The Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) Wireline Competition Bureau recently announced that on February 18, 2016, the FCC would begin accepting applications from Interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (“I-VoIP”) service providers for authorization to obtain telephone numbers directly from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (“NANPA”).  The Bureau’s announcement follows the FCC’s June 2015 Direct Access Report and Order, in which the FCC authorized I-VoIP providers to obtain telephone numbers directly from the Numbering Administrators, rather than through intermediaries.  On January 5, 2016, the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) approved the FCC’s I-VoIP Number Access regime, and the rules became effective upon publication of the notice of OMB’s approval in the Federal Register.

The Public Notice also outlined the application process by which I-VoIP providers could obtain FCC authorization for direct access to telephone numbers from the Numbering Administration. Although the Commission did not provide specific guidance as to the particular form and format of the application, the Bureau noted in the Public Notice that the applications must comply with the requirements of Section 52.15(g)(3)(i) of the Commission’s rules.

I-VoIP providers interested in applying for FCC authorization to obtain telephone numbers directly from the Numbering Administrators may contact Michael P. Donahue at (703) 714-1319, or mpd@commlawgroup.com, for assistance with the application process.