*Pages 1--1 from Microsoft Word - 7947.doc* NEWS News media Information 202 / 418- 0500 TTY 202 / 418- 25 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 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: April 3, 2001 Mike Balmoris at (202) 418- 0253 Email: mbalmori@ fcc. gov FCC RELEASES INTERNATIONAL TRENDS REPORT Washington, D. C. -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released a report prepared by the Common Carrier Bureau’s Industry Analysis Division entitled Trends in the International Telecommunications Industry. The report consists of 29 statistical tables tracing trends in the U. S. international telecommunications industry. These tables contain information relating to international traffic, circuits, pricing, and accounting rates. Statistical Findings ƒ The average revenue billed for a minute of international telephone service declined from $1. 34 in 1980 to $0. 53 in 1999. The number of U. S. billed minutes increased from 1.6 billion to 28. 4 billion during the same period. U. S. billed minutes increased by 17% in 1999 compared to the year before. ƒ In 1975, international telephone service represented less than 5% of the revenues U. S. carriers received from providing long distance services. It grew to 19% of overall toll revenues over the next 20 years and then dropped to 18% in 1998 and 17% in 1999. The relative amount of international toll revenue declined because of significant price reductions for international calling. ƒ Private line service revenues, although only a small percentage of total international service revenues, have grown rapidly in recent years, from about $0. 5 billion in 1995 to $1. 2 billion in 1999. ƒ The decrease in settlement rates has more than offset the increase in U. S. billed minutes. The result was that net settlement payments from U. S. carriers to foreign carriers declined from $5. 7 billion in 1996 to $4. 6 billion in 1999. ƒ Declines in prices and increases in traffic are linked to dramatic increases in cable capacity and decreasing costs per circuit. Cable investment costs represent less than one- cent per-conversation minute on new systems and new per- circuit cable costs continue to fall. The report is available for reference in the FCC's Reference Information Center, Courtyard Level, 445 12th Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20554. Copies may be purchased by calling International Transcription Services, Inc. (ITS) at (202) 857- 3800. The report, including the spreadsheets containing the report's statistical tables and the figures, can be downloaded [file names: ITRND00.ZIP or ITRND00.PDF] from the FCC- State Link Internet site at http:// www. fcc. gov/ ccb/ stats. -FCC-Common Carrier Bureau contacts: Linda Blake or Jim Lande at (202) 418- 0940; TTY (202) 418- 0484. 1