Attachment Attachment 1

This document pretains to ITC-ASG-20140618-00185 for Assignment on a International Telecommunications filing.

IBFS_ITCASG2014061800185_1050843

                                  Before the
                     FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                                  Washington, D.C. 20554

In the Matter of




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MEGAGATE BROADBAND, INC.
    (FRN 0010267847)

Section 214 Authorization Holder and Assignor

         And

CELLULAR SOUTH, INC.
    (FRN 0001746221)                                                                                                                                           WC Docket No.

        Assignee

Joint Application for Assignment of
Domestic and International Section 214                                                                                                                         File No. ITC—
Telecommunications Authorizations




                                  JOINT APPLICATION


       MegaGate Broadband, Inc. ("MegaGate" or "Assignor" and Cellular South, Inc. ("CST" or

"Assignee"),    hereby   request approval   of the    Federal                                                                                                Communications    Commission

("Commission") pursuant to Section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934;, as amended, 47

U.S.C. §214, and Sections 1.763, 63.03, 63.04, 63.18, 63.24(b) and 63.24(e) of the Commission‘s

rules, 47 C.F.R. §§1.763, 63.03, 63.04, 63.18, 63.24(b) and 63.24(e), to assign Section 214

authorizations from MegaGate to CSI         The parties are jointly referred to herein as the

"Applicants."


I.     Combined Application to Assign Domestic and International Section 214
       Authorizations

       Under Section 63.04(b) of the Commission‘s rules, the Applicants are filing a combined

domestic and international application for assignment of the Section 214 authorizations held by

Assignor to Assignee.

       This application qualifies for streamlined processing under applicable rules.

II.    Applicants

       A.      MegaGate Broadband, Inc.

       MegaGate is a Mississippi corporation whose address is 6184 Highway 98 West, Suite 200,

Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402.    MegaGate is authorized by the Mississippi Public Service

Commission to provide telecommunications service as a competitive local exchange carrier

("CLEC") in the state of Mississippi.

       B.      Cellular South, Inc.

       CSI is a Mississippi corporation whose address is 1018 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite

300, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157. CSI provides a variety ofservices under the name "C Spire" in

Mississippi and in portions of Tennessee, Alabama and Florida.

       CSI is wholly owned by Telapex, Inc., a privately held company also organized under the

laws of Mississippi and with the same address as CSI. Details of ownership appear in Section V(h)

of this application. The operations of CSI are led by experienced telecommunications executives.

       CSI, through its radio license holding subsidiary Cellular South Licenses, LLC, provides

wireless service in areas in which MegaGate provides CLEC services. CSI also sells hosted IP

telephony services in the same areas.


III.   Description of the Transaction

       MegaGate and CSI have entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement ("Agreement")

whereby CSI will acquire assets and licenses held by MegaGate (the "Transaction").

Consummation of the Transaction is contingent upon receipt of Commission approval and all other

necessary approvals.

       MegaGate is a CLEC that also provides hosted VoIP communications services primarily

in the vicinity of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. MegaGate also offers and delivers cloud—based

telephony, hosted PBX, data, security, email and collaboration services.

       Following closing (1) CSI intends to continue most services currently provided by

MegaGate; and (2) CSI will operate as a provider of resold interstate interexchange and

international services in the markets currently served.

       IV.     Public Interest Statement

       The Transaction furthers the public interest, convenience and necessity.        MegaGate

provides CLEC service to approximately 11,500 subscriber lines, primarily in Mississippi. CSI

will continue to provide current MegaGate customers with resold interstate interexchange and

international services.

       CSI possesses the requisite financial and managerial resources to maintain and improve the

services provided by MegaGate.

       A.      Continued Provision of High—Quality Service is Ensured

       As indicated, following the Transaction, CSI will operate as a CLEC providing local

exchange as well as resold interstate interexchange and international service to customers. CSI

will bring greater financial resources to the MegaGate operations.


       Customers of MegaGate will be notified of the Transaction as required by the applicable

state and federal laws and regulations.

       B.      No Anti—Competitive Issues are Present

       The Transaction does not present any anti—competitive issues. MegaGate‘s total market

share, combined with that of equity owners of CSI, is less than ten percent (10%) of the interstate

interexchange and international telecommunications markets. There are many other interexchange

carriers operating in Mississippi areas where Megagate currently markets its CLEC services.

