On November 8, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission released the text of its October 31st Order which extended Local Number Portability (“LNP”) obligations to interconnected VoIP providers. Under the new regulations, all existing LNP regulations, including the obligation to contribute to shared numbering administration costs (through assessments based on Form 499-A reports), are extended to interconnected VoIP providers. Additionally, the FCC clarified that all carriers (both interconnected VoIP and their telecommunications carrier counterparts) may not unreasonably delay number porting by demanding excessive information from the porting-in entity.
