[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 104 (Monday, June 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29734-29735]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14378]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[CC Docket No. 95-155]
Toll Free Service Access Codes
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice; letter.
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SUMMARY: The Common Carrier Bureau has issued a letter to Database
Service Management, Inc., extending the time for subscribers holding
toll free 800 numbers to exercise their right of first refusal to
request corresponding toll free 888 numbers that were set aside for
them. The letter also extends the time for RespOrgs to report
subscriber requests to DSMI and for DSMI to process and verify RespOrg
reports as they come in, and it directs DSMI to take several other
actions to ensure: That all subscriber requests to retain their set-
aside numbers are promptly assigned and activated as ``working''; that
no subscriber requests get rejected for being submitted late; and that
all set-aside numbers for which subscribers did not respond in writing
are placed in ``unavailable'' status rather than ``spare'' status,
while the Commission audits them to ensure that subscribers received
adequate notice from the RespOrgs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marty Schwimmer 202-418-2334.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are attaching this letter to this
document for the readers' convenience.
Federal Communications Commission.
Geraldine A. Matise,
Chief, Network Services Division.
May 15, 1998.
Mr. Michael Wade,
President, Database Service Management, Inc., 6 Corporate Place,
Room PYA-1F286, Piscataway, NJ 08854-4157.
Re: Processing of set-aside 888 numbers for subscribers holding
corresponding 800 numbers
Dear Mr. Wade: The Bureau's letter to you dated April 2, 1998,
established a 90-day schedule to transfer to RespOrg control or to
[[Page 29735]]
release into ``spare'' status 888 vanity numbers that were set aside
for subscribers holding corresponding 800 numbers. Your letter dated
April 10, 1998, indicates that the 90-day schedule does not allow
sufficient time for DSMI to process and verify RespOrg reports of
subscriber requests for these numbers. The Bureau in this letter now
extends the time for subscribers to request numbers that were set
aside for them, for RespOrgs to report subscriber requests to DSMI,
and for DSMI to process and verify RespOrg reports as they come in.
It also directs DSMI to take several other actions, which are
intended to ensure: (1) That all subscriber requests to retain their
set-aside numbers are promptly assigned and activated as
``working''; (2) that no subscriber requests get rejected for being
submitted late; and (3) that all set-aside numbers for which
subscribers did not respond in writing are placed in ``unavailable''
status rather than ``spare'' status, while the Commission audits
them to ensure that subscribers received adequate notice from the
RespOrgs.
Under the current 90-day schedule, RespOrgs were required in the
first 20 days, which ended April 25, 1998, to notify their
subscribers that they may choose to reserve their set-aside numbers.
In the next 30 days, subscribers must submit written requests to the
RespOrgs in order to retain their numbers, and they are permitted to
submit written requests to release the numbers as ``spare.'' In the
following 30 days, RespOrgs must report the subscribers'' requests
to DSMI, with documentation of each subscriber's request or
certification that the subscriber did not respond. In the last 10
days, DSMI must complete processing the requests.
The Bureau is concerned that erroneously releasing a number into
``spare'' status contrary to a subscriber's intent would not be a
correctable error if the number then becomes ``reserved,''
``assigned,'' or activated as ``working'' for the account of another
subscriber. (Erroneously assigning and activating a subscriber's
set-aside number as ``working'' would presumably be correctable, by
placing it in the proper status and ensuring that the subscriber is
not charged for it.) It is therefore imperative to verify, for each
number that a RespOrg certifies the subscriber did not respond, that
the subscriber received adequate notice of right of first refusal
from the RespOrg before releasing the number into ``spare'' status.
Other potential problems, in addition to inadequate notice,
could also necessitate additional time for processing or for
correction and re-processing. Among these may be, for example,
failure by subscribers to mail their requests to RespOrgs or to mail
them by May 24, 1998, or mishandling of written subscriber requests
by RespOrgs or their agents, or failure or inability of RespOrgs or
their agents to report subscriber requests correctly to DSMI.
