Summary
1. First of all, yanking an operator’s license would involve a very long process. 2. Even after a public hearing, by the time the lawyers get done wrangling about the matter in the courts, it could take several years. 3. This idea by the Vermont PUC would result in the dumbest move possible.
Analysis
There is a lot of things that the PUC could do well short of taking away a license. While there is some competition, FairPoint is clearly the main telco in Vermont. It would be much more sensible to work with what is essentially the incumbent carrier and figure out how it can help.
In pulling away the license, virtually everybody’s telephone in the area would shut down. FairPoint would certainly have no incentive to keep the lights on. It would lock the door and go home. It would be something like “When you are ready to start acting like a real PUC, give us a call....Oh, wait a minute you do not have phone service – so, send us a letter.”
It would not be that surprising that given the political leanings in the state of Vermont that it has a notion about taking over the company itself – and make it a totally government-run entity.
