WASHINGTON-New telephone number policies embraced by federal regulators will benefit the wireless telecommunications industry, which accounts for two of every three new telephone numbers established. The wireless community previously has had to rely on an entity controlled by the seven regional Bell telephone companies to acquire telephone numbers.
The next administrator of the North American Numbering Plan, under guidelines adopted by the Federal Communications Commission on July 13, will not be aligned with either the government or any industry sector.
“The FCC’s decision assures that this scarce resource will be managed in a fair and impartial manner,” said Thomas Wheeler, president of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association and a strong critic of a two-year regulatory process to reshape numbering policies that likely will continue another couple of years.
A North American Numbering Council comprised of representatives from wireless and other industry sectors, states and consumer groups, is being formed. It will advise the FCC on numbering policies and choose the overseer of the numbering plan, whose purpose is to facilitate seamless communications within the United States, Canada, Bermuda and most of the Caribbean.
Bell Communications Research Inc., based in Livingston, N.J., and jointly held by the Baby Bells, has been responsible for doling out telephone numbers since the 1984 AT&T breakup. The seven regional telephone companies are currently seeking a buyer for the research unit, which has been accused of discriminating against paging and cellular companies.
Those charges arose when Ameritech Corp., the regional Bell company serving the Midwest, proposed a numbering relief plan that would have forced wireless carriers to pay for moving customers without requiring the same of the telephone company itself or its subscribers.
The FCC said Ameritech’s area code plan was illegal and a different arrangement was subsequently approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Other states are running out of numbers and grappling with how best to relieve shortages.
The commission’s ruling, Wheeler said, “will prevent wireless customers from being subjected to expensive and inconvenient procedures.”
The transition of the North American Numbering Plan from Bellcore to a new organization could take two years. Bellcore-if spun off from the Baby Bells-and insurance and publishing firms were mentioned as candidates to assume numbering duties.
The arrival of the personal communications services industry, which will number nearly 2,200 licensees of next-generation digital pocket telephone systems, makes the numbering plan changes particularly significant.
FCC Chairman Reed Hundt hinted he would like to auction telephone numbers, including three-digit codes that allow subscribers to hold personal numbers and be reachable anywhere. The wireless telecommunications industry opposes the sale of telephone numbers.
In a related matter, the commission proposed rules that would let individuals, businesses and organizations take their telephone numbers with them if they change telecommunications providers or location. The intent is to foster competition in the telecommunications industry.
Thus, customers could switch from one wireless carrier to another without having to change numbers or from the telephone company to a wireless service provider as price competition develops.
Resellers say number portability would give them leverage in negotiating contracts with wireless carriers.
