03-17245. The International Bureau Revises and Reissues the Commission's List of Foreign Telecommunications Carriers That Are Presumed To Possess Market Power in Foreign Telecommunications Markets

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In this document, the Commission revises and reissues its list of foreign telecommunications carriers that are presumed to possess market power in foreign telecommunications markets. Several Commission rules incorporate this list by reference. Recently the Commission updated these rules. In addition, carriers' names have changed as a result of a divestiture of national incumbent operators into regional operators. Thus, it was necessary for the Commission to revise and reissue the public notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peggy Reitzel, Policy Division, International Bureau, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a summary of the Commission's Public Notice released June 5, 2003. By this Public Notice, the International Bureau revises and reissues the Commission's “List of Foreign Telecommunications Carriers that Are Presumed to Possess Market Power in Foreign Telecommunications Markets.” The revised list of carriers reflects any corrections to carrier names that were incorrect or new names now used by the carriers since this public notice was initially released in 1999. This corrected list is identical to the list previously released, except for name changes that occurred as a result of a divestiture of national incumbent operators into regional operators. While the Commission's staff attempts to maintain current information as to the names of carriers on this list, we encourage interested parties to advise the Commission of future name changes that may occur as a result of divestiture of national incumbent operators into regional operators or for other reasons. This Public Notice also summarizes the relevant rule sections that incorporate this list by reference, including, most recently, Commission rules that govern the licensing of submarine cable systems. See Review of Commission Consideration of Applications under the Cable Landing License Act, IB Docket No. 00-106, 16 FCC Rcd 22167 (2001) (Submarine Cable Landing License Order), 67 FR 1615 (January 14, 2002).)

The revised list set forth below shall apply for purposes of implementing § 1.767(g)(5) of the rules adopted in 2001. This list shall also continue to apply for purposes of implementing the following Commission rules: § 43.51(b) (involving reporting contracts and concessions), § 63.14 (involving the prohibition on agreeing to accept special concessions), § 63.22(e) (involving the provision of switched basic services over authorized facilities-based private lines), and § 63.23(d) (involving the provision of switched basic services over authorized resold private lines).

Among the rule changes the Commission adopted in the Submarine Cable Landing License Order is a “no special concessions” rule tailored to submarine cables and applicable to all cable landing licensees authorized after the effective date of the rules. (See Submarine Cable Landing License Order, Appendix B (Final Rules), § 1.767(g)(5). For cable landing licenses granted prior to March 15, 2002, all licensees on a cable may jointly file an application with the Commission seeking a modification of the license to substitute the new “no special concessions” safeguard for the broader prohibition against exclusive arrangements traditionally imposed on cable landing licensees. (See Submarine Cable Landing License Order, 16 FCC Rcd at 22184, para. 33.)

New rule 1.767(g)(5) prohibits these licensees from accepting directly or indirectly from a foreign carrier with market power in one or more of the cable's destination markets a “special concession” as specified in the rule. Under new § 1.767(g)(5), a foreign carrier is defined as in § 63.09(d) of the Commission's rules, except that the term also is defined to include any entity that owns or controls a cable landing station in a foreign market. (See Submarine Cable Landing License Order, 16 FCC Rcd at 22221, Appendix B (Final Rules), Note to § 1.767 (the terms “affiliated” and “foreign carrier,” as used in this section, are defined as in § 63.09 except that the term “foreign carrier” also shall include any entity that owns or controls a cable landing station in a foreign market).)

For purposes of determining which foreign carriers are the subject of the requirements of § 1.767(g)(5), the new rule provides that licensees may rely on the Commission's “List of Foreign Telecommunications Carriers that Are Presumed to Possess Market Power in Foreign Telecommunications Markets.” (See Submarine Cable Landing License Order, 16 FCC Rcd at 22215, Appendix B (Final Rules), Note to § 1.767(g)(5).)

