This is the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) annual report compiling data on telecommunications service between the United States and international points.  The data compiled in this report are for the year 2003.  The data are compiled from reports submitted to the FCC by U.S. carriers pursuant to Section 43.61 of the Commission's rules.  Section 43.61(a) directs carriers to file reports by July 31 which summarize international telecommunications service provided during the preceding calendar year.  Carriers submit corrections of the data by October 31.  The specific filing requirements are set forth in the Manual for Filing Section 43.61 Data (June 1995).  

Statistical Findings  

  • U.S. billed minutes increased 18.6% from 36.0 billion in 2002 to 42.7 billion in 2003. 
  • In 2003, fifty-seven U.S. facilities-based and facilities-resale carriers reported that they billed $8.4 billion for international telephone service, $620 million for private line services and $156 million for international other miscellaneous services, compared to $9.4 billion, $988 million, and $113 million, respectively, in 2002. 
  • An additional eighteen carriers requesting confidential treatment reported that they billed $550 million in the above categories in 2003.
  • Settlement payments and retained revenues.  U.S. and foreign carriers compensate each other for completed calls.  U.S. customers place more calls than do foreign customers, therefore, U.S. carriers make net payments to foreign carriers.  U.S. carriers net settlement payments and retained international revenues decreased. 
  • Pure resale providers resell the services of underlying U.S. facilities-based and facilities-resale carriers.  The number of reporting carriers grew from 710 in 2002 to 770 in 2003, including twenty-two pure resale providers requesting confidential treatment.  Pure resale minutes grewfrom 30.4 billion in 2002 to 34.5 billion in 2003.  Billed revenue increased from $5.1 billion in 2002 to $5.4 billion in 2003.

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