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                            Before the
                Federal Communications Commission
                      Washington, D.C. 20554

                                )
In the Matter of                )
                                )
Application of WorldCom, Inc. and  )    CC Docket No. 97-211
MCI Communications Corporation for)
Transfer of Control of MCI Communications )
Corporation to WorldCom, Inc.   )


                 ORDER GRANTING EXTENSION OF TIME


     Adopted:  June 16, 1998                 Released:  June 16, 1998


By the Chief, Policy and Program Planning Division:
                                 
     1.   On June 3, 1998, WorldCom, Inc. (WorldCom) and MCI Communications
Corporation (MCI) submitted an ex parte filing describing an agreement that MCI had reached
with Cable & Wireless (C&W) for the sale of MCI's Internet backbone business.  On June 4,
1998, the Commission issued a public notice seeking comment from interested parties on this
transaction.  Comments were filed on June 11, 1998 and reply comments were scheduled to be
filed today, June 16, 1998.  On June 15, 1998, WorldCom and MCI filed a motion requesting that
the Commission extend the time to file replies.  Specifically, WorldCom and MCI seek a extension
of time "until a date no later than July 15, 1998" to file reply comments.  We grant this motion
for extension of time with the limitation that WorldCom and MCI must file a reply by July 15,
1998, or within two days from any final action taken with respect to the merger by the
Department of Justice and/or the European Commission, whichever occurs first.

     2.   We conclude that a motion for extension of time to file reply comments is justified
in light of the continuing discussions that WorldCom and MCI are having with the Department of
Justice and the European Commission concerning MCI's proposal to divest its Internet backbone
assets to C&W.  We agree with WorldCom and MCI that it would be an inefficient use of
Commission resources to review a reply comment that may fail to reflect the outcome of the
review of the proposed divestiture by the relevant antitrust authorities.  We also agree that no
interested party is prejudiced by this delay in the filing of a response.  In order to ensure that the
Commission has the most current information in its record, however, we direct WorldCom and
MCI to file reply comments either within two days after final action is taken with respect to the
merger by the Department of Justice and/or the European Commission or by July 15, 1998,
whichever occurs first.  Once WorldCom and MCI file reply comments, there will be an
opportunity for interested parties to respond to these comments as well as to comments that were
filed with the Commission on June 11, 1998.  
                    
     3.   Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to sections 4(i), 4(j), 214, 309, and
310 of the Communications Act, as amended, 47 U.S.C.  154(i), 154(j), 214, 309, and 310 ,
WorldCom and MCI's Joint Motion for Extension of Time filed June 15, 1998, IS GRANTED.

     
                              FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



                                Carol E. Mattey                       
                              
                                Chief, Policy and Program Planning Division
                                Common Carrier Bureau