*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 42326*
 STATEMENT  OF  CHAIRMAN  MICHAEL  K.  POWELL 
 Re:  Telephone  Number  Portability,  CC  Docket  No.  95-  116. 
 Late  last  year,  we  made  it  easier  than  ever  to  cut  the  cord.  By  firmly  endorsing  a  customer’s  right  to  untether  themselves  from  the  wireline  network  –  and  take  their  telephone  number  with  them  –  we  eliminated 


 impediments  to  competition  between  wireline  and  wireless  service.  Today’s  item  takes  another  step  toward  reducing  the  amount  of  time  it  takes  for  customers  to  port  their  phone  number  between  their  wireline  and 
 wireless  phones.  This  action  is  particularly  important  as  more  and  more  consumers  take  their  wireline  phone  numbers  to  competing  VoIP  services.  I  am  determined  to  address  this  and  any  other  regulatory 
 impediment  to  the  widespand  adoption  of  VoIP  applications. 
 Specifically,  this  Second  Further  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  (Notice)  seeks  comment  on  the  recommendation  of  the  North  American  Numbering  Council  for  reducing  the  time  interval  for  porting 
 between  wireline  and  wireless  carriers.  The  Notice  also  seeks  comment  on  alternative  mechanisms  for  reducing  the  intermodal  porting  interval,  as  well  as  whether  certain  classes  of  carriers,  including  small  and 
 rural  carriers,  should  be  exempt  if  a  shorter  intermodal  porting  interval  is  adopted.  Finally,  the  Notice  seeks  comment  on  implementation  issues  related  to  shortening  the  intermodal  porting  interval.  I  look  forward  to 
 hearing  from  all  interested  parties  regarding  how  best  to  reduce  the  intermodal  porting  interval,  so  that  consumers  can  more  easily  switch  to  their  carrier  of  choice. 
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