*Pages 1--5 from Microsoft Word - 47014.doc* Federal Communications Commission DA 05- 668 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: March 15, 2005 Released: March 15, 2005 By the Chief, Market Disputes Resolution Division, Enforcement Bureau: 1. On March 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. 2 On April 29, 2004, Defendants filed reports pursuant to section 1.717 of the Commission’s rules 3 denying the allegations in MCI’s informal complaints. Pursuant to section 1.718 of the Commission’s rules, 4 MCI was required to convert its informal complaints into formal complaints by October 29, 2004 to ensure that, for purposes of the statute of limitations, the formal complaints related back to the March 12, 2004 filing date of the informal complaints. 2. At the parties’ prior requests, the Commission previously waived section 1.718 of the Commission’s rules several times, and ultimately extended the period in which MCI could convert its informal complaints to formal complaints to March 15, 2005. 5 On March 11, 2005, MCI filed another consent motion requesting a further waiver of section 1.718 of the Commission’s rules. 6 In its request, 1 47 C. F. R. § 1.716. 2 The informal complaints were filed under the name WorldCom, Inc. d/ b/ a MCI, the company name at the time. 3 47 C. F. R. § 1.717. 4 47 C. F. R. § 1.718. 5 See Informal Complaints filed by MCI, Inc. Against Various Local Exchange Carriers, Order, DA 05- 328, File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 0003 to 0057, 0060 to 0064 (Feb. 7, 2005); Informal Complaints filed by MCI, Inc. Against Various Local Exchange Carriers, Order, DA 05- 48, File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 0003 to 0057, 0060 to 0064 (Jan. 10, 2005); Informal Complaints filed by MCI, Inc. Against Various Local Exchange Carriers, Order, DA 04- 3871, File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 0003 to 0057, 0060 to 0064 (Dec. 9, 2004); Informal Complaints filed by MCI, Inc. Against Various Local Exchange Carriers, Order, DA 04- 3394, File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 003 to 0057, 0060 to 0064 (Oct. 26, 2004). 6 Consent Motion of MCI, File Nos. EB- 04- MDIC- 0003 to 0057, 0060 to 0064 (filed Mar. 11, 2005) (“ Consent Motion”). 1 Federal Communications Commission DA- 05- 668 2 MCI states that the parties “continue to explore the possibility of settlement” and that “[ s] ettlement discussions and agreement negotiations are continuing.” 7 Specifically, MCI has exchanged a settlement proposal with the Defendants, and the parties “have discussed various provisions within that proposal and exchanged modified language in an effort to address concerns raised by both parties.” 8 MCI also states that on February 25, 2005, the Commission released an order that could impact the scope of the parties’ settlement discussions, and that the parties are continuing their settlement discussions “with that order under consideration.” 9 In order to afford their settlement efforts the opportunity to succeed, MCI requests a further extension of time until April 15, 2005 within which to convert its informal complaints into formal complaints and still have those formal complaints relate back to the filing date of MCI’s informal complaints. 10 MCI indicates that counsel for the Defendants has consented to this request. 11 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 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, Inc. IS GRANTED. 7 Consent Motion at 2, 3. 8 Id. 9 Id. at 3, citing, Rules and Regulations Implementing Minimum Customer Account Record Exchange Obligations on All Local and Interexchange Carriers, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC No. 05- 29, 2005 WL 465538 (rel. Feb. 25, 2005) (discussing, in part, the customer account record exchange process). 10 Consent Motion at 3. 11 Id. 2 Federal Communications Commission DA- 05- 668 3 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 April 15, 2005. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Alexander P. Starr Chief, Market Disputes Resolution Division Enforcement Bureau 3 Federal Communications Commission DA- 05- 668 4 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) 4 Federal Communications Commission DA- 05- 668 5 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) 5