[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40947-40951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17245]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 03-1812]


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.

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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, (202) 418-1460.

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

[[Page 40948]]

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 Sec.  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: Sec.  43.51(b) (involving reporting contracts and 
concessions), Sec.  63.14 (involving the prohibition on agreeing to 
accept special concessions), Sec.  63.22(e) (involving the provision of 
switched basic services over authorized facilities-based private 
lines), and Sec.  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), Sec.  
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 Sec.  1.767(g)(5), a foreign carrier 
is defined as in Sec.  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 
Sec.  1.767 (the terms ``affiliated'' and ``foreign carrier,'' as used 
in this section, are defined as in Sec.  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 Sec.  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 
Sec.  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 Sec.  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 Sec.  63.10 (Regulatory classification of 
international carriers) or Sec.  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).

[[Page 40949]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
        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).
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire...............  Societe C[ocirc]te 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 Telecomunica[ccedil]oes
                                     da Guine-Bissau, sarl (Guine-
                                     Telecom).

[[Page 40950]]

 
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..............................  Soci[eacute]t[eacute] des
                                     T[eacute]l[eacute]communications du
                                     Mali (SOTELMA).
Malta.............................  Telemalta Corporation.
Marshall Islands..................  National Telecommunications
                                     Authority.
Mauritania........................  Office des Postes et des
                                     T[eacute]l[eacute]communications
                                     (OPT).
Mauritius.........................  Mauritius Telecom Limited.
Mayotte...........................  France T[eacute]l[eacute]com.
Mexico............................  Telefonos de Mexico (TelMex).
Micronesia........................  FSM Telecommunications.
Moldova...........................  Moldtelecom.
Monaco............................  France T[eacute]l[eacute]com.
Mongolia..........................  Mongolia Telecommunications Company.
Morocco...........................  Maroc Telecom.
Mozambique........................  Telecomunica[ccedil]oes de
                                     Mo[ccedil]ambique.
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.............................  Soci[eacute]t[eacute] nigerinne des
                                     t[eacute]l[eacute]communications
                                     (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..............................  Telef[oacute]nica del Peru.
Philippines.......................  Philippines Long Distance Telephone
                                     Company (PLDT).
Poland............................  Telekomunikacja Polska S.A.
Portugal..........................  Portugal Telecom S.A.

[[Page 40951]]

 
Qatar.............................  Qatar Public Telecommunications
                                     Corporation.
R[eacute]union....................  France T[eacute]l[eacute]com.
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 Tom[eacute] & Principe........  Companhia Santomense de
                                     Telecomunica[ccedil][otilde]es,
                                     s.a.r.l. (CST).
Saudi Arabia......................  Saudi Telecommunications Company.
Senegal...........................  Soci[eacute]t[eacute] Nationale des
                                     T[eacute]l[eacute]communications du
                                     S[eacute]n[eacute]gal (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.............................  Telef[oacute]nica.
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..............................  Soci[eacute]t[eacute] des
                                     T[eacute]l[eacute]communications 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...........................  Administraci[oacute]n Nacional de
                                     Telecomunicationes.
Uzbekistan........................  Halqaro Telecom.
Vanuatu...........................  Vanuatu Telecom.
Venezuela.........................  Compa[ncedil][iacute]a
                                     An[oacute]nima Nacional
                                     Tel[iacute]fonos 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.
[FR Doc. 03-17245 Filed 7-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P