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



In the Matter of                  )
                                 )
Mark     Twain    Communications  )   File No. EB-02-MDIC-0003
Company v.                        )
AT&T Corp.                        )
                                 )   File No. EB-02-MDIC-0007
Farmers'   and   Business  Mens'  )
Telephone Co. v. AT&T Corp.       )
                                 )   File No. EB-02-MDIC-0006
Heart  of  Iowa  Communications,  )
Inc. v.                           )
AT&T Corp.                        )   File No. EB-02-MDIC-0005
                                 )
Independent   Networks   Co.  v.  )   File No. EB-02-MDIC-0826
AT&T Corp.                        )
                                 )   File No. EB-02-MDIC-0008
Forest  City  Telecom,  Inc.  v.  )
AT&T Corp.

Northern  Valley Communications, 
LLC v.
AT&T Corp.


                            ORDER

       Adopted:  September 9, 2002      Released:  September 
     10, 2002

By the Chief, Market Disputes Resolution Division, 
Enforcement Bureau:

In November and December, 2001 and January 2002, pursuant to 
section 1.716 of the Commission rules,1 Farmers' and 
Business Mens' Telephone Co., Forest City Telecom, Inc., 
Heart of Iowa Communications, Inc., Independent Networks 
Co., Mark Twain Communications Company, and Northern Valley 
Communications, LLC (collectively ``Informal Complaint 
Plaintiffs''), filed informal complaints against defendant 
AT&T Corp. (``AT&T'') in the above-captioned matters.  On 
March 11, 2002, AT&T filed a report pursuant to section 
1.717 of the Commission's rules2 denying the allegations in 
the Informal Complaint Plaintiffs' informal complaints.  
Pursuant to section 1.718 of the Commission's rules,3 the 
Informal Complaint Plaintiffs were required to convert their 
informal complaints into formal complaints within six months 
from the date of AT&T's report to ensure that the formal 
complaint related back to the November and December, 2001 
and January, 2002, filing dates of the informal complaints. 

Since the filing of the informal complaints, the Informal 
Complaint Plaintiffs and AT&T have engaged in negotiations 
to resolve the alleged disputed issues.4  As a result, the 
parties have reported that they have settled the complaints 
filed by Mark Twain Communications Company, Independent 
Networks Co., and Northern Valley Communications LLC.  In 
addition, the parties have represented to Commission staff 
that they believe that they have made progress in the 
remaining cases, and are hopeful of resolving these disputes 
with a further period of time to continue their settlement 
discussions.5  Accordingly, the Informal Complaint 
Plaintiffs request a waiver of section 1.718 of the 
Commission's rules and an additional extension of time until 
September 25, 2002, to convert their informal complaints 
against AT&T into formal complaints, if necessary.6  Counsel 
for AT&T has consented to the Informal Complaint Plaintiffs' 
request.7

We are satisfied that granting the Informal Complaint 
Plaintiffs' 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.

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 Complainants For Extension of Time In 
Which To Convert Informal Complaints To Formal Complaint and 
Toll Limitations Period IS GRANTED.

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 Farmers' and Business Mens' 
Telephone Co., Forest City Telecom, Inc., Heart of Iowa 
Communications, Inc., Independent Networks Co., Mark Twain 
Communications Company, and Northern Valley Communications, 
LLC must convert their informal complaints against AT&T 
Corp. into formal complaints pursuant to section 1.718 of 
our rules, 47 C.F.R. § 1.718, is extended to September 25, 
2002.

                         FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION




                         Alexander P. Starr
                         Chief,  Market Disputes  Resolution 
                    Division
                         Enforcement Bureau
_________________________

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 Complainants For Extension of Time In 
Which To  Convert Informal Complaints To  Formal Complaints 
and Toll  Limitations Period,  Farmers' and  Business Mens' 
Telephone Co. v. AT&T Corp.,  et al., File Nos. EB-02-MDIC-
003,  005-008,  and 0826  (filed  Aug.  22, 2002)  (Consent 
Motion).

5   Consent Motion at 1.

6   Consent Motion at 2.

7  Id.