The public service/utility commissions of Georgia, Mississippi, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio have approved the CenturyTel – Embarq merger. The new combined entity will operate in a total of 33 states, of which 18 do not require state approval. CenturyTel is one third the way there, at least as far as state approval goes. There are federal approvals required as well. CenturyTel reports that as of the end of 2008, the combined entity will have approximately 7.7 million access lines, more than two million broadband customers and more than 400,000 video subscribers.
