NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th 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).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                               NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
April 8, 2011                                                                             Thomas Sullivan (202) 418-0437
FCC RELEASES 2009 INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC DATA
Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released an 
annual report entitled 2009 International Telecommunications Data regarding international 
message telephone, private line and miscellaneous services between the United States and other 
countries.  
 
Statistical Findings  
· International “U.S.-billed” traffic – primarily traffic originating in the U.S. – decreased   
2.7%, from 74.9 billion minutes in 2008 to 72.9 billion minutes in 2009.  
· The per-minute charge to U.S. consumers for this traffic fell 7.5% from 2008 to 2009.  From 
2000 to 2009, the charge has decreased 83%, from $0.47 per-minute to $0.08 per-minute.
· Landline carriers indicate various reasons for the decrease in their U.S. billed minutes.  The 
economy and competition from Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers continue to be 
major influences.  
· U.S.-billed revenues for international telephone, private line and other miscellaneous services 
decreased collectively 10%, from $7.3 billion in 2008 to $6.6 billion in 2009.
International Services Billed Revenues
(Shown in Thousands of Dollars)
2008 2009 Percent Change
Telephone $6,458,745 $5,816,590 -9.9%
Private Line and Other
Miscellaneous 816,334 734,050  -10.1%
Total Billed Revenues $7,275,079 $6,550,640  -10.0%
· U.S. carriers’ net settlement payments (amounts they pay to terminate traffic overseas, less 
settlement amounts received from foreign carriers) decreased 23.5%.  Retained international 
revenues (revenues after settlement payments are made) increased 1.5% from 2008 to 2009.
Total Billed Revenues,
Net Settlement Payments, and
Retained Revenues
(Shown in Thousands of Dollars)
2008 2009 Percent Change
Total Billed Revenues $7,275,079 $6,550,640  -10.0%
Net Settlement (3,329,107) (2,545,137) -23.5%
Retained $3,945,972 $4,005,503 1.5%
· Pure resale traffic decreased 4.7%, from 86.7 billion minutes in 2008 to 82.6 billion minutes 
in 2009.  Billed revenues for resale services decreased 12.9%, from $8.5 billion in 2008 to 
$7.4 billion in 2009.  The total number of carriers reporting resale services increased 4.9%, 
from 1,175 in 2008 to 1,232 in 2009.
The report is available for reference in the FCC’s Reference Information Center at 445 12th Street, 
S.W., Courtyard Level, Washington, D.C. 20554.  Copies may be purchased by contacting the 
FCC’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 
CY-B402, Washington D.C. 20554, telephone 1-800-378-3160, facsimile 202-488-5563, or via e-
mail www.bcpiweb.com.  The report can also be downloaded [file name: CREPOR09.ZIP or 
CREPOR09.PDF] from www.fcc.gov/ib. 
-FCC-
International Bureau contact:  Linda Blake at (202) 418-0945; TTY (202) 418-0484.