N.Y. Psc Approves Merger

Communications Today, March 17, 1999

The proposed merger of Bell Atlantic [BEL] and GTE [GTE] won approval yesterday from the New York Public Service Commission (PSC). New York has one of the tougher PSCs, but the states aren't the main hurdle for the merger. The FCC still must rule, and its main sticking point is how to keep Bell Atlantic from using the merger as a back door into the long-distance business using GTE's interLATA data backbone.

An FCC decision is expected this summer.