Notice of Utility Application to Acquire a Controlling Interest
The REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA (Commission) gives notice that on December 31, 2024, GCI Liberty, Inc. a Nevada corporation (GCI Liberty), and Liberty Broadband Corporation a Delaware corporation (Liberty Broadband) filed a joint application for GCI Liberty to acquire an indirect controlling interest in United Utilities, Inc. (UUI), United-KUC, Inc. (United-KUC), and Yukon Telephone Co., Inc. (YTC) (collectively referred to as the UUI LEC Group) which are the holders of the following Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (Certificate) Nos.: United-KUC (No. 629 local exchange telephone service in Unalakleet, Bethel and McGrath); UUI (No. 249 local exchange telephone service in numerous locations in central and western Alaska; No. 558 private pay telephone service statewide); and YTC (No. 213 local exchange telephone service in Tanana, Ruby and Whittier). Docket No. U-24-048 was opened to address this matter.
GCI Liberty and Liberty Broadband state that Liberty Broadband and Charter Communications, Inc (Charter) have entered into an agreement whereby Charter will acquire Liberty Broadband. That agreement requires Liberty Broadband to spin off its Alaska operating subsidiaries, including the UUI LEC Group. Liberty Broadband has incorporated a new wholly owned subsidiary, GCI Liberty, which will replace Liberty Broadband as the ultimate indirect parent company upon the completion of the contemplated spin off. The leadership team, brand, operations, and products and services for its operating companies will not change as a result of the proposed transaction.
In conjunction with the application, GCI Liberty and Liberty Broadband have filed a petition for confidential treatment of the UUI LEC Group’s statement of financial condition filed as Exhibit D to the application. Interested persons may file a response to the petition for confidential treatment with the Commission by 5:00 p.m. January 29, 2025.
Finally, GCI Liberty states that while the proposed transaction transfers control of GCICC the transaction does not transfer or consolidate any of the UUI LEC Group’s facilities or plant in Alaska used to provide certificated services to subscribers.
The Commission has not assessed the completeness of the application or ruled on the petition for confidential treatment. The Commission will rule on the petition for confidential treatment and determine whether the application is complete by February 28, 2025.
You may obtain more information about this filing by contacting John P. Wood, Dillon & Findley, P.C., 1049 West 5th Avenue, Suite 100, Anchorage, AK 99501; phone: (907) 277-5400. The complete filing is also available for inspection at the Commission's office, 701 West 8th Avenue, Suite 300, Anchorage, AK 99501; phone: (907) 276-6222, or may be viewed at the Commission’s website, http://rca.alaska.gov by typing Docket No. “U-24-048" in the Find a Matter search box.
To comment on these filings, please file your comments by 5:00 p.m., January 29, 2025, at the Commission's address above or via our website at:
https://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/WhatsNew/PublicNoticesComments.aspx.
Please reference Docket No. U-24-048 and include a statement that you have filed a copy of the comments with GCI Liberty, and Liberty Broadband and at the address given above.
Individual or groups of people with disabilities, who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or service, or alternative communications formats, please contact Sam Vukasin at (907) 276-6222, toll-free at (800) 390-2782, or TTY (907) 276-4533, or send a request via electronic mail to rca.mail@alaska.gov by January 22, 2025.
Dated at Anchorage, Alaska, this 8th day of January 2025.
REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA
John M. Espindola
Chair