*Pages 1--4 from Microsoft Word - 44665.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 DA 04- 3905 December 14, 2004 U. S.- ANGOLA ROUTE EXEMPTED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS POLICY IB Docket Nos. 02- 324, 96- 261 By the Chief, Policy Division, International Bureau: The U. S.- Angola route is hereby exempted from the International Settlements Policy (ISP) pursuant to the ISP Reform First Report and Order and sections 0.51 and 0.261 of the Commission’s rules. 1 On March 30, 2004, the Commission released the ISP Reform Order that revised its policy and rules to remove the International Settlements Policy from benchmark- compliant routes. In the Order, the Commission identified ninety- six routes that clearly qualified for exemption from the ISP pursuant to the new rules. 2 The Commission also identified seventy-seven routes, including Angola, that were believed to be benchmark- compliant, 3 but provided interested parties with the opportunity to comment on those routes. 4 On August 31, 2004, after reviewing the comments and the settlement agreements on file at the Commission, the International Bureau issued a Public Notice lifting the ISP on twenty- six additional routes for which there were current benchmark rates on file pursuant to section 64.1001 the Commission’s rules, and for which no party raised concerns. 5 1 See International Settlements Policy Reform: International Settlement Rates, IB Docket Nos. 02- 324 and 96- 21, First Report and Order, FCC 04- 53, (rel. March 30, 2004) (ISP Reform Order); 47 C. F. R. §§ 0.51, 0.261. 2 See ISP Reform Order at Appendix D. 3 See ISP Reform Order at Appendix E. 4 The ISP Reform Order became effective on May 28, 2004. On that date, the International Bureau issued a public notice setting the notice and comment dates for the list of routes believed to be benchmark- compliant. Several parties filed comments and replies. 5 See 47 C. F. R. § 64.1001. 1 2 On November 4, 2004, the International Bureau issued a public notice that exempted forty routes from the ISP after receiving certification that at least one U. S. carrier had negotiated benchmark- compliant rates. 6 On December 8, 2004, AT& T certified that it had negotiated current benchmark- compliant rates on the U. S.- Angola route. 7 Accordingly, we lift the ISP from the U. S.- Angola route. A complete list of routes that now are exempt from the ISP is set forth in Attachment A. Copies of this Notice, status reports, Order, and pleadings are available electronically on the Commission’s web site at www. fcc. gov. Petitions for reconsideration under section 1.106 or applications for review under section 1.115 of the Commission’s rules may be filed within thirty days of this public notice (see section 1.4( b)( 2)). 8 For additional information, please contact Kimberly Cook, Policy Division, International Bureau, (202) 418- 7532, Claudia Fox, Policy Division, International Bureau, (202) 418- 1460, or James Ball, Chief, Policy Division, International Bureau, (202) 418- 1460. – FCC – 6 See Additional U. S- International Routes Exempted from the International Settlements Policy, Public Notice, DA 04- 3518 (rel. November 4, 2004). 7 See Letter from James J. R. Talbot, Senior Attorney, AT& T, to Marlene Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, IB Docket Nos. 02- 324, 96- 261 (filed December 8, 2004). 8 See 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.106, 1.115, 1.4( b)( 2). 2 3 Attachment A Complete List Of Routes Currently Exempt From the ISP No. Country No. Country 1 Albania 82 Jordan 2 Algeria 83 Kazakhstan 3 Angola 84 Korea, South 4 Anguilla 85 Kuwait 5 Armenia 86 Latvia 6 Antigua and Barbuda 87 Lebanon 7 Argentina 88 Liberia 8 Aruba 89 Libya 9 Australia 90 Liechtenstein 10 Austria 91 Lithuania 11 Azerbaijan 92 Luxembourg 12 Bahamas 93 Macau 13 Bahrain 94 Macedonia FDR (included in Serbia) 14 Bangladesh 95 Malawi 15 Barbados 96 Malaysia 16 Belarus 97 Mali 17 Belgium 98 Malta 18 Belize 99 Mauritius 19 Benin 100 Mayotte 20 Bermuda 101 Mexico 21 Bolivia 102 Moldova 22 Bosnia and Herzegovina 103 Monaco (included in France) 23 Botswana 104 Mongolia 24 Brazil 105 Montserrat 25 Brunei 106 Morocco 26 Bulgaria 107 Mozambique 27 Burkina 108 Namibia 28 Cameroon 109 Nepal 29 Canada 110 Netherlands 30 Cape Verde 111 Netherlands Antilles 31 Cayman Islands 112 New Caledonia 32 Chile 113 New Zealand 33 China 114 Nicaragua 34 Colombia 115 Nigeria 35 Congo 116 Norway 36 Costa Rica 117 Oman 37 Cote d’Ivoire 118 Pakistan 38 Croatia 119 Panama 39 Cyprus 120 Paraguay 40 Czech Republic 121 Peru 41 Denmark 122 Poland 42 Dominica 123 Portugal 43 Dominican Republic 124 Qatar 44 Ecuador 125 Reunion 45 Egypt 126 Romania 46 El Salvador 127 Russia 47 Equatorial Guinea 128 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3 4 Complete List Of Routes Currently Exempt From the ISP No. Country No. Country 48 Eritrea (included in Ethiopia) 129 Saint Lucia 49 Estonia 130 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 50 Ethiopia 131 Saudi Arabia 51 Faroe Islands (included in Denmark) 132 Senegal 52 Fiji 133 Serbia 53 Finland 134 Singapore 54 France 135 Slovakia 55 French Guiana 136 Slovenia 56 French Overseas Dept. (Martinique) 137 South Africa 57 French Polynesia 138 Spain 58 Gabon 139 Sri Lanka 59 Gambia, The 140 Sudan 60 Georgia 141 Suriname 61 Germany 142 Swaziland 62 Ghana 143 Sweden 63 Greece 144 Switzerland 64 Grenada 145 Taiwan 65 Guadeloupe 146 Tanzania 66 Guatemala 147 Thailand 67 Guinea 148 Tonga 68 Guyana 149 Trinidad and Tobago 69 Haiti 150 Tunisia 70 Honduras 151 Turkey 71 Hong Kong 152 Turks and Caicos Islands 72 Hungary 153 Uganda 73 Iceland 154 Ukraine 74 India 155 United Arab Emirates 75 Indonesia 156 United Kingdom 76 Iran 157 Uruguay 77 Ireland 158 Uzbekistan 78 Israel 159 Venezuela 79 Italy 160 Virgin Islands, British 80 Jamaica 161 Yemen 81 Japan 162 Zambia 163 Zimbabwe 4