iVoIP Direct Access to Numbering on the Horizon
The FCC Order granting interconnected VoIP (iVoIP) providers direct access to numbering will be effective November 30. All telecom companies must prepare for iVoIPs potentially operating in their service territories as new providers and port partners. This Order will have a dramatic impact on the telecom industry as it relates to number allocation, interconnection, routing and porting.
The Report & Order details the requirements iVoIP providers must meet in order to directly obtain numbering resources and to port directly with wireline and wireless carriers. The requirements include:
- FCC authorization
- Compliance with existing numbering rules and guidelines
- Thirty-days’ notice to the applicable state commissions prior to requesting numbering resources
- Proof of facilities readiness
- Certifications of continued compliance with USF, TRS and 911 obligations
The Order also directed the North American Numbering Council (NANC) to examine the specific considerations of iVoIP LNP and report to the FCC within six months. Per NANC’s direction, the Local Number Portability Administrationu2012Working Group (LNPA-WG), on which JSI sits as a representative for the rural LECs, met October 14 and determined the only consideration needed is a clarification of the term “interconnected VoIP” in the porting arena. The current wireline and wireless port procedures and intervals will not change.
Once the Order is effective, JSI cautions clients to be vigilant and watch for changes in port activity such as new:
- Operating company numbers (OCNs) on local service requests
- NXXs/blocks in your service territory
- Requests to provide your LNP business rules/trading partner profiles to clearinghouses (i.e. Neustar, Syniverse) or unrecognizable companies
Clients interested in following all of the news about iVoIP direct access to numbering and porting should consider subscribing to JSI’s LNP Essentials bundle. The package includes a monthly newsletter, The LNP Standard, as well as other resources designed to keep companies informed about this and other important industry transitions.
If you have any questions about the new iVoIP rules, the LNP Essentials bundle, or anything numbering/porting related, please contact Bridget Alexander in JSI’s Maryland office at 301-459-7590.
Source: JSI e-Lert