[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 137 (Friday, July 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38649-38651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19085]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 98-1369]


International Traffic Data Reporting Requirements

    All common carriers that provided international telecommunications 
services in 1997 must file a report of their international traffic data 
for calendar year 1997 by July 31, 1998. The detailed filing 
requirements are contained in the ``Manual for Filing Section 43.61 
Data'' (Manual). This Public Notice provides first a brief overview of 
the Section 43.61 annual filing requirement. Second, it establishes 
additional billing codes that ``facilities-based'' and ``facilities-
resale'' (described below) carriers should use to report U.S. and 
foreign billed traffic that was settled under an ``alternative 
settlement arrangement'' for which the carrier received Commission 
approval under Sec. 64.1002 of the rules, 47 CFR 64.1002. It also makes 
a conforming change to the billing code for ``pure resale'' services. 
Third, this notice provides guidance to carriers with respect to 
reporting: (1) Switched traffic routed over international private 
lines; (2) ``country direct'' and ``country beyond'' services; and (3) 
``reorigination'' services (foreign-billed services which a U.S.-
authorized carrier ``reoriginated'' through the United States). 
Attached to this Public Notice is a revised table of billing codes for 
facilities-based and facilities-resale services. This table sets forth 
the new billing codes for facilities-based and facilities-resale 
services in a form that is intended to clarify the reporting of data 
for these services. Carriers that anticipate problems in filing their 
1997 data in accordance with the guidelines and billing codes contained 
in this notice should obtain a waiver prior to July 31.

Overview

    All common carriers that billed for international service in 1997, 
including pre-paid calling card and international call-back service 
providers, must file Sec. 43.61 international traffic data by July 31, 
1998. Some carriers do not resell international services, but do 
include on their bills to customers international service charges 
clearly identified as the charges of other carriers. Such carriers are 
not required to file Sec. 43.61 international traffic data.
    The Sec. 43.61 filing requirements depend on both the type of 
service provided and how carriers provide the service. The simplest 
filing requirements are for ``pure resale'' services. Carriers provide 
``pure resale'' services by reselling the international switched 
services of other U.S.-authorized carriers. The Manual contains 
simplified filing requirements for such ``pure resale'' services. For 
example, carriers report their pure resale services on a world total 
(rather than a country specific) basis, and they may file their data on 
paper only (rather than also filing on diskette).
    Carriers that provided international services over international 
circuits that they own or lease must provide significantly more 
information for these services than they provide for ``pure resale'' 
services. Carriers file annual data on a country-by-country basis for 
their facilities-based and facilities-resale services and must include 
information on international settlement payments and receipts. The 
Manual defines ``facilities-based'' service as a service provided using 
channels of communication which the carrier owns; or in which the 
carrier has an ownership interest, such as an indefeasible right of use 
(IRU); or which the carrier leases from an entity that is not required 
to report those circuits in its own Sec. 43.61 reports. The Manual 
defines ``facilities-resale'' service as a service provided over non-
switched international circuits leased from other reporting 
international carriers. In other contexts, the Commission refers to 
this method of providing international service as ``private line 
resale.'' The routing of switched traffic over private lines between 
the United States and a foreign country has also been referred to as 
``International Simple Resale (ISR).'' The rules governing the 
provision of ISR are set forth in Sec. 63.21(a), 47 CFR 63.21(a), as 
amended in Rules and Policies on Foreign Participation in the U.S. 
Telecommunications Market, Market Entry and Regulation of Foreign-
Affiliated Entities, IB Docket Nos. 97-142, 95-22, Report and Order and 
Order on Reconsideration, 12 FCC Rcd 23891 (1997) (62 FR 64741, 
December 9, 1997), recon. pending.

[[Page 38650]]

Reporting of Traffic Settled Under an Alternative Settlement 
Arrangement

    The Commission requires that U.S.-authorized carriers include in 
their annual Sec. 43.61 traffic reports their U.S. and foreign billed 
traffic that was settled under an ``alternative'' or ``flexible'' 
settlement arrangement for which the carrier received Commission 
approval under Sec. 64.1002 of the rules, 47 CFR 64.1002. See 
Regulation of International Accounting Rates, CC Docket No. 90-337, 
Phase II, Fourth Report and Order, 11 FCC Rcd 20063 (1996) (62 FR 5535, 
February 6, 1997), recon. pending, at para. 61. The attached table of 
billing codes includes a column headed ``Alternative Settlement 
Arrangements'' that sets forth new billing codes, 21 and 22 (public) 
and 24, 25, and 26 (proprietary), for use by carriers in reporting this 
traffic.

Billing Code for Reporting of Pure Resale

    As explained above, the Manual permits pure resale carriers to file 
their data on paper only, rather than also filing on diskette. The 
Manual specifies billing code 21, however, for those carriers that 
choose to report their pure resale traffic on diskette. Pure resale 
carriers filing their 1997 data on diskette should use billing code 31, 
rather than billing code 21. The attached table of billing codes for 
1997 specifies billing code 21 for the reporting of traffic that is 
settled under an alternative settlement arrangement.

