*Pages 1--1 from Microsoft Word - 9654.doc* NEWS News media Information 202 / 418- 0500 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D. C. Circ 1974). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: June 18, 2001 Mike Balmoris at (202) 418- 0253 Email: mbalmori@ fcc. gov FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION’S COMMON CARRIER BUREAU SELECTS NEUSTAR, INC. AS NATIONAL THOUSANDS- BLOCK NUMBER POOLING ADMINISTRATOR Washington, D. C. – Today, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Common Carrier Bureau announced that it has selected NeuStar, Inc. (NeuStar) as the National Thousands- Block Number Pooling Administrator. NeuStar will serve as the designated entity responsible for administering thousands- block number pools by assigning, managing, forecasting, reporting and processing data that will allow service providers in areas designated for thousands- block number pooling to receive telephone numbers in blocks of 1,000. NeuStar has been awarded a one- year contract with four one- year options (for a potential term of five years) to be exercised at the discretion of the FCC. NeuStar currently serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator. The FCC has established a national pooling rollout schedule that is divided into three- month segments, with the first round of implementation scheduled to begin in March 2002. Starting in March 2002, number pools will be established in approximately 21 numbering plan areas (NPAs) each quarter, with an initial concentration on NPAs in the top 100 MSAs. NeuStar will establish the first quarter rollout schedule by August 2001. The selection of a National Thousands- Block Number Pooling Administrator was one of the issues raised in the Numbering Resource Optimization proceeding (CC Docket 99- 200). Other issues raised and not yet resolved in that proceeding include: service-specific and technology- specific overlays, fees for number reservations, thousands- block number pooling for non- Local Number Portability- capable carriers, and cost recovery for pooling. Docket No.: CC 99- 200 -FCC-Common Carrier Bureau Contact: Sanford Williams at (202) 418- 2320 For contract information contact: Mark Oakey at (202) 418- 0933 News about the Federal Communications Commission can also be found on the Commission’s web site www. fcc. gov. 1