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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12th  St.,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov 
 ftp.  fcc.  gov 
 DA  01-  455 
 February  20,  2001 


 Petition  for  Enforcement  of  International  Settlements  Benchmarks  Rates 
 IB  Docket  No.  96-  261 
 AT&  T  Corporation  (“  AT&  T”)  and  its  affiliates  Concert  Global  Networks  USA  L.  L.  C.  and 
 Concert  Global  Network  Services  Ltd.  (“  Concert”);  and  WorldCom,  Inc.  have  filed  a  joint  petition 
 requesting  that  the  Commission  enforce  its  benchmark  settlement  rate  of  15˘  per  minute  as  required  by  the 
 Commission’s  Benchmarks  Order  1  for  service  on  the  U.  S.-  Qatar  route. 


 As  the  Commission  has  stated  on  numerous  occasions,  above-  cost  accounting  rates  harm  U.  S. 
 consumers  and  may  result  in  market  distortions.  The  Commission  adopted  the  Benchmarks  Order  to 
 ensure  that  U.  S.  consumers  pay  reasonable  rates  for  international  communications  service  and  to  reduce  the 
 distortions  that  may  result  from  above-  cost  accounting  rates.  The  Order  establishes  a  set  of  benchmark 
 settlement  rates  and  requires  U.  S.  international  facilities-  based  carriers  to  negotiate  settlement  rates  that 
 comply  with  the  benchmark  rates  according  to  a  transition  schedule.  The  benchmark  settlement  rates  and 
 the  transition  schedule  for  the  rates  depend  primarily  upon  countries’  income  per  capita  levels.  For  carriers 
 in  countries  classified  as  upper  income  countries,  which  includes  Qatar,  the  Order  requires  that  a 
 settlement  rate  that  does  not  exceed  15˘  per  minute  will  be  used  to  conduct  revenue  settlements  on  service 
 provided  with  the  United  States  beginning  on  January  1,  1999. 


 In  their  joint  petition,  AT&  T  and  WorldCom  state  that  they  have  attempted  to  negotiate  settlement 
 rates  that  comply  with  the  Benchmarks  Order  with  the  carrier  that  provides  international  service  in  Qatar, 
 Qatar  Telecom  (“  Q-  tel”).  Despite  their  best  efforts,  they  have  been  unsuccessful  in  reaching  agreements 
 with  Q-  tel  that  comply  with  the  Commission’s  benchmark  settlement  rate  of  15˘  per  minute.  Therefore, 
 AT&  T  and  WorldCom  request  that  the  Commission  enforce  its  Benchmarks  Order  by  requiring  no  U.  S. 
 carrier  pay  a  settlement  rate  that  exceeds  15˘  for  service  with  Qatar  beginning  on  January  1,  1999. 


 Interested  parties  are  requested  to  file  comments  no  later  than  March  22,  2001,  and  reply 
 comments  no  later  than  April  6,  2001.  Any  filings  should  reference  the  file  number  of  this  proceeding.  An 
 original  and  four  copies  of  all  pleadings  must  be  filed  in  accordance  with  Section  1.  51(  c)  of  the 
 Commission’s  rules,  47  C.  F.  R.  §  1.  51(  c).  The  pleadings  should  be  file  with  Magalie  Roman  Salas, 
 Secretary,  FCC,  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.,  TW-  A235,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554.  In  addition,  one  copy  of  each 
 pleading  must  be  filed  with:  (1)  International  Transcription  Services,  Inc.,  1231  20  th  Street,  N.  W., 
 Washington,  D.  C.  20037;  (2)  the  FCC  Office  of  Public  Affairs  Reference  and  Information  Center,  located 
 in  room  CY-  A257  at  the  Portals  2  building,  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554;  and  (3)  each 


 1  Report  and  Order  on  Regulation  of  International  Settlement  Rates,  12  FCC  Rcd  19806  (1997)  aff’d.  sub 
 nom.,  Cable  and  Wireless  v.  FCC,  No.  97-  612  (D.  C.  Cir.,  January  12,  1999). 
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 of  the  petitioners. 
 Copies  of  the  petition  and  any  subsequently  filed  documents  in  this  matter  may  be  obtained  from 
 International  Transcription  Services,  Inc.  (ITS),  1231  20  th  Street,  N.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C.  The  telephone 
 number  of  ITS  is  (202)  857-  3800.  The  petition  and  any  subsequently  filed  documents  are  also  available 
 for  public  inspection  and  copying  during  normal  business  hours  at  the  FCC  Office  of  Public  Affairs 
 Reference  and  Information  Center,  located  in  room  CY-  A257  at  the  Portals  2  building,  445  12  th  Street, 
 S.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C.  20554.  The  center’s  telephone  number  is  (202)  418-  0270. 


 For  further  information,  please  contact  Ken  Stanley  or  Kathy  O’Brien,  Telecommunications 
 Division,  International  Bureau,  (202)  418-  1470. 
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