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  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:             NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
  December 7, 2000                        Michael Balmoris 202-418-0253
                                Email:    mbalmori@fcc.gov
                              
federal communications commission takes additional steps to safeguard
          the nation's telephone numbering system
                              
  "Anti-Hoarding" Utilization Standards Set for Carriers 
  
  Washington, D.C.   Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
  adopted rules to reduce the need for new area codes, avoiding the inconvenience, cost and
  confusion associated with changes in area codes for consumers and businesses.  Most
  significantly, the Commission adopted a utilization threshold   the amount of phone
  numbers a carrier must use before asking for more numbering resources   of 60%, which
  eventually increases to 75% in increments of 5% over the next three years.
  
  Today's Second Report and Order and Further Notice builds upon Commission
  action adopted earlier this year to ensure that the nation's numbering system, which is
  part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), is used efficiently.  That
  rulemaking, adopted on March 17, 2000, established, among other things, 1) national
  thousands-block number pooling, which enables numbers to be allocated in blocks of
  1,000 rather than the previous 10,000 block and 2) numbering resource reclamation
  requirements to ensure the return of unused numbers to the NANP inventory for
  assignment to other carriers.
  
                                The Commission today continues its work to ensure that the numbering resources
  of the NANP are used efficiently, and that all carriers have the numbering resources
  needed to compete in the expanding telecommunications marketplace.  The measures
  adopted today include:
  
          § Adopting a utilization threshold of 60%, which increases to 75% over the next
          three years before carriers could get additional numbers in their service area.
          § Establishing a five-year term for a national Pooling Administrator that will be
          selected on a competitive basis so that thousand-block pooling can be rolled
          out nationally.
          § Establishing an auditing program to verify carrier compliance with the
          Commission's rules.
                              
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       The Commission also adopted a Further Notice that seeks comment on several
  numbering issues, including modifying the current prohibition on service-specific and
  technology-specific overlays and permitting states to implement service-specific and
  technology-specific overlays subject to certain conditions.  Also, the Commission is
  seeking comment on what policies could be implemented to reduce the extent to which
  the rate center structure contributes to and /or accelerates numbering resource exhaust. 
  
       Finally, the Commission declined to adopt several other proposals including
  mandatory nationwide ten-digit dialing.
  
  Docket Nos.: CC 99-200 and 96-98
  
                           -FCC-
                               
       Action by the Commission December 7, 2000 by Second Report and Order and
  Further Notice (FCC No. 00-429).  Chairman Kennard and Commissioners Ness,
  Furchtgott-Roth, Powell, and Tristani.
  
  Common Carrier Bureau Staff Contacts:
  Cheryl Callahan or Aaron Goldberger at (202) 418-2320
  
  Wireless Telecommunications Bureau contacts:
  Blaise Scinto at (202) 418-1380 or David Furth at (202) 418-0632
  
News about the Federal Communications Commission can also be found
         on the Commission's web site www.fcc.gov.