PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 DA 97-2579 News media information 202/418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov Released: December 9, 1997 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON CTIA PETITION FOR WAIVER TO EXTEND THE IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINES OF WIRELESS NUMBER PORTABILITY CC Docket No. 95-116 Comment Date: January 9, 1998 Reply Comment Date: January 24, 1998 On November 24, 1997, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association ("CTIA") filed a petition seeking a waiver of the implementation schedule for wireless number portability. CTIA requests that the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau use its delegated authority to establish a new service provider number portability implementation date of March 31, 2000. In the Number Portability First Report and Order, the Commission required all cellular, broadband Personal Communications Services ("PCS"), and covered Special Mobile Radio ("SMR") carriers to have the capability of querying appropriate number portability database systems in order to deliver calls from their networks to ported numbers anywhere in the country by December 31, 1998, the date by which wireline carriers must complete implementation of number portability in the largest 100 MSAs. Cellular, broadband PCS, and covered SMR carriers were further required to offer service provider portability throughout their networks, including the ability to support roaming, by June 30, 1999. Additionally, the Commission delegated authority to the Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to waive or stay any of the dates in the implementation schedule, to the extent necessary to ensure the efficient development of number portability, for a period not to exceed nine months. CTIA now seeks a waiver of the implementation schedule claiming that wireless carriers face technical burdens in updating their networks that will require greater time and effort to meet the current service provider number portability deadline. CTIA claims that wireless carriers will be unable to implement service provider number portability by the June 30, 1999 deadline because issues regarding network build-out and nationwide roaming remain unresolved. CTIA claims that the Commission's deadline affects the capital budget of wireless carriers. CTIA asserts that the problem is most significant for PCS licensees who are in the process of constructing their networks and need to devote substantial resources to building-out and extending system coverage. CTIA also claims that the industry will be technically unable to support nationwide roaming and number portability under the existing implementation schedule. CTIA argues that the industry needs additional time to develop a means of allowing subscribers to keep their telephone number and separate the Mobile Identification Number ("MIN") from the Mobile Directory Number ("MDN"). Currently, the MIN and the MDN are the same. CTIA states that when a subscriber roams the MIN is used by the visiting carrier to identify the user, and the combined MIN/MDN is thus associated with a particular carrier. CTIA asserts that number portability requires that the MIN be associated with a carrier and the MDN be allowed to move with the ported user. Because the MIN will no longer be used for subscriber identification, carriers must implement new software and other technical changes to accommodate the split. CTIA argues that the industry must be given adequate opportunity to develop a number portability solution that will be transparent to subscribers and permit them to use their wireless telephones everywhere. CTIA therefore requests that the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau extend the effective dates of the implementation schedule for wireless service provider number portability by nine months to March 31, 2000. We seek comment on the issues raised in the petition by January 9, 1998 and reply comments by January 24, 1998. Ex parte presentations in this proceeding will be governed by the procedures set forth in section 1.1206 of the Commission's rules. Interested parties should file an original and four copies of their comments with the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20554. In addition, parties should send two copies to Janice Jamison, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC, Suite 700, 2100 M Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20554. Copies of comments and reply comments will also be available from ITS, at 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, or by calling (202) 857-3800. For further information contact Janice Jamison, Commercial Wireless Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-7240.