Rural LECs Ask FCC to Consider Costs Before Adopting Nationwide Number Portability
WTA asked the FCC to consider a small company exemption if it adopts a nationwide number portability option for wireline customers as noted in last month's North American Numbering Council nationwide number portability report (1905170054). "WTA remains skeptical whether NNP…
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for wireline telephone numbers has sufficient consumer demand and service advantages to justify its costs and disruptions," it commented, posted Monday in docket 17-244. "Devote much more attention to the costs and other impacts upon Rural LECs and other small carriers." NTCA sought an Office of Economics and Analytics "comprehensive review of the NANC NNP Report" that includes costs to small and rural carriers (see 1806250030) and asked it ensure those benefiting from NNP "assume responsibility for the costs of doing so." Telnyx asked whether it's technically feasible to implement the system widely. The company said legacy service providers that are non-IP-capable may be unable to house the thousands of location routing numbers needed to deploy nationally, rather than just the few LRNs typical within their own given markets as currently required, unless they spend to improve legacy infrastructure. If smaller carriers cannot afford the upgrades, industry would be left without a true nationwide solution, it said. Telnyx said use of geographically reliant routing would require carriers to conduct extra checks to ensure rate accuracy, leading to price increases.