The Commission first adopted its list of foreign carriers that are presumed to possess market power in the ISP Reform Order. (See 1998 Biennial Regulatory Review—Reform of the International Settlements Policy and Associated Filing Requirements, IB Docket No. 98-148 and CC Docket No. 90-337, Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, 14 FCC Rcd 7963 (1999) (ISP Reform Order), 64 FR 34734 (September 28, 1999).) In that proceeding, the Commission modified its rules to remove its requirement that agreements between U.S. telecommunications carriers and foreign carriers that lack market power in the foreign telecommunications market conform to the Commission's international settlements policy (ISP). The Commission's rules include a presumption that a foreign carrier does not possess market power on the foreign end of a U.S. international route if it possesses less than 50 percent market share in each of three relevant foreign product markets: international transport facilities, including cable landing station access and backhaul facilities; intercity facilities and services; and local access facilities and services on the foreign end.

The Commission stated that it would issue a list of carriers that do not qualify for this presumption. U.S. international carriers would be precluded from exchanging traffic outside of the ISP with carriers on the list unless otherwise allowed. (See List of Foreign Telecommunications Carriers that Are Presumed to Possess Market Power in Foreign Telecommunications Markets, Public Notice, 14 FCC Rcd 7038 (1999), 64 FR 34799 (June 29, 1999), Public Notice issuing initial list of foreign carriers presumed to possess market power.) U.S.-authorized carriers would also be precluded from agreeing to accept special concessions (as defined in § 63.14 of the Commission's rules) from carriers on the list unless otherwise allowed under the Commission's rules. The Commission found that this approach best advances the policy of allowing U.S. carriers to enter into arrangements with foreign carriers that lack market power with a minimum of regulatory oversight, while maintaining the ISP for certain arrangements with foreign carriers that possess market power in the foreign market.

The following list specifies particular foreign carriers that do not qualify for the presumption that a foreign carrier does not possess market power on the foreign end of a U.S. international route if it possesses less than 50 percent market share in each of three relevant foreign product markets: international transport facilities, including cable landing station access and backhaul facilities; intercity facilities and services; and local access facilities and services on the foreign end. The list is based on publicly available information, compiled from official sources, including the International Telecommunication Union. The list of “Dominant Operators” does not specifically identify all incumbent local exchange carriers that may operate in the destination markets listed below. However, all incumbent local exchange carriers that may operate in the markets are incorporated by reference on the list. (See infra “Additional carriers included on this list.”)

Interested parties may challenge the inclusion or exclusion of any carrier on the list by submitting a petition for declaratory ruling and the appropriate supporting documentation to demonstrate that a carrier included on the list lacks market power or that a carrier not included does not lack market power. This list applies only for purposes of determining those foreign carriers that are subject to our ISP, our rules on providing switched services over private lines, and the No Special Concessions rules for U.S. international common carriers and cable landing licensees. It does not apply for purposes of market power determination under § 63.10 (Regulatory classification of international carriers) or § 63.18 (Contents of applications for international common carriers). The list below will be posted on the International Bureau's World Wide Web site. (http://www.fcc.gov/​ib).

