, et al., Memorandum Opinion and Order, 16 FCC Rcd 8507, 8510-11, paras. 7-9 (CCB, IB, CSB, WTB 2001) (granting transfer of control involving incumbent LECs with adjacent exchanges where merger would provide service efficiencies); Applications of  Level 3 Communications, Inc. and CenturyLink for Consent to Transfer Control of Licenses and Authorizations, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 32 FCC Rcd 9581, 9606, para. 54 (2017) (finding that the transaction would advance the public interest by expanding the reach and service capacity of the combined entity). 

  Pursuant to section 1.103 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.103, the consent granted herein is effective upon the release of the Public Notice. Applicants provide incumbent LEC services in their respective territories.  Within 30 days of closing the proposed transaction, Applicants must notify the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) so that USAC can make any appropriate changes to the High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) on-line location reporting portal for universal service recipients.
  Petitions for reconsideration under section 1.106 or applications for review under section 1.115 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 1.106, 1.115, may be filed within 30 days of the date of this Public Notice.  

For further information, please contact Myrva Charles at (202) 418-1506 or Gregory Kwan at (202) 418-1191, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau.

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