Consumers should be aware that placing an international long distance call from your wireline telephone here in the United States to a wireless phone in another country may result in a “surcharge” on your bill in addition to your usual charges. 

This can happen because many foreign countries use a “calling party pays” framework. Under a “calling party pays” framework, wireless phone subscribers pay only for the outgoing calls they place to others. The “calling party” must pay for calls placed to wireless phones. As a result, when wireline U.S. customers call foreign wireless customers, foreign carriers may pass through to the U.S. carrier the additional cost of connecting the wireless call. The U.S. carrier may then pass this cost through to the U.S. customer as a surcharge on his or her bill. Examples of some of the highest per minute surcharges currently reflected on certain long distance carriers’ Web sites include: $0.22 for the United Kingdom and $0.23 for France. 

Steps You Can Take

• Check with your long distance carrier for more specific information about international wireless surcharges and for international rates.

• Check your carrier’s Web site, which may list surcharges for calls to particular countries.

• Some countries use unique telephone numbers for wireless telephones. Your carrier may be able to provide those numbers (including on its Web site), so that you will know in advance whether you are about to incur a surcharge in calling a foreign number.

For More Information

For information about other communications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Web site at www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.

For this or any other consumer publication in an accessible format
(electronic ASCII text, Braille, large print, or audio) please write or call us
at the address or phone number below, or send an e-mail to FCC504@fcc.gov.

To receive information on this and other FCC consumer topics through the Commission's
electronic subscriber service, visit www.fcc.gov/cgb/contacts/.

This document is for consumer education purposes only and is not intended to
affect any proceeding or cases involving this subject matter or related issues.

11/6/08

	Federal Communications Commission · Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. · Washington, DC 20554
	1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)  ·  TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)  · Fax: 1-866-418-0232  · www.fcc.gov/cgb/