01/04/2008
from the Kennebec Journal
QUESTIONS REMAIN
No complaints from those who switched to Somerset County center
Vote on 1 may hurt some in election
Steeple at center of debate in Whitefield
VETERANS REQUIRE ASSISTANCE: Homelessness takes center stage
J.P. DEVINE: Overcome sadness with hope
BASKETBALL: NBA Hall of Famer Barry doles out advice at Thomas College
HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY: Maranacook sophomore Mace dominates Class B field
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
A year later, families await answers on fatalities
Owner of topless coffee shop on the comeback trail
Officials report cheaper, better service after switch
Two people in critical condition
Young Marines stick to program
Issue of homeless veterans at center stage
GIRLS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Winslow falls to York in Class B
Bard hits her marathon stride
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
The three commissioners voted to approve the sale after an exhaustive, 12-hour session, and only after FairPoint made significant financial concessions designed to reduce its debt after the $2.7 billion sale.
Regulators in Vermont and New Hampshire, and the Federal Communications Commission, also must give their approvals for the sale to become final. Verizon and FairPoint hope to close by Jan. 31.
The case before the PUC was considered among the most important telecommunications decisions facing the agency in a generation. The outcome and its conditions will affect virtually every home and business customer that now has telephone or Internet services from Verizon.
Verizon is Maine's dominate local telephone service provider. It owns more than 600,000 access lines roughly 85 percent of Maine's total. These lines also support Internet access for thousands of home and business customers.
Among the conditions:
n FairPoint will reduce the rate for basic home and business telephone service by more than $4 a month, for at least five years.
The rate now is $19.29 a month.
n FairPoint will make high-speed Internet service available to 83 percent of all lines within two years, and 90 percent over five years.
n Prices for existing Verizon high-speed DSL service will be frozen at $15 with a two-year contract and $18 with a one year contract, for at least two years.
n FairPoint also will have to meet strict service quality standards, or face increasing financial penalties.




Reader comments
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Anyone check out this months consumer reports for Broadband? Guess what, Fairpoint doesn't even get listed. Not a word. And they rave about their products and services. By the way, Verizon is listed as first. FIOS that is.
Yeah, lets get rid of them because they say they don't want to be here. Why didn't you do your job and create an environment where they could succeed.
Good work Maine PUC. Since I pay your salary, I don't think I will give you a raise for seven years, and I will also take away your retiree medical benefits and I will not give you a pension. Just like good old Fairpoint has promised for us.
Lets just hope NH and Vermont have some integrity left.report abuse
Were the lawyers connected politically?
Why is this information being kept out of the
process?report abuse
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