United States v. Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI, Inc.; Competitive Impact Statement, Proposed Final Judgment, Complaint, Stipulation, 74350-74366 [05-23815]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
violations set forth in the complaint
including consideration of the public benefit,
if any, to be derived from a determination of
the issues at trail.
(citing United States v. Bechtel Corp.,
648 F.2d 660, 666 (9th Cir. 1981)); see
also Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1460–62.
Courts have held that:
15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(1)(A) & (B). As the
United States Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit has held,
the APPA permits a court to consider,
among other things, the relationship
between the remedy secured and the
specific allegations set forth in the
government’s complaint, whether the
consent judgment is sufficiently clear,
whether enforcement mechanisms are
sufficient, and whether the consent
judgment may positively harm third
parties. See United States v. Microsoft
Corp., 56 F.3d 1448, 1458–62 (D.C. Cir.
1995).
‘‘Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require the court to
conduct an evidentiary hearing or to
require the court to permit anyone to
intervene.’’ 15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(2). Thus, in
conducting this inquiry, ‘‘[t]he court is
nowhere compelled to go to trial or to
engage in extended proceedings which
might have the effect of vitiating the
benefits of prompt and less costly
settlement through the consent decree
process.’’ 119 Cong. Rec. 24,598 (1973)
(statement of Senator Tunney).1
Rather:
[t]he balancing of competing social and
political interests affected by a proposed
antitrust consent decree must be left, in the
first instance, to the discretion of the
Attorney General. The court’s role in
protecting the public interest is one of
insuring that the government has not
breached its duty to the public in consenting
to the decree. The court is required to
determine not whether a particular decree is
the one that will best serve society, but
whether the settlement is ‘‘within the reaches
of the public interest.’’ More elaborate
requirements might undermine the
effectiveness of antitrust enforcement by
consent decree.
[a]bsent a showing of corrupt failure of the
government to discharge its duty, the Court,
in making its public interest finding, should
* * * carefully consider the explanations of
the government in the competitive impact
statement and its responses to comments in
order to determine whether those
explanations are reasonable under the
circumstances.
United States v. Mid-America
Dairymen, Inc., 1977–1 Trade Cass.
(CCH) ¶ 61,508, at 71,980 (W.D. Mo.
1977).
Accordingly, with respect to the
adequacy of the relief secured by the
proposed Final Judgment, a court may
not ‘‘engage in an unrestricted
evaluation of what relief would best
serve the public.’’ United States v. BNS
Inc., 858 F.2d 456, 462 (9th Cir. 1988)
1 See United States v. Gillette Co., 406 F. Supp.
713, 716 (D. Mass. 1975) (recognizing it was not the
court’s duty to settle; rather, the court must only
answer ‘‘whether the settlement achieved [was]
within the reaches of the public interest’’). A
‘‘public interest’’ determination can be made
properly on the basis of the Competitive Impact
Statement and Response to Comments filed by the
Department of Justice pursuant to the APPA.
Although the APPA authorizes the use of additional
procedures, 15 U.S.C. 16(f), those procedures are
discretionary. A court need not invoke any of them
unless it believes that the comments have raised
significant issues and that further proceedings
would aid the court in resolving those issues. See
H.R. Rep. No. 93–1463, 93d Cong., 2d Sess. 8–9
(1974), reprinted in 1974 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6535, 6538–
39.
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Bechtel, 648 F.2d at 666 (emphasis
added) (citations omitted).2
The proposed Final Judgment,
therefore, should not be reviewed under
a standard of whether it is certain to
eliminate every anticompetitive effect of
a particular practice or whether it
mandates certainty of free competition
in the future. Court approval of a final
judgment requires a standard more
flexible and less strict than the standard
required for a finding of liability. ‘‘[A]
proposed decree must be approved even
if it falls short of the remedy the court
would impose on its own, as long as it
falls within the range of acceptability or
is ‘within the reaches of public
interest.’ ’’ United States v. AT&T Corp.,
552 F. Supp. 131, 151 (D.D.C. 1982)
(citations omitted) (quoting Gillette, 406
F. Supp. at 716), aff’d sub nom.
Maryland v. United States, 460 U.S.
1001 (1983); see also United States v.
Alcan Aluminum Ltd., 605 F. Supp 619,
622 (W.D. Ky. 1985) (approving the
consent judgment even though the court
would have imposed a greater remedy).
Moreover, the Court’s role under the
APPA is limited to reviewing the
remedy in relationship to the violations
that the United States has alleged in its
Complaint, and does not authorize the
Court to ‘‘construct [its] own
hypothetical case and then evaluate the
decree against that case.’’ Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1459. Because the ‘‘court’s
authority to review the decree depends
entirely on the government’s exercising
its prosecutorial discretion by bringing
a case in the first place,’’ it follows that
2 Cf. BNS, 858 F.2d at 464 (holding that the
court’s ‘‘ultimate authority under the [APPA] is
limited to approving or disapproving the consent
decree’’); Gillette, 406 F. Supp. at 716 (noting that,
in this way, the court is constrained to ‘‘look at the
overall picture not hypercritically, nor with a
microscope, but with an artist’s reducing glass’’);
see generally Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1461 (discussing
whether ‘‘the remedies [obtained in the decree are]
so inconsonant with the allegations charged as to
fall outside of the ‘reaches of the public interest’ ’’).
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‘‘the court is only authorized to review
the decree itself,’’ and not to ‘‘effectively
redraft the complaint’’ to inquire into
other matters that the United States did
not pursue. Id. at 1459–60.
VIII. Determinative Documents
There are no determinative materials
or documents within the meaning of the
APPA that were considered by the
United States in formulating the
proposed Final Judgment.
Dated: November 16, 2005.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ lllllllllllllllllll
Laury E. Bobbish,
Assistant Chief.
/s/ lllllllllllllllllll
Lawrence M. Frankel
(D.C. Bar No. 441532)
Claude F. Scott, Jr.
(D.C. Bar No. 414906)
Mary N. Strimel
(D.C. Bar No. 455303)
Matthew C. Hammond
Lauren J. Fishbein
(D.C. Bar No. 451889)
Conrad J. Smucker
(D.C. Bar No. 434590)
Jeremiah M. Luongo
Jared A. Hughes
David T. Blonder
William Lindsey Wilson
William B. Michael
Trial Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, Telecommunications and
Media Enforcement Section, 1401 H Street,
NW., Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530.
Telephone: (202) 514–5621. Facsimile: (202)
514–6381.
[FR Doc. 05–23814 Filed 12–14–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
United States v. Verizon
Communications Inc. and MCI, Inc.;
Competitive Impact Statement,
Proposed Final Judgment, Complaint,
Stipulation
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
15 U.S.C. 16(b)–(h), that a Complaint,
proposed Final Judgment, Stipulation,
and Competitive Impact Statement have
been filed with the U.S. District Court
for the District of Columbia in United
States v. Verizon Communications Inc.,
Civil Case No. 1:05CV02103 (HHK). On
October 27, 2005, the United States filed
a complaint alleging that the proposed
acquisition of MCI, Inc. (‘‘MCI’’) by
Verizon Communications Inc.
(‘‘Verizon’’) would violate Section 7 of
the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18, by
substantially lessening competition in
the provision of locally private lines
(also called ‘‘special access’’) and other
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telecommunications services that rely
on local private lines in eight
metropolitan areas: Baltimore; Boston;
New York; Philadelphia; Tampa;
Richmond, Virginia; Providence, Rhode
Island; and Portland, Maine. The
proposed Final Judgment requires the
defendants to divest assets in those
eight metropolitan areas in order to
proceed with Verizon’s $8.54 billion
acquisition of MCI. A Competitive
Impact Statement filed by the United
States on November 16, 2005 describes
the Complaint, the proposed Final
Judgment, the industry, and the
remedies available to private litigants
who may have been injured by the
alleged violation.
Copies of the Complaint, proposed
Final Judgment, Stipulation,
Competitive Impact Statement, and all
further papers filed with the Court in
connection with this Complaint will be
available for inspection at the Antitrust
Documents Group, Antitrust Division,
Liberty Place Building, Room 215, 325
7th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20530
(202–514–4281), and at the Office of the
Clerk of the U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia. Copies of these
materials may be obtained from the
Antitrust Division upon request and
payment of the copying fee set by
Department of Justice regulations.
Interested persons may submit
comments in writing regarding the
proposed consent decree to the United
States. Such comments must be received
by the Antitrust Division within sixty
(60) days and will be filed with the
Court by the United States. Comments
should be addressed to Nancy
Goodman, Chief, Telecommunications &
Media Enforcement Section, Antitrust
Division, U.S. Department of Justice,
1401 H Street, NW., Suite 8000,
Washington, DC 20530 (202–514–5621).
At the conclusion of the sixty (60) day
comment period, the U.S. District Court
for the District of Columbia may enter
the proposed consent decree upon
finding that it serves the public interest.
J. Robert Kramer II,
Director of Operations, Antitrust Division.
United States of America, United States
Department of Justice, Antitrust
Division, 1401 H Street, NW., Suite
8000, Washington, DC 20530, Plaintiff,
v. Verizon Communications Inc., 1095
Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
10036; and MCI, Inc., 22001 Loudoun
County Parkway, Ashburn, VA 20147,
Defendants
Civil Action No. lll
CASE NUMBER 1:05CV02103
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Complaint
The United States of America, acting
under the direction of the Attorney
General of the United States, brings this
civil action to enjoin the merger of two
of the largest providers of
telecommunications services in the
United States, Verizon
Communications, Inc. (‘‘Verizon’’) and
MCI, Inc. (‘‘MCI’’), and alleges as
follows:
1. On February 14, 2005, Verizon
entered into an agreement to acquire
MCI. If approved, the transaction would
create one of the nation’s largest
providers of telecommunications
services. Plaintiff seeks to enjoin this
transaction because it will substantially
lessen competition for (a) Local Private
Lines that connect hundreds of
commercial buildings in Verizon’s
franchised territory to a carrier’s
network or other local destination, and
(b) other telecommunications services
that rely on Local Private Lines.
2. Verizon and MCI compete in the
sale of wireline telecommunications
services to retail and wholesale
customers in the United States.
3. For hundreds of commercial
buildings in the metropolitan areas of
Baltimore-Washington, DC; Boston,
Massachusetts; New York, New York;
Richmond, Virginia; Providence, Rhode
Island; Tampa, Florida; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; and Portland, Maine,
Verizon and MCI are the only two firms
that own or control a direct wireline
connection to the building. These
building connections are used to supply
voice and data telecommunications
services to business customers. As
described in this Complaint, the
proposed merger is likely to
substantially reduce competition for
Local Private Lines and
telecommunications services that rely
on Local Private Lines to those
buildings.
I. Jurisdiction and Venue
In the United States District Court for
the District of Columbia
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JUDGE: Henry H. Kennedy
DECK TYPE: Antitrust
DATE STAMP: 10/27/2005
4. This action is filed by the United
States under Section 15 of the Clayton
Act, 15 U.S.C. 25, to prevent and
restrain the Defendants from violating
Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.
18.
5. Verizon and MCI are engaged in
interstate commerce and in activities
substantially affecting interstate
commerce. The Court has jurisdiction
over this action pursuant to Sections 15
and 16 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 25,
26, and 28 U.S.C. 1331, 1337.
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6. Verizon and MCI transact business
and are found in the District of
Columbia. Venue is proper under
Section 12 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.
22, and 28 U.S.C. 1391(c).
II. The Defendants and the Transaction
7. Verizon is a corporation organized
and existing under the laws of the State
of Delaware, with its headquarters in
New York, New York. Verizon, formerly
Bell Atlantic Corporation (‘‘Bell
Atlantic’’), is the nation’s largest
regional Bell operating company
(‘‘RBOC’’). Bell Atlantic was one of the
seven regional holding companies to
result from the breakup of AT&T’s local
telephone business in 1984. In 1996 Bell
Atlantic acquired another of the seven
original holding companies, NYNEX
Corporation. In 2000 Bell Atlantic
acquired GTE Corporation, an
incumbent local exchange carrier
(‘‘ILEC’’) that provided local exchange
and other serivces in 28 states, and
formed Verizon. Today, Verizon’s
wireline telecommunications operations
serve about 51 million total switched
access lines, including 32.4 million
residential and 17.8 million business
lines, in 29 states plus the District of
Columbia. In 2004, Verizon earned
approximately $38.6 billion in revenues
from its domestic wireline services,
including at least $8.8 billion in revenue
from business customers. Verizon has
fiber optic or copper connections to
virtually all of the commercial buildings
in its franchised territory.
8. MCI is a corporation organized and
existing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with its headquarters in
Ashburn, Virginia, MCI is one of the
nation’s largest interexchange carriers
(‘‘IXC’’), offering traditional long
distance telephone service, as well as
one of the largest competitive local
exchange carriers (‘‘CLEC’’), offering
local network exchange and access for
voice and data services. MCI serves
consumers and businesses across the
United States and around the globe, and
owns significant local network assets
within Verizon’s 29-state operating
territory including direct fiber optic
connections to numerous commercial
buildings. In 2004, MCI earned
approximately $20.7 billion in revenues,
including almost $4 billion from
domestic business customers.
9. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan
of Merger dated February 14, 2005, as
amended on March 4, March 29, and
May 2, 2005, Verizon agreed to acquire
MCI for approximately $8.54 billion.
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III. Trade and Commerce
A. Nature of Trade and Commerce
10. Verizon owns and operates local
telecommunications networks
throughout its territory and provides
local and long distance voice and data
services to, inter alia, business
customers and other
telecommunications carriers.
11. MCI owns and operates local
networks in dozens of metropolitan
areas in the United States, a substantial
number of which are in Verizon
territory. Like Verizon, MCI also
provides local and long distance voice
and data services to business customers
and other telecommunications carriers.
Significant numbers of MCI’s customers
have locations in Verizon’s franchised
territory, and the two firms compete to
serve those wholesale and retail
customers.
12. One element of the parties’ local
networks are local loops, sometimes
referred to as ‘‘last-mile’’ connections,
which are typically either copper or
fiber-optic transmission facilities that
connect commercial buildings to a
carrier’s network. These last-mile
connections are a critically important
asset for providing service to business
customers.
13. A Local Private Line is a
dedicated, point-to-point circuit offered
over copper and/or fiber-optic
transmission facilities that originates
and terminates within a single
metropolitan area and typically includes
at least one local loop. Local Private
Lines are sold at both retail (to business
customers) and wholesale (to other
carriers). Verizon refers to Local Private
Line circuits as ‘‘special access,’’ and
MCI refers to its own such circuits as
‘‘metro private lines.’’
14. Depending on how they are
configured, Local Private Lines can be
used to carry voice traffic, data, or a
combination of the two. Local Private
Lines may be purchased as stand-alone
products but are also an important input
to value-added voice and data
telecommunications services that are
offered to business customers.
15. For the vast majority of
commercial buildings in its territory,
Verizon is the only carrier that owns a
last-mile connection to the building.
Thus, in order to provide voice or data
telecommunications services to
customers in those Verizon-only
buildings, competing carriers typically
must lease the connection from Verizon
as Local Private Line service (special
access).
16. For a small percentage of
commercial buildings (though one that
accounts for a substantial percentage of
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customer demand and revenue),
Verizon’s CLEC competitors have built
or acquired their own last-mile fiberoptic connections, separate from
Verizon’s, to connect their networks to
the buildings. The CLECs typically refer
to buildings with these connections as
their ‘‘lit buildings’’ or ‘‘on-net
buildings.’’ Once a CLEC has incurred
the high fixed cost to construct a lastmile connection to a building, the CLEC
can usually provide service to business
customers in the building at a lower
marginal cost than it would otherwise
be able to do if it had to lease the
connection from the RBOC. It can also
provide alternative access to other
CLECs seeking to serve business
customers in the building.
17. MCI is among the leading CLECs
in Verizon’s territory in the number of
buildings it has connected with its own
last-mile fiber facilities. For hundreds of
buildings in Verizon’s territory, the only
two carriers that own or control the
direct building connection are MCI and
Verizon.
18. In the hundreds of buildings
where MCI is the only CLEC with a lastmile connection, the merge of MCI and
Verizon would reduce the number of
carriers with an owned or controlled
last-mile connection from two to one.
B. Relevant Product Markets
19. The relevant product markets
affected by this transaction are the
markets for: (a) Local Private Lines, and
(b) voice and data telecommunications
services that rely on Local Private Lines.
20. Verizon is the dominant provider
of Local Private Lines (special access) in
its franchised territory with $3.5 billion
in special access sales in 2004. MCI is
one of Verizon’s largest competitors
with $532 million in metro private line
sales in 2004, of which more than $198
million were in Verizon territory.
21. Local Private Lines are a
recognized service category among
telecommunications carriers and enduser business customers. Customers
typically purchase Local Private Lines
in standard bandwidth increments such
as DS1 (‘‘T1,’’ 1.54 megabits per
second), DS3 (44.74 megabits per
second), OC3 (155.52 megabits per
second), and higher. Local Private Lines
can interconnect with industry-standard
data networking and telephone
equipment, and can be ‘‘channelized’’ to
carry various amounts of voice and/or
data traffic.
22. Local Private Lines are distinct
from switched local exchange telephone
services. Switched local exchange lines
route calls through a voice switch in the
local carrier’s central office and do not
necessarily use a dedicated circuit.
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These switched circuits do not offer the
guaranteed bandwidth, high service
levels, and security that Local Private
Lines provide.
23. Competing carriers often rely on
Local Private Line (special access)
circuits to connect an end-user
customer’s location to their networks,
enabling the competitor to supply valueadded data networking, Internet access,
local voice and long distance services to
the customer. Although carriers can
provide some types of voice and data
services over switched local exchange
lines (e.g., when an access line is presubscribed to a long distance carrier),
most large business customers do not
find those services to be a viable or costeffective substitute for voice and data
telecommunications services provided
via Local Private Lines. In the event of
a small, but significant, nontransitory
increase in price for either Local Private
Lines or voice and data
telecommunications services provided
via Local Private Lines, insufficient
customers would switch to switched
circuits to render the increase
unprofitable.
