Report No. DC-2581                      ACTION IN DOCKET CASE        April 1, 1994 

               CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATION OF NORTH AMERICAN 
                          NUMBERING PLAN PROPOSED
                          (CC DOCKET NO. 92-237)

     The Commission has proposed to establish a new, non-government
entity to administer the North America Numbering Plan (NANP). 
Administration of the NANP has evolved from its earlier focus on
conventional area codes to include other numbering resources such
as service access codes (e.g., 500 and 900 codes), N11 codes (e.g.,
411), and carrier identification codes.  As a result, the NANP
administrator coordinates many of the telephone numbers used in the
United States, Canada, and other parts of North America.  To
explore issues pertaining to future administration of the NANP, the
Commission opened this docket with a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) in
October 1992.

     The NOI divided the docket into two phases.  Phase I requested
comment on the identification of an appropriate entity to
administer the NANP, future funding for such administration, and
how such administration might be improved.  Phase II sought comment
on the costs, benefits and technical issues associated with
expanding Feature Group D (FGD) Carrier Identification Codes (CICs)
from a three-digit to a four-digit format.  The expanded format has
been proposed to avoid premature exhaustion of the current supply
of three-digit FGD codes.

     In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission
tentatively concluded that ministerial administration of the NANP
should be undertaken by a new, non-government entity and that the
FCC should impose fees to offset the costs of regulating US
numbering resources.  The Commission also asked for comment on
whether it, in conjunction with other World Zone 1 regulators,
should impose numbering charges to finance future international
administration of NANP.  In addition, the Commission sought
comment, on whether a new numbering policy board should be
established to assist regulators.  
       

                                  (over)



     
                                   - 2 -

     With respect to Phase II, the Commission tentatively concluded
that FGD CICS should be expanded to a four-digit format. In
addition, it proposed to specify a transition period of six years
during which subscribers could use both the current three digit and
the new four-digit FGD CICs.  The Commission also sought comment on
whether it should require local exchange carriers in equal access
areas to deliver interstate, intraLATA "1+" MTS calls to the
carrier preselected by the end user.  In addition, the Commission
sought comment on the need, if any or for a nationally uniform
dialing pattern that would use the digit "1" as a toll call
identifier.

     Action by the Commission March 30, 1994, by Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (FCC 94-79).  Chairman Hundt, Commissioner Quello and
Barrett.

     New Media contract: Rosemary Kimball at (202) 632-5050.
     Common Carrier Bureau contact: Peyton Wynns at (202) 
 632-0745.