       In summary, the Transaction has no potential to harm the public interest and is expected to

preserve and increase competition in the domestic and international telecommunications markets.

vV.    Information Required by Section 63.24(e) of the Commission‘s Rules for a Transfer
       of Control Section 214 Authorizations

       In furtherance of this application the Applicants submit the specific information pursuant

to Section 63.24(e) of the Commission‘s rules. The following paragraphs refer to Sections (a)

through (‘d), and (h) through (p), of Section 63.18.

       (a)     Name, address and telephone number of Applicants:

               214 Holder:

               MegaGate Broadband, Inc.
               6184 Highway 98 West, Suite 200
               Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402
               Attn: Kevin B. Pack, CEO
               Tel: 601—450—7575

               Assignee:

               Cellular South, Inc.
               1018 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 300
               Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
               Attn: Benjamin C. Pace, CFO
               Tel: (601) 355—1522


       (b)    MegaGate is a corporation organized under the laws of Mississippi. CSI is a

corporation organized under the laws of Mississippi.

       (c)    Correspondence concerning this application should be sent to:

              For the Assignor:

              MegaGate Broadband, Inc.
              6184 Highway 98 West, Suite 200
              Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402
              Attn: Kevin B. Pack, CEO
              Tel: 601—450—7575

              With copies to:

              MegaGate Broadband, Inc.
              1176 Cocoanut Road
              Boca Raton, FL 33432
              Attn: N. Eric Jorgensen

               and to:

               Brian A. Montague, Esq.
               25 Town Center Square
               Hattiesburg, MS 39402


               For the Assignee:

               Cellular South, Inc.
               1018 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 300
               Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
               Atto: Benjamin C. Pace, CFO
               E—mail: bpace@cspire.com

               With copies to:

               David L. Nace, Esq.
               Lukas, Nace, Gutierrez & Sachs, LLP
               8300 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1200
               McLean, VA 22102
               Tel: 703—584—8661
               Email: dnace@fceclaw.com

               and to:


                W. Ken Rogers, Esq.
                Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC
                190 E. Capitol Street, Suite 100
                Jackson, MS 39157
                Tel: 601—960—6902
                E—mail: krogers@brunini.com

       (d)      (i) MegaGate provides international telecommunications under Section 214

authorization for global resale in File No. ITC—214—19980630—00447. MegaGate holds blanket

domestic Section 214 authority to provide domestic telecommunications services.

                (ii) CSI provides services under the trade name C Spire.‘ CSI provides international

telecommunications under Section 214 authorizations for global resale in File Nos. ITC—214—

19970212—00083 and ITC—214—19970212—00084.2 CSI holds blanket domestic Section 214

authority to provide domestic telecommunications services.

        (h) CSI is wholly owned by Telapex, Inc., a Mississippi corporation. The following hold

a ten percent (10%) or greater attributable interest in Telapex, Inc.:

        Telapex, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan
        FRN 0008519506
        Organized under Mississippi law and owns 13.7972% of Telapex, Inc.
        through voting common stock; and

        James H. Creekmore, Str.
        FRN 0008519530
        A United States citizen who owns 11.9827% of Telapex, Inc.
        through voting common stock.

The address of each of the above—named Telapex, Inc. stockholders is 1018 Highland Colony

Parkway, Suite 700, Ridgeland, MS 39157.


‘ The radio licenses utilized to provide C Spire wireless service are held by CSI‘s wholly owned subsidiary,
Cellular South Licenses, LLC.
> The international Section 214 authorizations held by CSI were originally granted in 1997 to Cellular
Holding, Inc. which later changed its name to Telepak, Inc. (See Public Notice, Report No. TEL—O00360,
March 1, 2001.) By letter filed with the Commission dated January 4, 2011, CSI provided notice that
Telepak, Inc. had changed its name to Cellular South, Inc.


       Telapex, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("Telapex ESOP") is a defined contribution

plan whose sole trustee is Trustmark National Bank Trust Department, 248 East Capitol Street,

Jackson, MS 39205. Trustmark National Bank is a national bank organized under the laws of the

United States. There are no ten percent or greater interest holders of Telapex ESOP. There are

numerous beneficiaries of the Telapex ESOP, none ofwhich hold as much as a ten percent interest.