C. Relevant Geographic Markets
24. The relevant geographic markets
for both Local Private Lines, as well as
voice and data telecommunications
services that rely on Local Private Lines,
are no broader than each metropolitan
area and no more narrow than each
individual building.
IV. Anticompetitive Effects
25. Verizon and MCI are the only two
carriers that own or control a Local
Private Line connection to many
buildings in each region. The merger
would, therefore, effectively eliminate
competition for facilities-based Local
Private Line service to those buildings,
and many retail and wholesale
customers would no longer have MCI as
a competitive alternative to Verizon.
Although other competitors might resell
Local Private Lines from Verizon, those
competitors would not be as effective a
competitive constraint because Verizon
would control the price of the resold
circuits. The merged firm would,
therefore, have the ability to raise price
to retail and wholesale customers of
Local Private Lines.
26. In addition, because the cost of
dedicated local access via Local Private
Line represents an important cost
component of many value-added voice
and data telecommunications services
provided over such access, by (a)
eliminating MCI as the only competitive
alternative to Verizon for such services
with its own Local Private Line
connection to hundreds of buildings,
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and (b) depriving other carriers seeking
to provide such value-added services of
the only fully-facilities based wholesale
competitive alternative to Verizon in
those buildings, the merger would tend
to lessen competition for retail voice
and data telecommunications services
provided over dedicated access.
V. Entry
27. Although other CLECs can,
theoretically, build their own fiber
connection to each building in response
to a price increase by the merged firm,
such entry is a difficult, timeconsuming, and expensive process.
Whether a CLEC builds a last mile
connection to a given building depends
upon many factors, including:
a. The proximity of the building to the
CLEC’s existing network
interconnection points;
b. The capacity required at the
customer’s location (and thus the
revenue opportunity);
c. The availability of capital;
d. The existence of physical barriers,
such as rivers and railbeds, between the
CLEC’s network and the customer’s
location; and
e. The ease or difficulty of securing
the necessary consent from building
owners and municipal officials.
28. The costs of building a last-mile
connection vary substantially for each
location. Even if all the above criteria
favor the construction of a last-mile
connection in a particular case, a single
such connection typically costs tens,
sometimes hundreds, of thousands of
dollars to build and activate. Thus,
CLECs will typically only build in to a
particular building after they have
secured a customer contract of sufficient
size to justify the anticipated
construction costs for that building.
29. Although entry may occur in
response to a post-merger price increase
in some of the buildings where MCI is
the only connected CLEC, the
conditions for entry are unlikely to be
met in hundreds of those buildings.
Thus, entry is unlikely to eliminate the
competitive harm that would likely
result from the proposed merger.
VI. Violation Alleged
30. The United States hereby
incorporates paragraphs 1 through 29.
31. Pursuant to an Agreement and
Plan of Merger dated February 14, 2005,
as amended on March 4, March 29, and
May 2, 2005 Verizon and MCI intend to
merge their businesses.
32. The effect of the proposed
acquisition of MCI by Verizon would be
to lessen competition substantially in
interstate trade and commerce in
numerous geographic markets for (a)
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Local Private Lines and (b) voice and
data telecommunications services that
rely on Local Private Lines, in violation
of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. 18.
33. The transaction would likely have
the following effects, among others:
a. Competition in the provision and
sale of Local Private Lines in numerous
Geographic markets would be
eliminated or substantially lessened;
b. Competition in the provision and
sale of voice and data
telecommunications services that rely
on Local Private Lines in numerous
geographic markets would be
substantially lessened; and
c. Prices for Local Private Lines, as
well as voice and data
telecommunications services provided
via Local Private Lines, would likely
increase to levels above those that
would prevail absent the merger.
VII. Prayer for Relief
The United States requests:
34. That Verizon’s proposed
acquisition of MCI be adjudged to
violate Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. 18;
35. That Defendants be permanently
enjoined and restrained from carrying
out the Agreement and Plan of Merger,
dated February 14, 2005, as amended on
March 4, March 29, and May 2, 2005 or
from entering into or carrying out any
agreement, understanding, or plan by
which Verizon would merge with or
acquire MCI, its capital stock or any of
its assets;
36. That the United States be awarded
costs of this action; and
37. That the United States have such
other relief as the Court may deem just
and proper.
Dated: October 27, 2005.
Respectfully submitted,
For Plaintiff United States:
Thomas O. Barnett,
Acting Assistant Attorney General.
J. Bruce McDonald,
Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
J. Robert Kramer II,
Director of Operations.
Nancy M. Goodman,
Chief, Telecommunications and Media
Enforcement Section (D.C. Bar No. 251694).
Laury E. Bobbish,
Assistant Chief, Telecommunications and
Media Enforcement Section.
Lawrence M. Frankel
(D.C. Bar No. 441532).
Claude F. Scott, Jr. (D.C. Bar No. 414906)
Mary N. Strimel (D.C. Bar No. 455303)
Matthew C. Hammond
Lauren J. Fishbein (D.C. Bar No. 451889)
Conrad J. Smucker (D.C. Bar No. 434590)
Jeremiah M. Luongo
Jared A. Hughes
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74353
David T. Blonder
William Lindsey Wilson
William B. Michael
Trial Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, Telecommunications and
Media Enforcement Section,
1401 H Street, NW., Suite 8000, Washington,
DC 20530.
Telephone: (202) 514–5621.
Facsimile: (202) 514–6381.
In the United States District Court for
the District of Columbia
United States of America, Plaintiff; v.
Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI,
Inc., Defendants
Civil Action No. 1:05CV02103 (HHK)
Final Judgment
Whereas, plaintiff, United States of
America, filed its Complaint on October
27, 2005, plaintiff and defendants,
Verizon Communications Inc.
(‘‘Verizon’’) and MCI, Inc. (‘‘MCI’’), by
their respective attorneys, have
consented to the entry of this Final
Judgment without trial or adjudication
of any issue of fact or law, and without
this Final Judgment constituting any
evidence against or admission by any
party regarding any issue of fact or law;
And Whereas, defendants agree to be
bound by the provisions of this Final
Judgment pending its approval by the
Court;
And Whereas, the essence of this
Final Judgment is the prompt and
certain divestiture of certain rights or
assets by the defendants to assure that
competition is not substantially
lessened;
And Whereas, plaintiff requires
defendants to make certain divestitures
for the purpose of remedying the loss of
competition alleged in the Complaint;
And Whereas, defendants have
represented to the United States that the
divestitures required below can and will
be made and the defendants will later
raise no claim of hardship or difficulty
as grounds for asking the Court to
modify any of the divestiture provisions
contained below;
New Therefore, before any testimony
is taken, without trial or adjudication of
any issue of fact or law, and upon
cosnet of the parties, it is ordered,
adjudged, and decreed:
I. Jurisdiction
This Court has jurisdiction over the
subject matter of and each of the parties
to this action. The Complaint states a
claim upon which relief may be granted
against defendants under Section 7 of
the Clayton Act, as amended (15 U.S.C.
18).
II. Definitions
As used in this Final Judgment:
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A. ‘‘Verizon’’ means defendant
Verizon Communications Inc., a
Delaware corporation with its
headquarters in New York, New York,
its successors and assigns, and its
subsidiaries, divisions, groups,
affiliates, partnerships and joint
ventures, and their directors, officers,
managers, agents, and employees.
B. ‘‘MCI’’ means defendants MCI, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation with its
headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, its
successors and assigns, and its
subsidiaries, divisions, groups,
affiliates, partnership and joint
ventures, and their directors, officers,
managers, agents, and employees.
C. ‘‘Acquirer’’ or ‘‘Acquirers’’ means
the entity or entities to whom
defendants divest the Divestiture Assets.
D. ‘‘Divestiture Assets’’ means IRUs
for Lateral Connections to the locations
listed in Appendix A and sufficient
transport as described below and all
additional rights necessary to enable
those asets to be used by the Acquirer
to provide telecommunications services.
The Divestiture Assets shall include
IRUs for transport facilities sufficient to
connect the Lateral Connections to
locations mutually agreed upon by
defendants and the Acquirer, subject to
the approval of the United States in its
sole judgment. the term ‘‘Divestiture
Assets’’ shall be construed broadly to
accomplish the complete divestiture of
assets and the purposes of this Final
Judgment. With the approval of the
United States, in its sole discretion, and
at the Acquirer’s option, the Divestiture
Assets may be modified to exlude assets
and rights that are not necessary to meet
the competitive aims of this Final
Judgment.
E. ‘‘IRU’’ means indefeasible right of
use, a long-term leasehold interest that
gives the holder the right to use
specified strands of fiber in a
telecommunications facility. An IRU
granted by defendants under this Final
Judgment shall (1) be for a minimum of
10 years; (2) not require the Acquirer to
pay a monthly or other recurring fee to
preserve or make use of its rights; (3)
include all additional rights and
interests necessary to enable the IRU to
be used by the Acquirer to provide
telecommunications services; and (4)
contain other commercially reasonable
and customary terms, including terms
for payment to the grantor for ancillary
services, such as maintenance fees on a
per occurrence basis; and (5) not
unreasonably limit the right of the
Acquirer to use the asset as it wishes
(e.g., the Acquirer shall be permitted to
splice into the IRU fiber, though such
splice points must be mutually agreed
upon by defendants and Acquirer).
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F. ‘‘Lateral Connection’’ means fiber
strands from the point of entry of the
building to the splice point with fiber
used to serve different buildings and
shall consist of the greater of (1) eight
(8) fiber strands or (2) one-half of the
currently unused fiber strands in MCI’s
facilities serving the building measured
at the time of the filing of the
Complaint. The fiber strands may be
provided from those owned or
controlled by either Verizon or MCI, as
mutually agreed by defendants and
Acquirer.
III. Applicability
A. This Final Judgment applies to
Verizon and MCI, as defined above, and
all other person in active concern or
participation with any of them who
receive actual notice of this Final
Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
B. Defendants shall require, as a
condition of the sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of
their assets or of lesser business units
that include the Divestiture Assets, that
the purchasers agree to be bound by the
provisions of this Final Judgment,
provided however, that defendants need
not obtain such an agreement from the
Acquirers.
IV. Divestitures
A. Defendants are ordered and
directed, within 120 calendar days after
the closing of Verizon’s acquisition of
MCI, or five (5) days after notice of the
entry of this Final Judgment by the
Court, whichever is later, to divest the
Divestiture Assets in a manner
consistent with this Final Judgment to
an acquirer and on terms acceptable to
the United States in its sole discretion.
The United States, in its sole discretion,
may agree to one or more extensions of
this time period not to exceed sixty (60)
days in total, and shall notify the Court
in such circumstances. If approval or
consent from any government unit is
necessary with respect to divestiture of
the Divestiture Assets by defendants or
the Divestiture Trustee and if
applications or requests for approval or
consent have been filed with the
appropriate governmental unit within
120 calendar days after the closing of
Verizon’s acquisition of MCI, but an
order or other dispositive action on such
applications has not been issued before
the end of the period permitted for
divestiture, the period shall be extended
with respect to divestiture of those
Divestiture Assets for which
governmental approval or consent has
not been issued until five (5) days after
such approval or consent is received.
Defendants agree to use their best efforts
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to divest the Divestiture Assets and to
seek all necessary regulatory or other
approvals or consents necessary for
such divestitures as expeditiously as
possible. This Final Judgment odes not
limit the Federal Communications
Commission’s exercise of its regulatory
powers and process with respect to the
Divestiture Assets. Authorization by the
Federal Communications Commission
to conduct the divestiture of a
Divestiture Asset in a particularly
manner will not modify any of the
requirements of this decree.
B. In accomplishing the divestitures
ordered by this Final Judgment,
defendants promptly shall make known,
by usual and customary means, the
availability of the Divestiture Assets.
Defendants shall inform any person
making inquiry regarding a possible
purchase of the Divestiture Assets that
they are being divested pursuant to this
Final Judgment and provide that person
with a copy of this Final Judgment.
Defendants shall offer to furnish to all
prospective Acquirers, subject to
customary confidentiality assurances,
all information and documents relating
to the Divestiture Assets customarily
provided in a due diligence process
except such information or documents
subject to the attorney-client or workproduct privileges. Defendants shall
make available such information to the
United States at the same time that such
information is made available to any
other person.
C. Defendants shall permit
prospective Acquirers of the Divestiture
Assets to have reasonable access to
personnel and to make inspections of
the physical facilities of the Divestiture
Assets; access to any and all
environmental, zoning, and other permit
documents and information; and access
to any and all financial, operational, or
other documents and information
customarily provided as part of a due
diligence process.
D. Defendants shall warrant to all
Acquirers of the Divestiture Assets that
each asset will be operational on the
date of sale.
E. Defendants shall not take any
action that will impede in any way the
permitting, operation, or divestiture of
the Divestiture Assets.
F. At the option of the Acquirers,
defendants shall enter into a contract for
a period of up to one (1) year for
transition services customarily
necessary to maintain, operate,
provision, monitor, or otherwise
support the Divestiture Assets. The
terms and conditions of any contractual
arrangement meant to satisfy this
provision must be reasonably related to
market conditions.
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G. Defendants shall warrant to the
Acquirer of the Divestiture Assets that
there are no material defects in the
environmental, zoning, or other permits
pertaining to the operation of each asset,
and that following the sale of the
Divestiture Assets, defendants will not
undertake, directly or indirectly any
challenges to the environmental, zoning,
or other permits relating to the
operation of the Divestiture Assets.
H. Unless the United States otherwise
consents in writing, the divestitures
pursuant to Section IV, or by trustee
appointed pursuant to Section V, of this
Final Judgment, shall include the entire
Divestiture Assets, and shall be
accomplished in such a way as to satisfy
the United States, in its sole discretion,
that Divestiture Assets can and will be
used by the Acquirer as part of a viable,
ongoing telecommunications business.
Divestiture of the Divestiture Assets
may be made to more than one
Acquirer, provided that (i) all
Divestiture Assets in a given
metropolitan area are divested to a
single Acquirer unless otherwise
approved by the United States, in its
sole discretion, and (ii) in each instance
it is demonstrated to the sole
satisfaction of the United States that the
Divestiture Assets will remain viable
and the divestiture of such assets will
remedy the competitive harm alleged in
the Complaint. The divestitures,
whether pursuant to Section IV or
Section V of this Final Judgment,
(1) shall be made to an Acquirer (or
Acquirers) that, in the United States’s
role judgment, has the intent and
capability (including the necessary
managerial, operational, technical, and
financial capability) of competing
effectively in the provision of
telecommunications services; and
(2) shall be accomplished so as to
satisfy the United States, in its sole
discretion, that none of the terms of any
agreement between the Acquirer (or
Acquirers) and defendants gives
defendants the ability unreasonably to
raise the Acquirer’s cost, to lower the
Acquirer’s efficiency, or otherwise to
interfere in the ability of the Acquirer to
complete effectively.
I. To the extent leases, contracts,
agreements, intellectual property rights,
licenses or other commitments with
third-parties are not assignable or
transferable without the consent of the
licensor or other third parties,
defendants shall use their best efforts to
obtain those consents.
V. Appointment of Trustee
A. If defendants have not divested the
Divestiture Assets within the time
period specified in Section IV(A),
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defendants shall notify the United
States of that fact in writing, specifically
identifying the Divestiture Assets that
have not been divested. Upon
application of the United States, the
Court shall appoint a trustee selected by
the United States and approved by the
Court to effect the divestiture of the
Divestiture Assets.
B. After the appointment of a trustee
becomes effective, only the trustee shall
have the right to sell the Divestiture
Assets. The trustee shall have the power
and authority to accomplish the
divestiture to Acquirers acceptable to
the United States, in its sole judgment,
at such price and on such terms as are
then obtainable upon reasonable effort
by the trustee, subject to the provisions
of Sections IV, V, and VI of this Final
Judgment, and shall have such other
powers as this Court deems appropriate.
Subject to Section V(D) of this Final
Judgment, the trustee may hire at the
cost and expense of defendants any
investment bankers, attorneys, technical
experts, or other agents, who shall be
solely accountable to the trustee,
reasonably necessary in the trustee’s
judgment to assist in the divestiture.
C. Defendants shall not object to a sale
by the trustee on any ground other than
the trustee’s malfeasance. Any such
objections by defendants must be
conveyed in writing to the United States
and the trustee within ten (10) calendar
days after the trustee has provided the
notice required under Section VI.
D. The trustee shall serve at the cost
and expense of defendants, on such
terms and conditions as the plaintiff
approves, and shall account for all
monies derived from the sale of the
assets sold by the trustee and all costs
and expenses so incurred. After
approval by the Court of the trustee’s
accounting, including fees for its
services and those of any professionals
and agents retained by the trustee, all
remaining money shall be paid to
defendants and the trust shall then be
terminated. The compensation of the
trustee and any professionals and agents
retained by the trustee shall be
reasonable in light of the value of the
Divestiture Assets and based on a fee
arrangement providing the trustee with
an incentive based on the price and
terms of the divestiture and the speed
with which it is accomplished, but
timeliness is paramount.
E. Defendants shall use their best
efforts to assist the trustee in
accomplishing the required divestitures,
including their best efforts to effect all
necessary regulatory or other approvals
or consents and will provide necessary
representations or warranties as
appropriate, related to the sale of the
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74355
Divestiture Assets. The trustee and any
consultants, accountants, attorneys,
technical experts, and other persons
retained by the trustee shall have full
and complete access to the personnel,
books, records, and facilities related to
the Divestiture Assets, and defendants
shall develop financial and other
information relevant to the Divestiture
Assets as the trustee may reasonably
request, subject to reasonable protection
for trade secret or other confidential
research, development, or commercial
information. Defendants shall take no
action to interfere with or to impede the
trustee’s accomplishment of the
divestiture.
F. After its appointment, the trustee
shall file monthly reports with the
United States and the Court setting forth
the trustee’s efforts to accomplish the
divestiture ordered under this Final
Judgment. To the extent such reports
contain information that the trustee
deems confidential, such reports shall
not be filed in the public docket of the
Court. Such reports shall include the
name, address, and telephone number of
each person who, during the preceding
month, made an offer to acquire,
expressed an interest in acquiring,
entered into negotiations to acquire, or
was contacted or made an inquiry about
acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture
Assets, and shall describe in detail each
contact with any such person. The
trustee shall maintain full records of all
efforts made to divest the Divestiture
Assets.
