NEWS
	Federal Communications Commission 1919 - M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20554	News media information 202 / 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov
	This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
	Report No. IN 98- 41 INTERNATIONAL ACTION July 17, 1998
	FCC PROPOSES WITHDRAWING AS MARITIME "ACCOUNTING AUTHORITY;" FUNCTION WOULD BE COMPLETELY PRIVATIZED AS PART OF BIENNIAL REVIEW (IB Docket No. 98-96)
	The Commission has proposed withdrawing from its role as a nationwide clearinghouse for settling accounts for maritime mobile, maritime satellite, aircraft, and hand-held terminal radio services and turning that role over completely to the private sector. Currently, the FCC and 17 private entities which have been approved by the FCC to perform this function. International telecommunications settlements for maritime radio involve the collection and payment of charges due foreign administrations from messages transmitted at sea by or between maritime mobile and maritime mobile-satellite stations located on board ships subject to U.S. registry and utilizing foreign coast and earth-station facilities. The entities that perform this settlement function are referred to as accounting authorities. Historically, most countries have required individual ships to settle their own accounts with foreign administrations and coast stations. In the United States, however, the U.S. Government has served as a nationwide accounting authority for settling maritime mobile service message charges since 1913 and, more recently, for maritime satellite service messages. Today, maritime mobile radio services only account for about six per cent of the FCC's clearinghouse functions. Satellite-based services, including aeronautical and hand-held terminals, now account for 94 percent of the FCC's activity. The proposed changes will strengthen the system of private accounting authorities the Commission has created over the years and allow them to become more competitive. The Commission tentatively concluded there is no need for a governmental body to perform the account-settlement functions, because these functions have been performed without difficulty by a variety of private authorities, operating under FCC rules, for many years. In addition to proposing to withdraw from its accounting authority function, the Commission proposed rules to make clear that private entities certified under FCC rules have a duty to deal with the public in a non-discriminatory manner. It also proposed to withhold action on all applications now pending before the Commission for certification as an accounting authority until the outcome of this rulemaking, and to require applicants to amend their applications to reflect any changes to the rules adopted as a result of this proceeding. Action by the Commission June 18, 1998, by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 98- 123). Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell and Tristani with Commissioner Furchtgott-Roth issuing a separate statement. - FCC - News Media contact: Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500. International Bureau contact: John Copes at (202) 418-1478.