More on state plan for Qwest-CenturyLink merger

 

Seattle Times

By Brier Dudley

January 3, 2011

State residents are apparently nonplussed about how the Qwest-CenturyLink merger is going down.

Of the 73 public comments submitted so far to the state Utilities and Transportation Commission, 34 are opposed, 33 undecided and six are in favor of the deal.

Last week, the companies, the UTC staff and the state Attorney General's Office reached an agreement on conditions needed for the deal to receive state approval. Among other things, the deal caps residential phone rates for three years after the deal closes and requires CenturyLink to spend at least $80 million upgrading broadband infrastructure in Washington. (Here's an earlier post
with more details of the agreement.)

That agreement must now receive final approval from the commission, which is holding its first hearing on the topic at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 5 at its headquarters at 1300 S. Evergreen Park Drive S.W. in Olympia.