The FCC has full jurisdiction over the telephone numbering system in the United States. The Commission’s policies governing numbering are designed to promote competitive markets and ensure the efficient use of numbers. Policies and activities include:
- Ensuring local number portability, which allows consumers to keep their existing phone number when switching to a new carrier
- Ensuring access to number resources for all providers
- Extending the life of the 10-digit number system, known as the North American Numbering Plan, through thousands-block number pooling and other measures
- Preventing premature exhaustion of numbers in an area code
- Overseeing allocation and management of Toll Free numbers
Transition to 10-Digit Dialing for 988 Implementation
On July 16, 2020, the FCC adopted rules to establish 988 as the new, nationwide, 3-digit phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. The rules require phone service providers to direct all 988 calls to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by July 16, 2022. These rules apply to all telecommunications carriers and interconnected voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers, including one-way VoIP providers. To ensure that calls to 988 reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, certain parts of the country will need to transition to 10-digit dialing.
There will be a new dialing procedure for areas of the country that use 7-digit dialing and have 988 as the first three numbers in 7-digit phone numbers. To complete all local calls, consumers will need to dial their area code + telephone number. This applies to all calls within the area codes that are currently dialed with seven digits and have 988 as the first three numbers.
Timeline for Change:
- Beginning April 24, 2021, consumers should begin dialing 10 digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls. If they forget and dial just 7 digits, their call will still be completed
- Beginning October 24, 2021, consumers must dial 10-digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls. On and after this date, local calls dialed with only 7-digits may not be completed, and a recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed. Consumers must hang up and dial again using the area code and the 7-digit number.
- Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing “988” will route calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator has a complete listing of affected area codes and resource materials for local government and community organizations.
The following list is a partial record of Numbering proceedings. Any numbering related proceeding not listed here, are available via ECFS - search.
2/4/2016
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Commencement Date and Process for Interconnected VoIP Providers to File Applications for Authorization to Obtain Telephone Numbers Docket(s): 01-92 10-90 95-116 07-243 13-97 04-36 99-200 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
06/27/2014
Commission Extends Comment Deadlines For Public Notice Seeking Comment On The North American Numbering Council Recommendation Vendor To Serve As Local Number Portability Administrator CC Docket No. 95-116 and WC Docket Nos. 09-109 DA 14-937 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
06/25/2014
Petition of Telcordia Technologies, Inc. to Reform or Strike Amendment 70, to Institute Competitive Bidding for Number Portability Administration and to End the NAPM LLC's Interim Role in Number Portability Administration Contract CC Docket No. 95-116 and WC Docket Nos. 09-109. DA 14-881 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
06/13/2014
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces The Proposed North American Numbering Plan Administration Fund Size Estimate And Contribution Factor For July 2014 Through June 2015 CC Docket No. 92-237 DA 14-792 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
06/24/2013
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Comment Cycle for NPRM and NOI on Direct Access to Telephone Numbers. CC Docket No. 95-116, 01-92, 99-200 and WC Docket Nos. 13-97, 04-36, 07-243 and 10-90. DA 13-1430 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
06/17/2013
Wireline Competition Bureau Addresses Proposals to Participate in a Technical Trial for Interconnected VoIP Providers to Obtain Direct Access to Telephone Numbers. CC Docket No. 95-116, 01-92, 99-200 and WC Docket Nos. 13-97, 04-36, 07-243 and 10-90. DA 13-1397 Order: Word | Acrobat
05/28/2013
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Proposed North American Numbering Plan Administration Fund Size Estimate and Contribution Factor for July 2013 through June 2014. CC Docket No. 92-237. DA 13-1215 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
05/23/2013
FCC Receives Proposals From Interconnected VoIP Providers To Participate In Numbering Trial For Direct Access To Telephone Numbers. CC Docket Nos. 95-116, 01-92, 99-200 and WC Docket Nos. 13-97, 04-36, 07-243, 10-90. DA 13-1210. Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
05/23/2013
Montana Public Service Commission Granted Delegated Authority to Implement Mandatory Number Pooling. CC Docket Nos. 99-200, 96-98. DA 13-1209. Order: Word | Acrobat
05/22/2013
Comment Sought on North American Numbering Council Requests for Clarification of Use of Passcodes for Non-Simple Ports and Local Number Portability Provisioning Flows. CC Docket No. 95-115 and WC Docket No. 07-244. DA 13-1178 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
04/22/2013
Comment Sought on North American Numbering Council Recommendation that FCC Consolidate its North American Numbering Plan Administrator and Pooling Administrator Contracts. CC Docket Nos. 99-237, 99-200. DA 13-806. Public Notice Word | Acrobat
04/18/2013
FCC Proposes Direct Access To Telephone Numbers. CC Docket No. 95-116, 01-92, 99-200 and WC Docket Nos. 13-97, 04-36, 07-243 and 10-90; FCC 13-51 NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING, ORDER AND NOTICE OF INQUIRY: Word | Acrobat
02/05/2013
Wireline Competition Bureau announces release of Procurement Documents for the Local Number Portability Administration Contract. CC Docket No. 95-116 and WC Docket Nos. 07-149, 09-109. DA 13-154 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat