PORTLAND (AP) – The Maine Public Utilities Commission has issued its final order giving its approval to the sale of Verizon’s landline business in Maine to FairPoint Communications.

The order issued Friday formalizes an agreement that was approved by the commission in early January. It comes exactly one year after Verizon filed a request seeking to sell its Northern New England landline assets to FairPoint Communications.

The document spells out the conditions of the agreement allowing FairPoint’s buyout of Verizon’s land lines and Internet operations in the three northern New England states.

It also gives the commission the right to revisit the order depending on what the regulatory boards in New Hampshire and Vermont do.

The deal needs approval in all three states, but regulatory boards in New Hampshire and Vermont have not yet voted on the proposal.

AP-ES-02-02-08 0728EST


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