Utilities commission sets public hearing on sale of Frontier

The state Utilities and Transportation Commission will take comments at a public meeting on the proposed sale of Frontier Communications Northwest to Kirkland-based WaveDivision Capital.

Frontier is one of the largest local broadband companies in Washington, serving approximately 150,000 residential and business lines across the state. The company’s Western Washington headquarters is in Everett.

The meeting will be at 10 a.m. on Jan. 27 at 621 Woodland Square Loop SE in Lacy.

For more information about the meeting, call 360-664-1234 or email records@utc.wa.gov.

Customers can comment at www.utc.wa.gov/comments; by sending an email to comments@utc.gov; by writing to P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA, 98504; or by calling 888-333-9882.

In June, Frontier filed a request with the state utilities commission to transfer control of the company’s holdings in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana to WaveDivision. In December, commission staff and the parties reached a proposed settlement. The other states also are examining the spinoff. (Meanwhile, Norwalk, Connecticut-based Frontier reportedly is considering filing for bankruptcy.)

The three-member UTC in Washington will make a final decision to approve, reject or modify the merger agreement by March 2020.

The commission regulates private, investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities in Washington.

The UTC provides reasonable accommodation to meeting participants with disabilities. For information, call 360-664-1133.