Federal Communications Commission DA 26-493 DA 26-493 Released: May 15, 2026 DOMESTIC SECTION 214 APPLICATION FILED FOR THE TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF YANKEE TELECOM, INC. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES TO TDS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LLC NON-STREAMLINED PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED WC Docket Nos. 26-100 Comments Due: May 29, 2026 Reply Comments Due: June 5, 2026 By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment from interested parties on an application Domestic Section 214 Application for the Transfer of Control of Yankee Telecom, Inc. and its Subsidiaries, to TDS Telecommunications LLC, WC Docket No. 26-100 (filed Apr. 30, 2026) (Application). On May 6, 2026, Applicants filed a supplement to their domestic section 214 application. Letter from Paul Phillips, Counsel for TDS Telecommunications LLC, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 26-100 (filed May 6, 2026) (Supplement). Applicants also filed applications for the transfer of authorizations associated with international and wireless services. Any action on the Application is without prejudice to Commission action on other related, pending applications. filed by Yankee Telecom, Inc. (Yankee Telecom) and TDS Telecommunications LLC (TDS Telecom) (together, Applicants), pursuant to section 214(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and section 63.04 of the Federal Communications Commission’s (Commission) rules, See 47 U.S.C. § 214(a); 47 CFR § 63.04. requesting consent to transfer control of Yankee Telecom and its subsidiaries, Granite State Telephone, Inc. (GST) and Granite State Long Distance, Inc. (GSLD) (together, Licensees), to TDS Telecom. Yankee Telecom, a holding company that does not provide telecommunications services, wholly owns GST and GSLD, each of which is a New Hampshire corporation. Application at 2-3. GST provides service as a rural incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) in certain rural areas of New Hampshire. Id. at 3. Applicants state that GST provides voice and broadband services to residential and business customers using fiber-to-the-home technologies. Id. GST is designated as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) and currently receives federal Universal Service Fund (USF) support in the form of Enhanced Alternative Connect America Fund Cost Model (E-ACAM) and Connect America Fund Intercarrier Compensation (CAF-ICC). Id. GST also participates in the Commission’s Lifeline program and, until its expiration, participated in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Id. GSLD provides long-distance telephone services in the State of New Hampshire. Id. at 2. TDS Telecom, a Delaware limited liability company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, provides telecommunications and communications services to small- to mid-sized urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the United States. Id. at 4. In New Hampshire, TDS Telecom directly owns the following operating subsidiaries, each of which is a New Hampshire corporation: Hollis Telephone Company, Inc.; Kearsarge Telephone Company; Merrimack County Telephone Company; Union Telephone Company; and Wilton Telephone Company, Inc. (collectively, the TDS New Hampshire Companies). Id. at 13. Applicants provide further information of TDS Telecom’s affiliates, including, for each affiliate: (1) services provided, (2) SAC code for the area served; (3) state in which service is provided, and (3) type of USF-support received. Supplement, Attach. 1 (Affiliates of TDS Telecommunications LLC Currently Receiving Federal High Cost Support) at 1-3. Applicants state that TDS Telecom’s affiliates receive a mix of ACAM, E-ACAM, and/or CAF-ICC support. Supplement at 1; id., Attach 1 at 1-3. Each of the TDS New Hampshire Companies provides service as an incumbent LEC and is designated as an ETC. Application at 13. Applicants state that there are adjacencies between the GST exchanges and exchanges served by Merrimack County Telephone Company. Id. at 4. Pursuant to the terms of the proposed transaction, TDS Telecom will acquire all of the outstanding equity interests in Yankee Telecom and, therefore, indirect ownership and control of its subsidiaries, GST and GSLD. Id. at 6. As a result of the proposed transaction, TDS Telecom will assume control of Yankee Telecom and the Licensees, including all licenses, physical plant, and operations in New Hampshire. Id. Applicants assert that a grant of the Application would serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity. Id. at 13. Because the proposed transaction would involve the exchange and assumption of Universal Service Fund high-cost mechanism obligations, in order to sufficiently analyze whether the proposed transaction would serve the public interest, we accept the Application for non-streamlined processing. See 47 CFR § 63.03(c)(1)(v). Domestic Section 214 Application Filed for the Transfer of Control of Yankee Telecom, Inc., and its Subsidiaries to TDS Telecommunications LLC, WC Docket No. 26-100 (filed Apr. 29, 2026). GENERAL INFORMATION The Application identified herein has been found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing. The Commission reserves the right to return any application if, upon further examination, it is determined to be defective and not in conformance with the Commission’s rules and policies. Interested parties may file comments and reply comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this document. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. § Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be addressed to the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. § Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the FCC’s mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building. § Commercial courier deliveries (any deliveries not by the U.S. Postal Service) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. § Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. 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. In addition, e-mail one copy of each pleading to each of the following: 1) Gregory Kwan, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, gregory.kwan@fcc.gov; 2) Audra Hale-Maddox, Telecommunications Access and Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, audra.hale-maddox@fcc.gov; 3) David Krech, Telecommunications and Analysis Policy Division, Office of International Affairs, david.krech@fcc.gov; 4) Nadja S. Sodos-Wallace; Broadband Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau; Nadja.SodosWallace@fcc.gov; and 5) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, jim.bird@fcc.gov. 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. To allow the Commission to consider fully all substantive issues regarding the Application in as timely and efficient a manner as possible, petitioners and commenters should raise all issues in their initial filings. New issues may not be raised in responses or replies. See 47 CFR § 1.45(c). A party or interested person seeking to raise a new issue after the pleading cycle has closed must show good cause why it was not possible for it to have raised the issue previously. Submissions after the pleading cycle has closed that seek to raise new issues based on new facts or newly discovered facts should be filed within 15 days after such facts are discovered. Absent such a showing of good cause, any issues not timely raised may be disregarded by the Commission. For further information, please contact Gregory Kwan, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-1191. 2