Consolidated, FairPoint Talking Better Broadband Service in Deal

Recent ILEC acquisitions by Consolidated Communications resulted in improved broadband services, and FairPoint Communications customers likely will see the same, the telcos said in a joint FCC application for change of control posted Wednesday. Their public interest statement said Consolidated/FairPoint will mean new services -- like over-the-top video, security and home automation -- in new markets, and combining their fiber networks will let New Consolidated offer better offer service to multilocation businesses. There are six states in which both operate -- Alabama, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania -- but none of their territories in those states overlaps, they said. The application listed 20 FairPoint subsidiaries with Communications Act Section 214 licenses that would need to be transferred to Consolidated. Consolidated announced plans earlier this month to acquire FairPoint in an all-stock deal valued at about $1.5 billion (see 1612050030).