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Administrative Law Judge's Ruling in MCI Case
BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Utility Consumers’ Action Network (UCAN),
Complainant,
vs.
MCI Communications Services, Inc., dba
WorldCom LLC (U 5378 C) and related entities
collectively “MCI,”
Defendant.
Case No. 06-10-023
(Filed October 13, 2006)
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE’S RULING DIRECTING
DEFENDANT TO PROVIDE CERTAIN INFORMATION IN ANSWER;
SETTING TELEPHONIC PREHEARING CONFERENCE (PHC);
AND CALLING FOR PHC STATEMENTS
On October 13, 2006, Utility Consumers’ Action Network (UCAN) filed
this complaint against MCI Communications Services, Inc. (MCI) for imposing
unauthorized charges against customers and failing to respond to complaints
about these charges. The Commission served MCI with instructions to answer
on November 2, 2006; thus, MCI’s answer is currently due on December 4, 2006.
If the parties are unable to settle this matter prior to MCI filing its answer,
this ruling directs MCI to set forth certain information in its answer. The ruling
also sets a telephonic PHC and directs the parties to file PHC statements prior to
the PHC.
MCI’s Answer
In addition to other information MCI wishes to include in its answer to the
complaint, MCI shall set forth the specifics of any investigation it has performed
on the unauthorized charges issue outlined in the complaint. Among other
things, MCI should state the date of its investigations, who conducted them, the
duration of the investigations, and the detailed findings thereof.
PHC
This ruling sets a telephonic PHC for Thursday, December 14, 2006,
commencing at 10:00 a.m. Parties shall call the following toll free number:
1-877-418-5002. The participant password is 487101. The PHC will be
transcribed. A PHC is called to determine the parties, positions of the parties,
issues, settlement possibilities, and other procedural matters.
The PHC statements shall address: (a) the possibilities of settlement and
whether Commission-assisted alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation,
would be useful in resolving this dispute; (b) the need for hearing (i.e., state
whether hearings are necessary and if so, list the material issues of disputed fact
which require an evidentiary hearing); (c) the issues to be considered; (d) the
proposed schedule for the proceeding in order for the Commission to resolve this
proceeding within 12 months of its initiation (see Pub. Util. Code § 1701.2(d));
and other procedural issues necessary for a prompt resolution of this
proceeding.11 Complainant has addressed some of these issues in the complaint, but may elaborate
on them if it wishes. MCI has not yet responded to the complaint, and therefore has not
addressed these issues.
IT IS RULED that:
1. MCI Communications Services, Inc. (MCI) shall include the information set
forth in this ruling in its answer.
2. The Commission has set a telephonic prehearing conference (PHC) in the
above-captioned matter for Thursday, December 14, 2006, commencing at 10:00
a.m. The toll-free participant call-in number is set forth in the text of this ruling.
3. Parties shall file PHC statements no later than Monday, December 11, 2006.
A temporary service list is attached to this ruling. The parties shall also serve the
counsel for MCI who files a response to this complaint (this has not yet been
filed, so this name cannot now be added to the temporary service list.) Please
also serve the undersigned with PHC statements by same day email service at
jar [at] cpuc [dot] ca [dot] gov.
4. Persons intending on entering an appearance at the telephonic PHC shall
also fill out and submit an electronic appearance form to the undersigned no
later than close of business Monday, December 11, 2006.2
2 To obtain an electronic appearance form, go to the Commission website, click on the
Daily Calendar where there is a link to the form in the left-hand corner.
5. Parties shall not wait for the PHC to commence discovery. If the parties
are unable to resolve discovery disputes, they may tender their discovery
disputes to the Commission pursuant to the procedure set forth in Resolution
Dated November 16, 2006, at San Francisco, California.
/s/ JACQUELINE A. REED
Jacqueline A. Reed
Administrative Law Judge
C.06-10-023 JAR/niz
INFORMATION REGARDING SERVICE
I have provided notification of filing to the electronic mail addresses on the
attached service list.
Upon confirmation of this document’s acceptance for filing, I will cause a
copy of the filed document to be served upon the service list to this proceeding
by U.S. mail. The service list I will use to serve the copy of the filed document is
current as of today’s date.
Dated November 16, 2006, at San Francisco, California.
/s/ ELVIRA NIZ
Elvira Niz
************ SERVICE LIST ***********
Last Update on 16-NOV-2006 by: LIL
C0610023 NOPOST
************ APPEARANCES ************
Louie Decarlo
Mpliance Manager
MCI METRO ACCESS TRANSMISSION SERVICES
201 SPEAR STREET, 9TH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO CA 94105
(415) 228-2133
louie.decarlo [at] mci [dot] com
For: MCI
Art Neill
UTILITY CONSUMERS' ACTION NETWORK
3100 5TH AVE. SUITE B
SAN DIEGO CA 92103
(619) 696-6966
mshames [at] ucan [dot] org
Michael Shames
UTILITY CONSUMERS' ACTION NETWORK
3100 FIFTH AVE., SUITE B
SAN DIEGO CA 92103
(619) 696-6966
mshames [at] ucan [dot] org
For: UCAN
********** STATE EMPLOYEE ***********
Jacqueline A. Reed
Administrative Law Judge Division
RM. 5017
505 VAN NESS AVE
San Francisco CA 94102 3298
(415) 703-2935
jar [at] cpuc [dot] ca [dot] gov
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| 61897.pdf | 1.2 MB |
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