FCC Wireless Bureau requested comments on separate requests by 2 ...
FCC Wireless Bureau requested comments on separate requests by 2 small, rural wireless carriers for more time to provide nationwide roaming support for customers with ported or pooled numbers. Under FCC rules, covered wireless carriers that operate in top…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas must offer local number portability (LNP) by Nov. 24. LNP allows customers to take their numbers with them when they switch providers. Those carriers also had to take part in thousand-block number pooling by Nov. 24, 2002. All covered wireless carriers also had to support nationwide roaming by users with ported or pooled numbers by Nov. 24, 2002. Bureau said public notice was meant to ensure that if subscriber with ported or pooled number roamed onto another carrier’s network, user still would be able to make and receive calls. Comments are due Feb. 13, replies Feb. 27. Requests at FCC are from: (1) Pine Belt PCS, which said it couldn’t meet Nov. 24, 2002, deadline for supporting roaming by customers with pooled or ported numbers. Carrier asked for one-year extension because it had received indications from lender that it could obtain financing to cover costs of upgrading its equipment. Pine Belt also asked for waiver or temporary extension of FCC rule that carriers deliver valid call-back numbers to public safety answering points in areas where they provided Phase 1 Enhanced 911 service. (2) Kodiak Wireless, which sought extension of roaming deadline to July 1, 2003. It said it had been burdened by costs of providing roaming support because of its limited resources.