MCI PETITIONS FCC

MCI has asked the Federal Communications Commission to adopt safeguards that prohibit local phone monopolies from using anticompetitive tactics against long distance companies for billing and collection of "nonsubscribed" services such as collect and third party billing. Local phone monopolies have notified MCI that they will discontinue support of nonsubscribed services by either ending existing contracts that cover billing and collection or drastically increasing prices so it is prohibitively expensive for consumers to take advantage of these services. In its filing, MCI asked the FCC to open a rulemaking that would establish safeguards preventing such practices.