G. If the trustee has not accomplished
such divestiture within six months after
its appointment, the trustee shall
promptly file with the Court a report
setting forth (1) the trustee’s efforts to
accomplish the required divestiture, (2)
the reasons, in the trustee’s judgment,
why the required divestiture has not
been accomplished, and (3) the trustee’s
recommendations. To the extent such
reports contain information that the
trustee deems confidential, such reports
shall not be filed in the public docket
of the Court. The trustee shall at the
same time furnish such report to the
plaintiff who shall have the right to
make additional recommendations
consistent with the purpose of the trust.
The Court thereafter shall enter such
orders as it shall deem appropriate to
carry out the purpose of the Final
Judgment, which may, if necessary,
include extending the trust and the term
of the trustee’s appointment by a period
requested by the United States.
H. In addition, notwithstanding any
provision to the contrary, the United
States, in its sole discretion, may require
defendants to include additional assets,
or allow, with the written approval of
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the United States, defendants to
substitute substantially similar assets,
which substantially relate to the
Divestiture Assets to be divested by the
trustee to facilitate prompt divestiture to
an acceptable Acquirer or Acquirers.
VI. Notice of Proposed Divestiture
A. Within two (2) business days
following execution of a definitive
divestiture agreement, defendants or the
trustee, whichever is then responsible
for effecting the divestiture required
herein, shall notify the United States of
any proposed divestiture required by
Section IV or V of this Final Judgment.
If the trustee is responsible, it shall
similarly notify defendants. The notice
shall set forth the details of the
proposed divestiture and list the name,
address, and telephone number of each
person not previously identified who
offered or expressed an interest in or
desire to acquire any ownership interest
in the Divestiture Assets, together with
full details of the same.
B. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of
receipt by the United States of such
notice, the United States may request
from defendants, the proposed Acquirer
or Acquirers, any other third party, or
the trustee, if applicable, additional
information concerning the proposed
divestiture, the proposed Acquirer or
Acquirers, and any other potential
Acquirer. Defendants and the trustee
shall furnish any additional information
requested within fifteen (15) calendar
days of the receipt of the request, unless
the parties shall otherwise agree.
C. Within thirty (30) calendar days
after receipt of the notice or within
twenty (20) calendar days after the
United States has been provided the
additional information requested from
defendants, the proposed Acquirer or
Acquirers, any third party, and the
trustee, whichever is later, the United
States shall provide written notice to
defendants and the trustee, if there is
one, stating whether or not it objects to
the proposed divestiture. If the United
States provides written notice that it
does not object, the divestiture may be
consummated, subject only to
defendants’ limited right to object to the
sale under Section V(C) of this Final
Judgment. Absent written notice that the
United States does not object to the
proposed Acquirer or upon objection by
the United States, a divestiture under
Section IV or Section V shall not be
consummated. Upon objection by
defendants under Section V(C), a
divestiture proposed under Section V
shall not be consummated unless
approved by the Court.
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VII. Financing
Defendants shall not finance all or
any part of any purchase made pursuant
to Section IV or V of this Final
Judgment.
VIII. Preservation of Assets
Until the divestiture required by this
Final Judgment has been accomplished,
defendants shall take all steps necessary
to comply with the Stipulation signed
by defendants and the United States.
Defendants shall take no action that
would jeopardize the divestiture
ordered by this Court.
IX. Affidavits
A. Within twenty (20) calendar days
of the filing of the Complaint in this
matter, and every thirty (30) calendar
days thereafter until the divestiture has
been completed under Section IV or V,
defendants shall deliver to the United
States an affidavit as to the fact and
manner of its compliance with Section
IV or V of this Final Judgment. Each
such affidavit shall include the name,
address, and telephone number of each
person who, during the preceding thirty
(30) days, made an offer to acquire,
expressed an interest in acquiring,
entered into negotiations to acquire, or
was contacted or made an inquiry about
acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture
Assets, and shall describe in detail each
contact with any such person during
that period. Each such affidavit shall
also include a description of the efforts
defendants have taken to solicit buyers
for the Divestiture Assets, and to
provide required information to
prospective Acquirers, including the
limitations, if any, on such information.
Assuming the information set forth in
the affidavit is true and complete, any
objection by the United States to
information provided by defendants,
including limitation on information,
shall be made within fourteen (14)
calendar days of the receipt of such
affidavit.
B. Within twenty (20) calendar days
of the filing of the Complaint in this
matter, defendants shall deliver to the
United States an affidavit that describes
in reasonable detail all action
defendants have taken and all steps
defendants have implemented on an
ongoing basis to comply with Section
VIII of this Final Judgment. Defendants
shall deliver to the United States an
affidavit describing any changes to the
efforts and actions outlined in
defendants’ earlier affidavits filed
pursuant to this section within fifteen
(15) calendar days after the change is
implemented.
C. Defendants shall keep all records of
all efforts made to preserve and divest
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the Divestiture Assets until one year
after such divestiture has been
completed.
X. Compliance Inspection
A. For the purposes of determining or
securing compliance with this Final
Judgment, or of determining whether
the Final Judgment should be modified
or vacated, and subject to any legally
recognized privilege, from time to time
duly authorized representatives of the
United States Department of Justice,
including consultants and other persons
retained by the United States, shall,
upon written request of a duly
authorized representative of the
Assistant Attorney General in charge of
the Antitrust Division, and on
reasonable notice to defendants, be
permitted.
(1) Access during defendants’ office
hours to inspect and copy, or at
plaintiff’s option, to require that
defendants provide copies of, all books,
ledgers, accounts, records and
documents in the possession, custody,
or control of defendants, relating to any
matters contained in this Final
Judgment; and
(2) To interview, either informally or
on the record, defendants’ officers,
employees, or agents, who may have
their individual counsel present,
regarding such matters. The interviews
shall be subject to the reasonable
convenience of the interviewee and
without restraint or interference by
defendants.
B. Upon the written request of a duly
authorized representative of the
Assistant Attorney General in charge of
the Antitrust Division, defendants shall
submit written reports, under oath if
requested, relating to any of the matters
contained in this Final Judgment as may
be requested.
C. No information or documents
obtained by the means provided in this
section shall be divulged by the United
States to any person other than an
authorized representative of the
executive branch of the United States,
except in the course of legal proceedings
to which the United States is a party
(including grand jury proceedings), or
for the purpose of securing compliance
with this Final Judgment, or as
otherwise required by law.
D. If at the time information or
documents are furnished by defendants
to the United States, defendants
represent and identify in writing the
material in any such information or
documents to which a claim of
protection may be asserted under Rule
26(c)(7) of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, and defendants mark each
pertinent page of such material,
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‘‘Subject to claim of protection under
Rule 26(c)(7) of the Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure,’’ then the United States
shall given defendants ten (10) calendar
days notice prior to divulging such
material in any legal proceeding (other
than grand jury proceedings).
to apply to this Court at any time for
further orders and directions as may be
necessary or appropriate to carry out or
construe this Final Judgment, to modify
any of its provisions, to enforce
compliance, and to punish violations of
its provisions.
XI. No Reacquisition
Defendants may not reacquire (or
lease back without the approval of the
United States, in its sole discretion) any
part of the Divestiture Assets during the
term of this Final Judgment.
XIII. Expiration of Final Judgment
Unless this Court grants an extension,
this Final Judgment shall expire ten
years from the date of its entry.
XII. Retention of Jurisdiction
This Court retains jurisdiction to
enable any party to this Final Judgment
XIV. Public Interest Determination
The parties have complied with the
requirements of the Antitrust
Procedures and Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C.
16, including making copies available to
the public of this Final Judgment, the
Competitive Impact Statement, and any
comments thereon and the United
States’ response to comments. Based
upon the record before the Court, which
includes the Competitive Impact
Statement and any comments and
response to comments filed with the
Court, entry of this Final Judgment is in
the public interest.
Date: llllllllllllllllll
Court approval subject to procedures of
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act, 15
U.S.C. 16.
lllllllllllllllllllll
United States District Judge
APPENDIX A
Address
City
City Hall Plz .....................................................
10 Tara Blvd ....................................................
100 Nagog Park ..............................................
1000 Technology Park Dr ...............................
109 State St .....................................................
Hunting Ave .....................................................
110 Spit Brook Rd ...........................................
12 Hartwell Ave ...............................................
12 New England Executive Park .....................
125 Cambridgepark Dr ....................................
125 Middlesex Tpke ........................................
1255 Boylston St .............................................
1295 Boylston St .............................................
132 Brookline Ave ...........................................
135 Santilli Hwy ...............................................
141 Ledge St ...................................................
1550 Soldiers Field Rd ....................................
161 Devonshire St ...........................................
165 Dascomb Rd .............................................
175 Great Rd ...................................................
180 Hartwell Rd ...............................................
2 Charlesgate W ..............................................
2 Fenway Plz ...................................................
2 Heritage Dr ...................................................
211 Congress ..................................................
220 Bear Hill Rd ..............................................
235 Wyman St .................................................
25 Linnell Cir ...................................................
25 Mall Rd .......................................................
262 Washington St ..........................................
275 Wyman St .................................................
28 Crosby Dr ...................................................
29 Randolph Rd ..............................................
3 Clock Tower Pl .............................................
30 Hamilton Rd ................................................
300 Longwood Ave ..........................................
31 Nagog Park ................................................
33 Arch St ........................................................
330 Brookline Ave ...........................................
35 Dunham Rd ................................................
35 Northeastern Blvd .......................................
4 Crosby Dr .....................................................
40 Old Bolton ...................................................
4040 Mystic Valley Pkwy .................................
419 Boylston ....................................................
420 Bedford St ................................................
426 Washington St ..........................................
44 Binney St ....................................................
465 Hunting Ave ..............................................
5 Clock Tower Pl .............................................
55 North Rd .....................................................
550 King St ......................................................
Boston ....................................
Nashua ...................................
Acton ......................................
Billerica ..................................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Nashua ...................................
Lexington ...............................
Burlington ...............................
Cambridge .............................
Bedford ..................................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Everett ....................................
Nashua ...................................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Andover ..................................
Bedford ..................................
Bedford ..................................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Quincy ....................................
Boston ....................................
Waltham .................................
Waltham .................................
Billerica ..................................
Burlington ...............................
Boston ....................................
Waltham .................................
Bedford ..................................
Bedford ..................................
Maynard .................................
Lexington ...............................
Boston ....................................
Acton ......................................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Billerica ..................................
Nashua ...................................
Bedford ..................................
Stow .......................................
Medford ..................................
Boston ....................................
Lexington ...............................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Maynard .................................
Bedford ..................................
Littleton ..................................
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Zip
Metropolitan area
02201
03062
01720
01821
02109
02116
03062
02421
01803
02140
01730
02215
02215
02215
02149
03060
02135
02110
01810
01730
01730
02215
02215
02171
02110
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01821
01803
02108
02451
01730
01731
01754
02420
02115
01720
02110
02215
01821
03062
01730
01775
02155
02116
02420
02108
02115
02115
01754
01730
01460
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
APPENDIX A—Continued
Address
City
State
Zip
561 Virginia Rd ................................................
565 Memorial Dr ..............................................
60 1st Ave .......................................................
600 Technology Park Dr .................................
61 Hancock St .................................................
63 3rd Ave .......................................................
65 Boston Post Rd W ......................................
650 Elm St .......................................................
67 S Bedford St ...............................................
7 Shattuck Rd ..................................................
7 Van De Graaff Dr .........................................
700 Boylston St ...............................................
745 Boylston St ...............................................
77 S Bedford St ...............................................
8 Commerce Dr ...............................................
8 Cotton Rd .....................................................
80 Central St ...................................................
81 Grenier St ...................................................
90 Central ........................................................
900 Technology Park Dr .................................
91 Hartwell Ave ...............................................
1 International Blvd ..........................................
1 Malcolm Ave .................................................
1 Rockwood Rd ...............................................
1 Sharp Plz ......................................................
10 Union Sq E .................................................
100 Route 206 North .......................................
100 Wood Ave S .............................................
1000 Harbor Blvd ............................................
106 Corporate Park Dr ....................................
1101 Westchester Ave ....................................
1111 Westchester Ave ....................................
112 Mulberry St ...............................................
1212 Avenue of the Americas .........................
125 Kingsland Ave ..........................................
1441 Chestnut Ave ..........................................
15 Columbus Cir ..............................................
1639 State Rt 10 .............................................
173 Belmont Dr ...............................................
180 Water St ...................................................
1865 Broadway ................................................
199 Chambers St ............................................
2 Campus Dr ...................................................
200 Metroplex Dr .............................................
221 W 26th St .................................................
226 E 54th St ..................................................
226 Westchester Ave ......................................
230 US Highway 206 ......................................
242 W 36th St .................................................
25 W 39th St ...................................................
253 Broadway ..................................................
27 Randolph St ................................................
27 W 23rd St ...................................................
286 Eldridge Rd ...............................................
2975 Westchester Ave ....................................
30 Dunnigan Dr ...............................................
30 Freneau Ave ...............................................
346 Broadway ..................................................
346 Madison Ave .............................................
360 Park Ave S ...............................................
380 Route 59 ...................................................
4 Manhattanville Rd .........................................
460 W 54th St .................................................
465 Endo Blvd .................................................
485 US Highway 1 ..........................................
501 Franklin Ave .............................................
511 Benedict Ave ............................................
55 Carter Dr .....................................................
580 White Plains Rd ........................................
63 Madison Ave ...............................................
7 Amherst Pl ....................................................
7 Campus Dr ...................................................
Concord .................................
Cambridge .............................
Waltham .................................
Billerica ..................................
Quincy ....................................
Burlington ...............................
Marlborough ...........................
Manchester ............................
Burlington ...............................
Andover ..................................
Burlington ...............................
Boston ....................................
Boston ....................................
Burlington ...............................
Bedford ..................................
Nashua ...................................
Boxborough ............................
Bedford ..................................
Boxborough ............................
Billerica ..................................
Lexington ...............................
Mahwah .................................
Teterboro ...............................
Sleepy Hollow ........................
Mahwah .................................
New York ...............................
Peapack .................................
Iselin .......................................
Weehawken ...........................
White Plains ...........................
White Plains ...........................
White Plains ...........................
Newark ...................................
New York ...............................
Clifton .....................................
Hillside ...................................
New York ...............................
Parsippany .............................
Somerset ................................
New York ...............................
New York ...............................
New York ...............................
Parsippany .............................
Edison ....................................
New York ...............................
New York ...............................
White Plains ...........................
Flanders .................................
New York ...............................
New York ...............................
New York ...............................
Carteret ..................................
New York ...............................
Fairfield ..................................
Purchase ................................
Suffern ...................................
Matawan ................................
New York ...............................
New York ...............................
New York ...............................
Airmont ...................................
Purchase ................................
New York ...............................
Garden City ............................
Edison ....................................
Garden City ............................
Tarrytown ...............................
Edison ....................................
Tarrytown ...............................
New York ...............................
White Plains ...........................
Parsippany .............................
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
NH ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
NH ....
NH ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
MA ....
NJ .....
NJ .....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NJ .....
NJ .....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NJ .....
NJ .....
NY ....
NJ .....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NJ .....
01742
02139
02451
01821
02171
01803
01752
03101
01803
01810
01803
02116
02116
01803
03110
03063
01719
01731
01719
01821
02421
07495
07608
10591
07430
10003
07977
08830
07086
10604
10604
10604
07102
10036
07014
07205
10019
07054
08873
10038
10023
10007
07054
08817
10001
10022
10604
07836
10018
10018
10007
07008
10010
07004
10577
10901
07747
10013
10017
10010
10901
10577
10019
11530
08817
11530
10591
08817
10591
10016
10601
07054
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
Boston-Worcester.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
APPENDIX A—Continued
Address
City
State
Zip
70 W Red Oak Ln ...........................................
707 Broad St ...................................................
75 Virginia Rd ..................................................
80 Grasslands Rd ............................................
800 Westchester Ave ......................................
845 N Broadway ..............................................
875 Merrick Ave ..............................................
Davis Ave ........................................................
100 S Broad St ................................................
1100 N Market St ............................................
1400 Liberty Ridge Dr .....................................
2 Walnut Grove Dr ..........................................
301 W 11th St .................................................
400 Chesterfield Pkwy .....................................
400 Market St ..................................................
460 E Swedesford Rd .....................................
620 Lee Rd ......................................................
735 Chesterbrook Blvd ....................................
750 East Swedesford Road ............................
900 W Valley Rd .............................................
1 Mcalister Farm Rd ........................................
10 Free St ........................................................
111 Wescott Rd ...............................................
121 Free St ......................................................
137 Kennebec St .............................................
144 State St .....................................................
145 Newbury St ...............................................
148 Middle St ..................................................
162 Canco Rd .................................................
164 Middle St ..................................................
2 Ledgeview Dr ...............................................
20 Milk St .........................................................
25 Bradley Dr ..................................................
25 Preble St .....................................................
261 Commercial St ..........................................
3 Canal Plz ......................................................
33 Sewall St ....................................................
4 Westbrook Cmn ............................................
400 Congress St ..............................................
400 Southborough Dr ......................................
45 Bradley Dr ..................................................
500 Southborough Dr ......................................
51 Nonesuch Cove Rd ....................................
510 Congress St ..............................................
565 Congress St ..............................................
636 Riverside St ..............................................
65 Bradley St ...................................................
696 Congress St ..............................................
1 R I H T Way .................................................
10 Admiral St ...................................................
10 Dorrance St ................................................
111 Brewster St ...............................................
111 Dorrance St ..............................................
120 Corliss St ..................................................
125 Dupont Dr .................................................
127 Dorrance St ..............................................
146 Westminster St .........................................
155 S Main St ..................................................
196 Richmond St .............................................
2 Richmond Sq ................................................
20 Washington Pl ............................................
21 Peace St .....................................................
259 Pine St ......................................................
291 Westminster St .........................................
30 Chestnut St .................................................
4 Richmond Sq ................................................
40 Catamore Blvd ............................................
400 Westminster St .........................................
444 Westminster St .........................................
50 Kennedy Plz ...............................................
56 Pine St ........................................................
75 Fountain St .................................................
West Harrison ........................
