Attachment Attachment

This document pretains to SCL-T/C-20030904-00025 for Transfer of Control on a Submarine Cable Landing filing.

IBFS_SCLTC2003090400025_333757

                                         APPLICATION FOR CABLE LANDING LICENSE—
                                              STREAMLINED PROCESSING REQUESTED

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

In the Matter of Application of                             )
                                                            )
Williams Communications, LLC,                               )
                                                            )
Shareholders of WilTel Communications Group, Inc.           )
                                                            )
And                                                         )      File No.
                                                            )
Leucadia National Corporation                               )
                                                            )
for Approval of Transfer of Control of                      )
Submarine Cable Landing Licenses                            )

Attention: International Bureau


           APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF INTERESTS
                       IN CABLE LANDING LICENSES


       Williams Communications, LLC (“WCL”), the Shareholders of WilTel Communications

Group, Inc. (“WilTel”), and Leucadia National Corporation (“Leucadia”)1 hereby request

authority under the Submarine Cable Landing License Act for Commission consent to the

transfer of control of WCL from WilTel to Leucadia. The Applicants seek FCC consent to the

proposed transfer of control with respect to small interests in the Japan-U.S. Cable Network2 and



1
  WCL, WilTel, and Leucadia are collectively referred to herein as the “Parties” or the
“Applicants.” WCL, which was named Williams Communications, LLC, and has been renamed
WilTel Communications, LLC, also holds satellite earth station licenses, domestic and
international Section 214 authority, and microwave licenses. The Parties are filing appropriate
applications for consent to the transfer of control of those licenses and authorizations.
2
 See AT&T Corp. et al, Cable Landing License, 14 FCC Rcd 13,066, FCC 99-167, File No.
SCL-LIC-19981117-00025 (rel. July 9, 1999) (Japan-U.S. Cable Landing License).


the China-U.S. Cable Network.3 Grant of the instant application will allow the parties to

consummate an exchange offer for shares of WilTel stock in an amount that will increase

Leucadia’s ownership of WilTel from under fifty percent to ownership of WilTel to more than

fifty percent (majority control).



       As discussed below, the application qualifies for streamlined treatment pursuant to

Section 1.767(k) of the Commission’s rules.



                                           Background

       Leucadia made its initial investment in WilTel in 2002 as part of the plan of

reorganization (“POR”) approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern

District of New York (Case No. 02-1195700). In the POR, WilTel was formed as a new

corporation for which new publicly-traded common stock was issued to Leucadia and the

unsecured creditors of the predecessor to WilTel. Leucadia currently owns approximately 47.4

percent of WilTel’s stock; the remaining 52.6 percent is widely held among public shareholders.

WilTel owns 100% of WCL.



       WilTel and Leucadia have entered into an agreement that contemplates the initiation and

consummation of an exchange offer through which Leucadia will, if successful, increase its

ownership to exceed fifty percent (“Offer”). In order to permit the consummation of the Offer,

the Parties request approval of the instant application.



3
 See AT&T Corp. et al, Cable Landing License, 13 FCC Rcd 16,232, DA 98-1711, File NO.
SCL-LIC-199880309-00005 (Int’l Bur., Telecom. Div. rel. Aug. 28, 1998) (China-U.S. Cable
Landing License).

                                              2


                                      Transfer of Control

       The applicants submit the following information pursuant to the relevant provisions of

Section 1.767(a) of the Commission’s rules with respect to the transfer of control of WCL from

WilTel to Leucadia:

       (1 and 2) The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the applicants, and the State

under the laws of which each corporate or partnership applicant is organized:

                   (1) Names, addresses, and telephone numbers:                 (2) Jurisdictions:

Licensee:          Williams Communications, LLC4                                Delaware
                   One Technology Center, TC 15
                   Tulsa, OK 74103
                   (918) 547-6000
Transferor:        Shareholders of WilTel Communications Group, Inc.            Nevada
                   WilTel Communications Group, Inc.
                   One Technology Center, TC 15
                   Tulsa, OK 74103
                   (918) 547-6000
Transferee:        Leucadia National Corporation                                New York
                   315 Park Avenue South
                   New York, NY 10010
                   (212) 460-1900


       (3) Correspondence concerning this application should be addressed to the following:

              Candice Cheeseman, Esq.
              WilTel Communications Group, Inc.
              One Technology Center
              Tulsa, OK 74103

              Leucadia National Corporation
              c/o Joseph Orlando, Chief Financial Officer, Vice President
              315 Park Avenue South
              New York, NY 10010


4
 The name of Williams Communications, LLC has been changed to WilTel Communications,
LLC.


                                            3


               Mark D. Schneider, Esq.
               Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
               1501 K Street, N.W.
               Washington, DC 20005


       (4) & (5) A complete description of the Japan-U.S. and China-U.S. submarine cable

systems can be found in the Commission’s files. See File Nos. SCL-LIC-19981117-00025

(Japan-U.S.) and SCL-LIC-19980309-00005 (China-U.S.) No change is sought here.



       (6) Both the Japan-U.S. Cable Network and the China-U.S. Cable Network are licensed

as non-common carrier cable systems. This application does not seek to change the regulatory

classification of either of those cable systems.



       (7) WCL, through assignment, is a joint licensee of the Japan-U.S. Cable Network and

the China-U.S. Cable Network. WCL holds an investment share and voting interest of

approximately 3.5 percent in the Japan-U.S. Cable Network. In the China-U.S. Cable Network,

WCL holds an investment share of approximately 5.41 percent and a voting interest of

approximately 6.67 percent. The levels of these interests would not change as a result of the

transfer of control of WCL to Leucadia for which approval is sought.



