Oregon Regulators Approve Verizon/Frontier Deal With several conditions, including an investment promise... Tipped by darcilicious 
A few weeks ago, staffers advised Oregon regulators to reject Frontier's acquisition of Verizon's networks in Oregon, insisting that the deal offered "lots of risk, but very little upside." So, as you might expect, Oregon regulators have approved the deal. The acquisition will come with some restrictions, however. According to Oregon regulators, Frontier must promise to invest $10 million in expending broadband to nearly all of Verizon's Oregon territory by July 2011, agree to a third-party audit (paid by Verizon) to ensure Frontier's operations can handle the additional workload, and a stipulation for Verizon FiOS customers who want to void their long term contract should Frontier suddenly offer slower speeds.
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  ILpt4UPremium
join:2006-11-12
Lisle, IL
kudos:4 | 3rd Party Audit... By VERIZON?!?!?
Someone needs to explain how a party to this deal is a "3rd Party" Audit... | |
|  | iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 | Re: 3rd Party Audit... The audit is paid for by Verizon, not done by Verizon. Still iffy, but less so than you'd think at first glance. | |
| | | | | Re: 3rd Party Audit... Umm, by definition an AUDIT is "independent examination". The fact that Verizon PAID the auditors, by definition, makes it IMPOSSIBLE for them to be 'independent'. The 'iffy' part is a MAJOR problem, because, by definition, the 'auditor' will produce the results that the person who pays them wants. Wondered how the banks lost trillions of dollars? They paid for the auditors. Oregon, as most state politicians, has fallen under the sway of the corrupt fascism of verizons illegal and immoral 'business ethics' (which, by definition is an oxymoron, as a CORPORATION cannot have morals or ethics.
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Remember 1 in 4 people are retarded. 25% of Americans are Republican. Coincidence? I don't think so. | |
| | | | | | Re: 3rd Party Audit... said by karlmarx:Oregon, as most state politicians, has fallen under the sway of the corrupt fascism of verizons illegal and immoral 'business ethics' (which, by definition is an oxymoron, as a CORPORATION cannot have morals or ethics. And yet, a corporation is granted 'personhood' by the activist conservative court system. Ain't that a crock! | |
| | | | PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR | said by karlmarx:The fact that Verizon PAID the auditors, by definition, makes it IMPOSSIBLE for them to be 'independent'. Not at all. A reputable auditing firm lives and dies on its reputation, and any reputable firm would maintain business practices to prevent bias.
Someone always pays for an auditor. By this line of reasoning, all audits would be pointless. | |
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|  spewakR.I.P DadkinsPremium
join:2001-08-07
Elk Grove, CA
kudos:1
 ·SureWest Internet
| said by ILpt4U:By VERIZON?!?!? Someone needs to explain how a party to this deal is a "3rd Party" Audit... No S! Jesus H Christ! Let's see a show of hands, who here thinks that Verizon's audit team is going to report that that shitty ass Frontier can't possibly screw this up?
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The weekend is here, grab a can of beer!
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| | | | | Re: 3rd Party Audit... It's the same team that wanted to audit Fairpoint...I bet. I'm sorry, FAILPOINT.
Nothing independent about a sponsored-audit!
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Splat | |
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| | And if not... I don't see any 'this will happen if stipulations are not met' in the article. So I guess, like many other deals, nothing will be done or a little slap on the wrist in the event Frontier fails (or does not even try) to meet those goals.
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- "Techie" Jim | |
| | | | Re: And if not... no what they will do is 6 months after it clears all state, file bankruptcy and the employees will lose their pensions and 401k just like that.
That is why the cwa is asking workers involved in the transaction to seriously consider retirement if it passes. That way they keep their pensions and 401k. | |
| | | Reviews:
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| Re: And if not... Not sure that they could keep their pensions (See Government Motors), unless it was a lump sum. 401K'swill be there if the individual is vested. For the most part, 401k's are paid into by both the company and the individual and the company match cannot be taken back, except under very rare circumstances. | |
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| | service levels I'm disappointed. The utility commission could have extracted guarantees of service quality, and it doesn't appear that they've done that.
While I dont' really care for Verizon as an ISP, I have had zero problems with FIOS (unlike comcast that gave me short outages every couple of nights). | |
|  tshirtPremium,MVM
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA
kudos:3
 ·Comcast
| ? this stipulation strikes me as odd
"•A commitment to invest $10 million in expanding broadband access to nearly all of Verizon's territory by July 2011, and set aside $15 million with a bank or in escrow to ensure that work gets done."
A} Could they really provide broadband to the rest of their territory for ONLY $10 million? (they'll spend far more then that repainting (skinning) trucks and changing signs.)
B} an escrow larger than the PROJECTED cost.... hedging on the guesstimation already? | |
| | | | Re: ? Wow those regulators better have all gotten uber fat paydays. Im wondering what Frontiers definition of broadband is, dsl broadband or fios broadband. Either way I agree 10 million won't do anything. Should change the title of this story to Comcast wins by TKO in Oregon. | |
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 morboComplete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000 | Oregon regulators are idiots "Oregon regulators have approved the deal" ?
I have no hope for this world. | |
| |  pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | Re: Oregon regulators are idiots said by morbo:"Oregon regulators have approved the deal" ? I have no hope for this world. Why? The same thing would have happened in the 49 other states if the same proposal came up.
