BUSINESS BRIEFS
Telcom bills go out this week

Advertiser Staff

Former Verizon Hawaii customers will start receiving monthly bills from Hawaiian Telcom this week.

Hawaiian Telcom said charges are unchanged. Verizon Communications, which sold Verizon Hawaii last week, will continue to collect payments through 2005. However, checks must be written to Hawaiian Telcom, P.O. Box 9688, Mission Hills, CA 91346-9688.

Company's rating is pulled

Chicago-based Fitch Ratings said it has withdrawn its rating on $300 million of debt issued by Verizon Hawaii now that the company has been bought by The Carlyle Group and the name changed to Hawaiian Telcom.

Fitch said it took the step because the sale, which closed last week, was private and Fitch does not have the information necessary to rate the new company. The move applies to the "BB+" rating assigned to the senior unsecured debt of Verizon Hawaii and the "BBB-" rating assigned to the company's first mortgage bonds.