       (8) WCL will continue to be affiliated with non-dominant foreign carriers in Japan, the

United Kingdom, Canada, and Hong Kong. More specifically, WCL will be affiliated with the

following non-dominant foreign carriers:


                       Williams Communications K.K.
                       Country of Affiliation: Japan




                                              4


                         Williams Communications UK Limited
                         Country of Affiliation: United Kingdom

                         Williams Communications Networks, Inc.
                         Country of Affiliation: Canada

                         Williams Communications (Hong Kong) Limited
                         Country of Affiliation: Hong Kong



          Pursuant to Section 1.767(a)(8), WCL provides the following information and

certifications required in Sections 63.18(h) through (k), as appropriate:



          63.18(h): The following are the names, addresses, citizenship, and principal businesses

of any person or entity that will directly or indirectly own at least ten percent of the equity of the

authorized carrier following the proposed transaction.

          Leucadia National Corporation
          315 Park Avenue South
          New York, NY 10010
          (212) 460-1900
          Citizenship: USA (New York Corporation)

          Principal Business: Holding company engaged in telecommunications, banking and
          lending, and other businesses.

          Ian M. Cumming5
          529 East South Temple
          Salt Lake City, Utah 84102
          Citizenship: USA

          Joseph S. Steinberg6
          315 Park Avenue South
          New York, NY 10010
          Citizenship: USA

5
    Ian M. Cumming is Chairman of the Board of Leucadia.
6
    Joseph S. Steinberg is President of Leucadia.



                                              5


Following the proposed transaction, Leucadia will hold more than fifty percent of WilTel’s
stock, thus requiring the FCC’s prior consent.7 As of August 25, 2003, Ian Cumming
beneficially owned approximately 15.3% of the outstanding shares of Leucadia, and Joseph
Steinberg beneficially owned approximately 16.8% of the outstanding shares of Leucadia (in
each case including shares owned by charitable trusts or trusts for the benefit of Mr. Steinberg’s
children over which Mr. Steinberg does not have voting or dispositive power). Messrs.
Cumming and Steinberg have an oral agreement pursuant to which they will consult with each
other as to the election of a mutually acceptable Board of Directors of Leucadia. The Offer will
dilute the ownership levels of Mr. Cumming and Mr. Steinberg because shares of Leucadia will
be exchanged for shares of WilTel as part of the Offer.

WilTel still will hold all of the stock of WCL. No other owner of Leucadia’s stock will directly
or indirectly own ten percent or more of WilTel’s or WCL’s stock.


       Interlocking directorates with foreign carriers. To the Parties’ knowledge, none of the

directors of Leucadia is an officer or director of a foreign carrier.



]      § 63.18(i): WCL is affiliated with the following non-dominant foreign carriers and will

retain those affiliates subsequent to the proposed transfer of control. Specifically, WCL will be

affiliated with the following non-dominant foreign carriers:

                       Williams Communications K.K.
                       Country of Affiliation: Japan

                       Williams Communications UK Limited
                       Country of Affiliation: United Kingdom

                       Williams Communications Networks, Inc.
                       Country of Affiliation: Canada

                       Williams Communications (Hong Kong) Limited
                       Country of Affiliation: Hong Kong



7
 As part of the Offer, Leucadia may have a wholly-owned subsidiary, Wrangler Acquisition
Corp. (“Wrangler”), temporarily hold its shares of WilTel, pending the merger of Wrangler into
WilTel. The temporary role of Wrangler will be determined by the number of public
shareholders of WilTel that subscribe to the Offer. If the Offer is successful, Leucadia intends to
acquire up to 100% of the stock of WilTel.


                                               6


        § 63.18(j): Neither the Japan-U.S. Cable Network nor the China-U.S. Cable Network

lands in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, or Hong Kong. The Japan-U.S. Cable Network

lands in Japan, but WCL’s affiliate in Japan has less than 1 percent market share and lacks

market power there. The transaction for which authorization is sought would not change any of

the licensee’s affiliations.



        § 63.18(k): WCL hereby certifies that all of the markets referenced in Section (j) of this

application are Members of the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) and the WCL’s affiliates in

those markets lack market power.



        §63.18(o): Pursuant to Sections 1.2001-2003 of the Commission’s rules, the applicants

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

sections 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.



        (9) WCL hereby certifies that it accepts and will abide by the routine conditions specified

in Sections 1.767(g) of the Commission’s rules that apply to the cable licenses WCL holds.



                               Eligibility for Streamlined Processing

        As required by Section 1.767(k) of the Commission’s rules, the applicants hereby

demonstrate that they are eligible for streamlined processing. Specifically, the applicants

qualify, pursuant to Section 63.12(c)(1)(ii), for a presumption of non-dominance under Section

63.10(a)(3), because WCL’s affiliate in Japan has less than 1% market share. In addition, the

applicants certify that Japan, the destination market where the applicant has an affiliation with a




                                               7


foreign carrier, is a Member of the WTO, and the applicants agree to accept and abide by the

reporting requirements set out in Section 1.767(1) to the extent applicable.



                                            Conclusion

         For the reasons discussed herein, the applicants respectfully request that the Commission

grant authority for the transfer of control of WCL from WilTel to Leucadia.

                                                      Respectfully submitted,



Shareholders of WilTel Communications                Leucadia National Corporation
Group, Inc.


By:______________________________                     By:________________________
   Jeff Storey, Chief Executive Officer                  Joseph Orlando, Chief Financial Officer
   & President                                           & Vice President


Williams Communications, LLC


By:______________________________
  Candace Cheeseman, General Counsel & Secretary




                                             8
DC1 657392v1



Document Created: 2003-09-09 15:23:19
Document Modified: 2003-09-09 15:23:19

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