<P> Despite a 1967 recommendation that MCI's application be approved, final authorization for MCI to begin operations was delayed until after H. Rex Lee became an FCC Commissioner in October 1968 . Following Lee's joining of the commission, MCI began a series of submissions including a proposal for a low - cost educational television network designed to show MCI as being more flexible to public needs than AT&T . While MCI was performing this lobbying, the President's Task Force on Communication Policy issued a report recommending that specialized common carriers be allowed free access into the private line business . </P> <P> The FCC issued a final ruling on Docket 16509, MCI's licensing request, on 14 August 1969 . By a decision of 4--3 MCI was licensed for operation . This ruling was quickly appealed by AT&T, and after a denial of the appeal by the commission, AT&T filed a suit with the U.S. Court of Appeals to have the ruling overturned . </P> <P> Following the FCC approval for MCI to begin building microwave relay stations between Chicago and St. Louis, Microwave Communications of America began to form subsidiary corporations and file applications with the FCC to create microwave relays between other city pairs . Between September 1969 and February 1971, fifteen new regional carriers were created, allowing for interconnection between a number of major cities in the United States . In July 1969, MICOM also purchased an equity position in Interdata, an independent regional carrier that was applying to build a microwave relay chain between New York City and Washington, D.C. MCI began selling data transmission services to paying customers on January 1, 1972 . </P> <P> To pay for the microwave transmission and relay equipment needed for build - out, MICOM began a series of private stock offerings in May 1971 . In July 1971, MICOM was restructured into MCI Communications, and the restructured company began the process of absorbing the regional carriers into a single corporation . MCI went public on June 22, 1972, selling an initial offering of 3.3 million shares . </P>

Mci and at&t are examples of which of the following