Newark ...................................
White Plains ...........................
Elmsford .................................
Rye Brook ..............................
White Plains ...........................
Westbury ................................
White Plains ...........................
Philadelphia ...........................
Wilmington .............................
Chesterbrook .........................
Horsham ................................
Wilmington .............................
Malvern ..................................
Philadelphia ...........................
Wayne ....................................
Chesterbrook .........................
Chesterbrook .........................
Valley Forge ...........................
Wayne ....................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
South Portland .......................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Westbrook ..............................
Portland ..................................
Westbrook ..............................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Westbrook ..............................
Portland ..................................
South Portland .......................
Westbrook ..............................
South Portland .......................
Scarborough ..........................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Portland ..................................
Riverside ................................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Pawtucket ..............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
East Providence .....................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
NY ....
NJ .....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
NY ....
PA .....
DE ....
PA .....
PA .....
DE ....
PA .....
PA .....
PA .....
PA .....
PA .....
PA .....
PA .....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
ME ....
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
10604
07102
10603
10523
10573
10603
11590
10601
19110
19801
19087
19044
19801
19355
19106
19087
19087
19087
19482
19087
04103
04101
04106
04101
04101
04101
04101
04101
04103
04101
04092
04101
04092
04101
04101
04101
04102
04092
04101
04106
04092
04106
04074
04101
04101
04103
04102
04102
02915
02908
02903
02860
02903
02904
02907
02903
02903
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New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
New York.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Portland.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
E:\FR\FM\15DEN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
APPENDIX A—Continued
Address
City
State
Zip
76 Dorrance St ................................................
86 Weybosset St .............................................
89 Ship St ........................................................
1000 Semmes Ave ..........................................
11100 W Broad St ...........................................
1200 E Main St ................................................
1313 E Main St ................................................
1450 E Parham Rd ..........................................
2040 Thalbro St ...............................................
22150 Tomlyn St .............................................
2235 Staples Mill Rd .......................................
4120 Cox Rd ...................................................
4461 Cox Rd ...................................................
4600 Cox Rd ...................................................
4851 Lake Brook Dr ........................................
7814 Carousel Ln ............................................
9950 Mayland Dr .............................................
9960 Mayland Dr .............................................
100 S Ashley Dr ..............................................
10410 Highland Manor Dr ...............................
10420 Highland Manor Dr ...............................
10430 Highland Manor Dr ...............................
10500 University Center Dr .............................
110 Douglas Rd E ...........................................
1410 N Westshore Blvd ..................................
1511 N Westshore Blvd ..................................
18301 Crane Nest Drive ..................................
18335 Digital Dr ...............................................
1915 N Dale Mabry Hwy .................................
2002 N Lois Ave ..............................................
2502 N Rocky Point Dr ...................................
2701 N Rocky Point Dr ...................................
3505 E Frontage Rd ........................................
3608 Queen Plam Dr ......................................
3800 Citibank Center Tampa ..........................
3802 Coconut Palm Dr ....................................
4343 Anchor Plaza Pkwy ................................
501 Brooker Creek Blvd ..................................
5050 W Lemon St ...........................................
5120 W Clifton St ............................................
5201 W Kennedy Blvd .....................................
5300 W Knox St ..............................................
5401 Hangar Ct ...............................................
550 N Reo St ...................................................
5755 Hoover Blvd ............................................
8800 Grand Oak Cir ........................................
8875 Hidden River Pkwy .................................
1 Curie Ct ........................................................
1000 Wilson Blvd .............................................
10000 Derekwood Ln ......................................
1001 G St NW .................................................
107 Carpenter Dr .............................................
10802 Parkridge Blvd ......................................
10942 Beaver Dam Rd ....................................
10955 Golden West Dr ....................................
111 S Calvert St ..............................................
1111 Constitution Ave NW ..............................
11200 Pepper Rd ............................................
120 E Baltimore St ..........................................
1200 1st St SE ................................................
12001 Indian Creek Ct ....................................
12007 Sunrise Valley Dr .................................
1201 Seven Locks Rd .....................................
12012 Sunset Hills Rd .....................................
12355 Sunrise Valley Dr .................................
12600 Fair Lakes Cir .......................................
12701 Fair Lakes Cir .......................................
1301 Pennsylvania Ave NW ............................
13461 Sunrise Valley Dr .................................
1350 I St NW ...................................................
1375 Piccard Dr ...............................................
1390 Piccard Dr ...............................................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Providence .............................
Richmond ...............................
Glen Allen ..............................
Richmond ...............................
Richmond ...............................
Richmond ...............................
Richmond ...............................
Richmond ...............................
Richmond ...............................
Glen Allen ..............................
Glen Allen ..............................
Glen Allen ..............................
Glen Allen ..............................
Richmond ...............................
Richmond ...............................
Richmond ...............................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Oldsmar .................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Oldsmar .................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Tampa ....................................
Rockville .................................
Arlington .................................
Lanham ..................................
Washington ............................
Sterling ...................................
Reston ....................................
Cockeysville ...........................
Hunt Valley ............................
Baltimore ................................
Washington ............................
Hunt Valley ............................
Baltimore ................................
Washington ............................
Beltsville .................................
Reston ....................................
Rockville .................................
Reston ....................................
Reston ....................................
Fairfax ....................................
Fairfax ....................................
Washington ............................
Herndon .................................
Washington ............................
Rockville .................................
Rockville .................................
RI ......
RI ......
RI ......
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
FL .....
MD ....
VA .....
MD ....
DC ....
VA .....
VA .....
MD ....
MD ....
MD ....
DC ....
MD ....
MD ....
DC ....
MD ....
VA .....
MD ....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
VA .....
DC ....
VA .....
DC ....
MD ....
MD ....
02903
02903
02903
23224
23060
23219
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23280
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23060
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23060
23294
23233
23233
33602
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33612
34677
33607
33607
33647
33647
33607
33607
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33607
33607
33619
33610
33619
33634
34677
33609
33634
33609
33634
33634
33609
33634
33637
33637
20850
22209
20706
20001
20164
20191
21030
21031
21202
20002
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21202
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Providence.
Providence.
Providence.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Richmond.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Tampa.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
E:\FR\FM\15DEN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
APPENDIX A—Continued
Address
City
State
Zip
1401 H St NW .................................................
16050 Industrial Dr ..........................................
16060 Industrial Dr ..........................................
1709 New York of Ave NW .............................
1722 I St NW ...................................................
1759 Business Center Dr ................................
1760 Business Center Dr ................................
1800 G St NW .................................................
1800 Robert Fulton Dr .....................................
1820 Fort Myer Dr ...........................................
1861 International Dr .......................................
1900 Campus Commons Dr ............................
1916 Isaac Newton SQ W ...............................
2 E Chase St ...................................................
200 Fairbrook Dr .............................................
200 International Cir ........................................
2010 Corporate RDG ......................................
2021 L St NW ..................................................
20300 Century Blvd .........................................
20400 Century Blvd .........................................
210 N Charles St .............................................
21355 Ridgetop Cir .........................................
21545 Ridgetop Cir .........................................
2216 Gallows Rd .............................................
2240 Broadbirch Dr .........................................
22461 Shaw Rd ...............................................
22800 Davis Dr ................................................
2401 E St NW .................................................
250 E St SW ....................................................
2650 Park Tower Dr ........................................
2707 Wilson Blvd .............................................
2811 Lord Baltimore Dr ...................................
300 14th St SW ...............................................
301 W Preston St ............................................
307 International Cir ........................................
35 Market Pl ....................................................
3910 Keswick Rd .............................................
4 Choke Cherry Rd .........................................
401 14th St SW ...............................................
401 M St SW ...................................................
403 Glenn Dr ...................................................
4201 Wilson Blvd .............................................
4330 E West Hwy ............................................
4350 Fairfax Dr ................................................
450 Springpark Pl ............................................
5 Choke Cherry Rd .........................................
500 N Capitol St NW .......................................
5161 River Rd .................................................
523 E Monument St ........................................
5260 Western Ave ...........................................
540 Huntmar Park Dr ......................................
5515 Security Ln .............................................
5600 Fishers Ln ...............................................
575 Herndon Pkwy ..........................................
6000 McDill Blvd ..............................................
6009 Oxon Hill Rd ...........................................
601 12th St S ..................................................
601 D St NW ...................................................
601 F St NW ....................................................
6495 New Hampshire Ave ..............................
656 Quince Orchard Rd ..................................
6610 Rockledge Dr ..........................................
666 11th St NW ...............................................
6710 Oxon Hill Rd ...........................................
6801 Rockledge Dr ..........................................
6903 Rockledge Dr ..........................................
7020 Virginia Manor Rd ..................................
7067 Columbia Gateway Dr ............................
7129 Ambassador Rd ......................................
7500 Boston Blvd ............................................
7811 Montrose Rd ...........................................
7925 Westpark Dr ...........................................
Washington ............................
Gaithersburg ..........................
Gaithersburg ..........................
Washington ............................
Washington ............................
Reston ....................................
Reston ....................................
Washington ............................
Reston ....................................
Arlington .................................
McLean ..................................
Reston ....................................
Reston ....................................
Baltimore ................................
Herndon .................................
Cockeysville ...........................
McLean ..................................
Washington ............................
Germantown ..........................
Germantown ..........................
Baltimore. ...............................
Dulles .....................................
Sterling ...................................
Dunn Loring ...........................
Silver Spring ..........................
Sterling ...................................
Sterling ...................................
Washington ............................
Washington ............................
Vienna ....................................
Arlington .................................
Baltimore ................................
Washington ............................
Baltimore ................................
Cockeysville ...........................
Baltimore ................................
Baltimore ................................
Rockville .................................
Washington ............................
Washington ............................
Sterling ...................................
Arlington .................................
Bethesda ................................
Arlington .................................
Herndon .................................
Rockville .................................
Washington ............................
Bethesda ................................
Baltimore ................................
Chevy Chase .........................
Herndon .................................
Rockville .................................
Rockville .................................
Herndon .................................
Washington ............................
Oxon Hill ................................
Arlington .................................
Washington ............................
Washington ............................
Hyattsville ...............................
Gaithersburg ..........................
Bethesda ................................
Washington ............................
Oxon Hill ................................
Bethesda ................................
Bethesda ................................
Beltsville .................................
Columbia ................................
Baltimore ................................
Springfield ..............................
Rockville .................................
McLean ..................................
DC ....
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Metropolitan area
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Washington-Baltimore.
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Washington-Baltimore.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
APPENDIX A—Continued
Address
City
State
Zip
8230 Leesburg Pike ........................................
8230 Old Courthouse Rd ................................
8400 Baltimore Ave .........................................
8521 Leesburg Pike ........................................
8620 Westwood Center Dr ..............................
8930 Stanford Blvd ..........................................
9201 Corporate Blvd .......................................
9210 Corporate Blvd .......................................
9211 Corporate Blvd .......................................
9270 Gaither Rd ..............................................
9307 Gerwig Ln ...............................................
9704 Medical Center Dr ..................................
9840 O’Brian Road ..........................................
Langley Hqtrs ..................................................
NASA Goddard SFC Bldg 1 ............................
Rte 198 Racetrack Road .................................
Vienna ....................................
Vienna ....................................
College Park ..........................
Vienna ....................................
Vienna ....................................
Columbia ................................
Rockville .................................
Rockville .................................
Rockville .................................
Gaithersburg ..........................
Columbia ................................
Rockville .................................
Fort Meade ............................
Langley ..................................
Greenbelt ...............................
Laurel .....................................
VA .....
VA .....
MD ....
VA .....
VA .....
MD ....
MD ....
MD ....
MD ....
MD ....
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In the United States District Court for
the District of Columbia
the anticompetitive effects of the
acquisition. Under the proposed Final
Judgment, which is explained more
fully below, Defendants are required to
divest indefeasible rights of use
(‘‘IRUs’’) for lateral connections to
certain buildings located in a number of
metropolitan areas as listed in
Appendix A of the proposed Final
Judgment (collectively the ‘‘Divestiture
Assets’’). Under the terms of the
Stipulation, Defendants will take certain
steps to ensure that these assets are
preserved and maintained.
The United States and Defendants
have stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgment may be entered after
compliance with the APPA. Entry of the
proposed Final Judgment would
terminate this action, except that the
Court would retain jurisdiction to
construe, modify, or enforce the
provisions of the proposed Final
Judgment and to punish violations
thereof. Defendants have also stipulated
that they will comply with the terms of
the Stipulation and the proposed Final
Judgment from the date of signing of the
Stipulation, pending entry of the
proposed Final Judgment by the Court
and the required divestitures. Should
the Court decline to enter the proposed
Final Judgment, Defendants have also
committed to continue to abide by its
requirements and those of the
Stipulation until the expiration of time
for appeal.
United States of America, Plaintiff, v.
Verizon Communications, Inc. and MCI,
Inc., Defendants
Civil Action No.: 1:05CV02103 (HHK)
Filed: November 16, 2005
Competitive Impact Statement
Plaintiff United States of America
(‘‘United States’’), pursuant to Section
2(b) of the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act (‘‘APPA’’ or ‘‘Tunney
Act’’), 15 U.S.C. 16(b)–(h), files this
Competitive Impact Statement relating
to the proposed Final Judgment
submitted for entry in this civil antitrust
proceeding.
I. Nature and Purpose of the Proceeding
Defendants entered into an Agreement
and Plan of Merger dated February 14,
2005—subsequently amended on March
4, March 29, and May 2—pursuant to
which Verizon Communications, Inc.
(‘‘Verizon’’) will acquire MCI, Inc.
(‘‘MCI’’). The United States filed a civil
antitrust Complaint on October 27, 2005
seeking to enjoin the proposed
acquisition. The Complaint alleges that
the likely effect of this acquisition
would be to lessen competition
substantially for Local Private Lines and
other telecommunications services that
rely on Local Private Lines in eight
metropolitan areas in violation of
Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.
18. This loss of competition would
result in customers facing higher prices
for Local Private Lines and other
telecommunications services that rely
on Local Private Lines than they would
absent the merger.
At the same time the Complaint was
filed, the United States also filed a
Stipulation and proposed Final
Judgment that are designed to eliminate
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:24 Dec 14, 2005
Jkt 208001
II. Description of the Events Giving Rise
to the Alleged Violation
A. The Defendants and the Proposed
Transaction
Verizon is a corporation organized
and existing under the laws of the State
of Delaware, with its headquarters in
New York, New York. Verizon, formerly
Bell Atlantic Corporation (‘‘Bell
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Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Washington-Baltimore.
Atlantic’’), is the nation’s largest
regional Bell operating company
(‘‘RBOC’’). Bell Atlantic was one of the
seven regional holding companies
created as a result of the breakup of
AT&T’s telephone business into local
and long distance components initially
in 1984. Since then, Bell Atlantic
formed Verizon, including its
acquisitions of another RBOC, NYNEX
Corporation, and GET Corporation, an
incumbent local exchange carrier
(‘‘ILEC’’) that provided local exchange
and other services in 28 states. Verizon
owns and operates local
telecommunications networks
throughout its territory and provides
local and long distance voice and data
services to, inter alia, business
customers and other
telecommunications carriers. Today,
Verizon’s wireline telecommunications
operations serve about 51 million total
switched access lines, including 32.4
million residential and 17.8 million
business lines, in 29 states plus the
District of Columbia. In 2004, Verizon
earned approximately $38.6 billion in
revenues from its domestic wireline
services, including at least $8.8 billion
in revenue from business customers.
Verizon has fiber-optic or copper
connections to virtually all of the
commercial buildings in its franchised
territory.
MCI is a corporation organized and
existing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with its headquarters in
Ashburn, Virginia. MCI is one of the
nation’s largest interexchange carriers
(‘‘IXC’’), offering traditional long
distance telephone service, as well as
one of the largest competitive local
exchange carriers (‘‘CLEC’’), offering
local network access for voice and data
services. MCI serves consumers and
businesses across the United States and
around the globe, and owns significant
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
local network assets within Verizon’s
29-state operating territory including
direct fiber-optic connections to
numerous commercial buildings. In
2004, MCI earned approximately $20.7
billion in revenues, including almost $4
billion from domestic business
customers.
Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of
Merger dated February 14, 2005, as
amended on March 4, March 29, and
May 2, 2005, Verizon agreed to acquire
MCI for approximately $8.54 billion.
The proposed transaction, as agreed to
by Defendants, would lessen
competition substantially for Local
Private Lines and other
telecommunication services that rely on
Local Private Lines in eight
metropolitan areas. This acquisition is
the subject of the Complaint and
proposed Final Judgment filed by the
United States.
B. Local Private Lines
A Local Private Line is a dedicated,
point-to-point circuit offered over
copper and/or fiber-optic transmission
facilities that originates and terminates
within a single metropolitan area and
typically includes at least one local
loop. A local loop, sometimes referred
to as a ‘‘last-mile’’ connection, is
typically either a copper or fiber-optic
transmission facility that connects
commercial buildings to a carriers’
network, making the local loop a
critically important asset for providing
telecommunications services to business
customers.
Local Private Lines are a recognized
service category among
telecommunications carriers and enduser business customers and are sold at
both retail (to business customers) and
wholesale (to other carriers). Depending
on how they are configured, Local
Private Lines can be used to carry voice
traffic, data, or a combination of the
two. Local Private Lines may be
purchased as stand-alone products but
are also an important input to valueadded voice and data
telecommunications services for
business customers and represent a
significant portion of the costs incurred
in providing those services. Customers
typically purchase Local Private Lines
in standard bandwidth increments such
as DS1 (‘‘T1,’’ 1.54 megabits per
second), DS3 (44.74 megabits per
second), OC3 (155.52 megabits per
second), and higher. Local Private Lines
can interconnect with industry-standard
data networking and telephone
equipment, and can be ‘‘channelized’’ to
carry various amounts of voice and/or
data traffic. Local Private Lines are
distinct from switched local exchange
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17:24 Dec 14, 2005
Jkt 208001
telephone services, which route calls
through a voice switch in the local
carrier’s central office and do not
necessarily use a dedicated circuit.
