Don't Kick New Hampshire Off the Information Highway

Dear [Decision Maker],

I am extremely concerned about the proposed sale of Verizon's telephone lines to FairPoint Communications. If approved, this deal would put New Hampshire in the wrong lane on the information highway.

Maine's Public Utilities Commission recently approved the deal, despite strong opposition. While Verizon and FairPoint made concessions, those concessions are a step in the wrong direction, weighing FairPoint down with additional financial obligations rather than requiring Verizon to provide the $600 to $700 million that the Maine Hearing Examiner determined would be needed to make FairPoint financially viable.

FairPoint is already burdened with massive debt and has the highest rate of consumer complaints in the region. The revised agreement in Maine allows FairPoint to pay $950 million in dividends while earning just $430 million over the next eight years. In order for these numbers to add up, something will have to be sacrificed -- namely, the region's telecommunications infrastructure. FairPoint would be unable to provide the service quality and expanded access needed to ensure New Hampshire's economic growth in the 21st century.

High speed Internet service is no longer just a luxury. It is an economic necessity, offering benefits that go far beyond downloading music or watching online video. Innovations like e-commerce, telemedicine, and interactive distance learning and job training are boosting the economies of states across the country and nations across the globe.

New Hampshire must not make the same mistake as Maine. If our economy is to succeed in the digital age, we must keep up with the latest telecommunications technology. It's clear that FairPoint will not be able to deliver on this goal, so I strongly urge you to speak out against this bad deal for New Hampshire.

[Your comment here]

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]