NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th 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).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
May 13, 2009 Mark Wigfield, 202-418-0253
Email: mark.wigfield@fcc.gov
FCC INCREASES CONSUMER CHOICE BY SPEEDING NUMBER PORTABILITY
Agency Also Requires VoIP Providers to Notify Consumers of Plans to Discontinue Service
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission today adopted two items to benefit and protect 
consumers.
The Commission first made it easier for consumers to switch voice service providers by requiring wireline, 
wireless and certain Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers to transfer a customer's existing telephone 
number to a new provider within one business day, rather than the current four-day requirement. Delays in number 
porting cost consumers money and impede their ability to choose providers based solely on price, quality and 
service.
With the exception of small carriers, all providers must implement the new number porting interval within 
nine months from the time the Commission receives key input from the North American Numbering Council 
(NANC), which is due 90 days after the effective date of the order. Small carriers have 15 months after the NANC 
recommendation to implement the new interval.  The NANC is a federal advisory committee charged with advising 
the Commission on numbering matters.
In a second order, the Commission expanded consumer protections for customers of interconnected VoIP 
providers.  Interconnected VoIP providers are those whose customers can place calls to and receive calls from the 
public telephone network, rather than solely over the Internet.  
These providers are now required to notify customers before they discontinue, reduce or impair service, as 
conventional providers currently must do. Interconnected VoIP providers can no longer close shop without notice, 
leaving customers unexpectedly without phone service or recourse.
Consumers are increasingly using interconnected VoIP to replace analog voice service, and their 
expectations for notice, access to emergency 911 service and other consumer protections are the same as users of 
conventional voice service, the Commission found.
Number Portability: Action by the Commission, May 13, 2009, by Report and Order and Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 09-41).  Acting Chairman Copps, Commissioners Adelstein and McDowell.  Separate 
statements issued by Acting Chairman Copps, Commissioners Adelstein, and McDowell.
Docket Nos.:  07-244, 95-116
VoIP Discontinuance: Action by the Commission, May 13, 2009, by Report and Order (FCC 09-40). 
Acting Chairman Copps, Commissioners Adelstein and McDowell.  Separate statements issued by Acting Chairman 
Copps, Commissioners Adelstein, and McDowell.
Docket No. 04-36
Wireline Competition Bureau Staff Contact: Tim Stelzig, 202-418-1580
-FCC-
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