Washington File: FCC Removes Ban on International Call-Back Phone Services

<a href=usinfo.state.gov<Read complete article 31 March 2003

(Commission cites its pro-competitive policies as a reason) (4660)

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued an order eliminating its policies that ban U.S. carriers from providing certain international telephone services to countries considering those services illegal and allow a foreign entity to use FCC enforcement mechanisms against U.S carriers providing such services.

In the order released March 28, the commission said it is removing the policies on the most popular form of call-back services -- uncompleted call-signaling -- because these rules restrict global competition.

The commission said, however, that it will continue to remind U.S. carriers that "it is in their best interest to act in a manner consistent with foreign laws, and to refer [those carriers] to the public file and note which foreign governments have notified the Commission that call-back is illegal in their countries."

Call-back services allow a foreign caller in a country with relatively costly international connections to use a U.S. dial-tone at less expensive U.S. rates.

In 1995 FCC banned U.S. carriers form offering certain international call-back services to countries where those services had been expressly prohibited. It also established a mechanism for notifying the U.S. government about the illegality of the services in a foreign country and procedures for seeking U.S. assistance in enforcing a foreign government's prohibition on this type of services.

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