THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATES
RESOLUTION 2013-06
Supporting the Extension of Numbering Conservation Measures to VoIP Providers that Have Direct Access to Numbers
WHEREAS, telephone numbers in the United States are based on the North America Numbering Plan (“NANP”) and consist of a three-digit area code (“NPA”), followed by a three-digit NXX code or central office code and a four-digit XXXX line or station number; and
WHEREAS, the combination of 10 digit numbers that comprise the numbering resource are limited and efficient allocation and utilization of this resource is necessary to promote social and economic welfare; and
WHEREAS, in 1999 the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (“NASUCA”) passed a resolution “Supporting the Reformation of the Current Telecommunications Numbering System in Order to Avoid the Exhaust of the North American Numbering Plan”; and
WHEREAS, in 1997 NASUCA passed a resolution “Supporting Reform of the Current Telecommunications Numbering System In Order To Conserve Numbering Resources, Consider Consumer Input and Reduce Customer Inconvenience, Confusion and Expense Related to Frequent Area Code Relief Requirements” ; and
WHEREAS, in Resolution 2012-01, “Urging the retention of traditional regulatory oversight and associated public interest obligations with respect to all voice telephone service, including VoIP, regardless of the technology used to provide the service,” NASUCA recognized that telecommunications service providers were modifying their networks so that they may provide telecommunications services using VoIP, that the regulation of VoIP and VoIP-like services may be better accomplished under Title II of the Communications Act, and that both state and federal regulators are responsible for ensuring the continued widespread availability of reliable, affordable and high quality telephone services; and
WHEREAS, in Resolution 2012-01, NASUCA stated, “[t]he transition to VoIP is the next step in the evolution of the [public switched telecommunications network] PSTN, and the regulatory oversight and associated public interest obligations traditionally applied to the PSTN should apply to voice telephone service regardless of the technology used to provide the service”; and
WHEREAS, in a companion resolution (Resolution 2012-02), NASUCA urged both the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) and the states to preserve traditional consumer protections including, but not limited to, carrier of last resort and eligible telecommunications carrier obligations; and
WHEREAS, the measures adopted by the FCC –and significant changes in the industry – have limited the number of area code relief requests in recent years, and have extended the time until the NANP faces exhaust; and
WHEREAS, one of those significant industry change has been the growth of the wireless industry, with its strong need for numbers; and
WHEREAS, the wireless industry has been subject to the FCC’s number conservation measures since their inception; and
WHEREAS, another significant industry changes has been the development and expansion of Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) services; and
WHEREAS, until recently, VoIP service providers have not had access to numbers for their customers except through partnerships with competitive local exchange carriers (“CLECs”) that had direct access to numbers; and
WHEREAS, the FCC has recently granted a petition for trials, and is considering the general issue of, VoIP providers’ direct access to numbers; and
WHEREAS, one issue consistently raised by NASUCA and its members has been the failure of the FCC to classify VoIP as a telecommunications service, as a result of which VoIP providers would have direct access to numbers under the NANP; and
WHEREAS, whether properly classified or not, VoIP providers’ use of numbers increases the risk of area code exhaust, and advances the ultimate exhaust of the NANP;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates supports the application of number conservation measures to VoIP providers that are given direct access to numbers as an appropriate regulatory oversight, consistent with associated public interest obligations and traditional consumer protections; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the NASUCA Telecommunications Committee, with the approval of the Executive Committee of NASUCA, is authorized to submit comments or otherwise participate in all Federal or State efforts related to extending numbers conservation measures to VoIP providers with direct access to numbers; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the NASUCA Telecommunications Committee, with the approval of the Executive Committee of NASUCA, is authorized to take any and all other actions consistent with this Resolution in order to secure its implementation.
Adopted November 19, 2013
Orlando, Florida
Submitted by the telecommunications committee