FCC Delays Decision on Wireless Number Portability

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted the Telecommunications Resellers Association (TRA) a 90-day extension to review its technical proposal aimed at hastening wireless number portability. This decision delays the FCC's ruling on the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association's (CTIA) request for a five-year deferral of mandatory wireless number portability. The FCC will now have until March 16, 1999, to review both proposals.

Key Takeaways:

• The FCC has extended the deadline for ruling on the CTIA's petition for a five-year deferral of mandatory wireless number portability until March 16, 1999.
• The TRA's technical proposal, aimed at hastening wireless number portability, has been accepted for review by the FCC.
• The FCC is also considering a report from the North American Numbering Council (NANC) on ways to conserve numbering resources, some of which involve wireless number portability.
• The NANC report is due Dec. 21, and comments are being accepted on it.
• The TRA believes that mandatory number portability would encourage competition in wireless services.
• CTIA disputes this claim, stating that vigorous competition already exists among wireless carriers and better spent their resources on building networks rather than implementing number portability.

Statistics:

• 90-day extension granted to the FCC to review TRA's technical proposal (TR, Nov. 30).
• Five-year deferral of mandatory wireless number portability requested by CTIA.
• March 16, 1999, set as the new deadline for the FCC's ruling on CTIA's petition.
• Number of comments due on NANC report by Dec. 21.
• Timeframe for the FCC to review TRA's proposal until March 16, 1999.

Sources:

• (TR, Nov. 30)

(FCC Dec. 16 order in Wireless Telecommunications docket 98-229)

(North American Numbering Council report)