WPC Iw@2WὩ` vFy؁jVfdexUdVft^O4U.ЏF^#4h4,RZƒݜbls+LdOUo3\ p_+%Dulߔ2'I.xF_QLGç&iOKw5Ux8 HUh+^j tB:LF&?~xJCi;5^<}^@`?(ڵmv: i7Y!z"#] |?O [ {GfK&r[#f|=$:[lCj ebg)70W[WU@ՠ\D0~P7`+F˹HN3bC3`}~Bys|иx4Zcnq ȵ`tTǀNU(Bz % 0h 0 0 0_ 0P B 0 D+ 0 0=% 0b AQI@U BU6 1uvn 0r4w4\  `*Times New RomanTT'  BEFORE THE $NancyAnn Hunt$0NancyAnn Hunt .   h:Default ParaDefault Paragraph FontXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW                W\  `*Times New RomanTTWV7,:footnote texfootnote text                  `:footnote reffootnote referenceXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW                W\  `*Times New RomanTTW<Kj.footerfooter   !                >4X` hp x (#>P8page numberpage numberXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW                W\  `*Times New RomanTTW 8  )   |F62x (   0 @ HETTT| !!   !X  !!        H4X` hp x (#!H  ?+ 4 <DL!X?(e2$ !   'dxd Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(e2$ !   ($    (e2$ !      C<< c ? "      !X          XXXXXX          XX@    1  A            2 `*Times New RomanTT"AArialBoldTT$35=EMU]em1(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)3|x\  `*Times New RomanTTC\  PQP\  `*Times New RomanTTXXP\  PQXP2 `*Times New RomanTTXX P7XP"AArialBoldTTTTXXatQX(J$  9|"# !   X   XX    BEFORETHE  FEDERALCOMMUNICATIONSCOMMISSIONWASHINGTON,D.C.   IntheMatterof  <      D ) `   4    <      D )ApplicationsofWorldCom,Inc.and   D ) @  MCICommunicationsCorporationfor   D )  CCDocketNo.97211 0  TransferofControlofMCICommunications D )  p  CorporationtoWorldCom,Inc.     D ) `    BELLATLANTICSCOMMENTSONPROPOSED 0  PROTECTIVEORDER       4 WorldComandMCIhaveproposedthelargestmergerintelecommunicationshistory.TheU.S.DepartmentofJusticehasdeterminedthatdocumentsarenecessarytoevaluatethemerger.TheEuropeanUnionhasscheduledhearingstoaddresscompetitiveconcernsoverthemerger.YetWorldComandMCIareproposingaProtectiveOrderthatisfarmorelimitingandrestrictivethanpreviousprotectiveorderstheCommissionhasused. 4 TheCommissionshouldrejectWorldComandMCIsattempttoevadescrutinyoftheirproposedmerger.TheCommissionshouldadoptinsteadthesubstanceoftheprotectiveordersusedinreviewofotherlargetelecommunicationsmergers. 4 ReviewofDocumentsbyCounselofRecord.WorldComandMCIproposethat % # theirconfidentialdocumentsmaybereviewedonly byoutsidecounselofrecordforthepartiesinthisproceedingwhoareactivelyengagedintheconductofthisproceeding.ProposedProtectiveOrderXXXXXXXX3.Thislimitationshouldberejectedfortworeasons.  +p&)  4 First,manyofthecounselofrecordinthisproceedingareinhouse.BellAtlantic -P(+ isusingonlyinhousecounselofrecordinthisproceeding.TheployoflimitingtheProtectiveOrdertooutsidecounselwoulddepriveBellAtlanticandothersoftheabilitytoparticipateinthisproceeding.Inapreviousmergerproceeding,MCIitself object[ed]strenuouslytotheconditionsin...proposedprotectiveorderwhichwouldpreventtwoofMCIsthreecounselofrecordwhoarealsocorporateofficersfromaccesstothedocuments....IntheMatterofApplicationofGTECorporationandSouthernPacificCompanyforConsenttoTransferControlofSouthernPacificCommunicationsCompanyandSouthernPacificSatelliteCompany,MemorandumOpinionandOrder,FileNo.ENF831atXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTWԀ7(February18,1983).TheCommissionaccordinglypermittedMCIsinhousecounselaccesstothedocuments.Inthiscase,underMCIsconditions,allfiveofBellAtlanticscounselofrecordwouldbepreventedfromaccess.4..4Second,WorldComsandMCIsproposaliscontrarytoprecedent.IntheGTE/Sprint,AT&T/McCaw,andBellAtlantic/NYNEXmergerreviews,theCommissionrejectedthepartiesrequeststoexcludeinhousecounselfromreviewofconfidentialdocuments.Theseorderspermitted inhousecounselwhoareactivelyengagedintheconductofthisproceedingtorevieweventhemostsensitiveinternaldocuments.IntheMatterofAT&TandCraigO.McCawApplicationsforConsenttoTransferControlofRadioLicenses,ProtectiveOrder,9F.C.C.R.2610,atXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW3(May13,1994)( AT&T/McCaw);IntheMatteroftheApplicationofBellAtlanticCorporationandNYNEXCorporationforConsenttoTransferControlofLicensesandAuthorizations,ModifiedProtectiveOrder,NDL9610(TrackingNo.960221)atXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW3(December5,1996)( BellAtlantic/NYNEXProtectiveOrder).4..4TheCommissionspolicyofpermittingallcounselofrecordtoreviewmergerdocumentsisnecessarytoensurethattheCommissionhasthebenefitofinformedandthoroughreviewofthedocuments.AsAT&TarguedduringtheBellAtlantic/NYNEXproceeding,limitationsonreviewbyinhousecounsel