Customers do not consider switched
local exchange services to be a
substitute because they do not offer the
guaranteed bandwidth, high service
levels, and security that Local Private
Lines provide.
Competing carriers often rely on Local
Private Line circuits to connect an enduser customer’s location to their
networks, enabling the competitor to
supply value-added data networking,
Internet access, local voice and long
distance services to the customer.
Although carriers can provide some
types of voice and data services over
switched local exchange lines (e.g.,
when an access line is pre-subscribed to
a long distance carrier), most large
business customers do not find those
services to be a viable or cost-effective
substitute for voice and data
telecommunications services provided
via Local Private Lines. In the event of
a small, but significant, nontransitory
increase in price for either Local Private
Lines or voice and data
telecommunications services provided
via Local Private Lines, insufficient
customers would switch to switched
circuits to render the increase
unprofitable.
For the vast majority of commercial
buildings in its territory, Verizon is the
only carrier that owns a last-mile
connection to the building. Thus, in
order to provide Local Private Line
circuits or voice or data
telecommunications services to
customers in those Verizon-only
buildings, competing carriers typically
must lease the connection from Verizon
as Local Private Line service, which
Verizon refers to as ‘‘special access’’ and
MCI refers to as ‘‘metro private line.’’
For a small percentage of commercial
buildings (though these buildings
account for a significant amount of
customer demand and revenue),
Verizon’s CLEC competitors have built
or acquired their own last-mile fiberoptic connections, separate from
Verizon’s, to connect their networks to
the buildings. The CLECs typically refer
to buildings with these connections as
their ‘‘lit buildings’’ or ‘‘on-net
buildings.’’ Once a CLEC has incurred
the high fixed cost to construct a lastmile connection to a building, the CLEC
can usually provide service to business
customers in the building at a lower
marginal cost than it would otherwise
be able to do if it had to lease the
connection from the RBOC. It can also
provide alternative access to other
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
74363
CLECs seeking to serve business
customers in the building.
The relevant geographic market for
both Local Private Lines, as well as
voice and data telecommunications
services that rely on Local Private Lines,
is no broader than each metropolitan
area and no more narrow than each
individual building.
C. The Competitive Effects of the
Transaction on Local Private Lines
Verizon’s acquisition of MCI will
substantially lessen competition in the
markets for (a) Local Private Lines and
(b) voice and data telecommunications
services that rely on Local Private Lines.
Verizon is the dominant provider of
Local Private Lines in its franchised
territory, and MCI is one of its largest
competitors. MCI is among the leading
CLECs in Verizon’s territory in the
number of buildings it has connected
with its own last-mile fiber facilities.
For hundreds of commercial buildings
located in the metropolitan areas of
Baltimore-Washington, DC; Boston,
Massachusetts; New York, New York;
Richmond, Virginia; Providence, Rhode
Island; Tampa, Florida; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; and Portland, Maine,
Verizon and MCI are the only two firms
that own or control a direct wireline
connection to the building. In these
buildings, the merger of Verizon and
MCI would reduce the number of
carriers with an owned or controlled
last-mile connection from two to one.
The merger would, therefore,
effectively eliminate competition for
facilities-based Local Private Line
service to those buildings, and many
retail and wholesale customers would
no longer have MCI as a competitive
alternative to Verizon. Although other
competitors might resell Local Private
Lines from Verizon, those competitors
would not be as effective a competitive
constraint because Verizon would
control the price of the resold circuits.
The merged firm would, therefore, have
the ability to raise price to retail and
wholesale customers of Local Private
Lines. In addition, because the cost of
dedicated local access via Local Private
Line represents an important cost
component of many value-added voice
and data telecommunications services
provided over such access, the merger
would tend to lessen competition for
retail voice and data
telecommunications services provided
over dedicated access by (a) eliminating
MCI as the only competitive alternative
to Verizon for such services with its
own Local Private Line connection to
hundreds of buildings and (b) depriving
other carriers seeking to provide such
value-added network services of the
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 240 / Thursday, December 15, 2005 / Notices
only fully-facilities based wholesale
competitive alternative to Verizon in
those buildings.
Although other CLECs can,
theoretically, build their own fiber
connection to each building in response
to a price increase by the merged firm,
such entry is a difficult, timeconsuming, and expensive process.
Whether a CLEC builds a last-mile
connection to a given building depends
upon many factors, as noted in the
Complaint, and the costs of building a
last-mile fiber-optic connection vary
substantially for each location. Because
a single such connection may cost
hundreds of thousands of dollars to
build and light, CLECs will typically
only build in to a particular building
after they have secured a customer
contract of sufficient size and length to
justify the anticipated construction costs
for that building. While entry may occur
in some buildings where MCI is the only
CLEC present in response to a postmerger price increase, the conditions for
entry are unlikely to be met in the
hundreds of buildings that are the
subject of the Complaint. For these
buildings, the expected customer
demand and proximity of other CLEC
fiber to the building (two important
factors in the decision to build in)
indicate that such entry, even in the face
of a price increase, is unlikely to be
profitable for any CLEC. Thus, entry
would not be timely, likely, or sufficient
to eliminate the competitive harm that
would likely result from Verizon’s
proposed acquisition of MCI.
For these reasons, the United States
concluded that Verizon’s proposed
acquisition of MCI will likely
substantially lessen competition, in
violation of Section 7 of the Clayton
Act, in the provision of Local Private
Lines an other telecommunication
services that rely on Local Private Lines
in the eight metropolitan areas listed
above.
III. Explanation of the Proposed Final
Judgment
The divestiture requirements of the
proposed final Judgment will eliminate
the anticompetitive effects of the
acquisition in Local Private Lines and
other telecommunications services that
rely on Local Private Lines in the
relevant areas. The proposed Final
Judgment requires Defendants, within
120 days after the closing of Verizon’s
acquisition of MCI, or five (5) days after
notice of the entry of the Final Judgment
by the Court, whichever is later, to
divest the Divestiture Assets. The
Divestiture Assets consist of IRUs for
lateral connections (or last-mile
connection) to hundreds of buildings in
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:24 Dec 14, 2005
Jkt 208001
the identified metropolitan areas along
with transport facilities sufficient to
enable the IRUs to be used by the
purchaser to provide
telecommunications services.
Defendants must take all reasonable
steps necessary to accomplish the
divestitures quickly and shall cooperate
with prospective purchasers.
These assets must be divested in such
a way as to satisfy the United States in
its sole discretion that they will be used
by the purchaser to compete effectively
and remedy the harm alleged in the
Complaint in the markets for Local
Private Lines and other
telecommunications services that rely
on Local Private Lines. In reviewing the
purchaser or purchasers of the
Divestiture Assets, the United States
will be particularly focused on the
purchaser’s ability to be a viable
competitor in offering Local Private
Lines on both a retail and/or wholesale
basis. Purchasers that are already
offering similar services in or near the
metropolitan area are more likely to be
viable competitors than other potential
purchasers.
Divesting the last-mile connections to
the hundreds of buildings in Verizon’s
territory will remedy the harm alleged
in the Complaint. Although other CLECs
have local fiber networks in each of the
metropolitan areas at issue, they cover
only a small percentage of buildings,
and the buildings covered vary from
CLEC to CLEC. As a result, there are
numerous buildings where MCI is the
only CLEC with a last-mile connection.
It is the decreased competition in the
provision of these last-mile connections
to buildings where MCI is the only
CLEC that creates the harm alleged in
the Complaint. Whether the geographic
market for the sale of Local Private Line
or other telecommunications services
that rely on Local Private Lines is as
broad as the metropolitan area or as
narrow as individual locations or
buildings, divesting these last-mile
connections will restore the lost
facilities-based competition. The
proposed Final Judgment also
strengthens metropolitan area
competition by divesting to a single
purchaser in each area all of the
buildings that were unique to MCI.
To ensure that the purchaser has
adequate capacity to serve customers in
a given location, the lateral or last-mile
connection to be divested will consist of
an IRU for the greater of (1) eight (8)
fiber strands or (2) one-half of the
currently unused fiber strands in MCI’s
facilities serving the building measured
at the time of the filing of the
Complaint, from the point of entry of
the building to the splice point with
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
fiber used to serve different buildings.
This should be sufficient capacity for
the purchaser to serve current demand
and allow for future growth and changes
in the local service area while allowing
Verizon to retain the MCI circuits being
used to serve current customers without
disruption to their service. In addition,
to accommodate network engineering
and design requirements, the divestiture
IRUs can be granted for fiber strands
owned or controlled by either Verizon
or MCI, as mutually agreed by
Defendants and the purchaser.
Last-mile connections, however, are
of little use if they are not connected to
a network. Therefore, the proposed
Final Judgment also requires the
divestiture of IRUs for transport
facilities sufficient to connect the
divested last-mile connections to
locations mutually agreed upon by
Defendants and the purchaser. This will
ensure that the purchaser can connect
the last-mile connections to its network
facilities and provide both Local Private
Lines and any other
telecommunications services that rely
on Local Private Lines that a customer
in the building may require.
An IRU (or indefeasible right of use)
is a long-term leasehold interest
commonly used in the
telecommunications industry that gives
the holder the right to use specified
strands of fiber in the
telecommunications facility. The
proposed Final Judgment contemplates
that the purchaser and Defendants will
negotiate commercially reasonable IRUs,
that must meet minimum requirements,
including: (1) To ensure that the
purchaser has the asset for a long
enough time period to serve customers
while taking into account the dynamic
nature of the telecommunications
industry and the useful life of the
existing fiber, the IRU must be for a
minimum of 10 years; (2) to minimize
ongoing carrying costs for the IRU, the
IRU cannot contain a monthly or other
recurring fee; and (3) to ensure that
Defendants cannot limit the purchasers’
use of the last-mile connection, the IRU
cannot unreasonably limit the right of
the purchaser to use the asset as it
wishes (e.g., the purchaser shall be
permitted to splice into the IRU fiber,
though such splice points must be
mutually agreed upon by Defendants
and purchaser). This last requirement,
allows the purchaser to splice into the
IRUs to serve locations other than those
listed in Appendix A of the proposed
Final Judgment, at mutually agreed
upon splice points.
The requirements of the proposed
Final Judgment ensure that the
purchasers can use the Divested Assets
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to begin competing immediately for
customers in these buildings and will
have the rights and cost structure
necessary to be effective by (1)
minimizing carrying costs so that
viability is not threatened if customers
are not immediately procured and (2)
giving the purchaser flexibility in use of
the last-mile connections by allowing
splicing into the fiber.
Lastly, with the approval of the
United States, in its sole discretion, and
at the purchaser’s option, the
Divestiture Assets may be modified to
exclude assets and rights that are not
necessary to meet the aims of this Final
Judgment. This will allow for minor
modifications of the Divestiture Assets
to exclude assets that may not be
necessary in order to remedy the
competitive harm.
A. Timing of Divestitures
To rapidly restore lost competition,
the United States requires divestitures
to be completed within the shortest time
period reasonable under the
circumstances. In this case, the
proposed Final Judgment requires, in
Section IV.A, divestiture of the
Divestiture Assets, within 120 days after
the closing of Verizon’s acquisition of
MCI, or five (5) days after notice of the
entry of the Final Judgment by the
Court, whichever is later. The United
States in its sole discretion may extend
the date for divestiture of the Divestiture
Assets by up to sixty (60) days. The
divestiture timing provisions of the
proposed Final Judgment will ensure
that the divestitures are carried out in a
timely manner, and at the same time
will permit Defendants an adequate
opportunity to accomplish the
divestitures through a fair and orderly
process.
B. Use of a Divestiture Trustee
In the event that Defendants do not
accomplish the divestiture within the
periods prescribed in the proposed
Final Judgment, the Final Judgment
provides that the Court will appoint a
trustee selected by the United States to
effect the divestitures. To ensure that
the divestiture trustee can promptly
locate and divest to an acceptable
purchaser, the United States, in its sole
discretion, may require Defendants to
include additional assets, or allow
Defendants to substitute substantially
similar assets, which substantially relate
the Divestiture Assets to be divested by
the divestiture trustee.
The proposed Final Judgment
provides that Defendants will pay all
costs and expenses of the divestiture
trustee. The divestiture trustee’s
commission will be structured, under
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Section V.D of the proposed Final
Judgment, so as to provide an incentive
for the divestiture trustee based on the
price obtained and the speed with
which the divestitures are
accomplished. After his or her
appointment becomes effective, the
divestiture trustee will file monthly
reports with the Court and the United
States setting forth his or her efforts to
accomplish the divestitures. Section V.G
of the proposed Final Judgment requires
the divestiture trustee to divest the
Divestiture Assets to an acceptable
purchaser or purchasers no later than
six (6) months after his or her
appointment. At the end of six (6)
months, if all divestitures have not been
accomplished, the trustee and the
United States will make
recommendations to the Court, which
shall enter such orders as appropriate in
order to carry out the purpose of the
trust, including extending the trust or
term of the trustee’s appointment.
IV. Remedies Available to Potential
Private Litigants
Section 4 of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. 15, provides that any person who
has been injured as a result of conduct
prohibited by the antitrust laws may
bring suit in federal court to recover
three times the damages the person has
suffered, as well as costs and reasonable
attorneys’ fees. Entry of the proposed
Final Judgment will neither impair nor
assist the bringing of any private
antitrust damage action. Under the
provisions of Section 5(a) of the Clayton
Act, 15 U.S.C. 16(a), the proposed Final
Judgment has no prima facie effect in
any subsequent private lawsuit that may
be brought against Defendants.
V. Procedures Available for
Modification of the Proposed Final
Judgment
The United States and Defendants
have stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgment may be entered by the Court
after compliance with the provisions of
the APPA, provided that the United
States has not withdrawn its consent.
The APPA conditions entry upon the
Court’s determination that the proposed
Final Judgment is in the pubic interest.
The APPA provides a period of at
least sixty (60) days preceding the
effective date of the proposed Final
Judgment within which any person may
submit to the United States written
comments regarding the proposed Final
Judgment. Any person who wishes to
comment should do so within sixty (60)
days of the date of publication of this
Competitive Impact Statement in the
Federal Register. All comments
received during this period will be
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74365
considered by the Department of Justice,
which remains free to withdraw its
consent to the proposed Final Judgment
at any time prior to the Court’s entry of
judgment. The comments and the
response of the United States will be
filed with the Court and published in
the Federal Register.
Written comments should be
submitted to: Nancy M. Goodman,
Chief, Telecommunications and Media
Enforcement Section, Antitrust
Division, U.S. Department of Justice,
1401 H Street, NW., Suite 8000,
Washington, DC 20530.
The proposed Final Judgment provides
that the Court retains jurisdiction over
this action, and the parties may apply to
the Court for any order necessary or
appropriate for the modification,
interpretation, or enforcement of the
Final Judgment.
VI. Alternatives to the Proposed Final
Judgment
The United States considered, as an
alternative to the proposed Final
Judgment, a full trial on the merits
against Defendants. The United States
could have continued the litigation and
sought preliminary and permanent
injunctions against Verizon’s
acquisition of MCI. The United States is
satisfied, however, that the divestiture
of assets and other relief described in
the proposed Final Judgment will
preserve competition for Local Private
Lines and other telecommunications
services that rely on Local Private Lines
in the metropolitan areas identified in
the Compliant.
VII. Standard of Review Under the
APPA for the Proposed Final Judgment
The APPA requires that proposed
consent judgments in antitrust cases
brought by the United States be subject
to a sixty (60) day comment period, after
which the Court shall determine
whether entry of the proposed Final
Judgment ‘‘is in the public interest.’’ 15
U.S.C. 16(e)(1). In making that
determination, the Court shall consider:
(A) The competitive impact of such
judgment, including termination of alleged
violations, provisions for enforcement and
modification, duration or relief sought,
anticipated effects of alternative remedies
actually considered, whether its terms are
ambiguous, and any other competitive
considerations bearing upon the adequacy of
such judgment that the court deems
necessary to a determination of whether the
consent judgment is in the public interest;
and
(B) The impact of entry of such judgment
upon competition in the relevant market or
markets, upon the public generally and
individuals alleging specific injury from the
violations set forth in the complaint
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including consideration of the public benefit,
if any, to be derived from a determination of
the issues at trial.
648 F.2d 660, 666 (9th Cir. 1981)); see
also Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1460–62.
Courts have held that:
15 U.S.C. 16(e)(1)(A) & (B). As the
United States Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit had held,
the APPA permits a court to consider,
among other things, the relationship
between the remedy secured and the
specific allegations set forth in the
government’s complaint, whether the
consent judgment is sufficiently clear,
whether enforcement mechanisms are
sufficient, and whether the consent
judgment may positively harm third
parties. See United States v. Microsoft
Corp., 56 F.3d 1448, 1458–62 (D.C. Cir.
1995).
‘‘Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require the court to
conduct an evidentiary hearing or to
require the court to permit anyone to
intervene.’’ 15 U.S.C. 16(e)(2). Thus, in
conducting this inquiry, ‘‘[t]he court is
nowhere compelled to go to trial or to
engage in extended proceedings which
might have the effect of vitiating the
benefits of prompt and less costly
settlement through the consent decree
process.’’ 119 Cong. Rec. 24,598 (1973)
(statement of Senator Tunney).1
Rather:
[t]he balancing of competing social and
political interests affected by a proposed
antitrust consent decree must be left, in the
first instance, to the discretion of the
Attorney General. The court’s role in
protecting the public interest is one of
insuring that the government has not
breached its duty to the public in consenting
to the decree. The court is required to
determine not whether a particular decree is
the one that will best serve society, but
whether the settlement is ‘‘within the reaches
of the public interest.’’ More elaborate
requirements might undermine the
effectiveness of antitrust enforcement by
consent decree.