The plan is organized to benefit employees of Telapex, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

       Other stockholders of Telapex, Inc. own interests of less than 10% each, although there are

familial relationships among the stockholders. The following stockholders are identified because

of those familial relationships:

       Wade H. Creekmore, Jr. is a United States citizen who owns 6.2096% of Telapex, Inc.
       through voting common stock;

       Betsy S. Creekmore is a United States citizen who owns 5.2406% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock;

       Meredith W. Creekmore is a United States citizen who owns 5.7217% of Telapex, Inc.
       through voting common stock;

       Ashley C. Meena is a United States citizen who owns 7.9250% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock;

       Victor H. (Hu) Meena (FRN 0019102953), the President, Chief Executive Officer and
       controlling individual of CSI, is a United States citizen who owns 0.4751% of Telapex,
       Inc. through voting common stock. Mr. Meena‘s telephone number is 601—355—1522 and
       his email address is hmeena@espire.com;

       Elizabeth C. Byrd is a United States citizen who owns 8.4000% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock;

       Sidney C. Crews is a United States citizen who owns 7.9250% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock;

       Holt J. Crews is a United States citizen who owns 0.4751% of Telapex, Inc. through voting
       commeon stock;

       Dolly C. Goings is a United States citizen who owns 8.4705% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock;


       Wesley Goings is a United States citizen who owns 0.2547% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock;

       James H. Creekmore, Jr. is a United States citizen who owns 9.8118% of Telapex, Inc.
       through voting common stock;

       Elizabeth Creekmore is a United States citizen who owns 0.0236% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock; and

       Victor M. Meena is a United States citizen who owns 0.0103% of Telapex, Inc. through
       voting common stock.

       In addition, 11 minor children of various stockholders listed above are the beneficiaries,
       through trusts, of stock interests totaling approximately 1.8424%.

A mailing address for all listed stockholders is 1018 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 700,

Ridgeland, MS 39157.

       The familial relationships among the above—listed individuals are as follows:

       Wade H. Creekmore, Jr. is the spouse of Betsy S. Creekmore;

       James H. Creekmore, Sr. is the spouse of Meredith W. Creekmore;

       Ashley C. Meena is the spouse of Victor H. (Hu) Meena; Ashley is the daughter of Wade
       and Betsy Creekmore;

       Sidney C. Crews is the spouse of J. Holt Crews; Sidney is the daughter of Wade and Betsy
       Creekmore;

       Dolly C. Goings is the spouse of Wesley Goings; Dolly is the daughter of James H.
       Creekmore, Sr. and Meredith Creekmore;

       James H. Creekmore, Jr. is the spouse of Elizabeth Creekmore; James H. Creekmore, Jr. is
       the son of James H. Creekmore, Sr. and Meredith Creekmore;

       Elizabeth C. Byrd is the daughter of Wade and Betsy Creekmore; and

       Victor M. Meena is the son of Ashley and Hu Meena.

       Section 63.18(h) also calls for disclosure of any interlocking directorates with a foreign

carrier. CSI and its affiliates have no interlocking directorates with a foreign carrier.


        (1)     Section 63.18(i) calls for a certification as to whether or not the applicant is, or is

affiliated with, a foreign carrier. CSI hereby certifies that it is not a foreign carrier and that it is

not affiliated with a foreign carrier.

        (j) Section 63.18(j) calls for a certification as to whether or not the applicant seeks to

provide international telecommunications services to any destination country for which any of the

following is true:

                (1) The applicant is a foreign carrier in that country. CSI hereby certifies that it is

not a foreign carrier in any destination country.

                 (2) The applicant controls a foreign carrier in that country. CSI hereby certifies

that it does not control a foreign carrier in any destination country.

                (3) Any entity that owns more than 25 percent of the applicant, or that controls the

applicant, controls a foreign carrier in that country. CSI hereby certifies that no entity that

controls a foreign carrier in any destination country owns more than 25 percent of CSI.

                (4) Two or more foreign carriers (or parties that control foreign carriers) own, in

the aggregate, more than 25 percent of the applicant and are parties to, or the beneficiaries of, a

contractual relation (e.g., a joint venture or market alliance) affecting the provision or marketing

of international basic telecommunications services in the United States. CSI hereby certifies that

the foregoing statement is not true as relating to CSI.

        (k)     Section 63.18(k) calls for one of certain showings by the applicant for any

destination country listed by the applicant in response to paragraph (J).          Based upon CSI‘s

certifications in response to Section 63.18(j), no showing is required of CSI in response to Section

63.18G).


          (1)   In response to Section 63.18(1), CSI does not propose to resell the international

switched services of an unaffiliated U.S. carrier for the purpose of providing international

telecommunications services to a country where it is a foreign carrier or is affiliated with a foreign

carmer.