Compounding or contributing to these possibilities, other events
might transpire during or after the 90-day period--for example, a
subscriber might change RespOrgs, an 800 number might be
disconnected or suspended, or an 888 number that is returned to
RespOrg control for activation as ``working'' might instead be
placed in ``reserved'' status (and 45 days later automatically moved
to ``spare'' status if the subscriber fails to submit a further
request to activate).
In light of these concerns, the Bureau modifies the process for
handling the 888 numbers that were set aside for subscribers holding
corresponding 800 numbers, as follows.
1. Written subscriber requests received from RespOrgs by August
21, 1998--Processed by DSMI by September 10, 1998--Activated by
September 30, 1998. The Bureau directs DSMI to instruct the RespOrgs
that additional time is allotted, until August 21, 1998, for
RespOrgs to complete notifying subscribers of their right of first
refusal, for subscribers to respond to the RespOrgs' notification in
writing, and for RespOrgs to report all results to DSMI (with
documentation of written subscriber requests and certification of
all other results). The Bureau also directs DSMI to instruct the
RespOrgs that they may set target dates for subscriber responses,
consistent with this time schedule. The Bureau further directs DSMI
that, for all 888 number requests that are reported to DSMI and
received from RespOrgs by August 21, 1998, and that are documented
by written subscriber requests (rather than by RespOrg certification
of other results), DSMI will have an additional 20 days for
processing those written subscriber requests, until September 10,
1998. In that time, DSMI must complete all processing, place into
``spare'' status all numbers to be released, place into ``assigned''
status all numbers that subscribers wish to retain, transfer to the
RespOrgs control of numbers that are to be activated as ``working,''
and instruct the RespOrgs to complete activation of those numbers as
``working'' within 20 days thereafter, no later than September 30,
1998.
2. Late-filed written requests--Acceptance--Requests to reserve.
The Bureau directs DSMI to instruct the RespOrgs that they may not
reject written requests from subscribers received after August 21,
1998, and that they must submit to DSMI, on an ongoing basis, all
written requests with accompanying documentation as they come in
from subscribers no later than 30 days after receiving them. The
Bureau instructs DSMI to process all such requests within 20 days of
receiving them, and, upon completion of processing, place into
``spare'' status all numbers requested to be released, place into
``assigned'' status all numbers that subscribers wish to retain,
transfer to the RespOrgs control of numbers that are to be activated
as ``working,'' and instruct the RespOrgs to complete activation of
those numbers as ``working'' within 20 days thereafter. The Bureau
permits DSMI to request more than 20 days to process late-filed
requests, if DSMI's request is due to a reduction in DSMI's work
force needed to comply with this letter.
3. ``No response'' numbers--``Unavailable'' status--Commission
audit. The Bureau directs DSMI to retain in ``unavailable'' status
those set-aside 888 numbers for which subscribers did not respond,
and not to release those numbers into the general pool as ``spare''
unless and until the Commission informs DSMI otherwise. The Bureau
also directs DSMI to instruct the RespOrgs that, for DSMI to verify
documentation, each certification of no subscriber response that a
RespOrg submits to DSMI must include subscriber contact information,
containing at least the name, address, and phone number of the
subscriber and the date and means by which the RespOrg notified the
subscriber of the right of first refusal. The Bureau further directs
DSMI to inform the RespOrgs that, after September 10, 1998, the
Commission will audit those numbers and the documentation with which
the RespOrgs certify that subscribers did not respond in writing, to
ensure that the subscribers received adequate notice from the
RespOrgs of their right of first refusal.
Following completion of the process directed in this letter, the
time for subscribers to exercise their rights of first refusal will
come to an end when the Bureau directs DSMI to release the remaining
``unavailable'' set-aside 888 numbers into ``spare'' status.
Sincerely,
Geraldine A. Matise,
Chief, Network Services Division.
[FR Doc. 98-14378 Filed 5-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