Destination market	Dominant operators
Afghanistan	Ministry of Communications.
Albania	Albania Telecom.
Algeria	Ministere des Postes et Telecommunications (MPT).
Angola	Angola Telecom.
Antigua and Barbuda	Cable & Wireless.
Argentina	Telcom Argentina S.A., Telefonica de Argentina S.A.
Armenia	Armentel.
Australia	Telstra Corporation.
Austria	Post and Telekom Austria AG (PTA).
Azerbaijan	Ministry of Communication.
Bahamas	Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation (Batelco).
Bahrain	Bahrain Telecommunications Company (BATELCO).
Bangladesh	Bangladesh Telegraph & Telephone Board.
Barbados	Barbados External Telecommunications Ltd. (BET).
Belarus	Belarus Telecom.
Belgium	Belgacom.
Belize	Belize Telecommunications Ltd.
Benin	Office des postes et telecommunications (OPT).
Bermuda	Cable & Wireless Bermuda.
Bhutan	Bhutan Telecom.
Bolivia	Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones S.A.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Telecom SRPSKE Telekom Republike Srpske.
Botswana	Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC).
Brazil	Embratel.
Brunei	Jabatan Telecom Brunei Darussalam (JTB).
Bulgaria	Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC).
Burkina Faso	Office National des Telecommunications (ONATEL).
Burma	Myanmar Posts & Telecommunications.
Burundi	Office National des Telecommunications (ONATEL).
Cambodia	Directorate of Posts and Telecommunications (DPTK).
Cameroon	Societe des Telecommunications Internationales du Cameroun (INTELCAM).
Canada	Aliant Inc., Bell Canada, Manitoba Telecom Services, SaskTel, Telus Communications.
Cape Verde	Cabo Verde Telecom Sarl.
Central African Rep.	Societe Centrafricaine des Telecommunications (SOCATEL).
Chad	Societe des Telecommunications Internationales du Tchad (TIT).
Chile	CTC.
China	China Telecom, China Netcom.
Colombia	Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones.
Comoros	Societe Nationale des Postes et Telecommunications (SNPT).
Congo	Office National des Postes et des Telecommunications (ONPT).
Costa Rica	Instituto Costariccense de Electricidad (ICE).
Côte d'Ivoire	Societe Côte d'Ivoire-TELECOM (CI-TELECOM).
Croatia	Croatia Telecom (HT).
Cuba	Empresa Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA).
Cyprus	Cyprus Telecommunications Company.
Czech Rep	SPT Telecom.
Dem. Rep. of Congo	Office Congolais des Postes et des Telecommunications (OCPT).
Denmark	Tele Danmark A/S.
Djibouti	Societe Telecom International (STID).
Dominica	Telecommunications of Dominica.
Dominican Republic	Compania Dominicana de Telefonos (CODETEL).
Ecuador	Emetel. Andinatel. Pacifictel.
Egypt	Egypt Telecom.
El Salvador	Compania de Telecomunicaciones de El Salvador.
Equatorial Guinea	La Sociedad Anonima de Telecomunicaciones de la Republica.
de Guinea	Guinea Ecuatorial (GETESA).
Eritrea	Telecommunications Services of Eritrea (TSE).
Estonia	Estonian Telephone Company.
Ethiopia	Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC).
Finland	TeliaSonera.
France	France Telecom.
Gabon	Telecommunications Internationales Gabonaises (TIG).
Gambia	Gambia Telecommunications Company, Ltd. (GAMTEL).
Georgia	Georgia Telecom (GTC).
Germany	Deutsche Telekom AG.
Ghana	Ghana Telecommunications Company.
Greece	Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE).
Grenada	Grenada Telecommunications.
Guatemala	Telecomunicaciones de Guatemala (Telgua).
Guinea	Societe des Telecommunications de Guinee (SOTELGUI).
Guinea-Bissau	Companhia de Telecomunicaçoes da Guine-Bissau, sarl (Guine-Telecom).
Guyana	Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Ltd.
Haiti	Telecommunications d'Haiti S.A.M.
Holy See (Vatican City)	Telecom Italia.
Honduras	Empresa Hondurena de Telecomunicaciones.
Hong Kong	Pacific Century CyberWorks HKT.
Hungary	Hungarian Telecommunication Co. (MATAV).
Iceland	Landssiminn.
India	Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL).
Indonesia	PT Indosat.
Iran	Telecommunciations Company of Iran.
Iraq	Ministry of Telecommunications.
Ireland	Telecom Eireann.
Israel	Bezeq.
Italy	Telecom Italia.
Jamaica	Cable & Wireless Jamaica.
Japan	KDDI. Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation (NTT).
Jordan	Jordan Telecommunications Corporation (JTC).
Kazakhstan	Kazakhtelecom.
Kenya	Telkom Kenya Limited.
Kiribati	Telecom Services Kiribati Limited.
Korea (South)	Korea Telecom.
Korea (North)	Pycompute Pyongyang.
Kuwait	Ministry of Communications.
Kyrgyszstan	Kyrgyztelecom.
Laos	Enterprise of Telecommunications Lao (ETL). Lao Shinawatra Telecom Company.
Latvia	Lattelekom.
Lebanon	Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
