WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission created a new “accelerated docket” for complaint resolutions between telephone companies. Complaints that are accepted for the docket will be resolved within 60 days.
The FCC believes the new procedures should benefit consumers and the industry alike by safeguarding fair competition in the telecommunications market.
Either side in a dispute can ask to be placed on the accelerated docket. Consideration will be based on the impact of the dispute on competition, whether the dispute can reasonably be resolved within the shortened time frame, and whether an accelerated proceeding would place an unreasonable burden on one of parties because of a substantial resource disparity.
The accelerated-docket process offers parties “more extensive discovery than is currently available in formal complaint proceedings,” said an FCC news release. The process also allows for a mini-trial with testimony from witnesses and an appeals en banc hearing by the full commission.
