*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 14780.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov DA 02- 315 Released: February 11, 2002 COMMON CARRIER BUREAU TO HOLD FORUM ON TOLL- FREE NUMBER ADMINISTRATION CC Docket No. 95- 155 Date: Monday, March 4, 2002 Location: Commission Meeting Room (Room TW- C305) Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20554 Time: 1: 00 P. M. – 4: 00 P. M. Format: Roundtable Discussion with Moderator In a public notice released on January 18, 2002, the Common Carrier Bureau (Bureau) invited interested parties to participate in a forum discussing issues related to toll- free number administration. 1 In response to the public notice, a number of interested parties have contacted the Bureau, including large and small responsible organizations (RespOrgs), consumer groups and Database Service Management, Inc. (DSMI), the toll- free database administrator. 2 Commission staff from the Common Carrier and Consumer Information Bureaus also will participate in the forum. The following topics will be discussed: I. Toll- Free Number Administration Under the Current System x Should the Commission implement the directives proposed in the DSMI Letter? 3 Because industry believes that the directives would be costly and potentially ineffective, what other solutions could be implemented either as an alternative to, or in addition to, the directives 1 Common Carrier Bureau Invites Interested Parties to Participate in a Forum to Discuss Toll- Free Number Administration, Public Notice, DA 02- 167 (2002) (Forum Public Notice). 2 A list of participants will be posted at www. fcc. gov/ ccb/ nsd/ documents/ 2002tfforum. html. 3 See Letter from L. Charles Keller, Chief, Network Services Division, to Mr. Michael Wade, President, Database Service Management, Inc., DA 00- 2754 (rel. Dec. 7, 2000) (DSMI Letter). See also Forum Public Notice, which summarized the directives in the DSMI Letter. 1 2 in the DSMI Letter to achieve the Commission’s stated objectives? x Should the Commission modify its toll- free administration rules to allow for the transfer of toll- free numbers between subscribers in certain instances? x To ensure that the first come, first served policy operates effectively, what changes could be made to the current system or industry procedures? Should the Commission implement policies or procedures to equalize access to the toll- free database among users of Mechanized Generic Interface, Generic User Interface and dial- up? 4 x What can/ should the Commission do to alleviate or eliminate warehousing, hoarding and unauthorized disconnections of toll- free numbers? x Should the toll- free administrator more closely track the activities of RespOrgs and, if so, how? Should the toll- free administrator require RespOrgs to include names and other subscriber information in the records stored in the SMS/ 800 Database? x To discourage hoarding, should the Commission limit the number of toll- free numbers serving each telephone line and require subscribers that want additional toll- free numbers to provide a justification for their request? x Are there industry policies or procedures that could be implemented by RespOrgs to prevent unauthorized disconnections of toll- free numbers? II. Restructuring the Current Toll- Free Number Administration System 5 x Should ownership and operation of the toll- free database be transferred to an entity that is not affiliated with any segment of the telecommunications industry? x Should the current self- serve method of allocating toll- free numbers be replaced by an allocation system similar to the North American Numbering Plan system, in which the number administrator allocates numbers upon carrier request, subject to certain conditions? Or would such an approach be too burdensome? x What changes to the structure would reduce costs to RespOrgs and consumers, and increase the efficiency of toll- free number use? 4 See Comments Sought on Petitions for Emergency Relief Regarding Release of the 855 Toll Free Code, Public Notice, DA 00- 2688 (rel. Nov. 29, 2000). In comments filed in response to the Forum Public Notice, the Toll Free Number Coalition (TFNC) requested the Commission to determine whether policies should be modified to ensure equal access by RespOrgs to the SMS/ 800 Database. See TFNC Comments at 2. 5 See Toll Free Service Access Codes, Database Services Management, Inc. 's Petition for Declaratory Ruling, and Beehive Telephone Company's Petition for Declaratory Ruling, Fifth Report and Order in CC Docket No. 95- 155, Order in NSD File No. L- 99- 87, Order in NSD File No. L- 99- 88, 15 FCC Rcd 11939, 11950 (rel. July 5, 2000). 2 3 x Should SMS/ 800 service continue to be provided under tariff? III. Market- Based Toll- Free Administration x Could a market- based system, in which RespOrgs or subscribers would be able to purchase toll- free numbers, be established? x What would be the benefits and costs of creating a market to allocate toll- free numbers? For example, would a market- based system increase the efficiency of toll- free number use? Parties interested in participating in the roundtable discussion should contact Louise Klees-Wallace by e- mail at lkleeswa@ fcc. gov no later than February 15, 2002. Participants are encouraged to identify in the e- mail the specific topics they would like to address. We also welcome the submission of comments or position papers on the topics to be discussed. All submissions should be sent via e- mail to Jennifer Gorny at jgorny@ fcc. gov by February 21, 2002. Submissions will be posted on the Network Services Division’s website. 6 Participants wishing to make electronic presentations (no larger than 1.2 Megabits) are requested to forward them to Deborah Blue at dblue@ fcc. gov by February 27, 2002. This forum is open to the public. Parties interested in attending the forum, but not participating in the roundtable discussion, will have an opportunity to comment or ask questions. Closed captioning will be provided on monitors in the Commission meeting room. For any special needs, please contact Deborah Blue at (202) 418- 2320 by February 22, 2002. For further information, contact Jennifer Gorny at (202) 418- 1517 or jgorny@ fcc. gov or Louise Klees- Wallace at (202) 418- 1321 or lkleeswa@ fcc. gov, in the Network Services Division of the Common Carrier Bureau. The TTY number is (202) 418- 0484. -FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION- 6 See www. fcc. gov/ ccb/ nsd/ documents/ 2002tfforum. html. 3