FCC Seeks Comment On VoIP Numbering Issues

On April 19, the US Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Order, & Notice of Inquiry on the management and assignment of telephone numbers. In the document, the FCC seeks comment on how interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) providers should obtain access to telephone numbers, and how the management of telephone numbers should change as wireless and IP-based technologies become increasingly prevalent.

In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC sought comment on a number of issues associated with permitting interconnected VoIP providers direct access to telephone numbers, including:

• Should interconnected VoIP providers should be permitted to obtain telephone numbers directly from the Number Plan Administrator and the Pooling Administrator?