USTR Highlights Telecom Trade Barriers
April 5, 2010
| 3:33 PM
The Office of U.S. Trade Representative released a report Monday highlighting barriers facing U.S. telecommunications equipment and service providers singled out several countries for charging high rates or imposing surcharges that make long distance calls to those countries more expensive.
The annual review pointed in particular to the surcharges, taxes or high termination rates, the amount a foreign telecom provider charges a U.S. telecom operator to deliver a U.S. call to a consumer on the foreign carrier's network, imposed by El Salvador, Jamaica, Japan, Peru, and Tonga
The report also highlighted concerns raised by U.S. firms about challenges they face when they must use the networks of foreign telecommunications firms to provide their services. The report singled out barriers in gaining access to Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG and Australia's Telstra networks. For example, the report noted that U.S. firms reported having trouble gaining "reasonable and timely access to certain wholesale services and related facilities" from Telstra, particularly when it comes to gaining access to Telstra's broadband network.
Other issues that USTR said it would continue to focus on include China's efforts to impose its WAPI standard on Web-enabled mobile phones made by foreign providers and a lack of transparency in the development of Chinese telecom regulations; restrictions on the use of encryption proposed by India and South Korea; and content restrictions imposed by Indonesia on those seeking to provide wireless broadband services.
"Telecommunications technology, services, and equipment are a major driver of trade, growth, and innovation," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement. "U.S. service and equipment suppliers excel in the sector, and they need global access in order to ensure their competitiveness, both domestically and abroad."
Join the Discussion
The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.
Comments powered by Disqus