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



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


                              ORDER

       Adopted:  November 15, 2002      Released:   November  18, 
     2002

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

     1.   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., and 
Heart of Iowa Communications, Inc. (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 complaints related back to the 
November and December 2001 and January 2002 filing dates of the 
informal complaints for purposes of the statute of limitations.  
The Commission previously granted Informal Complaint Plaintiffs' 
consent motions for additional time to convert the informal 
complaints, allowing the Informal Complaint Plaintiffs until 
November 20, 2002 to file formal complaints.4 

In light of the progress made in the parties' continuing efforts 
to settle these matters, on November 13, 2002, Informal Complaint 
Plaintiffs filed a sixth Consent Motion To Extend Time In Which 
To Convert Informal Complaints To Formal Complaints and Toll 
Limitations Period.5  The Informal Complaint Plaintiffs request 
another waiver of section 1.718 of the Commission's rules and an 
additional extension of time until December 4, 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 Sixth 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., and Heart of Iowa Communications, Inc. 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 December 4, 2002.

                         FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION




                         Radhika V. Karmarkar
                         Deputy 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  Farmers' and  Business Mens'  Telephone Co., et  al. v.  AT&T 
Corp. File Nos. EB-02-MDIC-003, 005-007, Order, DA 02-3013  (EB-
MDRD rel. Nov. 4, 2002);  Farmers' and Business Mens'  Telephone 
Co., et al.  v. AT&T  Corp. File  Nos. EB-02-MDIC-003,  005-007, 
Order, DA 02-2758  (EB-MDRD rel.  Oct. 22,  2002); Farmers'  and 
Business Mens' Telephone Co., et al. v. AT&T Corp. File Nos. EB-
02-MDIC-003, 005-007, Order,  DA 02-2552 (EB-MDRD  rel. Oct.  9, 
2002); Farmers' and Business Mens' Telephone Co., et al. v. AT&T 
Corp. File Nos. EB-02-MDIC-003, 005-007, Order, DA 02-2204  (EB-
MDRD rel. Sept. 25, 2002); Mark Twain Communications Company, et 
al. v. AT&T Corp. File  Nos. EB-02-MDIC-003, 005-007, Order,  DA 
02-2204 (EB-MDRD rel. Sept. 10, 2002).

5   Sixth 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, 006,  and 
007 (filed Nov. 13, 2002).

6   Id. at 2.

7  Id.