NARUC Resolutions Address VoIP, Separations, Broadband Access, Customer Privacy

摘要

NARUC last week unanimously adopted policy resolutions addressing VoIP numbering, separations reform, broadband access and consumer call record protection at the group's winter meeting in Washington, D.C. None caused controversy and all were adopted with little discussion. The VoIP numbering resolution urged the FCC to deal with VoIP providers' phone number needs by expanding local number portability and 1,000-block number pooling to all U.S. markets — not just the top 100 - and by adopting a national policy for assigning numbers to VoIP and other IP-enabled service providers. The resolution said VoIP providers often collaborate with an incumbent carrier in acquiring numbering resources. So IP-enabled providers don't participate in number pooling and don't report actual and forecast number usage, it said. If nothing is done as IP-enabled services grow more popular, the resolution said, the drain on available number supplies could accelerate the need for costly area code relief as VoIP providers "export" numbers from their home state to customers in other states and countries.