*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 53534.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY: 1- 888- 835- 5322 DA 05- 3102 Released: November 29, 2005 FCC SEEKS COMMENT ON THE THOUSANDS- BLOCK POOLING ADMINISTRATOR TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS (CC Docket No. 99- 200) Comments Due: December 29, 2005 Reply Comments Due: January 13, 2006 On March 31, 2000, the Commission released a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Numbering Resource Optimization (NRO Order). 1 In the NRO Order, the Commission directed the North American Numbering Council (NANC), the Commission’s advisory council for numbering issues, to propose revisions, with the active participation of interested parties, to the technical requirements document drafted by the NANC for the thousands- block Pooling Administrator (PA). 2 Thousands- block number pooling is an alternative method for the assignment of numbering resources. Instead of assigning all 10,000 numbers within an NXX code 3 to a single service provider, thousands- block pooling involves the allocation of telephone numbers within an NXX code in blocks of a thousand sequential numbers to different service providers in a particular rate area. On June 15, 2001, NeuStar, Inc. (NeuStar) was awarded the federal contract to serve as the PA to administer the national roll- out of thousands- block number pooling and ongoing pooling administration for a total of five years. The contract is renewable annually, and expires on June 13, 2006. In order to have an impartial entity continue to administer pooling, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) must select a national thousands- block PA for another contract term. Accordingly, at the Bureau’s request, the NANC examined and proposed 1 Numbering Resource Optimization, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CC Docket No. 99- 200, 15 FCC Rcd 7574 (2000) (NRO Order). 2 See NRO Order, 15 FCC Rcd at 7643, para. 155. 3 NXX code or central office code refers to the second three digits (also called digits D- E- F) of a ten- digit telephone number in the form NPA- NXX- XXXX, where N represents any one of the numbers 2 through 9 and X represents one of the numbers 0 through 9. 47 C. F. R. § 52. 7( c). 1 2 revisions to the existing technical requirements document, which specifies the technical requirements to be met by the national PA. The NANC forwarded its proposed technical requirements to the Chief of the Bureau on August 3, 2005. The technical requirements for the National PA Requirements Document are attached. It is anticipated that the technical requirements recommended by the NANC will provide a basis for the Statement of Work in the Commission solicitation for the selection of a national thousands- block PA. Therefore, we seek comment on the technical requirements recommended by the NANC. Specifically, comments should address whether the technical requirements are sufficiently detailed, comprehensive, and clear, and whether they adequately describe the duties and scope of the national thousands- block PA’s responsibilities. The NANC’s proposed technical requirements document does not reflect a position of the Commission in any way as to the final technical requirements or contract terms and conditions for the anticipated solicitation. The technical requirements, contract terms and conditions in the Commission solicitation may differ from those recommended by the NANC. The final contract terms and conditions will be based on the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulations. Parties submitting comments in response to this Public Notice must file initial comments no later than December 29, 2005 and reply comments no later than January 13, 2006. All pleadings are to reference CC Docket No. 99- 200. Comments may be filed using: (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government’s eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). Comments filed through ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http:// www. fcc. gov/ cgb/ ecfs/. Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U. S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e- mail. To get filing instructions for e- mail comments, commenters should send an e- mail to ecfs@ fcc. gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in reply. Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. One (1) courtesy copy should also be sent to Sheryl Todd, Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC, Room 5- B540, 445 12 th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U. S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U. S. Postal Service mail). The Commission’s contractor will receive hand- delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N. E., Suite 110, Washington, D. C. 20002. -The filing hours at this location are 8: 00 a. m. to 7: 00 p. m. -All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. -Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. 2 3 -Commercial overnight mail (other than U. S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. -U. S. Postal Service first- class mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D. C. 20554. -All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e- mail to fcc504@ fcc. gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202- 418- 0530 (voice), 202- 418- 0432( tty). This matter shall be treated as a “permit- but- disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. See 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.1200, 1.1206. Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentations and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one- or two- sentence description of the views and arguments presented is generally required. See 47 C. F. R. § 1.1206( b). Other rules pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit- but- disclose proceedings are set forth in section 1.1206( b) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. § 1.1206( b). For further information, contact Mika Savir, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418- 7400. - FCC - 3