Reporting of Switched Traffic Routed Over Private Lines

    Carriers that provided international switched or private line 
services over resold private lines report such traffic using the 
billing codes specified in the Manual for ``facilities-resale'' service 
(i.e., billing codes 11 and 12 (public) and 14 (proprietary)). 
Additionally, the Commission has clarified that carriers that provide 
international switched services over their facilities-based private 
lines must report such traffic using the billing codes specified in the 
Manual for facilities-resale service. See International Settlement 
Rates, IB Docket No. 96-261, Report and Order, 12 FCC Rcd 19806 (1997) 
(62 FR 45758, August 29, 1997), recon. pending, appeal filed, Cable & 
Wireless et al. v. FCC, No. 97-1612 (D.C. Cir. filed Sept. 26, 1997), 
at para. 252 (clarifying that carriers routing non-settled switched 
traffic over their private line facilities should report that traffic 
as switched facilities-resale service). The attached table of billing 
codes for facilities-based and facilities-resale services includes 
billing codes 11 and 12 (public) and 14 (proprietary) under a column 
that is headed ``International Simple Resale and Hubbed Traffic.'' This 
heading is intended to highlight that these billing codes should be 
used by carriers to report switched traffic that they routed over 
facilities-based or resold private lines on an unsettled basis between 
the United States and the country at the foreign end of the private 
line or between the United States and a point beyond that country via 
``switched hubbing.'' See 47 CFR 63.17 (switched hubbing rule). Like 
carriers using traditional settlement arrangements, carriers routing 
switched traffic over private lines are required to report their U.S. 
and foreign billed traffic by country of termination or origination. 
See Market Entry and Regulation of Foreign-Affiliated Entities, IB 
Docket No. 95-22, Report and Order, 11 FCC Rcd 3873 (1995) (60 FR 
67332, December 29, 1995) (subsequent history omitted) at para. 170.

Country Direct and Country Beyond Services

    Some international calls are initiated in foreign points by 
customers using ``country direct'' and ``country beyond'' services of a 
U.S. carrier. These calls may terminate in the United States or in 
other foreign points. Where such calls terminate in the United States 
(i.e., a ``country direct'' service), the reporting carrier should 
report the message counts and minutes, the billed revenue, and the 
settlement payments for the country in which the calls originate. Where 
these calls terminate in other international points (i.e., a ``country 
beyond'' service), the carrier should report separately the originating 
and terminating legs of the calls. Thus, approximately two minutes will 
be reported for each conversation minute for ``country beyond'' service 
that both originates and terminates in foreign points. Carriers should 
report the billed revenue for country beyond service for the country in 
which the calls originate. Settlements for these calls, however, should 
be reported separately for each leg of these calls. Where traffic is 
exchanged on the originating and terminating legs using different 
settlement or facilities arrangements, the traffic on each leg should 
be reported using the appropriate billing code.

Reorigination Services

    U.S.-authorized carriers that ``reoriginate'' traffic for foreign 
carriers may request a waiver of the Manual requirement to report 
reorigination traffic using the billing codes set forth in the attached 
table of billing codes (rather than using billing code 3 for transit 
traffic). Pursuant to this waiver, the carrier would include the 
terminating leg of its reorigination traffic in billing codes 1, 11, 
and 21 (public). The U.S. carrier typically will owe and report 
settlements only on the terminating leg of reorigination traffic. Total 
receipts from the foreign carrier for these calls would be reported for 
the terminating leg of the call. In the proprietary version of the 
data, the carrier would separate out its reorigination traffic from 
other traffic reported under billing codes 1, 11, and 21. Both the 
originating and terminating legs of reoriginated calls would be 
reported in the proprietary version of the data. For the originating 
legs, the carrier would report messages and minutes only. These files 
would be reported using separate proprietary billing codes for the 
terminating leg (billing codes 5, 15, and 25) and originating leg (6, 
16, and 26) of the calls.
    The Manual for Filing Section 43.61 Data is available in the 
reference room maintained by the Common Carrier Bureau at 2000 M 
Street, N.W., Room 575. Copies of the Manual can be purchased by 
calling International Transcription Service, Inc. (ITS) at (202) 857-
3800. The Manual can be downloaded [file name MANUAL95.ZIP] from the 
FCC-State Link internet site (http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/stats) on the 
World Wide Web.
    For additional information, contact Linda Blake or Jim Lande of the 
Common Carrier Bureau's Industry Analysis Division, (202) 418-0940, or 
Susan O'Connell of the International Bureau's Telecommunications 
Division, (202) 418-1470.

Federal Communications Commission.
George Li,
Deputy Chief (Operations), Telecommunications Division, International 
Bureau.

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[FR Doc. 98-19085 Filed 7-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-C