[a]bsent a showing of corrupt failure of the
government to discharge its duty, the Court,
in making its public finding, should * * *
carefully consider the explanations of the
government in the competitive impact
statement and its responses to comments in
order to determine whether those
explanations are reasonable under the
circumstances.
United States v. Mid-America
Dairymen, Inc., 1977–1 Trade Cas.
(CCH) ¶ 61,508, at 71,980 (W.D. Mo.
1977).
Accordingly, with respect to the
adequacy of the relief secured by the
proposed Final Judgment, a court may
not ‘‘engage in an unrestricted
evaluation of what relief would best
serve the public.’’ United States v. BNS
Inc., 858 F.2d 456, 462 (9th Cir. 1988)
(citing United States v. Bechtel Corp.,
1 See United States v. Gillette Co., 406 F. Supp.
713, 716 (D. Mass. 1975) (recognizing it was not the
court’s duty to settle; rather, the court must only
answer ‘‘whether the settlement achieved [was]
within the reaches of the public interest’’). A
‘‘public interest’’ determination can be made
properly on the basis of the Competitive Impact
Statement and Response to Comments filed by the
Department of Justice pursuant to the APPA.
Although the APPA authorizes the use of additional
procedures, 15 U.S.C. 16(f), those procedures are
discretionary. A court need not invoke any of them
unless it believes that the comments have raised
significant issues and that further proceedings
would aid the court in resolving those issues. See
H.R. Rep. No. 93–1463, 93d Cong., 2d Sess. 8–9
(1974), reprinted in 1974 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6535, 6538–
39.
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Bechtel, 648 F.2d at 666 (emphasis
added) (citations omitted).2
The proposed Final Judgment,
therefore, should not be reviewed under
a standard of whether it is certain to
eliminate every anticompetitive effect of
a particular practice or whether it
mandates certainty of free competition
in the future. Court approval of a final
judgment requires a standard more
flexible and less strict than the standard
required for a finding of liability. ‘‘[A]
proposed decree must be approved even
if it falls short of the remedy the court
would impose on its own, as long as it
falls within the range of acceptability or
is ‘within the reaches of public
interest.’’’ United States v. AT&T Corp.,
552 F. Supp. 131, 151 (D.D.C. 1982)
(citations omitted) (quoting Gillette, 406
F. Supp. at 716), aff’d sub nom.
Maryland v. United States, 460 U.S.
1001 (1983); see also United States v.
Alcan Aluminum Ltd., 605 F. Supp. 619,
622 (W.D. Ky. 1985) (approving the
consent judgment even though the court
would have imposed a greater remedy).
Moreover, the Court’s role under the
APPA is limited to reviewing the
remedy in relationship to the violations
that the United States has alleged in its
Complaint, and does not authorize the
Court to ‘‘construct [its] own
hypothetical case and then evaluate the
decree against that case.’’ Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1459. Because the ‘‘court’s
authority to review the decree depends
entirely on the government’s exercising
its prosecutorial discretion by bringing
a case in the first place,’’ it follows that
‘‘the court is only authorized to review
2 Cf. BNS, 858 F.2d at 464 (holding that the
court’s ‘‘ultimate authority under the [APPA] is
limited to approving to disapproving the consent
decree’’); Gillette, 406 F. Supp. at 716 (noting that,
in this way, the court is constrained to ‘‘look at the
overall picture not hypercritically, nor with a
microscope, but with an artist’s reducing glass’’);
see generally Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1461 (discussing
whether ‘‘the remedies [obtained in the decree are]
so inconsonant with the allegations charged as to
fall outside of the ‘reaches of the public interest’’’).
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the decree itself,’’ and not to ‘‘effectively
redraft the complaint’’ to inquire into
other matters that the United States did
not pursue. Id. at 1459–60.
VIII. Determinative Documents
There are no determinative materials
or documents within the meaning of the
APPA that were considered by the
United States in formulating the
proposed Final Judgment.
Dated: November 16, 2005.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ lllllllllllllllllll
Laury E. Bobbish,
Assistant Chief.
/s/ lllllllllllllllllll
Lawrence M. Frankel (D.C. Bar No. 441532)
Claude F. Scott, Jr. (D.C. Bar No. 414906)
Mary N. Strimel (D.C. Bar No. 455303)
Matthew C. Hammond
Lauren J. Fishbein (D.C. Bar No. 451889)
Conrad J. Smucker (D.C. Bar No. 434590)
Jeremiah M. Luongo
Jared A. Hughes
David T. Blonder
William Lindsey Wilson
William B. Michael
Trial Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, Telecommunications and
Media Enforcement Section,
1401 H Street, NW., Suite 8000, Washington,
DC 20530.
Telephone: (202) 514–5621.
Facsimile: (202) 514–6381.
[FR Doc. 05–23815 Filed 12–14–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Submission for OMB Review:
Comment Request
December 8, 2005.
The Department of Labor (DOL) has
submitted the following public
information collection request (ICR) to
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13,
44 U.S.C. chapter 35). A copy of this
ICR, with applicable supporting
documentation, may be obtained by
contacting Darrin King on 202–693–
4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or
e-mail: king.darrin@dol.gov.
Comments should be sent to Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), Office of
Management and Budget, Room 10235,
Washington, DC 20503, 202–395–7316
(this is not a toll-free number), within
30 days from the date of this publication
in the Federal Register.
The OMB is particularly interested in
comments which:
E:\FR\FM\15DEN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 240 (Thursday, December 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74350-74366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23815]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
United States v. Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI, Inc.;
Competitive Impact Statement, Proposed Final Judgment, Complaint,
Stipulation
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. 16(b)-(h), that a Complaint, proposed Final
Judgment, Stipulation, and Competitive Impact Statement have been filed
with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in United
States v. Verizon Communications Inc., Civil Case No. 1:05CV02103
(HHK). On October 27, 2005, the United States filed a complaint
alleging that the proposed acquisition of MCI, Inc. (``MCI'') by
Verizon Communications Inc. (``Verizon'') would violate Section 7 of
the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 18, by substantially lessening
competition in the provision of locally private lines (also called
``special access'') and other
[[Page 74351]]
telecommunications services that rely on local private lines in eight
metropolitan areas: Baltimore; Boston; New York; Philadelphia; Tampa;
Richmond, Virginia; Providence, Rhode Island; and Portland, Maine. The
proposed Final Judgment requires the defendants to divest assets in
those eight metropolitan areas in order to proceed with Verizon's $8.54
billion acquisition of MCI. A Competitive Impact Statement filed by the
United States on November 16, 2005 describes the Complaint, the
proposed Final Judgment, the industry, and the remedies available to
private litigants who may have been injured by the alleged violation.
Copies of the Complaint, proposed Final Judgment, Stipulation,
Competitive Impact Statement, and all further papers filed with the
Court in connection with this Complaint will be available for
inspection at the Antitrust Documents Group, Antitrust Division,
Liberty Place Building, Room 215, 325 7th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20530 (202-514-4281), and at the Office of the Clerk of the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia. Copies of these materials
may be obtained from the Antitrust Division upon request and payment of
the copying fee set by Department of Justice regulations.
Interested persons may submit comments in writing regarding the
proposed consent decree to the United States. Such comments must be
received by the Antitrust Division within sixty (60) days and will be
filed with the Court by the United States. Comments should be addressed
to Nancy Goodman, Chief, Telecommunications & Media Enforcement
Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1401 H Street,
NW., Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530 (202-514-5621). At the conclusion
of the sixty (60) day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia may enter the proposed consent decree upon finding
that it serves the public interest.
J. Robert Kramer II,
Director of Operations, Antitrust Division.
In the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States of America, United States Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, 1401 H Street, NW., Suite 8000, Washington, DC
20530, Plaintiff, v. Verizon Communications Inc., 1095 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, NY 10036; and MCI, Inc., 22001 Loudoun County
Parkway, Ashburn, VA 20147, Defendants
Civil Action No. ------
CASE NUMBER 1:05CV02103
JUDGE: Henry H. Kennedy
DECK TYPE: Antitrust
DATE STAMP: 10/27/2005
Complaint
The United States of America, acting under the direction of the
Attorney General of the United States, brings this civil action to
enjoin the merger of two of the largest providers of telecommunications
services in the United States, Verizon Communications, Inc.
(``Verizon'') and MCI, Inc. (``MCI''), and alleges as follows:
1. On February 14, 2005, Verizon entered into an agreement to
acquire MCI. If approved, the transaction would create one of the
nation's largest providers of telecommunications services. Plaintiff
seeks to enjoin this transaction because it will substantially lessen
competition for (a) Local Private Lines that connect hundreds of
commercial buildings in Verizon's franchised territory to a carrier's
network or other local destination, and (b) other telecommunications
services that rely on Local Private Lines.
2. Verizon and MCI compete in the sale of wireline
telecommunications services to retail and wholesale customers in the
United States.
3. For hundreds of commercial buildings in the metropolitan areas
of Baltimore-Washington, DC; Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York;
Richmond, Virginia; Providence, Rhode Island; Tampa, Florida;
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Maine, Verizon and MCI are
the only two firms that own or control a direct wireline connection to
the building. These building connections are used to supply voice and
data telecommunications services to business customers. As described in
this Complaint, the proposed merger is likely to substantially reduce
competition for Local Private Lines and telecommunications services
that rely on Local Private Lines to those buildings.
I. Jurisdiction and Venue
4. This action is filed by the United States under Section 15 of
the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 25, to prevent and restrain the Defendants
from violating Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 18.
5. Verizon and MCI are engaged in interstate commerce and in
activities substantially affecting interstate commerce. The Court has
jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Sections 15 and 16 of the
Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 25, 26, and 28 U.S.C. 1331, 1337.
6. Verizon and MCI transact business and are found in the District
of Columbia. Venue is proper under Section 12 of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. 22, and 28 U.S.C. 1391(c).
II. The Defendants and the Transaction
7. Verizon is a corporation organized and existing under the laws
of the State of Delaware, with its headquarters in New York, New York.
Verizon, formerly Bell Atlantic Corporation (``Bell Atlantic''), is the
nation's largest regional Bell operating company (``RBOC''). Bell
Atlantic was one of the seven regional holding companies to result from
the breakup of AT&T's local telephone business in 1984. In 1996 Bell
Atlantic acquired another of the seven original holding companies,
NYNEX Corporation. In 2000 Bell Atlantic acquired GTE Corporation, an
incumbent local exchange carrier (``ILEC'') that provided local
exchange and other serivces in 28 states, and formed Verizon. Today,
Verizon's wireline telecommunications operations serve about 51 million
total switched access lines, including 32.4 million residential and
17.8 million business lines, in 29 states plus the District of
Columbia. In 2004, Verizon earned approximately $38.6 billion in
revenues from its domestic wireline services, including at least $8.8
billion in revenue from business customers. Verizon has fiber optic or
copper connections to virtually all of the commercial buildings in its
franchised territory.
8. MCI is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of
the State of Delaware, with its headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, MCI
is one of the nation's largest interexchange carriers (``IXC''),
offering traditional long distance telephone service, as well as one of
the largest competitive local exchange carriers (``CLEC''), offering
local network exchange and access for voice and data services. MCI
serves consumers and businesses across the United States and around the
globe, and owns significant local network assets within Verizon's 29-
state operating territory including direct fiber optic connections to
numerous commercial buildings. In 2004, MCI earned approximately $20.7
billion in revenues, including almost $4 billion from domestic business
customers.
9. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 14,
2005, as amended on March 4, March 29, and May 2, 2005, Verizon agreed
to acquire MCI for approximately $8.54 billion.
[[Page 74352]]
III. Trade and Commerce
A. Nature of Trade and Commerce
10. Verizon owns and operates local telecommunications networks
throughout its territory and provides local and long distance voice and
data services to, inter alia, business customers and other
telecommunications carriers.
11. MCI owns and operates local networks in dozens of metropolitan
areas in the United States, a substantial number of which are in
Verizon territory. Like Verizon, MCI also provides local and long
distance voice and data services to business customers and other
telecommunications carriers. Significant numbers of MCI's customers
have locations in Verizon's franchised territory, and the two firms
compete to serve those wholesale and retail customers.
12. One element of the parties' local networks are local loops,
sometimes referred to as ``last-mile'' connections, which are typically
either copper or fiber-optic transmission facilities that connect
commercial buildings to a carrier's network. These last-mile
connections are a critically important asset for providing service to
business customers.
13. A Local Private Line is a dedicated, point-to-point circuit
offered over copper and/or fiber-optic transmission facilities that
originates and terminates within a single metropolitan area and
typically includes at least one local loop. Local Private Lines are
sold at both retail (to business customers) and wholesale (to other
carriers). Verizon refers to Local Private Line circuits as ``special
access,'' and MCI refers to its own such circuits as ``metro private
lines.''
14. Depending on how they are configured, Local Private Lines can
be used to carry voice traffic, data, or a combination of the two.
Local Private Lines may be purchased as stand-alone products but are
also an important input to value-added voice and data
telecommunications services that are offered to business customers.
15. For the vast majority of commercial buildings in its territory,
Verizon is the only carrier that owns a last-mile connection to the
building. Thus, in order to provide voice or data telecommunications
services to customers in those Verizon-only buildings, competing
carriers typically must lease the connection from Verizon as Local
Private Line service (special access).
16. For a small percentage of commercial buildings (though one that
accounts for a substantial percentage of customer demand and revenue),
Verizon's CLEC competitors have built or acquired their own last-mile
fiber-optic connections, separate from Verizon's, to connect their
networks to the buildings. The CLECs typically refer to buildings with
these connections as their ``lit buildings'' or ``on-net buildings.''
Once a CLEC has incurred the high fixed cost to construct a last-mile
connection to a building, the CLEC can usually provide service to
business customers in the building at a lower marginal cost than it
would otherwise be able to do if it had to lease the connection from
the RBOC. It can also provide alternative access to other CLECs seeking
to serve business customers in the building.
17. MCI is among the leading CLECs in Verizon's territory in the
number of buildings it has connected with its own last-mile fiber
facilities. For hundreds of buildings in Verizon's territory, the only
two carriers that own or control the direct building connection are MCI
and Verizon.
18. In the hundreds of buildings where MCI is the only CLEC with a
last-mile connection, the merge of MCI and Verizon would reduce the
number of carriers with an owned or controlled last-mile connection
from two to one.
B. Relevant Product Markets
19. The relevant product markets affected by this transaction are
the markets for: (a) Local Private Lines, and (b) voice and data
telecommunications services that rely on Local Private Lines.
20. Verizon is the dominant provider of Local Private Lines
(special access) in its franchised territory with $3.5 billion in
special access sales in 2004. MCI is one of Verizon's largest
competitors with $532 million in metro private line sales in 2004, of
which more than $198 million were in Verizon territory.
21. Local Private Lines are a recognized service category among
telecommunications carriers and end-user business customers. Customers
typically purchase Local Private Lines in standard bandwidth increments
such as DS1 (``T1,'' 1.54 megabits per second), DS3 (44.74 megabits per
second), OC3 (155.52 megabits per second), and higher. Local Private
Lines can interconnect with industry-standard data networking and
telephone equipment, and can be ``channelized'' to carry various
amounts of voice and/or data traffic.
22. Local Private Lines are distinct from switched local exchange
telephone services. Switched local exchange lines route calls through a
voice switch in the local carrier's central office and do not
necessarily use a dedicated circuit. These switched circuits do not
offer the guaranteed bandwidth, high service levels, and security that
Local Private Lines provide.
23. Competing carriers often rely on Local Private Line (special
access) circuits to connect an end-user customer's location to their
networks, enabling the competitor to supply value-added data
networking, Internet access, local voice and long distance services to
the customer. Although carriers can provide some types of voice and
data services over switched local exchange lines (e.g., when an access
line is pre-subscribed to a long distance carrier), most large business
customers do not find those services to be a viable or cost-effective
substitute for voice and data telecommunications services provided via
Local Private Lines. In the event of a small, but significant,
nontransitory increase in price for either Local Private Lines or voice
and data telecommunications services provided via Local Private Lines,
insufficient customers would switch to switched circuits to render the
increase unprofitable.
C. Relevant Geographic Markets
24. The relevant geographic markets for both Local Private Lines,
as well as voice and data telecommunications services that rely on
Local Private Lines, are no broader than each metropolitan area and no
more narrow than each individual building.
IV. Anticompetitive Effects
25. Verizon and MCI are the only two carriers that own or control a
Local Private Line connection to many buildings in each region. The
merger would, therefore, effectively eliminate competition for
facilities-based Local Private Line service to those buildings, and
many retail and wholesale customers would no longer have MCI as a
competitive alternative to Verizon. Although other competitors might
resell Local Private Lines from Verizon, those competitors would not be
as effective a competitive constraint because Verizon would control the
price of the resold circuits. The merged firm would, therefore, have
the ability to raise price to retail and wholesale customers of Local
Private Lines.
26. In addition, because the cost of dedicated local access via
Local Private Line represents an important cost component of many
value-added voice and data telecommunications services provided over
such access, by (a) eliminating MCI as the only competitive alternative
to Verizon for such services with its own Local Private Line connection
to hundreds of buildings,
[[Page 74353]]
and (b) depriving other carriers seeking to provide such value-added
services of the only fully-facilities based wholesale competitive
alternative to Verizon in those buildings, the merger would tend to
lessen competition for retail voice and data telecommunications
services provided over dedicated access.
V. Entry
27. Although other CLECs can, theoretically, build their own fiber
connection to each building in response to a price increase by the
merged firm, such entry is a difficult, time-consuming, and expensive
process. Whether a CLEC builds a last mile connection to a given
building depends upon many factors, including:
a. The proximity of the building to the CLEC's existing network
interconnection points;
b. The capacity required at the customer's location (and thus the
revenue opportunity);
c. The availability of capital;
d. The existence of physical barriers, such as rivers and railbeds,
between the CLEC's network and the customer's location; and
e. The ease or difficulty of securing the necessary consent from
building owners and municipal officials.
