RAUL RUIZ, M.D. 
36TH DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA 
1319 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20515 
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~a~btngton. Jl<!C 20515-0536 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
December 3, 2015 
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On September 2, 2015, the Federal Communication Commission ("FCC") approved Frontier 
Communications' purchase ofVerizon's wireline networks in California, Texas, and Florida, 
noting that certain state public utility commissions were also reviewing the proposed transfer. 
This transfer is especially significant as Frontier will become the second largest provider of voice 
and broadband services in California, serving millions of Californians, including my constituents 
in California's 36th Congressional District. This merger has the potential to significantly improve 
access to broadband services in my district, and I look forward to working with Frontier 
Communications to ensure they develop their infrastructure quickly and fairly. 
Historically, broadband Internet services have not been deployed evenly throughout my district. 
Frontier's service area will include densely populated suburban communities such as Palm 
Desert, as well as rural areas including Coachella. Currently, there are troubling instances in 
which aftluent communities enjoy good (though not universal) availability to broadband, while 
adjacent tribal and more rural or underserved areas have nothing but dial-up Internet access. 
There are also examples where deployment ofbroadband in urban low income and minority 
neighborhoods continues to lag behind. 
If the transfer ofVerizon's network is approved, I understand that Frontier will rely on Connect 
America Funds ("CAF"), administered by the FCC, as well as corresponding state funds such as 
the California Advanced Services Fund ("CASF") to expand and improve access to broadband 
Internet across these new service areas. V erizon has accepted approximately $192 million in 
CAF funds to be dispersed over the next six years on behalf of Frontier. Given Verizon's long­
term commitment to provide CAF funding to Frontier, I trust the FCC will also continue to 
ensure that Frontier operates in the public's interest. 
I have invited the CEO of Frontier, Melinda White, to tour my Congressional district and see 
firsthand the disparities that exist among communities just ten minutes away from each other. I 
look forward to working with the company to establish a robust, verifiable action plan to address 
the needs of the racially and economically diverse population of California. This plan must 
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include concrete steps to ensure diversity in their hiring practices, utilize contractors that reflect 
the diversity of their new service area, and include Latino-owned media outlets in their content 
delivery. Frontier's progress on this plan must be accountable through periodic progress reports 
and benchmark goals, and I urge the FCC to consider these points in its oversight role. 
The FCC can-and should-require Frontier to address such public needs; it would be an 
impressive demonstration that Frontier understands the new market it seeks to serve, and it is 
committed to serving that market well, if Frontier voluntarily committed to take concrete steps to 
close the Digital Divide among underserved communities. I will support their efforts to 
accomplish this fundamental goals and I hope we can continue to work together cooperatively to 
serve the people of California's 36th Congressional District. 
Sincerely, 
Zf!Y71-
Raul Ruiz, M.D. 
Member of Congress (CA-36)