*Pages 1--4 from Microsoft Word - 43396.doc* Federal Communications Commission DA 04- 3394 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D. C. 20554 In the Matter of Informal Complaints filed by MCI, Inc. Against Various Local Exchange Carriers ) ) ) ) ) ) File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 0003 to 0057 File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 0060 to 0064 ORDER Adopted: October 26, 2004 Released: October 27, 2004 By the Chief, Market Disputes Resolution Division, Enforcement Bureau: 1. On May 12, 2004, pursuant to section 1.716 of the Commission rules, 1 MCI, Inc. (“ MCI”) filed informal complaints against the local exchange carriers identified on Attachment A (“ Defendants”) in the above- captioned matter. On April 29, 2004, Defendants filed reports pursuant to section 1.717 of the Commission’s rules 2 denying the allegations in MCI’s informal complaints. Pursuant to section 1.718 of the Commission’s rules, 3 MCI is required to convert its informal complaints into formal complaints within six months from the date of the Defendants’ reports (i. e., by October 29, 2004) to ensure that the formal complaints relates back to the May 12, 2004 filing date of the informal complaints. 2. On October 21, 2004, MCI filed a consent motion requesting waiver of section 1.718 of the Commission’s rules. 4 MCI states in its consent motion that the parties have engaged in settlement discussions and “hope they may be able to reach a resolution on the disputes in the near future.” 5 MCI therefore requests that the Commission waive section 1.718 of the Commission’s rules and extend the period in which MCI can convert its informal complaints to formal complaints in order to provide MCI additional time to try to resolve this matter. MCI indicates in its Consent Motion that counsel for the Defendants has consented to this request. 3. We are satisfied that granting MCI’s Consent Motion will serve the public interest by promoting the private resolution of disputes and by postponing the need for further litigation and 1 47 C. F. R. § 1.716. 2 47 C. F. R. § 1.717. 3 47 C. F. R. § 1.718. 4 Consent Motion of MCI, File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 0003 to 0064 (filed Oct. 21, 2004) (“ Consent Motion”). 5 Consent Motion at 2. 1 Federal Communications Commission DA- 04- 3394 2 expenditure of further time and resources of the parties and of this Commission until such time as may actually be necessary. 4. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to sections 4( i), 4( j), and 208 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U. S. C. §§ 154( i), 154( j), and 208, and sections 1.3 and 1.718 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.3, 1.718, and the authority delegated in sections 0.111 and 0.311 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 0.111, 0.311, that the Consent Motion of MCI IS GRANTED. 5. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, unless otherwise extended by order, the deadlines that would otherwise apply under section 1.718 of our rules, 47 C. F. R. § 1.718, are hereby waived, and the date on which MCI must convert its informal complaints against the Defendants into formal complaints pursuant to section 1.718 of our rules, 47 C. F. R. § 1.718, is extended to December 10, 2004. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Alexander P. Starr Chief, Market Disputes Resolution Division Enforcement Bureau 2 Federal Communications Commission DA- 04- 3394 3 ATTACHMENT A Armstrong Telephone Company North (EB- 04- MDIC- 0003) Armstrong Telephone Company Maryland (EB- 04- MDIC- 0004) Armstrong Telephone Company New York (EB- 04- MDIC- 0005) Armstrong Telephone Company Pennsylvania (EB- 04- MDIC- 0006) Armstrong Telephone Company West Virginia (EB- 04- MDIC- 0007) Armstrong Telephone Company Northern Division (EB- 04- MDIC- 0008) Brantley Telephone Company, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0009) Bruce Telephone Company, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0010) Calaveras Telephone Company, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0011) Cascade Utilities, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0012) Rio Virgin Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0013) Central Montana Communications, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0014) Triangle Telephone Cooperative Association, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0015) Chester Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0016) Ridgeway Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0017) Lockhart Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0018) Chibardun Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0019) CTC Telcom, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0020) Chickasaw Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0021) Citizens Telephone Company of Higginsville, Missouri (EB- 04- MDIC- 0022) Clay County Rural Telephone Cooperative (EB- 04- MDIC- 0023) Concord Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0024) Darien Telephone Company, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0026) DTC Communications (EB- 04- MDIC- 0027) Egyptian Telephone Cooperative Association (EB- 04- MDIC- 0028) Five Area Telephone Cooperative (EB- 04- MDIC- 0029) West Plains Telecommunications, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0030) Hardy Telecommunications, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0031) Hickory Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0032) Horry Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0033) HTC Communications (EB- 04- MDIC- 0034) Lackawaxen Telecommunications Services, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0035) Loretto Telephone Company, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0036) Madison Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0037) Margaretville Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0038) Marquette- Adams Telephone Cooperative (EB- 04- MDIC- 0039) Mid- Century Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0040) Mid- Maine Communications d/ b/ a Mid- Maine Telecom, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0041) Mid- Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0043) Nicholville Telephone Co., Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0045) North Central Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0046) Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0047) NebCom, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0048) North- Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0049) Poka Lambro Communications (EB- 04- MDIC- 0051) Public Service Telephone Company of Georgia (EB- 04- MDIC- 0052) 3 Federal Communications Commission DA- 04- 3394 4 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0053) Siskiyou Telephone (EB- 04- MDIC- 0054) Smart City Telecommunications LLC d/ b/ a Smart City Telecom (EB- 04- MDIC- 0055) Smithville Telephone Co., Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0056) Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0057) Trumansburg Telephone Company, Inc. (EB- 04- MDIC- 0060) United Telephone Company (United Telco) (EB- 04- MDIC- 0061) Volcano Telephone Company (EB- 04- MDIC- 0063) Washington County Rural Telephone Cooperative (EB- 04- MDIC- 0064) 4