NEWSReport No. CC 96-14       COMMON CARRIER ACTION           June 21, 1996

         COMMON CARRIER BUREAU ADOPTS CONSENT DECREE AGREEMENT 
            WITH MCI RESOLVING NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY 
                      FOR FORFEITURE FOR SLAMMING 


     The Common Carrier Bureau and MCI Telecommunications
Corporation (MCI) have entered into a Consent Decree Agreement,
which resolves a pending Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture
(NAL) issued against MCI for alleged violations of the Commission's
slamming rules.    

     Under the terms of the agreement, MCI will make a voluntary
contribution of $30,000 to the United States Treasury.  MCI will also
add additional consumer protections against unauthorized long
distance carrier conversions by using an independent third party to
verify residential and small business customer orders.  MCI's new
policy is a customer-focused enhancement to current FCC requirements
for carrier change confirmation.    

     "This agreement is a victory for consumers, for the FCC and for
MCI," said John B. Muleta, Chief, Enforcement Division, Common
Carrier Bureau.  "It represents a better way to protect customers from
errors and to ensure they are hooked up to the long distance carrier of
their choice."

     "The Bureau believes that expanded use of independent third
party verification will help resolve the continuing problem of the
unauthorized conversion of customers' telephone services," Mr. Muleta
added.

     The NAL, issued in January, involved consumer allegations that
MCI relied upon forged letters of agency as authority to substitute itself
as the consumers' primary interexchange carrier (PIC) or long distance
carrier.  The practice of changing a consumer's PIC without
authorization is commonly known as "slamming."


     Action by the Common Carrier Bureau May 24, 1996, by Order
(DA  96-1010).

 - FCC -

     News Media contact: Mindy Ginsburg at (202) 418-1500.
     Common Carrier Bureau contact:  Colleen Heitkamp at (202) 418-
0960.