Report No. DC 95-98ACTION IN DOCKET CASE                July 13, 1995
     
               FCC ADOPTS NEW MODEL FOR NUMBERING ADMINISTRATION 
                             (CC Docket No. 92-237)
     
              The Commission today took an important step in promoting competition across
     all telecommunications services by adopting a new model for administration of the
     North American Numbering Plan (NANP) to promote fair, efficient and effective
     administration of numbering resources.   In today's Order, the Commission
     established a new system for administration of the NANP that includes an
     independent, non-governmental NANP administrator.  Under this model, the
     Commission will set broad policy objectives for United States number administration,
     be the final arbiter of domestic numbering disputes, and work closely with industry
     and consumers, states, and the other member countries in the North American
     Numbering Plan to ensure timely and fair number administration. 
     
              The NANP is the basic numbering scheme that permits interoperable
     telecommunications service within the United States, Canada, Bermuda and most of
     the Caribbean.    Bellcore has been the administrator of the NANP since the
     divestiture of AT&T, but in August, 1993, indicated its desire to relinquish this
     responsibility.  In June, 1994, the Commission issued a NPRM that sought comment
     on several issues regarding the NANP, including the one posed by Bellcore's
     decision.
     
              In the Report and Order adopted today, the Commission establishes a North
     American Numbering Council (NANC), which will have broad membership including
     industry, the states and other NANP member countries and be organized under the
     provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.  The Council will develop
     guidelines for number administration, provide guidance to the NANP administrator,
     serve as an initial forum for number disputes and advise and make recommendations,
     reached through consensus, to the Commission on numbering issues.
     
     
     
     
     
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               The NANP Administrator, a non-governmental entity that is not aligned with
     any particular telecommunications industry segment, will process number resource
     applications and maintain administrative numbering databases.  The NANP
     Administrator will assume Bellcore's current numbering administration functions.  In
     addition, administration of central office codes, a function currently handled by the
     dominant local exchange carrier (LEC) in each area code, will be centralized and
     performed by the NANP Administrator.  The Order directs the NANC to select the
     new NANP Administrator.   The NANC will guide the NANP Administrator,
     determining the scope and details of its additional activities, including Central Office
     Code administration. 
     
              Today's Order also states that a funding mechanism based on gross revenues
     of communications providers who benefit from operation of the NANP should be used
     to fund the NANP Administrator.  Under this system, the costs of the NANP
     Administrator will be charged to each provider in proportion to their gross revenues.
     
              The FCC looks forward to working with other NANP member countries, the
     states and industry to use today's Order as a foundation for developing a number
     administration system that is fair, efficient and effective.  Under the model adopted
     today, industry and the states will continue to have a substantial role in number
     administration.  The FCC expects that industry members will work together to resolve
     difficult technical and operational issues.  The FCC also anticipates that states will
     continue to play an important role in central office code administration and will play
     an even greater role in numbering policy development through their participation in
     the North American Numbering Council.
     
              Action by the Commission July 13, 1995 by Report and Order (FCC 95-283). 
     Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Barrett, Ness and Chong.
     
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     Common Carrier Bureau contacts: Mike Specht at (202) 634-1816, Scott Shefferman
     at (202) 634-1952 and Elizabeth Nightingale at (202) 634-1832.