NANPA Planning Letter (PL) Number 423 – Sint Maarten – Introduction of NPA 721

Implementation of a new NPA 721 in Sint Maarten begins with a permissive dialing period. During that time, either the current country code of 599 or NPA 721 will be accepted.

Key dates are:

• 9/30/2011: Permissive dialing begins; latest date for carriers to activate NPA 721.
• 9/30/2012: Mandatory NPA 721 dialing begins.
• 9/30/2013: Earliest date for end of recorded announcement.

Once the permissive dialing period ends, a recorded message will instruct callers to dial the correct country code (1) and area code (721). Country code 599 will continue to be used in Curacao, Sint Eustatius, Saba and Bonaire.

For network testing numbers and a map of the affected area, go to www.nanpa.com.

FCC Defends Release of Confidential Data

In June, I blogged about John Staurulakis, Inc. objecting to the release of its clients’ confidential information during the Universal Service Reform proceeding. The FCC has now ruled against the company’s objection and ordered data be released to the law firm Levine, Blaszak, Block and Boothby.

Click here to read the FCC’s order.

Facebook Adds Video Calling Feature

Millions of Facebook users can now use a video calling feature, powered by Skype, to chat with their friends. Facebook announced the new service Wednesday, a week after Google announced its new social networking project called Google+.

Skype’s new partnership will give the software provider access to Facebook’s 750 million users. Skype is a Luxembourg based company with 170 million users. 

Microsoft, which owns a partial stake in Facebook, is in the process of acquiring Skype for $8.5 billion.

Pennsylvania Approves Access Charge Reform

Intrastate carrier access rates in Pennsylvania will be coming down as a result of a June 30 decision by the Public Utility Commission (PUC). It’s estimated to reduce access charges by $50 million for Interexchange Carriers.

• The intrastate access rate will gradually be reduced to $2.50 per access line.
• Local exchange carriers can recoup losses by increasing residential and business rates over a four-year period.
• The PUC will begin a rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to the state’s Universal Service Fund.

The PUC’s latest move falls in line with the FCC’s National Broadband plan, part of which attempts to rebalance local service rates with actual costs, rather than being subsidized by customers’ long distance rates. The FCC’s plan also calls for the elimination of per-minute intercarrier compensation (ICC) charges over a ten-year period.

You can read more on my April 2010 blog about the effects of the National Broadband Plan on ICC.

Read the PUC press release here.