International Telecommunications Data Report (2009)

This is the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) annual report compiling data on telecommunications service between the United States and international points. The data compiled in this report are for the year 2009. The data are compiled from reports submitted to the FCC by U.S. carriers pursuant to Section 43.61 of the Commission's rules. Section 43.61(a) directs carriers to file reports by July 31 which summarize international telecommunications service provided during the preceding calendar year. Carriers submit corrections of the data by October 31. The specific filing requirements are set forth in the Manual for Filing Section 43.61 Data (June 1995).

Statistical Findings

U.S.-billed minutes decreased 2.7%, from 74.9 billion in 2008 to 72.9 billion in 2009.
In 2009, 72 U.S. facilities-based and “facilities-resale” carriers (essentially providers of facilities-based services, but where control of circuits is via lease rather than ownership interest) together reported that they billed $5.8 billion for international telephone service, and $734 million for international private line and other miscellaneous services, compared to $6.5 billion and $816 million, respectively, in 2008.
U.S. carriers’ net settlement payments – the amount paid to foreign carriers to compensate those carriers for completing calls less settlement amounts received from foreign carriers – decreased 23.5%, from $3.3 billion in 2008 to $2.5 billion in 2009.
Retained international revenues – revenues billed by U.S. carriers, less settlement amounts owed to foreign carriers for U.S.-billed traffic, plus settlement amounts due to U.S. carriers for foreign-billed traffic – increased 1.5%, from $3.9 billion in 2008 to $4.0 billion in 2009.
Pure resale providers resell the services of underlying U.S. facilities-based and facilities resale carriers. The number of reporting pure resale carriers grew 4.9% from 1,175 in 2008 to 1,232 in 2009. Pure resale minutes decreased from 86.7 billion in 2008 to 82.6 billion in 2009. Billed revenues decreased 12.9%, from $8.5 billion in 2008 to $7.4 billion in 2009.