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:
March 28, 2012                                                                        Thomas Sullivan (202) 418-0437
 Thomas.Sullivan@fcc.gov
FCC RELEASES 2010 INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC DATA
Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released an 
annual report entitled 2010 International Telecommunications Data regarding international 
message telephone, private line and miscellaneous services between the United States and other 
countries.
 
Statistical Findings  
· The per-minute charge to U.S. consumers for this traffic fell 19% from $0.08 per minute 
in 2009 to $0.06 per minute in 2010.  From 2000 to 2010, the charge has decreased 87%, 
from $0.47 per minute to $0.06 per minute. 
· International “U.S.-billed” traffic – primarily traffic originating in the United States –
decreased 14.5%, from 72.9 billion minutes in 2009 to 62.4 billion minutes in 2010.  This 
is the first year there has been a decrease in U.S. – billed minutes of this magnitude. 
· Of the top ten countries with the most U.S.-billed minutes, India was the only country 
where traffic increased in 2010. U.S.–billed minutes to India increased 17% from 13.6 
billion in 2009 to 15.9 billion in 2010.
· Total U.S.-billed revenues for international telephone, private line and other 
miscellaneous services (e.g., frame relay/ATM, packet switching, switched Ethernet, 
TDM/TDMA, virtual private network, and virtual private line decreased collectively 
30%, from $6.6 billion in 2009 to $4.6 billion in 2010. 
U.S.-International Services Billed Revenues
(Shown in Thousands of Dollars)
2009 2010 Percent Change
Telephone $5,816,590 $4,039,237  -30.6%
Private Line 683,261 514,639  -24.7%
Other Miscellaneous 50,789 19,102  -62.4%
Total Billed Revenues $6,550,640 $4,572,978  -30.2%
· U.S. carriers’ net settlement payments (amounts they pay to terminate traffic overseas, less 
settlement amounts received from foreign carriers) decreased 18%  Retained international 
revenues (revenues after settlement payments are made) decreased 38% from 2009 to 2010.
Total U.S.-Billed Revenues,
Net Settlement Payments, and
Retained Revenues
(Shown in Thousands of Dollars)
2009 2010 Percent Change
Total Billed Revenues $6,550,640 $4,572,978  -30.2%
Net Settlement (2,545,137) (2,087,656) -18.0%
Retained Revenues $4,005,503 $2,485,322  -38.0%
· Pure resale traffic decreased 2.2%, from 82.6 billion minutes in 2009 to 80.8 billion minutes 
in 2010.  Billed revenues for resale services decreased 21.6%, from $7.4 billion in 2009 to 
$5.8 billion in 2010.  The total number of carriers reporting resale services decreased 1.7%, 
from 1,232 in 2009 to 1,211 in 2010.  
· We believe that competition from Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services was a 
contributing factor for the decrease in traditional telephone minutes.
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 at www.bcpiweb.com.  The report can also be downloaded [file name: CREPOR10.ZIP or 
CREPOR10.PDF] at www.fcc.gov/international-bureau. 
-FCC-
International Bureau contact:  Linda Blake at (202) 418-0945; TTY (202) 418-0484.