Lesotho	Lesotho Telecommunications Corporation (LTC).
Liberia	Liberia Telecommunications Corporation.
Libya	General Post and Telecommunications Company (GPTC).
Liechtenstein	Swiss Telecom PTT.
Lithuania	Lietuvos Telekom.
Luxembourg	Luxembourg PTT.
Macedonia	Makedonski Telecom (MT).
Madagascar	Telecom Malagasy (TELMA).
Malawi	Malawi Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (MPTC).
Malaysia	Telecom Malaysia.
Maldives	DHIRAAGU.
Mali	Société des Télécommunications du Mali (SOTELMA).
Malta	Telemalta Corporation.
Marshall Islands	National Telecommunications Authority.
Mauritania	Office des Postes et des Télécommunications (OPT).
Mauritius	Mauritius Telecom Limited.
Mayotte	France Télécom.
Mexico	Telefonos de Mexico (TelMex).
Micronesia	FSM Telecommunications.
Moldova	Moldtelecom.
Monaco	France Télécom.
Mongolia	Mongolia Telecommunications Company.
Morocco	Maroc Telecom.
Mozambique	Telecomunicaçoes de Moçambique.
Namibia	Telecom Namibia.
Nauru	Nauru Telcom.
Nepal	Nepal Telecommunications Corporation.
Netherlands	KPN Telecom N.V.
Netherlands Antilles	Antelecom N.V.
New Zealand	Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Ltd. (TCNZ).
Nicaragua	Enitel.
Niger	Société nigerinne des télécommunications (SONITEL).
Nigeria	Nigerian Telecomunications Limited.
Norway	Telenor AS.
Oman	General Telecommunications Organization (GTO).
Pakistan	Pakistan Telecommunications.
Palau	Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC).
Palestine	Palestine Telecommunications Company P.L.C. (PALTEL).
Panama	INTEL.
Papua New Guinea	Post & Telecommunications Corporation.
Paraguay	Antelco.
Peru	Telefónica del Peru.
Philippines	Philippines Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT).
Poland	Telekomunikacja Polska S.A.
Portugal	Portugal Telecom S.A.
Qatar	Qatar Public Telecommunications Corporation.
Réunion	France Télécom.
Romania	Romtelecom.
Russia	Rostelecom.
Rwanda	Rwandatel S.A. (RWANDATEL).
St. Kitts and Nevis	Cable & Wireless.
St. Lucia	Cable & Wireless.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines	Cable & Wireless.
San Marino	Telecom Italia.
Sao Tomé & Principe	Companhia Santomense de Telecomunicações, s.a.r.l. (CST).
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Telecommunications Company.
Senegal	Société Nationale des Télécommunications du Sénégal (SONATEL).
Serbia and Montenegro	Serbija Telecom.
Seychelles	Cable & Wireless (Seychelles) Ltd.
Sierra Leone	Sierra Leone Telecommunications Company (SIERRATEL).
Singapore	Singapore Telecom.
Slovakia	Slovak Telecom (ST).
Slovenia	Telekom Slovenije (TS).
Solomon Islands	Solomon Telekom Company.
Somalia	Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
South Africa	Telkom SA Limited.
Spain	Telefónica.
Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka Telecom.
Sudan	Sudan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (Sudatel).
Suriname	Telesur.
Swaziland	Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC).
Sweden	TeliaSonera.
Switzerland	Swisscomm.
Syria	Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE).
Taiwan	Chunghwa Telecom.
Tajikistan	Tajiktelecom.
Tanzania	Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation Limited (TTCL).
Thailand	Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT).
Togo	Société des Télécommunications du Togo (TOGO TELECOM).
Trinidad and Tobago	Telecom Services of Trinidad and Tobago.
Tunisia	Tunisie Telecom.
Turkey	Turk Telekomunikasyon A.S.
Turkmenistan	Turkmentelecom.
Tuvalu	Ministry of Labor, Works and Communications.
Uganda	Uganda Telecommunications Limited (UTC).
Ukraine	Ukrtelecom.
United Arab Emirates	The Emirates Telecommunications Corp. Ltd. (Etisalat).
United Kingdom	British Telecom.
Uruguay	Administración Nacional de Telecomunicationes.
Uzbekistan	Halqaro Telecom.
Vanuatu	Vanuatu Telecom.
Venezuela	Compaņía Anónima Nacional Telífonos de Venezuela.
Vietnam	Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT).
Western Samoa	Postal and Telecommunications Department.
Yemen	Yemen International Telecommunications Company (TELEYEMEN).
Zambia	Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (Zamtel).
Zimbabwe	Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC).

Additional Carriers Included on This List

All incumbent local exchange carriers in the destination markets above.

All carriers that control, are controlled by, or are under common control with, a carrier listed above in the particular destination market.

Federal Communications Commission.

James Ball,

Chief, Policy Division, International Bureau.