FCC Shifts to Bill-and-Keep For Toil-Free Calling ICC

摘要

The FCC has shifted "most access charges" for toll-free or 8YY calls to a bill-and-keep system in an effort to address arbitrage and fraud concerns in the intercarrier compensation (ICC) system supporting toll-free calling. "The order will decrease the overall cost of toll free calls, reduce incentives for fraud and arbitrage, and increase efficiencies in call routing and compensation. As a transitional step, the order combines separate 8YY transport and tandem switching charges into a single access charge capped at $0,001 per minute. The order also transitions charges for 8YY database queries needed to route 8YY calls to $0.0002 over nearly three years. And 8YY calls will continue to be toll free for consumers, who do not pay for the long-distance portion of these calls," the FCC said in a news release on the WC docket 18-156 item.