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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov 
 DA  06-  75  Released:  January  17,  2006 
 DOMESTIC  SECTION  214  APPLICATION  FILED  FOR  TRANSFER  OF  CONTROL  OF  ELSIE  COMMUNICATIONS,  INC.  AND  DALTON  TELEPHONE  COMPANY  INC. 
 TO  NEWCASTLE  HOLDINGS,  INC. 
 STREAMLINED  PLEADING  CYCLE  ESTABLISHED 
 WC  Docket  No.  06-  13 
 Comments  Due:  January  31,  2006  Reply  Comments  Due:  February  7,  2006 


 On  January  4,  2006,  Elsie  Communications,  Inc.  (  Elsie),  SKT  Ventures,  Inc.  (  SKT),  Dalton  Telephone  Company,  Inc.  (  Dalton),  and  Dalton  Holdings,  Inc.  (  Dalton  Holdings), 
 along  with  Newcastle  Holdings,  Inc.,  (  Newcastle)  (collectively,  Applicants),  filed  an  application,  pursuant  to  section  63.04  of  the  Commissions  rules,  1  requesting  authority  to 
 transfer  control  of  Elsie  and  Dalton  to  Newcastle. 
 Applicants  assert  that  this  transaction  is  entitled  to  presumptive  streamlined  treatment  under  sections  63.03(  b)(  2)(  ii)  and  (iii)  of  the  Commissions  rules.  The  proposed  transaction 
 would  result  in:  (1)  Newcastle,  together  with  all  of  its  affiliates,  having  a  market  share  in  the  interstate,  interexchange  market  of  less  than  10%;  and  (2)  Newcastle  and  its  affiliates  providing 
 competitive  telephone  exchange  services  or  exchange  access  services  (if  at  all)  exclusively  in  geographic  areas  served  by  a  dominant  local  exchange  carrier  that  is  not  a  party  to  the 
 transaction.  With  respect  to  Section  63.03(  b)(  2)(  ii),  Dialog  Telecommunications,  a  non-dominant  carrier,  provides  services  exclusively  outside  the  geographic  area  where  the  dominant 
 carriers,  Elsie  and  Dalton,  are  dominant.  2  With  respect  to  Section  63.03(  b)(  2)(  iii),  the  Applicants  and  Newcastles  affiliates,  Georgetown  Telephone  Company,  Oregon  Farmers 
 Mutual  Telephone  Company,  Pymatuning  Telephone  Company,  S&  A  Telephone  Company, 


 1  47  C.  F.  R    63.04;  see  47  U.  S.  C.    214. 
 2  47  C.  F.  R.    63.03(  b)(  2)(  ii). 
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 Waverly  Hall  Telephone,  LLC,  and  Gridley  Telephone  Company  have  fewer  than  2%  of  the  nations  subscriber  lines  and  there  are  no  overlapping  or  adjacent  service  areas.  3 
 Elsie,  a  Nebraska  corporation,  is  an  incumbent  local  exchange  carrier  (  LEC)  providing  local  exchange  and  exchange  access  service  to  subscribers  in  one  exchange  in  and  around  Elsie, 
 Nebraska.  SKT,  a  Kansas  corporation,  wholly  owns  Elsie.  The  following  individuals,  all  U.  S.  citizens,  control  ten  percent  or  more  of  SKT:  Kendall  S.  Mikesell  (25%);  Elaine  L.  Webb 
 (25%);  Edwin  A.  Mikesell  (25%);  and  Gregory  L.  Mikesell  (25%).  Dalton,  a  Nebraska  corporation,  is  an  incumbent  LEC  providing  local  exchange  and  exchange  access  service  to 
 subscribers  in  the  Bushnell,  Dalton,  Dix,  Gurley,  and  Lodgepole,  Nebraska  exchanges.  Dalton  Holdings,  a  Nebraska  corporation,  wholly  owns  Dalton.  Southern  Kansas  Telephone  Co.,  a  U.  S. 
 entity,  wholly  owns  Dalton  Holdings.  The  following  individuals,  all  U.  S.  citizens,  control  ten  percent  or  more  of  Southern  Kansas  Telephone  Co.:  Kendall  S.  Mikesell  (24.99%);  Elaine  L. 
 Webb  (24.99%);  Edwin  A.  Mikesell  (24.99%);  and  Gregory  L.  Mikesell  (24.99%). 
 Newcastle,  a  North  Carolina  corporation,  is  a  holding  company,  which  does  not  itself  provide  telecommunications  services.  American  Broadband  Acquisition  Corp.  IV,  a  U.  S. 
 entity,  wholly  owns  Newcastle.  The  following  U.  S.  entities  hold  a  ten  percent  or  greater  interest  in  American  Broadband  Acquisition  Corp.  IV:  American  Broadband  Communications, 
 LLC  (49%);  and  Signal  Equity  Partners  II,  LP  (40%).  4  The  following  individuals,  all  U.  S.  citizens,  control  ten  percent  or  more  of  American  Broadband  Communications,  LLC:  William 
 H.  Tucker  (48.75%);  and  Patrick  L.  Eudy  (48.75%).  5  The  general  partner  of  Signal  Equity  Partners  II,  LP  is  Signal  Equity  Advisors  II,  LLC,  a  U.  S.  entity,  which  holds  a  2.94%  interest. 
 The  following  individuals,  all  U.  S.  citizens,  control  ten  percent  or  more  of  Signal  Equity  Advisors  II,  LLC:  Timothy  P.  Bradley  (23.3%);  Alfred  J.  Puchala,  Jr.  (22.3%);  Christian 
 Nolen  (19.6%);  Malcolm  C.  Nolen  (19.6%);  and  Charles  T.  Lake,  II  (11.2%).  The  ten  percent 


