WASHINGTON, D.C.-A new, 90-country survey conducted by TeleGeography Inc. reports
competition allowed international callers to stay on the phone six billion minutes longer in 1997 for the same price they
paid in 1996.
Callers got more for their dollar mostly because usage grew while carriers’ profits shrunk. The survey
shows international calls increased 14 percent from 1996 to 82 billion minutes, while revenues from overseas calls rose
just 5 percent to $66 billion, thus causing the average price per minute to fall.
TGI’s report forecasts that prices will
continue to decrease through at least 2001 as competition from other carriers and the Internet heats
up.
“Customers and new players are seeing real benefits from the competition which now exists in more than
40 countries,” said Gregory C. Staple, TGI’s president. “Since 1990, new international carriers have won
more than 11 percent of the market worldwide.”
