Media Contact: 
Thomas Sullivan, (202) 418-0437
Thomas.Sullivan@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
FCC RELEASES 2013 INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC DATA
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2015 – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released an 
annual report entitled 2013 International Telecommunications Data regarding international telephone, 
private line, and miscellaneous services between the United States and other countries.  
  
Highlights  
? The average per-minute rate for international calling charged by facilities-based U.S. common 
carriers rose 8% from $0.049 per minute in 2012 to $0.053 per minute in 2013.  From 2000 to 
2013, the per-minute rate decreased 89%, from $0.47 per minute to $0.053 per minute.     
? International “U.S.-billed” traffic - primarily traffic originating in the United States - decreased 
5.5%, from 77.9 billion minutes in 2012 to 73.6 billion minutes in 2013.
? Calls to five countries account for 64% of outgoing international U.S.-billed minutes.  The five 
most heavily used routes in 2013 were U.S.-Mexico (22.6%), U.S.-India (22.2%), U.S.-Canada 
(13.5%), U.S.-Colombia (3.0%), and U.S.-United Kingdom (2.7%).
? U.S.-billed revenues for international telephone, private line, and other miscellaneous services 
(e.g., frame relay/ATM, switched Ethernet, TDM/TDMA, and virtual private network) increased 
collectively 2.4%, from $4.2 billion in 2012 to $4.3 billion in 2013. 
U.S.-International Services Billed Revenues
(Shown in Thousands of Dollars)
2012 2013 Percent Change
Telephone     $3,795,936   $3,873,549          2.0%
Private Line     412,784     439,241          6.4%
Other Miscellaneous         9,723         5,077       -47.8%
Total Billed Revenues     $4,218,443   $4,317,867          2.4%
? U.S. carriers’ net settlement payments (amounts they pay to terminate traffic overseas, less settlement 
amounts received from foreign carriers) decreased 1.4%.  Retained international revenues (revenues 
after settlement payments are made) increased 6.7% from 2012 to 2013.
Total U.S.-Billed Revenues,
Net Settlement Payments, and
Retained Revenues
(Shown in Thousands of Dollars)
2012 2013 Percent Change
Total Billed Revenues $4,218,443     $4,317,867             2.4%
- Net Settlement   2,258,515       2,226,654   -1.4%
Retained Revenues $1,959,928     $2,091,213    6.7%
? Pure resale traffic, not included above, decreased 10%, from 90.4 billion minutes in 2012 to 81.4 
billion minutes in 2013.  Billed revenues for resale services decreased 9.6%, from $5.2 billion in 2012 
to $4.7 billion in 2013.  The total number of carriers reporting resale services increased 4.6%, from 
1,351 in 2012 to 1,413 in 2013.
? Interconnected VoIP services are not currently included in carriers’ FCC Part 43 data submissions for 
2013 and are not reflected in this report.  
The report is available [file name: CREPOR13.ZIP or CREPOR13.PDF] on the International Bureau’s 
home page at http://www.fcc.gov/international-bureau.  The report is also available for reference in the 
FCC Reference Information Center, Courtyard Level, 445 12
th
Street, SW, Washington, D.C.
###
International Bureau
Linda Blake, SAND Division: (202) 418-0945
TTY: (888) 835-5322
Email: linda.blake@fcc.gov
www.fcc.gov
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. Cir. 1974).