          (m)   CSI hereby responds to Section 63.10(m) by confirming that it is not a foreign

carrier, and that it is not affiliated with a foreign carrier. CSI satisfies the requirements of Section

63.10(a)(1) to be presumptively classified as "non—dominant" for the provision of international

communications services.

          (@)   CSI certifies that it has not agreed to accept special concessions directly or

indirectly from any foreign carrier with respect to any U.S. international route where the foreign

carrier possesses market power on the foreign end of the route and will not enter into such

agreements in the future.

          (0)   With reference to §§ 1.2001 through 1.2003 of the Commission‘s rules, Applicants

certify that no party to the application is subject to a denial of Federal benefits pursuant to Section

5301 of the Anti—Drug Abuse Act of 1988. See 21 U.S.C. 853a.

          (p)   Applicants request streamlined processing of this application pursuant to Section

63.03(b)(2)(ii) of the Commission‘s Rules. MegaGate is a CLEC and is therefore classified as a

non—dominant service provider. Consummation of the proposed transaction would result in a

market share in the interstate, interexchange market of less than 10% among CSI and all other CSI

affiliates. Similarly, the local exchange affiliates of CSI would have, collectively, fewer than 2%




                                                   10


of the subscriber lines installed in the aggregate nationwide." Finally, the transaction would result

in no new overlapping or adjacent local service areas.

VI.    Additional Information Required by Section 63.04(b) of the Commission‘s Rules or
       Assignment/Transfer of Control

       In response to requirements of Section 63.04(b) of the Commission‘s rules, the additional

information required by Sections 63.04(a)(6) through 63.04(a)(12) is provided in Exhibit A to this

application.

VII.   Conclusion

       In view of the foregoing, Applicants respectfully submit that the public interest,

convenience and necessity would be furthered by grant of this application.

                                         Respectfully submitted,

                                         MEGAGATE BROADBAND, INC.


                                         o_ 4CRL) Kevin B. Pack, CEO

                                         Date:    June 17, 2014

                                         CELLULAR SOUTH, INC.


                                         By:        B’s—‘/’} uz> Cgrz-v‘—**
                                                  Benjamin C. Pace, Chief Financial Officer
                                         Date:               é// Z/KOJ"‘?‘

 CSI acquired Callis Communications, Inc. ("Callis"), a CLEC based in Mobile, Alabama, in
February 2014. Callis holds international Section 214 authorization under File No. ITC—214—
20051216—00504. Transfer of control authorization for the Callis acquisition was granted in File
No. ITC—T/C—20131211—00331 and in WC Docket 13—303. The controlling company of CSI, Telapex,
Inc., also controls two incumbent local exchange carriers in the state of Mississippi: Franklin Telephone
Company, Inc. ("Franklin‘") and Delta Telephone Company, Inc. ("Delta"). CSI‘s affiliate, Telepak
Networks, Inc., offers CLEC service in areas where MegaGate currently offers CLEC service. As
mentioned, MegaGate is a CLEC based in Hattiesburg, MS. MegaGate does not provide CLEC service to
any customers in the local exchange areas of Franklin or Delta, and CSI has no plans to market CLEC
services in the local exchange areas of Franklin or Delta.


                                                     11


                                            Exhibit A

               Information Required by Sections 63.04(a)(6) through 63.04(a)(12)

       Pursuant to Section 63.04(b) of the Commission‘s rules, Applicants provide the following
information in connection with the proposed transfer of control:

§63.04(a)(6) — Description of the Transaction

       The Transaction is summarized in Section III of the Application.

§63.04(a)(7) — Description of the Geographic Service Area and Services in Each Area

       Descriptions of the geographic service areas and the services provided in each area are
       provided in Section II.A. and Section IIL.B. of the Application.

§63.04(a)(8) — Presumption of Non—Dominance and Qualification for Streamlining

       Applicants request streamlined processing of this application. See Section V(p) above.

§63.04(a)(9) — Other Pending Commission Applications Concerning the Subject Transaction

       In a separate application filed on the appropriate FCC Form, Applicants request consent to
       transfer control of common carrier microwave licenses and one license in the 3650—3700
       radio service.

§63.04(a)(10) — Special Considerations

       None

§63.04(a)(11) — Waiver Requests

       None

§63.04(a)(12) — Public Interest Statement

       The Transaction is in the public interest for the reasons stated in Section IV of the
       Application.




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Document Created: 2014-06-18 10:24:33
Document Modified: 2014-06-18 10:24:33

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