28. The costs of building a last-mile connection vary substantially
for each location. Even if all the above criteria favor the
construction of a last-mile connection in a particular case, a single
such connection typically costs tens, sometimes hundreds, of thousands
of dollars to build and activate. Thus, CLECs will typically only build
in to a particular building after they have secured a customer contract
of sufficient size to justify the anticipated construction costs for
that building.
29. Although entry may occur in response to a post-merger price
increase in some of the buildings where MCI is the only connected CLEC,
the conditions for entry are unlikely to be met in hundreds of those
buildings. Thus, entry is unlikely to eliminate the competitive harm
that would likely result from the proposed merger.
VI. Violation Alleged
30. The United States hereby incorporates paragraphs 1 through 29.
31. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 14,
2005, as amended on March 4, March 29, and May 2, 2005 Verizon and MCI
intend to merge their businesses.
32. The effect of the proposed acquisition of MCI by Verizon would
be to lessen competition substantially in interstate trade and commerce
in numerous geographic markets for (a) Local Private Lines and (b)
voice and data telecommunications services that rely on Local Private
Lines, in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 18.
33. The transaction would likely have the following effects, among
others:
a. Competition in the provision and sale of Local Private Lines in
numerous Geographic markets would be eliminated or substantially
lessened;
b. Competition in the provision and sale of voice and data
telecommunications services that rely on Local Private Lines in
numerous geographic markets would be substantially lessened; and
c. Prices for Local Private Lines, as well as voice and data
telecommunications services provided via Local Private Lines, would
likely increase to levels above those that would prevail absent the
merger.
VII. Prayer for Relief
The United States requests:
34. That Verizon's proposed acquisition of MCI be adjudged to
violate Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 18;
35. That Defendants be permanently enjoined and restrained from
carrying out the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 14, 2005,
as amended on March 4, March 29, and May 2, 2005 or from entering into
or carrying out any agreement, understanding, or plan by which Verizon
would merge with or acquire MCI, its capital stock or any of its
assets;
36. That the United States be awarded costs of this action; and
37. That the United States have such other relief as the Court may
deem just and proper.
Dated: October 27, 2005.
Respectfully submitted,
For Plaintiff United States:
Thomas O. Barnett,
Acting Assistant Attorney General.
J. Bruce McDonald,
Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
J. Robert Kramer II,
Director of Operations.
Nancy M. Goodman,
Chief, Telecommunications and Media Enforcement Section (D.C. Bar
No. 251694).
Laury E. Bobbish,
Assistant Chief, Telecommunications and Media Enforcement Section.
Lawrence M. Frankel
(D.C. Bar No. 441532).
Claude F. Scott, Jr. (D.C. Bar No. 414906)
Mary N. Strimel (D.C. Bar No. 455303)
Matthew C. Hammond
Lauren J. Fishbein (D.C. Bar No. 451889)
Conrad J. Smucker (D.C. Bar No. 434590)
Jeremiah M. Luongo
Jared A. Hughes
David T. Blonder
William Lindsey Wilson
William B. Michael
Trial Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division,
Telecommunications and Media Enforcement Section,
1401 H Street, NW., Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530.
Telephone: (202) 514-5621.
Facsimile: (202) 514-6381.
In the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States of America, Plaintiff; v. Verizon Communications Inc. and
MCI, Inc., Defendants
Civil Action No. 1:05CV02103 (HHK)
Final Judgment
Whereas, plaintiff, United States of America, filed its Complaint
on October 27, 2005, plaintiff and defendants, Verizon Communications
Inc. (``Verizon'') and MCI, Inc. (``MCI''), by their respective
attorneys, have consented to the entry of this Final Judgment without
trial or adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and without this
Final Judgment constituting any evidence against or admission by any
party regarding any issue of fact or law;
And Whereas, defendants agree to be bound by the provisions of this
Final Judgment pending its approval by the Court;
And Whereas, the essence of this Final Judgment is the prompt and
certain divestiture of certain rights or assets by the defendants to
assure that competition is not substantially lessened;
And Whereas, plaintiff requires defendants to make certain
divestitures for the purpose of remedying the loss of competition
alleged in the Complaint;
And Whereas, defendants have represented to the United States that
the divestitures required below can and will be made and the defendants
will later raise no claim of hardship or difficulty as grounds for
asking the Court to modify any of the divestiture provisions contained
below;
New Therefore, before any testimony is taken, without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and upon cosnet of the
parties, it is ordered, adjudged, and decreed:
I. Jurisdiction
This Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of and each of
the parties to this action. The Complaint states a claim upon which
relief may be granted against defendants under Section 7 of the Clayton
Act, as amended (15 U.S.C. 18).
II. Definitions
As used in this Final Judgment:
[[Page 74354]]
A. ``Verizon'' means defendant Verizon Communications Inc., a
Delaware corporation with its headquarters in New York, New York, its
successors and assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups,
affiliates, partnerships and joint ventures, and their directors,
officers, managers, agents, and employees.
B. ``MCI'' means defendants MCI, Inc., a Delaware corporation with
its headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, its successors and assigns, and
its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates, partnership and joint
ventures, and their directors, officers, managers, agents, and
employees.
C. ``Acquirer'' or ``Acquirers'' means the entity or entities to
whom defendants divest the Divestiture Assets.
D. ``Divestiture Assets'' means IRUs for Lateral Connections to the
locations listed in Appendix A and sufficient transport as described
below and all additional rights necessary to enable those asets to be
used by the Acquirer to provide telecommunications services. The
Divestiture Assets shall include IRUs for transport facilities
sufficient to connect the Lateral Connections to locations mutually
agreed upon by defendants and the Acquirer, subject to the approval of
the United States in its sole judgment. the term ``Divestiture Assets''
shall be construed broadly to accomplish the complete divestiture of
assets and the purposes of this Final Judgment. With the approval of
the United States, in its sole discretion, and at the Acquirer's
option, the Divestiture Assets may be modified to exlude assets and
rights that are not necessary to meet the competitive aims of this
Final Judgment.
E. ``IRU'' means indefeasible right of use, a long-term leasehold
interest that gives the holder the right to use specified strands of
fiber in a telecommunications facility. An IRU granted by defendants
under this Final Judgment shall (1) be for a minimum of 10 years; (2)
not require the Acquirer to pay a monthly or other recurring fee to
preserve or make use of its rights; (3) include all additional rights
and interests necessary to enable the IRU to be used by the Acquirer to
provide telecommunications services; and (4) contain other commercially
reasonable and customary terms, including terms for payment to the
grantor for ancillary services, such as maintenance fees on a per
occurrence basis; and (5) not unreasonably limit the right of the
Acquirer to use the asset as it wishes (e.g., the Acquirer shall be
permitted to splice into the IRU fiber, though such splice points must
be mutually agreed upon by defendants and Acquirer).
F. ``Lateral Connection'' means fiber strands from the point of
entry of the building to the splice point with fiber used to serve
different buildings and shall consist of the greater of (1) eight (8)
fiber strands or (2) one-half of the currently unused fiber strands in
MCI's facilities serving the building measured at the time of the
filing of the Complaint. The fiber strands may be provided from those
owned or controlled by either Verizon or MCI, as mutually agreed by
defendants and Acquirer.
III. Applicability
A. This Final Judgment applies to Verizon and MCI, as defined
above, and all other person in active concern or participation with any
of them who receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal
service or otherwise.
B. Defendants shall require, as a condition of the sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of their assets or of lesser
business units that include the Divestiture Assets, that the purchasers
agree to be bound by the provisions of this Final Judgment, provided
however, that defendants need not obtain such an agreement from the
Acquirers.
IV. Divestitures
A. Defendants are ordered and directed, within 120 calendar days
after the closing of Verizon's acquisition of MCI, or five (5) days
after notice of the entry of this Final Judgment by the Court,
whichever is later, to divest the Divestiture Assets in a manner
consistent with this Final Judgment to an acquirer and on terms
acceptable to the United States in its sole discretion. The United
States, in its sole discretion, may agree to one or more extensions of
this time period not to exceed sixty (60) days in total, and shall
notify the Court in such circumstances. If approval or consent from any
government unit is necessary with respect to divestiture of the
Divestiture Assets by defendants or the Divestiture Trustee and if
applications or requests for approval or consent have been filed with
the appropriate governmental unit within 120 calendar days after the
closing of Verizon's acquisition of MCI, but an order or other
dispositive action on such applications has not been issued before the
end of the period permitted for divestiture, the period shall be
extended with respect to divestiture of those Divestiture Assets for
which governmental approval or consent has not been issued until five
(5) days after such approval or consent is received. Defendants agree
to use their best efforts to divest the Divestiture Assets and to seek
all necessary regulatory or other approvals or consents necessary for
such divestitures as expeditiously as possible. This Final Judgment
odes not limit the Federal Communications Commission's exercise of its
regulatory powers and process with respect to the Divestiture Assets.
Authorization by the Federal Communications Commission to conduct the
divestiture of a Divestiture Asset in a particularly manner will not
modify any of the requirements of this decree.
B. In accomplishing the divestitures ordered by this Final
Judgment, defendants promptly shall make known, by usual and customary
means, the availability of the Divestiture Assets. Defendants shall
inform any person making inquiry regarding a possible purchase of the
Divestiture Assets that they are being divested pursuant to this Final
Judgment and provide that person with a copy of this Final Judgment.
Defendants shall offer to furnish to all prospective Acquirers, subject
to customary confidentiality assurances, all information and documents
relating to the Divestiture Assets customarily provided in a due
diligence process except such information or documents subject to the
attorney-client or work-product privileges. Defendants shall make
available such information to the United States at the same time that
such information is made available to any other person.
C. Defendants shall permit prospective Acquirers of the Divestiture
Assets to have reasonable access to personnel and to make inspections
of the physical facilities of the Divestiture Assets; access to any and
all environmental, zoning, and other permit documents and information;
and access to any and all financial, operational, or other documents
and information customarily provided as part of a due diligence
process.
D. Defendants shall warrant to all Acquirers of the Divestiture
Assets that each asset will be operational on the date of sale.
E. Defendants shall not take any action that will impede in any way
the permitting, operation, or divestiture of the Divestiture Assets.
F. At the option of the Acquirers, defendants shall enter into a
contract for a period of up to one (1) year for transition services
customarily necessary to maintain, operate, provision, monitor, or
otherwise support the Divestiture Assets. The terms and conditions of
any contractual arrangement meant to satisfy this provision must be
reasonably related to market conditions.
[[Page 74355]]
G. Defendants shall warrant to the Acquirer of the Divestiture
Assets that there are no material defects in the environmental, zoning,
or other permits pertaining to the operation of each asset, and that
following the sale of the Divestiture Assets, defendants will not
undertake, directly or indirectly any challenges to the environmental,
zoning, or other permits relating to the operation of the Divestiture
Assets.
H. Unless the United States otherwise consents in writing, the
divestitures pursuant to Section IV, or by trustee appointed pursuant
to Section V, of this Final Judgment, shall include the entire
Divestiture Assets, and shall be accomplished in such a way as to
satisfy the United States, in its sole discretion, that Divestiture
Assets can and will be used by the Acquirer as part of a viable,
ongoing telecommunications business. Divestiture of the Divestiture
Assets may be made to more than one Acquirer, provided that (i) all
Divestiture Assets in a given metropolitan area are divested to a
single Acquirer unless otherwise approved by the United States, in its
sole discretion, and (ii) in each instance it is demonstrated to the
sole satisfaction of the United States that the Divestiture Assets will
remain viable and the divestiture of such assets will remedy the
competitive harm alleged in the Complaint. The divestitures, whether
pursuant to Section IV or Section V of this Final Judgment,
(1) shall be made to an Acquirer (or Acquirers) that, in the United
States's role judgment, has the intent and capability (including the
necessary managerial, operational, technical, and financial capability)
of competing effectively in the provision of telecommunications
services; and
(2) shall be accomplished so as to satisfy the United States, in
its sole discretion, that none of the terms of any agreement between
the Acquirer (or Acquirers) and defendants gives defendants the ability
unreasonably to raise the Acquirer's cost, to lower the Acquirer's
efficiency, or otherwise to interfere in the ability of the Acquirer to
complete effectively.
I. To the extent leases, contracts, agreements, intellectual
property rights, licenses or other commitments with third-parties are
not assignable or transferable without the consent of the licensor or
other third parties, defendants shall use their best efforts to obtain
those consents.
V. Appointment of Trustee
A. If defendants have not divested the Divestiture Assets within
the time period specified in Section IV(A), defendants shall notify the
United States of that fact in writing, specifically identifying the
Divestiture Assets that have not been divested. Upon application of the
United States, the Court shall appoint a trustee selected by the United
States and approved by the Court to effect the divestiture of the
Divestiture Assets.
B. After the appointment of a trustee becomes effective, only the
trustee shall have the right to sell the Divestiture Assets. The
trustee shall have the power and authority to accomplish the
divestiture to Acquirers acceptable to the United States, in its sole
judgment, at such price and on such terms as are then obtainable upon
reasonable effort by the trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections
IV, V, and VI of this Final Judgment, and shall have such other powers
as this Court deems appropriate. Subject to Section V(D) of this Final
Judgment, the trustee may hire at the cost and expense of defendants
any investment bankers, attorneys, technical experts, or other agents,
who shall be solely accountable to the trustee, reasonably necessary in
the trustee's judgment to assist in the divestiture.
C. Defendants shall not object to a sale by the trustee on any
ground other than the trustee's malfeasance. Any such objections by
defendants must be conveyed in writing to the United States and the
trustee within ten (10) calendar days after the trustee has provided
the notice required under Section VI.
D. The trustee shall serve at the cost and expense of defendants,
on such terms and conditions as the plaintiff approves, and shall
account for all monies derived from the sale of the assets sold by the
trustee and all costs and expenses so incurred. After approval by the
Court of the trustee's accounting, including fees for its services and
those of any professionals and agents retained by the trustee, all
remaining money shall be paid to defendants and the trust shall then be
terminated. The compensation of the trustee and any professionals and
agents retained by the trustee shall be reasonable in light of the
value of the Divestiture Assets and based on a fee arrangement
providing the trustee with an incentive based on the price and terms of
the divestiture and the speed with which it is accomplished, but
timeliness is paramount.
E. Defendants shall use their best efforts to assist the trustee in
accomplishing the required divestitures, including their best efforts
to effect all necessary regulatory or other approvals or consents and
will provide necessary representations or warranties as appropriate,
related to the sale of the Divestiture Assets. The trustee and any
consultants, accountants, attorneys, technical experts, and other
persons retained by the trustee shall have full and complete access to
the personnel, books, records, and facilities related to the
Divestiture Assets, and defendants shall develop financial and other
information relevant to the Divestiture Assets as the trustee may
reasonably request, subject to reasonable protection for trade secret
or other confidential research, development, or commercial information.
Defendants shall take no action to interfere with or to impede the
trustee's accomplishment of the divestiture.
F. After its appointment, the trustee shall file monthly reports
with the United States and the Court setting forth the trustee's
efforts to accomplish the divestiture ordered under this Final
Judgment. To the extent such reports contain information that the
trustee deems confidential, such reports shall not be filed in the
public docket of the Court. Such reports shall include the name,
address, and telephone number of each person who, during the preceding
month, made an offer to acquire, expressed an interest in acquiring,
entered into negotiations to acquire, or was contacted or made an
inquiry about acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture Assets, and
shall describe in detail each contact with any such person. The trustee
shall maintain full records of all efforts made to divest the
Divestiture Assets.
G. If the trustee has not accomplished such divestiture within six
months after its appointment, the trustee shall promptly file with the
Court a report setting forth (1) the trustee's efforts to accomplish
the required divestiture, (2) the reasons, in the trustee's judgment,
why the required divestiture has not been accomplished, and (3) the
trustee's recommendations. To the extent such reports contain
information that the trustee deems confidential, such reports shall not
be filed in the public docket of the Court. The trustee shall at the
same time furnish such report to the plaintiff who shall have the right
to make additional recommendations consistent with the purpose of the
trust. The Court thereafter shall enter such orders as it shall deem
appropriate to carry out the purpose of the Final Judgment, which may,
if necessary, include extending the trust and the term of the trustee's
appointment by a period requested by the United States.
H. In addition, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the
United States, in its sole discretion, may require defendants to
include additional assets, or allow, with the written approval of
[[Page 74356]]
the United States, defendants to substitute substantially similar
assets, which substantially relate to the Divestiture Assets to be
divested by the trustee to facilitate prompt divestiture to an
acceptable Acquirer or Acquirers.
VI. Notice of Proposed Divestiture
A. Within two (2) business days following execution of a definitive
divestiture agreement, defendants or the trustee, whichever is then
responsible for effecting the divestiture required herein, shall notify
the United States of any proposed divestiture required by Section IV or
V of this Final Judgment. If the trustee is responsible, it shall
similarly notify defendants. The notice shall set forth the details of
the proposed divestiture and list the name, address, and telephone
number of each person not previously identified who offered or
expressed an interest in or desire to acquire any ownership interest in
the Divestiture Assets, together with full details of the same.
B. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt by the United
States of such notice, the United States may request from defendants,
the proposed Acquirer or Acquirers, any other third party, or the
trustee, if applicable, additional information concerning the proposed
divestiture, the proposed Acquirer or Acquirers, and any other
potential Acquirer. Defendants and the trustee shall furnish any
additional information requested within fifteen (15) calendar days of
the receipt of the request, unless the parties shall otherwise agree.
C. Within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the notice or
within twenty (20) calendar days after the United States has been
provided the additional information requested from defendants, the
proposed Acquirer or Acquirers, any third party, and the trustee,
whichever is later, the United States shall provide written notice to
defendants and the trustee, if there is one, stating whether or not it
objects to the proposed divestiture. If the United States provides
written notice that it does not object, the divestiture may be
consummated, subject only to defendants' limited right to object to the
sale under Section V(C) of this Final Judgment. Absent written notice
that the United States does not object to the proposed Acquirer or upon
objection by the United States, a divestiture under Section IV or
Section V shall not be consummated. Upon objection by defendants under
Section V(C), a divestiture proposed under Section V shall not be
consummated unless approved by the Court.