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"Net Neutrality" zealots - the people you can thank for your capped Internet service. | |
| | | | | Re: Oregon regulators are idiots Absolutely, pay people enough and they'll let you put it in any orifice of your choice with little to no lube. | |
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Reviews:
·Comcast
1 edit | Much ado about nothing. I fail to see what the big fuss is about. Why should Verizon be force to do business where they feel in the best interest to sell the business to another company. I live in Washington county. My guess is the soon to be hike in business taxes less we vote it down.
I think it is better we are sold to Frontier, something tell me Verizon is in trouble and tiring to unload business. Why did they spent so much to bring FIOS in our neighborhood, (except for my apartment) then sell the business. If Frontier fails it just means more business for Comcast and Clear. | |
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 ·HughesNet Satell..
| Re: Much ado about nothing. said by Scatcatpdx:I fail to see what the big fuss is about. Why should Verizon be force to do business where they feel in the best interest to sell the business to another company. I live in Washington county. My guess is the soon to be hike in business taxes less we vote it down. I think it is better we are sold to Frontier, something tell me Verizon is in trouble and tiring to unload business. Why did they spent so much to bring FIOS in our neighborhood, (except for my apartment) then sell the business. If Frontier fails it just means more business for Comcast and Clear. me too. I think its a good thing. froniter does good at dsl..they just need a little upgrade which they will...
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HN7000S 5.6.1.35 - 99 West 1370 MHz -Transmit 1 watt - .74m Dish - Pro Plan - installed October 2007 - WRT54G V6 DD-WRT V24 | |
| | | | said by Scatcatpdx:I fail to see what the big fuss is about. Why should Verizon be force to do business where they feel in the best interest to sell the business to another company. I live in Washington county. My guess is the soon to be hike in business taxes less we vote it down. I think it is better we are sold to Frontier, something tell me Verizon is in trouble and tiring to unload business. Why did they spent so much to bring FIOS in our neighborhood, (except for my apartment) then sell the business. If Frontier fails it just means more business for Comcast and Clear. Huhhh??
You think Verizon is scared of Measures 66 and 67? Which raises the Oregon Corporate Minimum Tax from $10 to $150??
Put down your right wing talking points and get your facts straight. | |
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·Comcast
| Re: Much ado about nothing. The problem is not the $150 minimum but the Gross receipts tax Thai come with it. It means taxing companies even if they are not profitable but have large income. This will definably hit Intel and other big companies. We have one of the highest unemployment in the country and we are losing Hitachi manufacturing to China. Forget the rich, it my job that is in jeopardy. | |
| | | | | | Re: Much ado about nothing. said by Scatcatpdx:The problem is not the $150 minimum but the Gross receipts tax Thai come with it. It means taxing companies even if they are not profitable but have large income. This will definably hit Intel and other big companies. We have one of the highest unemployment in the country and we are losing Hitachi manufacturing to China. Forget the rich, it my job that is in jeopardy. The corporate minimum has been $10 since 1931. Measure 67 would increase the minimum to $150 for corporations with revenue UNDER $500,000. That's 97% of Oregon businesses, by the way.
If you're business is going to be taken down by an increase of $12 a month in taxes, then by golly - you might as well put yourself out of misery now.
As for Intel, there's no justification for them to be paying $10 a year in taxes.
It's time for them to pony up their share (which by the way will only be .1% of OREGON revenue).
This mindset that we exist merely for the benefit of these corporations is sickening. Oregon and Washington County have bent over backwards for Intel for decades. And they "reward" us with more layoffs of American workers only to be replaced by H1-B Visa Indians? Please. Cry me a river. | |
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·Comcast
1 edit | Re: Much ado about nothing. No so fast form teh ballot mesure it self
(a) If Oregon sales properly reported on a return are:
(A) Less than $500,000, the minimum tax is $150.
(B) $500,000 or more, but less than $1 million, the minimum tax is $500.
(C) $1 million or more, but less than $2 million, the minimum tax is $1,000.
(D) $2 million or more, but less than $3 million, the minimum tax is $1,500.
(E) $3 million or more, but less than $5 million, the minimum tax is $2,000.
(F) $5 million or more, but less than $7 million, the minimum tax is $4,000.
(G) $7 million or more, but less than $10 million, the minimum tax is $7,500.
(H) $10 million or more, but less than $25 million, the minimum tax is $15,000.
(I) $25 million or more, but less than $50 million, the minimum tax is $30,000.
(J) $50 million or more, but less than $75 million, the minimum tax is $50,000.
(K) $75 million or more, but less than $100 million, the minimum tax is $75,000.
(L) $100 million or more, the minimum tax is $100,000.
(b) If a corporation is an 8 corporation, the minimum tax is $150.
More than just $150, plus this is a gross receipts tax not tax on profit after expenses, and issue the law increases the corporate rate making Oregon less completive. | |
| | | | | | | Dont forget Nike is here too. | |
| | | | | |  Vumes
join:2009-01-04
Beaverton, OR | Re: Much ado about nothing. Great, and I just signed a new contract yesterday for a new deal. Well, at least if Frontier slows the speeds, I can get out of it and go with ComCrap. Although I much prefer the Verizon product, I won't be dealing with a company that will eventually go bankrupt like all the others did. | |
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| | | | PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR | Intel's the largest taxpayer in Oregon, by far. There was that Oregonian story a few years ago that showed that Intel's state taxes alone were sufficient to fund the Legislature, all their staffs, and most of the gov't employees in Salem. | |
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PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR | glad this is moving forward ... Frontier can't do any worse in our neighborhood than Verizon has done. We have nothing to lose. We'd love to have broadband by July 2011, and Frontier's track record in rolling out broadband to near-100% of their subscribers of much, much better than Verizon (only ~40% broadband deployment in the areas that they're selling to Frontier). | |
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