Local Telephone Competition

Twice a year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and facilities-based mobile telephony providers to submit information to the FCC so that the state of competition in the industry may be analyzed. On 7/23/09, the FCC released statistics reflecting the submitted data as of 6/30/08. A summary includes:

~~ As of the end of June ’08, approximately 124.6 million ILEC switched access lines, 30.0 million CLEC switched access line, and 255.3 million mobile telephony service subscriptions were utilized by end-user customers to obtain local telephone service.

~~ 9.4 million lines (of the 30.0 million CLEC end-user switched access lines) were provided over coaxial cable connections. This figure represents about 71% of the 13.1 million end-user switched access lines that CLECs reported providing over their own local loop facilities.

~~ The number of mobile telephony subscribers rose by 17.0 million over last year.
About 8% of the 255.3 million mobile subscriptions are billed by mobile telephony service resellers.

~~ At the end of June ‘08, there was at least one CLEC serving customers in 82% of the nation’s Zip Codes, with about 97% of U.S. households residing in those Zip Codes. Additionally, there were multiple carriers reporting they provided local telephone service in the country’s major population centers.

~~ The 30.0 million lines reported by CLECs is about 19% of the 154.7 million total end-user switched access lines.

~~ CLECs reported:
-- 12.4 million (or 14%) of the 89.6 million lines that served residential end users and 17.7 million (or 27%) of the 64.7 million lines that served business, institutional, and government customers.
-- Providing 44% of their end-user switched access lines over their own local loop facilities, 36% by using unbundled network elements (UNEs) that they leased from other carriers, and 20% through resale arrangements with unaffiliated carriers.

~~ Incumbent LECs:
-- Provided about 11% fewer UNE loops with switching (referred to as the UNE-Platform) to unaffiliated carriers at the end of June 2008 than they reported six months earlier (4.9 million compared to 5.5 million) and about 7% fewer UNE loops without switching (3.8 million compared to 4.1 million).
-- Were the presubscribed interstate long distance carrier for 59% of the switched access lines they provided to end users, while CLECs were the interstate long distance carrier for 79% of their switched access lines."


The FCC will continue to post updated information as available. Future reports will also reflect interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (interconnected VoIP) statistics, as per the FCC’s Report and Order (FCC 08-89) which revised requirements to encompass VoIP subscriber information as well.

To review or download a complete copy of the report, visit: www.fcc.gov/wcb/stats.

NANPA Newsletter provides relief…
NANPA’s newsletter, always a great resource, provides a synopsis of significant area code relief activity in its second quarter 2009 issue. A brief rundown includes:
Alabama -- Planning Letter 398, for implementation of the new 938 NPA overlaying the existing 256 NPA, was published with permissive 10-digit dialing slated to begin 11/7/09 ~ mandatory 10-digit dialing will begin 6/5/10.

• Connecticut – Code conservation measures delayed the exhaust of the 203 NPA for over a decade – but implementation plans are now underway for the 475 NPA overlay. Statewide permissive 10-digit dialing started on 5/16/09 ~ with mandatory dialing beginning on 11/14/09.
• Arkansas and Pennsylvania – Relief petitions have been filed for both Arkansas and Pennsylvania, with overlay recommendations for Arkansas’ 870 NPA and Pennsylvania’s 814 and 570 NPAs.
• Kentucky – With the projected exhaust date of the 270 NPA moved to second quarter 2012 (from second quarter 2011), an order was issued delaying the start of permissive dialing for the 270/364 split to no later than 1/1/12 (from 4/1/10). The establishing of dates for mandatory dialing has been deferred.
• California – An all-service overlay has been approved as the relief method for the 760 NPA, with 442 assigned as the new NPA. Permissive seven-digit or one plus 10-digit dialing began 5/2/09 ~ and mandatory one plus 10-digit dialing will start 10/24/09.
• Illinois -- Implementation of the 312 and 773 NPAs overlay with new 872 NPA has been delayed for years by the induction of various numbering optimization measures. The NANPA newsletter provides a detailed update and indicates, "The industry should already have permissive dialing in their switches. Therefore, the industry must be prepared for a short notice to start the overlay implementation."
• Oregon – An all-services overlay for the 541 NPA was approved, with the new NPA designated as 458. Permissive seven-digit or 10-digit dialing began 7/12/09 ~ mandatory 10-digit dialing starts 1/10/10.
• Wisconsin – The approved relief method for the 715 NPA is an all-services overlay, with the 534 NPA assigned as the new code. Permissive seven-digit or 10-digit dialing begins 10/17/09 ~ with mandatory 10-digit dialing slated to begin 7/17/10.
  To review this relief activity in more detail – or for additional information on various administrative news, the 2Q2009 NANPA Newsletter may be accessed via www.nanpa.com.

Are we running out of phone numbers?

The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) Administration has just completed its review of assigned area codes and area codes still available for assignment. Results show that we’ll be able to keep giving out phone numbers in the current format for at least 30 more years.

Utilizing historical central office code assignments and service provider submitted data, the report reviews all geographic area codes in the US, and provides "an NPA-by-NPA exhaust projection". Using an assumption of an "average CO code demand rate of 5,800 codes assigned per year and 685 available NPA codes", the present analysis indicates NANP exhaust beyond 2039. More details are available at www.nanpa.com.

Permissive Dialing Delayed in Kentucky

A two-way geographic split to relieve western Kentucky’s 270 NPA was ordered 5/31/07 by the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KY PSC). On 6/2/09, the KY PSC ordered a delay to the start of permissive dialing in this area, resulting in a change from 4/1/10 to no later than 1/1/12. No date was set for mandatory dialing.

So, as it stands now the relief plan for 270 NPA is:

7/29/11
-- Test number 364-364-4444 in service to verify routing to new NPA (364) (end date to be determined)

10/29/11
-- Latest date for all domestic and international carriers to activate the 364 NPA
-- Permissive dialing starts (either 270 or 364 NPA will be acceptable in a dialed number that terminates in the new 364 NPA)

TBD
-- End of permissive dialing/start of mandatory new NPA dialing
-- Earliest date for the end of recorded announcement
-- First date codes from the 364 NPA may be ordered through NANPA

A copy of the KY PSC orders and other related Commission information can be obtained at: http://www.psc.ky.gov.