THE Commonwealth Telecommunications Commission is seeking public input on the pending $60 million purchase of Verizon by the consortium of Tan Holdings Corp., Citadel Holdings Corp. and Missouri Holdings Corp.
J. Michael Fitzgerald, CTC vice chairman and spokesman, said the public’s comments are “critical.”
“The commission would be reviewing all those comments so that we would arrive at a fair and comprehensive assessment of whether the application fulfills the mandates of the law,” said Fitzgerald.
He urges local and federal entities to file their comments before July 22.
The consortium, which is also known as Pacific Telecom, Inc., won the bid for Verizon’s purchase deal last year.
15 cents charge
CTC also opens today the formal comment period for the Fiber Optic Communications Facilitation and Competitive Telecommunications Act of 1996 as it relates to Verizon’s charging of 15 cents per minute for customer direct-dial between Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
Comments on this subject are due on July 30.
The Tinian and Rota legislative delegations recommended that CTC includes as a condition on any Verizon purchase deal the elimination of inter-island telephone charges assessed on CNMI consumers.
Verizon says it already allows regular phone users a 30-minute free monthly inter-island call.
Verizon operates a fiber optic telecommunications cable on Tinian, Rota, Saipan and Guam.
The operation and administration of the cable is regulated through a public land lease and CNMI law.
CTC is also set to conduct public hearings on Rota, Tinian and Saipan on July 22, 24 and 25 regarding these two telecommunications issues.
Anthony Mosley, acting general manager of Verizon, said Verizon and Pacific Telecom, Inc. will make presentations during the hearings.
‘Retraction’
In related news, Pacific Telecom, Inc. expressed hope that Gov. Juan N. Babauta would also retract his opposition to the purchase deal, just like what Guam Gov. Carl T.C. Gutierrez did last week.
Jose Ricardo Delgado, chief financial officer of Citadel Holdings, yesterday said PTI remains the “most qualified to buy and operate Verizon in the CNMI.”
“The governor of Guam knew what was right and what was just politics and unfair play by some people. So he retracted his opposition. I hope the governor of the CNMI does the same. Because we will prove that we are the right company,” Delgado told Variety.
Delgado said PTI is the only entity that ran a telecommunications company that is 10 times bigger than Verizon or the former Micronesian Telecommunications Corp.
“We have no debt. We plan to grow the company, not shrink it. We are not going to use MTC’s cash to pay off debts. We will use it for growth and we will retain all the employees,” said Delgado.
Gutierrez withdrew on Thursday his June 17 petition asking the Federal Communications Commission to deny PTI and Verizon’s applications.
He said opposing the purchase deal would not be in the interest of the people of Guam.
“I remain confident that in the end, the truth will come out and this thing will get done,” Delgado said.
Once the purchase deal is sealed, Citadel will have 50 percent share of Verizon’s assets, while Tan Holdings will have 30 percent, and Missouri Holdings will have 20 percent.
