Federal Communications Commission DA 21-152 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Numbering Resource Optimization ) ) ) ) CC Docket No. 99-200 ORDER Adopted: February 11, 2021 Released: February 11, 2021 By the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau: 1. In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants a petition from Verizon for extension of a waiver of section 52.15(f)(1)(vi) of the Commission’s rules. Petition of Verizon for Extension of Limited Waiver, CC Docket No. 99-200 (filed Jan. 8, 2021), https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/101081385326933/VZ%20COVID-19%20Waiver%20Extension%20Petition%20(FINAL%20As%20Filed%2001-08-2021).pdf (Verizon Petition). Under section 52.15(f)(1)(vi), reserved numbers “are numbers that are held by service providers at the request of specific end users or customers for their future use” but do not include “[n]umbers held for the specific end users or customers for more than 180 days.” 47 CFR § 52.15(f)(1)(vi). In light of the circumstances presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, on April 22, 2020, the Bureau granted Verizon a waiver extending the 180-day time period that numbers may be held in “reserve status” by service providers at the request of business customers for their future use to 360 days, and did so for wireless numbers placed or maintained in reserved status until September 30, 2020. Numbering Resource Optimization, CC Docket No. 99-200, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 3705, 3705 (WCB 2020) (Waiver Order). On January 8, 2021, Verizon filed a petition for a nine-month extension of that waiver such that numbers placed into reserved status between April 22, 2020 and June 30, 2021 would be eligible for the 360-day reserved period. Verizon Petition at 3-4. On January 14, 2021, the Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on Verizon’s petition and received no comments. Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on Verizon’s Request for Extension of Waiver of the 180-Day Reserve Number Rule of Section 52.15(f)(1)(vi), CC Docket No. 99-200, Public Notice, DA 21-60 (WCB Jan. 14, 2021). 2. We grant Verizon’s petition, and, accordingly, numbers placed into reserved status between April 22, 2020 and June 30, 2021 will be eligible for the waiver-established 360-day reserved period. Verizon Petition at 1. As a result, many additional businesses impacted by the pandemic that have suspended operations will be able to retain their existing mobile wireless telephone numbers until their operations resume without imposing additional financial disruption due to disconnection or reactivation fees or imposing associated billing inconveniences. 3. Generally, the Commission’s rules may be waived for good cause shown. 47 CFR § 1.3 (providing that “[a]ny provision of the rules may be waived by the Commission on its own motion or on petition if good cause therefore is shown”). The Commission may exercise its discretion to waive a rule where the particular facts would render strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest. Northeast Cellular Telephone Co. v. FCC, 897 F.2d 1164, 1166 (D.C. Cir. 1990). In addition, the Commission may take into account considerations of hardship, equity, or more effective implementation of overall policy on an overall basis. Id. As Verizon explains in its petition, “[t]he COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend consumers’ and businesses’ usage patterns and severely restrict how companies are able to do business.” Verizon Petition at 4. For this reason, Verizon argues that an additional extension would “ensure that business customers will be able to retain the familiar numbers they depend on, even though there may not be a need to use that number for a significant period of time.” Id. at 5. 4. Under these circumstances, we find good cause to grant Verizon’s request. As the Bureau has stated, “During the coronavirus pandemic, we believe that all communications service providers . . . must prioritize helping their subscribers with getting connected and staying connected to voice and broadband services” See Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, Order, WC Docket No. 11-42, DA 20-285, para. 8 (WCB 2020). and we recognized this need with respect to Verizon’s prior waiver request. Waiver Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 3706, para. 3. Verizon has demonstrated that an extension of the previously-granted temporary, limited waiver of section 52.15(f)(1)(vi) will serve the public interest by “mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the continued availability of communications services to businesses.” Verizon Petition at 5. This waiver applies to all Verizon wireless telephone numbers of business accounts placed or maintained in reserved status between April 22, 2020 and June 30, 2021. For all numbers covered by this waiver, the typical 180-day period that numbers can be held in reserve by service providers at the request of customers for their future use is now 360 days. 5. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to sections 4(i) and 251(e) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 154(i), 251(e), and sections 0.291 and 1.3 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.291, 1.3, that the Verizon Petition IS GRANTED and section 52.15(f)(1)(vi), 47 CFR § 52.15(f)(1)(vi), IS WAIVED to the extent herein described. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Kris A. Monteith Chief Wireline Competition Bureau 2