DA 20-874
Released:  August 12, 2020
DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION GRANTED FOR THE 
TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF BESTWEB CORPORATION TO FIRSTLIGHT FIBER, INC. 

WC Docket No. 20-176
By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants an application filed by FirstLight Fiber, Inc. (FirstLight), Andrew Dickey, and BestWeb Corporation (BestWeb) (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 transfer control of BestWeb to FirstLight. See 47 U.S.C. § 214; 47 CFR §§ 63.03-04.  Application of FirstLight Fiber, Inc., Andrew Dickey, and BestWeb Corporation for Consent to Transfer Control of BestWeb Corporation, WC Docket No. 20-176 (filed June 19, 2020) (Application).  Applicants filed a supplement to their application on June 30, 2020.

      

On July 6, 2020, the Bureau released a Public Notice requesting comment on the Application. Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Transfer of Control of BestWeb Corporation to FirstLight Fiber, Inc., WC Docket No. 20-176, Public Notice, DA 20-710 (WCB 2020).
  No party filed comments in opposition to a grant of the Application, and the Bureau finds, upon consideration of the record, that granting the Application will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity. See, e.g., Applications of Level 3 Communications, Inc. and CenturyLink, Inc. for Consent to Transfer Control of Licenses and Authorizations, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 32 FCC Rcd 9581, 9594, 9605, paras. 26 and 52 (2017) (finding no harm to competition outside of CenturyLink’s incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) territory, where applicants operate as competitive LECs, and further finding that the transaction “will expand the on-net reach of the newly combined firm resulting in a more effective and stronger competitor against larger cable and incumbent LEC competitors, among others, particularly outside of Century Link's incumbent LEC region, where it, like Level 3, operates as a competitive LEC.”). 
  Pursuant to section 1.103 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 1.103, the grant is effective upon release of this Public Notice.  Petitions for reconsideration under section 1.106 or applications for review under section 1.115 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.106, 1.115, may be filed within 30 days of the date of this Public Notice.

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

					-FCC-

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