Circuit Capacity Data for U.S.-International Submarine Cables

The Commission collects annual circuit capacity data for U.S.-international submarine cable systems pursuant to Section 43.82 of the Commission's rules. In 2017, the Commission streamlined the international reporting requirements and eliminated the traffic and revenue reports and the requirement to file terrestrial and satellite circuit data. The Commission retained the requirement to file submarine cable operator and capacity holder reports (Circuit Capacity Reports). The rule changes went into effect in April 2018 with Section 43.82 replacing the previous Section 43.62 requirements.

Who is Required to File?

Any licensee of a submarine cable between the United States and a foreign point, as well as any common carrier with capacity on a submarine cable between the United States and a foreign point, must file Circuit Capacity Report(s) if it had any activated or non-activated circuits as of December 31 of the preceding calendar year.

How should companies file data?

The Circuit Capacity Reports must be filed electronically using the Commission's Part 43 Online Filing System.

What are the requirements?

For instructions on how to file the reports, who must file, which reports to file, the required information, and the filing procedures, please refer to the February 2020 Section 43.82 Filing Manual.

  • Submarine Cable Operator Report - Submarine cable landing licensees are required to file capacity information for each cable system as of December 31st of the current reporting period (i.e., available capacity) and two years from the current reporting period (i.e., planned capacity).
  • Submarine Cable Capacity Holder Report - Submarine cable landing licensees and common carriers that owned or leased capacity on a submarine cable between the United States and any foreign point are required to file capacity information as of December 31st for the following categories:
    1. Owned Capacity;
    2. Net Indefeasible Rights-of-Use (IRUs);
    3. Net Inter-Carrier Leaseholds (ICLs);
    4. Net Capacity Held - The total of categories (1) through (3);
    5. Activated Capacity; and
    6. Non-activated Capacity

 

How can the public view or download the data?

The released datasets can be found in the chart below.

 

Circuit Capacity Data

Date

Version

Data Files

Release Date

12/31/16Version 12016 Data (XLS)06/19/18
Public Notice
12/31/16Version 22016 Data Update (XLS)11/27/18
Public Notice
12/31/17Version 12017 Data Update (XLS)2/15/19
Public Notice
12/31/18Version 12018 Data (XLS)9/5/19
Public Notice
12/31/18Version 22018 Data (XLS)12/20/19
Public Notice
12/31/19Version 12019 Data (XLS)10/09/20
Public Notice
1/6/22Version 12020 Data (XLS)1/6/22
Public Notice
12/23/22Version 12021 Data (XLS)12/23/22
Public Notice
11/16/23Version 12022 Data (XLS)11/16/23
Public Notice

Explanation of the Data

  • Table 1 – Section 43.82 Circuit Capacity Filers (2021) – Entities that filed a cable operator and/or capacity holder report.
  • Table 2 – Number of Reports Filed by Submarine Cable Operators (2021)
  • Table 3 – Submarine Cable Operator Reports (in Gbps) (2021/2022) – Information on available and planned capacity data for each U.S.-international submarine cable on an individual and regional basis.
  • Table 4 – Submarine Cable Operator Capacity Trend Data (in Gbps) – Detailed capacity trend data for each U.S.-international submarine cable.
  • Table 5 – Submarine Cable Capacity Holder Reports by Region (2021) – Information regarding capacity holder data (i.e., cable capacity leased or owned) on a regional basis.
  • Table 6 – Percentage of Total Available Capacity Reported (2021) – Information regarding the capacity reported in the cable operator reports and owned capacity in the capacity holder reports on a regional basis.
  • Attachment A – U.S.-International Submarine Cables – Landing Points by Region, Cable, and Foreign Landing Point as of December 31, 2021
  • Attachment B – U.S.-International Submarine Cables – Landing Points by Region, Foreign Landing Point, and Cable as of December 31, 2021
  • Attachment C – U.S.-International Submarine Cables – Landing Points by Number of Landing Points Per Country and Region and a Frequency Table Summarizing Foreign Landing Points Per Country as of December 31, 2021

Note: Individual cable data are withheld from public distribution for those filing entities that requested confidential treatment.

Public Notices

Related Sources

  • International Bureau Releases Revised Filing Manual for Section 43.82 Circuit Capacity Reports, Public Notice, DA 19-1314 (2019)
  • International Bureau Releases Revised Filing Manual for Section 43.82 Circuit Capacity Reports, Public Notice, DA 18-1306 (2018)
  • Section 43.62 Reporting Requirements for U.S. Providers of International Services; 2016 Biennial Review of Telecommunications Regulations, Report and Order, 32 FCC Rcd 8115 (2017)

Archived Links

Archive of Section 43.62 (Section 43.62 is replaced by Section 43.82)
Archive of International Circuit Capacity Reports (2014 to 2015)
Archive of Section 43.82 Circuit Status Reports (2000 to 2013)
Archive of International Traffic and Revenue Reports

Bureau/Office:
International Affairs