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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 January  30,  2001  John  Winston  (202)  418-  7450 
 Email:  jwinston@  fcc.  gov 


 FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS  COMMISSION  ANNOUNCES  PLAN  TO  INCREASE  COMPLIANCE  WITH  LICENSING  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  U.  S.  INTERNATIONAL 
 CARRIERS  AND  OPERATORS 


 Washington,  D.  C.--  The  International  and  Enforcement  Bureaus  of  the  Federal 
 Communications  Commission  today  issued  a  Public  Notice  announcing  their  efforts  to  ensure 
 that  U.  S.  international  carriers  and  operators  are  in  compliance  with  the  international  licensing 
 requirements  of  the  Communications  Act  of  1934  and  the  Submarine  Cable  Landing  License 
 Act. 


 In  the  Public  Notice,  the  bureaus  are  taking  action  to  protect  consumers  by  making  sure 
 that  the  Commission  has  the  information  necessary  to  enforce  the  rules  governing  carriers  and 
 operators  that  provide  U.  S.  international  service. 


 The  International  Bureau  receives  a  number  of  applications  filed  by  international  carriers 
 and  operators  after  they  have  commenced  providing  U.  S.  international  service.  The 
 circumstances  of  these  requests  suggest  that  there  may  be  some  carriers  and  operators  providing 
 unauthorized  international  service  or  operating  unauthorized  telecommunications  facilities. 


 In  order  to  make  sure  that  its  records  are  current  and  accurate,  the  International  Bureau 
 announced  the  commencement  of  a  90-  day  period  during  which  carriers  and  operators  are 
 encouraged  to  apply  for  necessary  authorizations.  The  International  Bureau  does  not  expect  to 
 initiate  enforcement  action  against  these  carriers  and  operators  during  this  90-  day  period.  At  the 
 end  of  the  90-  day  period,  the  International  Bureau  will  refer  cases  of  noncompliance  to  the 
 Enforcement  Bureau  for  appropriate  enforcement  action. 


 -FCC-DA 


 #  01-  188 
 International  Bureau  Contacts:  Rebecca  Arbogast,  Chief,  Telecommunications  Division,  and 
 Belinda  Nixon,  (202)  418-  1460. 
 Enforcement  Bureau  Contact:  Gary  Schonman  (202)  418-  1420. 
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