Washington State Regulators Approve Private Takeover of Broadband

State regulators have reached a deal giving CenturyLink approval to take over Qwest operations in the state. As part of its tentative agreement with the state Attorney General and Utilities and Transportation Commission, CenturyLink pledged to freeze basic phone rates for three years.

The Louisiana-based company will also invest a minimum of $80 million upgrading broadband infrastructure in the state over the next five years.

That includes a "significant" amount dedicated to improving broadband in underserved areas, the company said in a press release. This comes just after the state issued it’s broadband report raising concerns about limited broadband availability in rural.

Brier Dudley

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