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 STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS 
 Re:  Telephone  Number  Portability,  CC  Docket  No.  95-  116. 
 I  am  happy  that  with  this  item  we  are  seeking  comment  on  ways  to  shorten  the  interval  for  intermodal  porting.  This  Commission  is  strongly  on  record  that  number  portability  reduces 
 both  the  hassle  and  expense  that  previously  accompanied  switching  between  service  providers  and  technologies.  That’s  good  news  for  consumers,  for  businesses—  for  anyone  who  pays  a 
 phone  bill. 
 While  I  am  greatly  encouraged  at  the  prospect  of  being  able  to  cut  porting  time  very  significantly,  I  want  to  understand  fully  the  challenges  and  costs  and  burdens  that  might  arguably 
 be  involved.  And  I  want  to  look  very  closely  at  the  impact  on  smaller  and  rural  carriers.  Surely  we  need  to  address  open  matters  involving  the  rating  and  routing  of  wireline  calls  to  numbers 
 ported  to  wireless  carriers.  We  depend  on  good  input  and  information  here,  because  the  decisions  coming  out  of  the  Commission  depend  on  what  comes  in  to  us. 


 The  fact  that  we  can  initiate  this  action  today  is  due  to  the  good  work  of  the  North  American  Numbering  Council.  Like  so  many  of  our  advisory  councils,  NANC  labors  behind  the 
 scenes  and  sorts  through  complex  details  to  develop  its  recommendations.  Their  input  and  counsel  is  vital  to  our  process.  So  thanks  to  them.  We  demonstrate  our  gratitude  best  when  we 
 quickly  seek  comment  on  their  efforts.  We  do  so  here,  and  I  am  pleased  to  support  this  item. 
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