2. Description of Applicants

Evans Telephone is an incumbent local exchange telephone utility based in Turlock, California, that provides local exchange telephone service in portions of Merced, Stanislaus, Santa Clara, and Yolo Counties, serving approximately 12,000 access lines. J. H. Evans, Inc. owns all of the issued and outstanding stock of Evans Telephone and also owns interests in Evans Communications, a California corporation which provides installation, service, and maintenance of business telephone systems and Internet access. Applicants state that Evans Communications is not subject to Commission regulation.

Country Road and Evans Holdings are Delaware corporations based in Morristown, New Jersey. Country Road owns and operates two local exchange telephone companies, located in Maine and West Virginia, with approximately 8,500 access lines. Evans Holdings is a subsidiary of Country Road that has not yet been capitalized or engaged in business operations. Applicants state that these events will occur in connection with the closing of its acquisition of Evans Telephone.