Press Release

    Public hearings on the proposed Bell Atlantic and GTE merger will immediately follow the scheduled hearings listed below. Bell and GTE submitted their merger application to the PUC on October 2, 1998.

    Administrative Law Judge Robert P. Meehan will hold the sessions in:

    - Oil City on March 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium, 10 Lynch Boulevard.

    - Johnstown on March 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Comfort Inn, 455 Theatre Drive.

    - Erie on March 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the City of Erie Municipal Building, Room 507, 626 State Street.

    Testimony given under oath will become part of the record on which the PUC will base its decisions in the cases.

    GTE’s network modernization plan was filed under Act 67 of 1993 (Chapter 30) which provides for regulatory reform and modernization of the state’s telecommunications industry. The law is designed to facilitate deployment of an advanced telecommunications network and lower prices through competition. Under Chapter 30, local exchange companies can ask the PUC to approve an alternative form of rate regulation.

    The company must commit, however, to a network modernization plan which provides for system-wide broadband availability by the year 2015. A broadband network is capable of voice, data, imaging and video transmission.

    For recent press releases, or more information about the PUC, visit our Internet home page: http://puc.paonline.com.

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