*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 51731* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY: 1- 888- 835- 5322 DA 05- 2480 September 20, 2005 180- DAY CLOCK STOPPED ON CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS FOR CONSENT TO TRANSFER OF CONTROL FILED BY VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. AND MCI, INC. WC DOCKET NO. 05- 75 Verizon Communications Inc. (“ Verizon”) and MCI, Inc. (“ MCI,” together with Verizon, “Applicants”) have filed a series of applications (“ Applications”) pursuant to sections 214 and 310( d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended 1 and section 2 of the Cable Landing License Act, 2 seeking Commission approval of the transfer of control to Verizon of licenses and authorizations held directly and indirectly by MCI. 3 The Applicants, petitioners, and commenters have filed a number of pleadings, documents, and analyses, creating a voluminous record. In recent days, the Applicants filed a number of ex parte letters in WC Docket No. 05- 75 containing substantial additional relevant information. 4 Although today is day 180 of the Commission’s informal time clock for consideration of this transaction, the Applicants have now requested that the agency “stop the clock” and extend the time for its consideration. 5 In the interest 1 47 U. S. C. §§ 214, 310( d). 2 See generally An Act Relating to the Landing and Operation of Submarine Cables in the United States, 47 U. S. C. §§ 34- 39 (“ Cable Landing License Act”). 3 See Public Notice, Commission Seeks Comment on Applications For Consent to Transfer of Control Filed By Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI, Inc., WC Docket No. 05- 75, DA 05- 762 (rel. Mar. 24, 2005). 4 See, e. g., Letter from Dee May, Verizon, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 05- 75 (filed Sept. 14, 2005) (regarding retail business customers); Letter from Dee May, Verizon, and Curtis Groves, MCI, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 05- 75 (filed Sept. 12, 2005) (fiber route maps); Letter from Dee May, Verizon, and Curtis Groves, MCI, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 05- 75 (filed Sept. 9, 2005) (fiber route maps); Letter from Dee May, Verizon, and Curtis Groves, MCI, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 05- 75 (filed Sept. 9, 2005) (regarding special access). 5 Letter from Dee May, Verizon, and Curtis Groves, MCI, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 05- 75 (filed Sept. 19, 2005). We also note that several commenters in this proceeding have also requested that the Commission stop the clock. See, e. g., Letter from Gary Lytle, Senior Vice President – Federal Relations, Qwest, to Kevin J. Martin, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket Nos. 05- 65, 05- 75 (filed May 25, 2005); Letter from Brad E. Mutschelknaus, Counsel for Cbeyond Communications et al., and Christopher J. Wright, Counsel for SAVVIS Communications, Inc., to Kevin Martin, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket Nos. 05- 65, 05- 75 (filed May 25, 2005). 1 2 of ensuring sound analysis of the record, we are today stopping the clock until October 13, 2005 while we continue to consider the Applications. We take this opportunity to remind the public that the 180- day clock represents a good faith undertaking by the Commission to complete action on assignment and transfer of control applications within a certain timeframe and a means to keep interested parties informed of the progress of those applications. The clock carries with it no procedural or substantive rights or obligations but merely represents an informal benchmark by which to evaluate the Commission’s progress. Although the Commission seeks to meet the 180- day benchmark, we note that the Commission retains the discretion to determine whether, in any particular review proceeding, events beyond the agency’s control, the need to obtain additional information or the interests of sound analysis constitute sufficient grounds to stop the clock. For further information, contact Gail Cohen, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418- 0939; Bill Dever, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418- 1578; or Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, at (202) 418- 7802. -FCC- 2