 3  47  C.  F.  R.    63.  03(  b)(  2)(  iii). 
 4  American  Broadband  Communications,  Inc.  (  ABCI),  a  sister  corporation  to  American  Broadband 
 Communications  LLC  (  ABCL),  holds  40%  of  American  Georgetown,  Inc.,  which,  in  turn,  owns  100%  of  Georgetown  Telephone  Company,  an  incumbent  LEC  in  Mississippi.  Signal  Equity  Partners  II,  LP  owns  the 


 remaining  60%  of  American  Georgetown,  Inc.  ABCI  also  holds  49%  of  Northwest  Missouri  Holdings,  Inc.,  which  in  turn,  holds  100%  of  Oregon  Farmers  Mutual  Telephone  Company,  an  incumbent  LEC  in  Missouri. 
 Signal  Equity  Partners  II,  LP  owns  the  remaining  51%  of  Northwest  Missouri  Holdings,  Inc.  ABCL  owns  49%  of  Eastern  Kansas  Holdings,  Inc.,  which,  in  turn,  owns  100%  of  S&  A  Telephone  Company,  Inc.,  a  Kansas 
 incumbent  LEC.  Signal  Equity  Partners  II,  LP  owns  the  remaining  51%  of  Eastern  Kansas  Holdings,  Inc.  ABCL  owns  49%  and  Signal  Equity  Partners  II,  LP  owns  51%  of  Pymatuning  Holding  Company,  which  owns  100%  of 
 the  Pymatuning  Independent  Telephone  Company,  a  Pennsylvania  rural  incumbent  LEC.  American  Broadband  Acquisition  Corp.  has  a  100%  interest  in  Waverly  Hall  Holdings,  Inc.,  which,  in  turn,  owns  100%  of  Waverly  Hall 
 Telephone,  LLC,  an  incumbent  LEC  in  Georgia.  American  Broadband  Acquisition  Corp.  has  a  100%  interest  in  Mail  Holdings,  Inc.,  which,  in  turn,  owns  100%  of  Gridley  Enterprises,  Inc.,  which,  in  turn,  owns  100%  of 
 Gridley  Communications,  Inc.  and  Gridley  Telephone  Co.,  an  incumbent  LEC  in  Illinois. 
 5  Patrick  L.  Eudy  own  60%  of  Dialog  Telecommunications,  a  competitive  LEC  operating  in  Kentucky, 
 Mississippi,  and  North  Carolina. 
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 In  addition,  one  copy  of  each  pleading  must  be  sent  to  each  of  the  following: 
 (1)  The  Commissions  duplicating  contractor,  Best  Copy  and  Printing,  Inc.,  445  12th  Street,  S.  W.,  Room  CY-  B402,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554,  www.  bcpiweb.  com;  phone:  (202)  488- 
 5300  fax:  (202)  488-  5563; 
 (2)  Tracey  Wilson-  Parker,  Competition  Policy  Division,  Wireline  Competition  Bureau,  445  12th  Street,  S.  W.,  Room  5-  C212,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554;  email:  tracey.  wilson-  parker@  fcc.  gov; 


 (3)  Adam  Kirschenbaum,  Competition  Policy  Division,  Wireline  Competition  Bureau,  445  12th  Street,  S.  W.,  Room  5-  C211,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554;  e-  mail:  adam.  kirschenbaum@  fcc.  gov; 
 (4)  Susan  OConnell,  Policy  Division,  International  Bureau,  445  12th  Street,  S.  W.,  Room  7-  B544,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554;  email:  susan.  oconnell@  fcc.  gov;  and 
 (5)  James  Bird,  Office  of  General  Counsel,  445  12th  Street,  S.  W.,  Room  8-  C824,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554;  e-  mail:  james.  bird@  fcc.  gov. 
 Filings  and  comments  are  also  available  for  public  inspection  and  copying  during  regular  business  hours  at  the  FCC  Reference  Information  Center,  Portals  II,  445  12th  Street,  S.  W.,  Room 
 CY-  A257,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554.  They  may  also  be  purchased  from  the  Commissions  duplicating  contractor,  Best  Copy  and  Printing,  Inc.,  Portals  II,  445  12th  Street,  S.  W.,  Room  CY-B402, 
 Washington,  D.  C.  20554,  telephone:  (202)  488-  5300,  fax:  (202)  488-  5563,  or  via  e-  mail  www.  bcpiweb.  com. 


 For  further  information,  please  contact  Tracey  Wilson-  Parker  at  (202)  418-  1394,  or  Adam  Kirschenbaum  at  (202)  418-  7280. 
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