[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 207 (Monday, October 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61213-61214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26961]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 92-237; DA 03-3106]


GSA Approves Renewal of North American Numbering Council Charter 
Through October 4, 2005

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On October 9, 2003, the Commission released a public notice 
announcing GSA approves renewal of North American Numbering Council 
charter through October 4, 2005. The intended effect of this action is 
to make the public aware of the renewal of the North American Numbering 
Council charter.

DATES: Renewed through October 4, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline 
Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, The Portals II, 
445 12th Street, SW., Suite 5-A420, Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Blue, Special Assistant to the 
Designated Federal Officer (DFO) at (202) 418-1466 or [email protected]. 
The fax number is: (202) 418-2345. The TTY number is: (202) 418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Released October 9, 2003.
    The GSA has renewed the charter of the North American Numbering 
Council (Council) through October 4, 2005. The Council will continue to 
advise the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) on rapidly 
evolving and competitively significant numbering issues facing the 
telecommunications industry.
    In October 1995, the Commission established the North American 
Numbering Council, a federal advisory committee created pursuant to the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C., App. 2 (1988), to advise the 
Commission on issues related to North American Numbering Plan (NANP) 
administration in the United States, including local number portability 
administration issues. The original charter of the Council was 
effective on October 5, 1995, establishing an initial two-year term. 
The first amended charter was effective on October 5, 1997, renewing 
the term of the Council for two years. The second amended charter was 
effective on October 5, 1999, renewing the term of the Council for two 
years. The third amended charter was effective October 5, 2001, 
renewing

[[Page 61214]]

the term of the Council again for two years.
    Since the last charter renewal, the Council has provided the 
Commission with critically important recommendations regarding 
numbering issues. During the term of the prior amended charter, the 
Council made recommendations on issues which included: (1) Local Number 
Portability provisioning flows; (2) Management and Ownership of the 
Centralized Toll Free Database by an LLC; (3) Use of Telephone Numbers 
as a Universal Service Fund Allocator; (4) review of the definition of 
Intermediate Numbers; (5) impact of Soft Dial Tone service; (6) costs 
and benefits of numbering resource optimization proposals to expand the 
NANP beyond 10 digits; (7) technical viability of increasing the 
Pooling Contamination Threshold; (8) Pooling Administration System 
Forecasting Requirements; (9) Grandfathered Wireless NXX Codes; (10) 
NPAC Change Management Administration; (11) possible ``Jeopardy'' for 
Wireless Number Pooling and Portability Deadline; and (12) Technical 
Requirements for the North American Numbering Plan Administrator 
(NANPA). In May 2002 and May 2003, the Council provided a detailed 
evaluation of the NANPA's performance for the periods January 2001-
December 2001 and January 2002-December 2002, respectively. The Council 
will continue to evaluate NANPA's performance annually.
    Moreover, the Council is presently considering and formulating 
recommendations on other important numbering-related issues that will 
require work beyond the term of the present charter. The term of the 
Council's renewed charter begins October 5, 2003 and runs through 
October 4, 2005.
    The value of this federal advisory committee to the 
telecommunications industry and to the American public cannot be 
overstated. Numbers are the means by which consumers gain access to, 
and reap the benefits of, the public switched telephone network. The 
Council's recommendations to the Commission will facilitate fair and 
efficient numbering administration in the United States, and will 
ensure that numbering resources are available to all telecommunications 
service providers on a fair and equitable basis, consistent with the 
requirements of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Federal Communications Commission.
Cheryl L. Callahan,
Assistant Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline 
Competition Bureau.
[FR Doc. 03-26961 Filed 10-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P