VII. Financing
Defendants shall not finance all or any part of any purchase made
pursuant to Section IV or V of this Final Judgment.
VIII. Preservation of Assets
Until the divestiture required by this Final Judgment has been
accomplished, defendants shall take all steps necessary to comply with
the Stipulation signed by defendants and the United States. Defendants
shall take no action that would jeopardize the divestiture ordered by
this Court.
IX. Affidavits
A. Within twenty (20) calendar days of the filing of the Complaint
in this matter, and every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter until
the divestiture has been completed under Section IV or V, defendants
shall deliver to the United States an affidavit as to the fact and
manner of its compliance with Section IV or V of this Final Judgment.
Each such affidavit shall include the name, address, and telephone
number of each person who, during the preceding thirty (30) days, made
an offer to acquire, expressed an interest in acquiring, entered into
negotiations to acquire, or was contacted or made an inquiry about
acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture Assets, and shall describe
in detail each contact with any such person during that period. Each
such affidavit shall also include a description of the efforts
defendants have taken to solicit buyers for the Divestiture Assets, and
to provide required information to prospective Acquirers, including the
limitations, if any, on such information. Assuming the information set
forth in the affidavit is true and complete, any objection by the
United States to information provided by defendants, including
limitation on information, shall be made within fourteen (14) calendar
days of the receipt of such affidavit.
B. Within twenty (20) calendar days of the filing of the Complaint
in this matter, defendants shall deliver to the United States an
affidavit that describes in reasonable detail all action defendants
have taken and all steps defendants have implemented on an ongoing
basis to comply with Section VIII of this Final Judgment. Defendants
shall deliver to the United States an affidavit describing any changes
to the efforts and actions outlined in defendants' earlier affidavits
filed pursuant to this section within fifteen (15) calendar days after
the change is implemented.
C. Defendants shall keep all records of all efforts made to
preserve and divest the Divestiture Assets until one year after such
divestiture has been completed.
X. Compliance Inspection
A. For the purposes of determining or securing compliance with this
Final Judgment, or of determining whether the Final Judgment should be
modified or vacated, and subject to any legally recognized privilege,
from time to time duly authorized representatives of the United States
Department of Justice, including consultants and other persons retained
by the United States, shall, upon written request of a duly authorized
representative of the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the
Antitrust Division, and on reasonable notice to defendants, be
permitted.
(1) Access during defendants' office hours to inspect and copy, or
at plaintiff's option, to require that defendants provide copies of,
all books, ledgers, accounts, records and documents in the possession,
custody, or control of defendants, relating to any matters contained in
this Final Judgment; and
(2) To interview, either informally or on the record, defendants'
officers, employees, or agents, who may have their individual counsel
present, regarding such matters. The interviews shall be subject to the
reasonable convenience of the interviewee and without restraint or
interference by defendants.
B. Upon the written request of a duly authorized representative of
the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division,
defendants shall submit written reports, under oath if requested,
relating to any of the matters contained in this Final Judgment as may
be requested.
C. No information or documents obtained by the means provided in
this section shall be divulged by the United States to any person other
than an authorized representative of the executive branch of the United
States, except in the course of legal proceedings to which the United
States is a party (including grand jury proceedings), or for the
purpose of securing compliance with this Final Judgment, or as
otherwise required by law.
D. If at the time information or documents are furnished by
defendants to the United States, defendants represent and identify in
writing the material in any such information or documents to which a
claim of protection may be asserted under Rule 26(c)(7) of the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure, and defendants mark each pertinent page of
such material,
[[Page 74357]]
``Subject to claim of protection under Rule 26(c)(7) of the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure,'' then the United States shall given
defendants ten (10) calendar days notice prior to divulging such
material in any legal proceeding (other than grand jury proceedings).
XI. No Reacquisition
Defendants may not reacquire (or lease back without the approval of
the United States, in its sole discretion) any part of the Divestiture
Assets during the term of this Final Judgment.
XII. Retention of Jurisdiction
This Court retains jurisdiction to enable any party to this Final
Judgment to apply to this Court at any time for further orders and
directions as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out or construe
this Final Judgment, to modify any of its provisions, to enforce
compliance, and to punish violations of its provisions.
XIII. Expiration of Final Judgment
Unless this Court grants an extension, this Final Judgment shall
expire ten years from the date of its entry.
XIV. Public Interest Determination
The parties have complied with the requirements of the Antitrust
Procedures and Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. 16, including making copies
available to the public of this Final Judgment, the Competitive Impact
Statement, and any comments thereon and the United States' response to
comments. Based upon the record before the Court, which includes the
Competitive Impact Statement and any comments and response to comments
filed with the Court, entry of this Final Judgment is in the public
interest.
Date:-----------------------------------------------------------------
Court approval subject to procedures of Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. 16.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
United States District Judge
Appendix A
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address City State Zip Metropolitan area
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City Hall Plz....................... Boston................. MA.............. 02201 Boston-Worcester.
10 Tara Blvd........................ Nashua................. NH.............. 03062 Boston-Worcester.
100 Nagog Park...................... Acton.................. MA.............. 01720 Boston-Worcester.
1000 Technology Park Dr............. Billerica.............. MA.............. 01821 Boston-Worcester.
109 State St........................ Boston................. MA.............. 02109 Boston-Worcester.
Hunting Ave......................... Boston................. MA.............. 02116 Boston-Worcester.
110 Spit Brook Rd................... Nashua................. NH.............. 03062 Boston-Worcester.
12 Hartwell Ave..................... Lexington.............. MA.............. 02421 Boston-Worcester.
12 New England Executive Park....... Burlington............. MA.............. 01803 Boston-Worcester.
125 Cambridgepark Dr................ Cambridge.............. MA.............. 02140 Boston-Worcester.
125 Middlesex Tpke.................. Bedford................ MA.............. 01730 Boston-Worcester.
1255 Boylston St.................... Boston................. MA.............. 02215 Boston-Worcester.
1295 Boylston St.................... Boston................. MA.............. 02215 Boston-Worcester.
132 Brookline Ave................... Boston................. MA.............. 02215 Boston-Worcester.
135 Santilli Hwy.................... Everett................ MA.............. 02149 Boston-Worcester.
141 Ledge St........................ Nashua................. NH.............. 03060 Boston-Worcester.
1550 Soldiers Field Rd.............. Boston................. MA.............. 02135 Boston-Worcester.
161 Devonshire St................... Boston................. MA.............. 02110 Boston-Worcester.
165 Dascomb Rd...................... Andover................ MA.............. 01810 Boston-Worcester.
175 Great Rd........................ Bedford................ MA.............. 01730 Boston-Worcester.
180 Hartwell Rd..................... Bedford................ MA.............. 01730 Boston-Worcester.
2 Charlesgate W..................... Boston................. MA.............. 02215 Boston-Worcester.
2 Fenway Plz........................ Boston................. MA.............. 02215 Boston-Worcester.
2 Heritage Dr....................... Quincy................. MA.............. 02171 Boston-Worcester.
211 Congress........................ Boston................. MA.............. 02110 Boston-Worcester.
220 Bear Hill Rd.................... Waltham................ MA.............. 02451 Boston-Worcester.
235 Wyman St........................ Waltham................ MA.............. 02451 Boston-Worcester.
25 Linnell Cir...................... Billerica.............. MA.............. 01821 Boston-Worcester.
25 Mall Rd.......................... Burlington............. MA.............. 01803 Boston-Worcester.
262 Washington St................... Boston................. MA.............. 02108 Boston-Worcester.
275 Wyman St........................ Waltham................ MA.............. 02451 Boston-Worcester.
28 Crosby Dr........................ Bedford................ MA.............. 01730 Boston-Worcester.
29 Randolph Rd...................... Bedford................ MA.............. 01731 Boston-Worcester.
3 Clock Tower Pl.................... Maynard................ MA.............. 01754 Boston-Worcester.
30 Hamilton Rd...................... Lexington.............. MA.............. 02420 Boston-Worcester.
300 Longwood Ave.................... Boston................. MA.............. 02115 Boston-Worcester.
31 Nagog Park....................... Acton.................. MA.............. 01720 Boston-Worcester.
33 Arch St.......................... Boston................. MA.............. 02110 Boston-Worcester.
330 Brookline Ave................... Boston................. MA.............. 02215 Boston-Worcester.
35 Dunham Rd........................ Billerica.............. MA.............. 01821 Boston-Worcester.
35 Northeastern Blvd................ Nashua................. NH.............. 03062 Boston-Worcester.
4 Crosby Dr......................... Bedford................ MA.............. 01730 Boston-Worcester.
40 Old Bolton....................... Stow................... MA.............. 01775 Boston-Worcester.
4040 Mystic Valley Pkwy............. Medford................ MA.............. 02155 Boston-Worcester.
419 Boylston........................ Boston................. MA.............. 02116 Boston-Worcester.
420 Bedford St...................... Lexington.............. MA.............. 02420 Boston-Worcester.
426 Washington St................... Boston................. MA.............. 02108 Boston-Worcester.
44 Binney St........................ Boston................. MA.............. 02115 Boston-Worcester.
465 Hunting Ave..................... Boston................. MA.............. 02115 Boston-Worcester.
5 Clock Tower Pl.................... Maynard................ MA.............. 01754 Boston-Worcester.
55 North Rd......................... Bedford................ MA.............. 01730 Boston-Worcester.
550 King St......................... Littleton.............. MA.............. 01460 Boston-Worcester.
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561 Virginia Rd..................... Concord................ MA.............. 01742 Boston-Worcester.
565 Memorial Dr..................... Cambridge.............. MA.............. 02139 Boston-Worcester.
60 1st Ave.......................... Waltham................ MA.............. 02451 Boston-Worcester.
600 Technology Park Dr.............. Billerica.............. MA.............. 01821 Boston-Worcester.
61 Hancock St....................... Quincy................. MA.............. 02171 Boston-Worcester.
63 3rd Ave.......................... Burlington............. MA.............. 01803 Boston-Worcester.
65 Boston Post Rd W................. Marlborough............ MA.............. 01752 Boston-Worcester.
650 Elm St.......................... Manchester............. NH.............. 03101 Boston-Worcester.
67 S Bedford St..................... Burlington............. MA.............. 01803 Boston-Worcester.
7 Shattuck Rd....................... Andover................ MA.............. 01810 Boston-Worcester.
7 Van De Graaff Dr.................. Burlington............. MA.............. 01803 Boston-Worcester.
700 Boylston St..................... Boston................. MA.............. 02116 Boston-Worcester.
745 Boylston St..................... Boston................. MA.............. 02116 Boston-Worcester.
77 S Bedford St..................... Burlington............. MA.............. 01803 Boston-Worcester.
8 Commerce Dr....................... Bedford................ NH.............. 03110 Boston-Worcester.
8 Cotton Rd......................... Nashua................. NH.............. 03063 Boston-Worcester.
80 Central St....................... Boxborough............. MA.............. 01719 Boston-Worcester.
81 Grenier St....................... Bedford................ MA.............. 01731 Boston-Worcester.
90 Central.......................... Boxborough............. MA.............. 01719 Boston-Worcester.
900 Technology Park Dr.............. Billerica.............. MA.............. 01821 Boston-Worcester.
91 Hartwell Ave..................... Lexington.............. MA.............. 02421 Boston-Worcester.
1 International Blvd................ Mahwah................. NJ.............. 07495 New York.
1 Malcolm Ave....................... Teterboro.............. NJ.............. 07608 New York.
1 Rockwood Rd....................... Sleepy Hollow.......... NY.............. 10591 New York.
1 Sharp Plz......................... Mahwah................. NJ.............. 07430 New York.
10 Union Sq E....................... New York............... NY.............. 10003 New York.
100 Route 206 North................. Peapack................ NJ.............. 07977 New York.
100 Wood Ave S...................... Iselin................. NJ.............. 08830 New York.
1000 Harbor Blvd.................... Weehawken.............. NJ.............. 07086 New York.
106 Corporate Park Dr............... White Plains........... NY.............. 10604 New York.
1101 Westchester Ave................ White Plains........... NY.............. 10604 New York.
1111 Westchester Ave................ White Plains........... NY.............. 10604 New York.
112 Mulberry St..................... Newark................. NJ.............. 07102 New York.
1212 Avenue of the Americas......... New York............... NY.............. 10036 New York.
125 Kingsland Ave................... Clifton................ NJ.............. 07014 New York.
1441 Chestnut Ave................... Hillside............... NJ.............. 07205 New York.
15 Columbus Cir..................... New York............... NY.............. 10019 New York.
1639 State Rt 10.................... Parsippany............. NJ.............. 07054 New York.
173 Belmont Dr...................... Somerset............... NJ.............. 08873 New York.
180 Water St........................ New York............... NY.............. 10038 New York.
1865 Broadway....................... New York............... NY.............. 10023 New York.
199 Chambers St..................... New York............... NY.............. 10007 New York.
2 Campus Dr......................... Parsippany............. NJ.............. 07054 New York.
200 Metroplex Dr.................... Edison................. NJ.............. 08817 New York.
221 W 26th St....................... New York............... NY.............. 10001 New York.
226 E 54th St....................... New York............... NY.............. 10022 New York.
226 Westchester Ave................. White Plains........... NY.............. 10604 New York.
230 US Highway 206.................. Flanders............... NJ.............. 07836 New York.
242 W 36th St....................... New York............... NY.............. 10018 New York.
25 W 39th St........................ New York............... NY.............. 10018 New York.
253 Broadway........................ New York............... NY.............. 10007 New York.
27 Randolph St...................... Carteret............... NJ.............. 07008 New York.
27 W 23rd St........................ New York............... NY.............. 10010 New York.
286 Eldridge Rd..................... Fairfield.............. NJ.............. 07004 New York.
2975 Westchester Ave................ Purchase............... NY.............. 10577 New York.
30 Dunnigan Dr...................... Suffern................ NY.............. 10901 New York.
30 Freneau Ave...................... Matawan................ NJ.............. 07747 New York.
346 Broadway........................ New York............... NY.............. 10013 New York.
346 Madison Ave..................... New York............... NY.............. 10017 New York.
360 Park Ave S...................... New York............... NY.............. 10010 New York.
380 Route 59........................ Airmont................ NY.............. 10901 New York.
4 Manhattanville Rd................. Purchase............... NY.............. 10577 New York.
460 W 54th St....................... New York............... NY.............. 10019 New York.
465 Endo Blvd....................... Garden City............ NY.............. 11530 New York.
485 US Highway 1.................... Edison................. NJ.............. 08817 New York.
501 Franklin Ave.................... Garden City............ NY.............. 11530 New York.
511 Benedict Ave.................... Tarrytown.............. NY.............. 10591 New York.
55 Carter Dr........................ Edison................. NJ.............. 08817 New York.
580 White Plains Rd................. Tarrytown.............. NY.............. 10591 New York.
63 Madison Ave...................... New York............... NY.............. 10016 New York.
7 Amherst Pl........................ White Plains........... NY.............. 10601 New York.
7 Campus Dr......................... Parsippany............. NJ.............. 07054 New York.
[[Page 74359]]
70 W Red Oak Ln..................... West Harrison.......... NY.............. 10604 New York.
707 Broad St........................ Newark................. NJ.............. 07102 New York.
75 Virginia Rd...................... White Plains........... NY.............. 10603 New York.
80 Grasslands Rd.................... Elmsford............... NY.............. 10523 New York.
800 Westchester Ave................. Rye Brook.............. NY.............. 10573 New York.
845 N Broadway...................... White Plains........... NY.............. 10603 New York.
875 Merrick Ave..................... Westbury............... NY.............. 11590 New York.
Davis Ave........................... White Plains........... NY.............. 10601 New York.
100 S Broad St...................... Philadelphia........... PA.............. 19110 Philadelphia.
1100 N Market St.................... Wilmington............. DE.............. 19801 Philadelphia.
1400 Liberty Ridge Dr............... Chesterbrook........... PA.............. 19087 Philadelphia.
2 Walnut Grove Dr................... Horsham................ PA.............. 19044 Philadelphia.
301 W 11th St....................... Wilmington............. DE.............. 19801 Philadelphia.
400 Chesterfield Pkwy............... Malvern................ PA.............. 19355 Philadelphia.
400 Market St....................... Philadelphia........... PA.............. 19106 Philadelphia.
460 E Swedesford Rd................. Wayne.................. PA.............. 19087 Philadelphia.
620 Lee Rd.......................... Chesterbrook........... PA.............. 19087 Philadelphia.
735 Chesterbrook Blvd............... Chesterbrook........... PA.............. 19087 Philadelphia.
750 East Swedesford Road............ Valley Forge........... PA.............. 19482 Philadelphia.
900 W Valley Rd..................... Wayne.................. PA.............. 19087 Philadelphia.
1 Mcalister Farm Rd................. Portland............... ME.............. 04103 Portland.
10 Free St.......................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
111 Wescott Rd...................... South Portland......... ME.............. 04106 Portland.
121 Free St......................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
137 Kennebec St..................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
144 State St........................ Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
145 Newbury St...................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
148 Middle St....................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
162 Canco Rd........................ Portland............... ME.............. 04103 Portland.
164 Middle St....................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
2 Ledgeview Dr...................... Westbrook.............. ME.............. 04092 Portland.
20 Milk St.......................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
25 Bradley Dr....................... Westbrook.............. ME.............. 04092 Portland.
25 Preble St........................ Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
261 Commercial St................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
3 Canal Plz......................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
33 Sewall St........................ Portland............... ME.............. 04102 Portland.
4 Westbrook Cmn..................... Westbrook.............. ME.............. 04092 Portland.
400 Congress St..................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
400 Southborough Dr................. South Portland......... ME.............. 04106 Portland.
45 Bradley Dr....................... Westbrook.............. ME.............. 04092 Portland.
500 Southborough Dr................. South Portland......... ME.............. 04106 Portland.
51 Nonesuch Cove Rd................. Scarborough............ ME.............. 04074 Portland.
510 Congress St..................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
565 Congress St..................... Portland............... ME.............. 04101 Portland.
636 Riverside St.................... Portland............... ME.............. 04103 Portland.
65 Bradle