2 DA 19-1322 December 23, 2019 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF IRONTON TELEPHONE COMPANY TO PATRICIA STEWART STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket No. 19-377 Comments Due: January 6, 2020 Reply Comments Due: January 13, 2020 By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment from interested parties on an application filed by Patricia Stewart (Stewart), the Estates of William and Allen George (Estates), Ironton Telephone Company (ITC), Ironton Global Networks, LLC (ITC Global), Ironton Long Distance Company (ITCLD), and Service Electric Telephone Company, LLC (SET) (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 approval to transfer control of ITC from the Estates to Stewart. See 47 U.S.C. § 214; 47 CFR §§ 63.03-04. Applicants also filed an application for the transfer of authorizations associated with international services. On December 20, 2019, Applicants filed a supplement to their domestic section 214 application. Any action on this domestic section 214 application is without prejudice to Commission action on other related, pending applications. ITC, a Pennsylvania corporation, provides service as an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) in Lehigh, Pennsylvania and is authorized to provide service as a competitive LEC in the state of Pennsylvania. ITC, in turn, wholly owns ITC Global and ITCLD, as well as 50% of SET, each Pennsylvania entities providing service in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In their application and supplement, Applicants provide further information on each of these entities and their respective service areas. SET provides local exchange and interexchange services in multiple counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Applicants state that ITC controls SET through the combination of its 50% equity interest and contractual rights to make decisions regarding certain operations. ITC Global provides competitive LEC and interexchange services in Lehigh, Pennsylvania (where ITC provides incumbent LEC services) and the counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey where SET provides service. ITCLD provides intrastate and interexchange services to these same service areas. Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, Patricia Stewart, a U.S. citizen and sister of Bill George and Allen George, will acquire 50.48% of voting common stock of ITC through a combination of steps involving the Estates. Stewart currently holds 7.52% of ITC with other members of the George family holding smaller amounts. Applicants state that each member of the George family are U.S. citizens and that none of them, including Ms. Stewart, hold an interest in any other provider of domestic telecommunications services. Applicants assert that the proposed transaction is entitled to streamlined treatment under the Commission’s rules and that a grant of the application would serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity. We accept this application for filing under section 63.03(b)(1)(ii) of the Commission’s rules. 47 CFR § 63.03(b)(1)(ii). Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Transfer of Control of Ironton Telephone Company to Patricia Stewart, WC Docket No. 19-377 (filed Dec. 6, 2019). 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 January 6, 2020, and reply comments on or before January 13, 2020. Pursuant to section 63.52 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 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 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) Myrva Charles, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, myrva.charles@fcc.gov; 2) Gregory Kwan, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, gregory.kwan@fcc.gov; 3) Sumita Mukhoty, Policy Division, International Bureau, smita.mukhoty@fcc.gov; 4) David Krech, Policy Division, International Bureau, david.krech@fcc.gov; and 5) 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 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 CFR § 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 Gregory Kwan at (202) 418-1191. FCC 3