Citizens Communications Applauds Sen. Burns' Leadership in Promoting Telecommunications Investment in Montana.Business Editors WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2000 Legislation Will Help Reduce 'Digital Divide' in Rural America Citizens Communications Citizens Communications is the parent company of Frontier Telephone, providing telephone and internet access in 24 states. The company headquarters are located at 3 High Ridge Park in Stamford, Connecticut. applauds Sen. Conrad Burns' (R-MT) introduction of the Facilitating Access to Speedy Transmission Network for E-commerce and Telecommunications (FASTNET) Act of 2000. FASTNET represents a significant step in reducing the technology gap in certain parts of the country. This gap, commonly known as the "digital divide" is present in rural Montana. This landmark legislation will help increase competition and spur the deployment of broadband and other advanced technologies to consumers in rural markets in Montana and nationwide. Wayne Lafferty, Citizens Communications vice president, regulatory and governmental affairs, thanked the senator for his leadership, saying, "Conrad Burns Conrad Ray Burns (born January 25, 1935) is a former United States Senator from Montana. He was only the second Republican to represent Montana in the Senate since the passage in 1913 of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution and is the longest-serving Republican senator in has been a long-time champion of regulatory reform Regulatory Reform concerns improvements to the quality of government regulation. At the international level, the "OECD Regulatory Reform Programme is aimed at helping governments improve regulatory quality -- that is, reforming regulations that raise unnecessary obstacles to . Sen. Burns' legislative initiative will allow companies to spend less on bureaucratic red tape and give them greater ability to invest in the telecommunications services that customers desire." Citizens Communications and other members of the Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance (ITTA ITTA Information Technology Training Association ITTA International Tropical Timber Agreement ITTA Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance ITTA integrated tunable transmitter assembly ) have committed to closing the digital divide by providing telecommunications services in Montana and other rural markets. Regulatory burdens on ITTA companies constrain investments in these communities because small and mid-size carriers are subject to disproportionate regulatory costs that could otherwise be used to fund the deployment of advanced technology. "Sen. Burns' decisive action will help make technology deployment a reality for the people of Montana and in much of rural America," Lafferty said. About Citizens Communications Citizens Communications provides telecommunications services to nearly 1 million customers in 13 states. Over the next 12 months, the company will add approximately 925,000 additional access lines as a result of acquisitions from GTE GTE General Telephone & Electronics GTE Génie Thermique et Énergie (French) GTE Gas Turbine Engine GTE Global Tropospheric Experiment GTE Geothermal Energy GTE Gas Turbine Efficiency plc (Sweden & USA) and U S WEST, expanding operations to 21 states. Citizens Communications is part of Citizens Utilities (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : CZN), which as of May 18, 2000, will be known as Citizens Communications. Citizens Utilities also owns 82% of Electric Lightwave, Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : ELIX), a facilities-based, integrated communications provider that offers a broad range of services to telecommunications-intensive businesses throughout the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . The foregoing information should be read in conjunction with the company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission including, but not limited to, reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q. The company does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of future events or circumstances. |
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