OLYMPIA – The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approved the merger of Verizon and MCI on Friday, attaching some conditions that will affect Snohomish County phone service.
State regulators, the last in the union to approve the merger, set these conditions:
* Verizon must set aside $1.25 million for projects that lessen any harmful effects on competition and improve services.
* Residents and businesses in Arlington, Darrington, Granite Falls and Marysville must be able to call each other without paying long-distance fees.
* Customers in Anacortes, Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley must be able to dial other numbers in Skagit County without paying long-distance charges.
* Customers must be informed about their right to switch to another company.
Removed from the final order was an earlier provision that would have required the company to pay up to $325,000 to provide telephone service to about a dozen people near Index.
Kevin Laverty, a Verizon spokesman at its regional headquarters in Everett, said the Index deal was set aside to be dealt with later. It was too large a benefit to a small number of people who weren’t even Verizon customers, he said, adding, “It’s a separate thing.”
Laverty said the approval of the merger was important for Verizon. Washington was the last of 28 states to approve the merger, which has also been approved by the European Union, the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice. The $8.5 million deal is expected to be completed in early 2006.
Under the agreement, Verizon will not ask for another rate increase for local service before June 30, 2009. It previously was allowed to increase local rates by $1.47 a month in mid-2007.
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