Residential Utility Consumer OfficeQwest/CenturyLink Merger
On Thursday, May 13, 2010, Qwest Corporation, Qwest Communications Company, LLC, Qwest LD Core’., Embarq Communications, Inc. d/b/a Century Link Communications, Embarq Payphone Services, Inc. d/b/a CenturyLink and CenturyTel Solutions, LLC filed an application ("Joint Application") with the Arizona Corporation Commission ("ACC" or "Commission") seeking approval of a proposed merger of their parent corporations Qwest Communications International Inc. ("Qwest") and CenturyLink, Inc. ("CenturyLink").
Denver, Colorado-based Qwest serves a fourteen-state region and is the dominant incumbent local exchange carrier in Arizona. Qwest provides telecommunications services in and around Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Yuma, Prescott, Winslow Nogales and Safford. CenturyLink is headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana and is the fourth largest telephone company in the U.S. CenturyLink serves thirty-three states including Nevada, where it is the incumbent local exchange carrier in Las Vegas.
Under the terms of the proposed merger agreement, Qwest will become a wholly-owned, first tier subsidiary of CenturyLink. Since the transaction is a combination of the parent companies only, local exchanges, companies, or assets will not be sold, combined or transferred to a new provider according to the Joint Application.
On Wednesday, June 2, 2010, RUCO filed a motion to intervene.
On Thursday, July 1, 2010, The Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") assigned to the case issued a Procedural Order which granted RUCO's request for intervenor status and scheduled the evidentiary hearing in the matter for 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 15, 2010 at 1200 W. Washington in Phoenix.
RUCO's direct testimony will be filed on Monday, September 27, 2010. Rebuttal testimony from Qwest/CenturyLink is due on Wednesday, October 27, 2010. RUCO will then file surrebuttal testimony by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12, 2010.
The focus of the proceeding will center on whether or not the proposed merger is in the public interest.