shouldberejectedbothasunnecessarytoprotectapplicantsinterestsandasasignificantlimitationuponinterestedpartieseffectiverepresentationandparticipationintheseproceedings.LetterfromSidley&AustintoReginaKeeney,Dec.2,1996,at1.AT&TfurthernotedinseekingreviewbyitsinhousecounselofthemostsensitiveBellAtlanticandNYNEXdocumentsthat BellAtlanticsandNYNEXsinhousecounselwerepermittedaccess[duringtheAT&T/McCawmergerreview]tothemostsensitivedocuments,andpresumablytheyhaveabidedbythatorderstermsindischargingtheirresponsibility.Sidley&AustinLetterat3.WorldComandMCIstatenoreasonforchangingtheCommissionsconsistentpractice,andthereisnone.4..4WorldComandMCIalsoproposeaprovisionthatwouldpermiteitherofthemintheirsolediscretiontoblockaccessbycounselofrecordtoconfidentialdocuments,untilandunlesstheCommissionoracourtmakesanaffirmativedeterminationtothecontrary.ProposedProtectiveOrderatXXXK"AArialBoldTTK&XXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW5.Thisprocedurewouldleadtounnecessarydisputesanddelay,andprejudicetheabilityofinterestedpartiestoparticipateeffectively.Italsoisnotclearwhatharmthisprovisionisintendedtocure,sinceallcounselmustsignaprotectiveorderbeforereviewinganyconfidentialdocuments.4..4SegregationofDocuments.WorldComandMCIproposeaseriesofconditionsontheformattingofsubmissionstotheCommissionthatwillmakeitmoredifficultforthepartiestowritethesesubmissionsandfortheCommissiontoreadthem.Specifically,WorldComandMCIproposethatpartiesmayonlyreferenceinformationif:(1)they physicallysegregat[e]confidentialinformation;and(2)allportionsofapleadingcontainingconfidentialinformationare coveredbyaseparateletter.ProposedProtectiveOrderXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTWԀ7.TheselimitationshavenotbeenincludedintheCommissionspastprotectiveorders,seeAT&T/McCawatXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW6&7;BellAtlantic/NYNEXProtectiveOrderatXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW5&6,andforgoodreason.Suchlimitationswouldpreventcommentersfromwritingcoherentcomments.Acommenterwouldbeallowedtomakeanassertioninabriefaboutthecompetitiveeffectsofthemerger,butwouldhavetoplacethesupportforthatassertioninsomephysicallysegregated,separatelycoveredappendixtothepleading.4..4ReturnofDocuments.WorldComandMCIproposethatallcopiesofconfidentialdocumentsbereturned withintwoweeksafterconclusionofthisproceeding,ProposedProtectiveOrderatXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTWԀ13,withoutregardtoadditionalappealsorproceedings.WorldComandMCIalsorequestthatacertificationofcompliancebedelivered notmorethanthreeweeksafterconclusionofthisproceeding.ProposedProtectiveOrderatXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTWԀ13.Thisrestrictionwouldpreventpartiesfromusingthefullrecordonappealorinlaterproceedingsandisanunnecessarydeviationfrompastpractice.Instead,theCommissionshouldadopttimelimitscomparabletothoseestablishedinpastprotectiveorders:allcopiesofdocumentsbereturnedwithin120daysandthecertificationofcompliancebedeliveredwithin150daysoftheconclusionofthisproceeding,ortheconclusionofanyappealsandadditionalproceedings,whicheverislater.AT&T/McCawatXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW12;BellAtlantic/NYNEXProtectiveOrderatXXXW2 `*Times New RomanTTWXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW11.4..44..4 ..  .. <..<....D..D..Respectfullysubmitted,4..44..4 ..  .. <..<....D..D..________________________OfCounsel: ..  .. <..<....D..D..JohnThornèEdwardD.Young,III<..<....D..D..SarahB.Deutsch̀MichaelE.Glover .. <..<....D..D..RobertH.Griffen4..4 ..  .. <..<....D..D..BellAtlantic4..4 ..  .. <..<....D..D..1320NorthCourtHouseRd.4..4 ..  .. <..<....D..D..8thFloor4..4 ..  .. <..<....D..D..Arlington,VA22301S  $(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)SS  $(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)S#L!#0..0....9741600S  $(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)(1)S5+ 4 <DL!5DatedMay7,1998W\  `*Times New RomanTTW