Verizon considering offers to sell landlines

CONCORD, N.H. – Three months after Verizon confirmed it wanted to sell its landlines in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont, the company says it is considering several offers.

State leaders and regulators are watching closely, as is the union representing Verizon line workers.

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch met with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on Monday and is also concerned about what a sale could mean to improvements in emergency communications service the state is seeking, said his spokeswoman, Pamela Walsh.

Nothing has been filed with the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission because no deal has been struck.

“If Verizon does strike a deal, each state will have to review it and make sure it’s in the public’s interest,” said Stephen Merrill, utility analyst at the commission’s Office of the Consumer Advocate. “We will make sure the level of service is maintained or improved, and the appropriate investment in infrastructure is made here in the state.”

New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont are largely rural states that rely heavily on landlines, because wireless and broadband service are not available statewide.

Company spokesman Erle Pierce said a sale isn’t certain, but if one goes through it would not mean huge job losses, because employees would be needed to maintain the existing lines.

“There is no deal and talks fall through all the time. Right now there is just a buyer and seller and any speculation is premature,” Pierce said. “The unions are active in putting out a fear that if Verizon leaves the state New Hampshire will be on an ‘information dirt road.’ That’s just not so. I don’t think the PUC would allow that to happen.”

Verizon confirmed in May that it was trying to sell some of its landlines in northern New England and the Midwest. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Midwestern package included Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

The sale of 1.6 million telephone lines and poles in the three New England states could net Verizon between $2 billion and $3 billion.

The company said Tuesday that North Carolina-based FairPoint Communications is one of several companies interested in buying the lines. Union officials say Century Tel Inc. and Citizens Communications also are interested, but Verizon officials would not confirm those names.

U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy and James Jeffords of Vermont and U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders have sent a letter to Verizon Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg expressing concern about the possible effects of a sale. Maine Gov. John Baldacci has also sent a letter of concern.

Bruce Cheney, state director of emergency communications, said New Hampshire has a month-to-month contract with Verizon to provide infrastructure for emergency communications. He said in recent negotiations, the state has failed to obtain a long-term contract or improvements in the telephone infrastructure to make sure emergency communications continue uninterrupted.

“Part of the reason is the entire state is less than 1 percent of Verizon’s business,” Cheney said.