FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:        News Media contact:
December 17, 1999                  Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500
Report No. IN 99-36, 1999

   INTERNATIONAL BUREAU RELEASES 1998 YEAR-END CIRCUIT STATUS
    REPORT FOR U.S. FACILITIES-BASED INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS,
       REFLECTING INCREASED CAPACITY AND INCREASED USE OF
                  INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE LINES

The International Bureau today released the 1998 year-end circuit status report, which reflects a
continued shift from International Message Telephone Services (IMTS) to International Private
Line.

The report covers U.S. international facilities (undersea cables, satellites, and terrestrial links) and
identifies the activated (in-service) and idle circuits for each international point as of December
31, 1998.  The report also includes data from 1995 to 1997 for all international points by
transmission facilities. 

The report indicates that the number of activated 64 Kbps equivalent circuits at year-end 1998
was 464,092, a 34% increase from 1997.  By service type, International Message Telephone
Services (IMTS) accounted for 44% of the total circuits used; International Private Line Services
accounted for 55%; and the remaining 1% of total circuits were used for Video and Other
Miscellaneous Services.  The 1998 data reflect a continued shift from IMTS to International
Private Line Services.  

By transmission type, undersea cables account for 54% of total activated circuits, an increase of
9% from 1997; terrestrial links account for 38%, a decrease of 6% from 1997; and satellites
account for 8% of the total activated capacity, a decrease of 3% from 1997.  The top 30
destinations among all international routes account for 91% of the total activated circuits.  Due to
newly expanded cable capacity in late 1998, the percentage of idle circuits as compared to the
total circuit capacity (active and idle) increased from 27% in 1997 to 45% in 1998.    

The report is available for reference in the FCC's Reference Information Center, Courtyard Level,
445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C.  Copies may be purchased by calling International
Transcription Services, Inc. (ITS) at (202) 857-3800.  This report can be downloaded from the
International Bureau home page (www.fcc.gov/ib/td/pf/csmanual.html) on the World Wide Web. 
Inquires and submissions should be directed to Cathy Hsu, Telecommunications Division,
International Bureau, at (202) 418-2114.
                                
                            - FCC -