Goto Section: 52.11 | 52.13 | Table of Contents
FCC 52.12
Revised as of October 2, 2015
Goto Year:2014 |
2016
§ 52.12 North American Numbering Plan Administrator and B&C Agent.
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator (“NANPA”) and the associated
“B&C Agent” will conduct their respective operations in accordance with this
section. The NANPA and the B&C Agent will conduct their respective
operations with oversight from the Federal Communications Commission (the
“Commission”) and with recommendations from the North American Numbering
Council (“NANC”).
(a)(1) Neutrality. The NANPA and the B&C Agent shall be non-governmental
entities that are impartial and not aligned with any particular
telecommunication industry segment. Accordingly, while conducting their
respective operations under this section, the NANPA and B&C Agent shall
ensure that they comply with the following neutrality criteria:
(i) The NANPA and B&C Agent may not be an affiliate of any
telecommunications service provider(s) as defined in the Telecommunications
Act of 1996, or an affiliate of any interconnected VoIP provider as that
term is defined in § 52.21(h). “Affiliate” is a person who controls, is
controlled by, or is under the direct or indirect common control with
another person. A person shall be deemed to control another if such person
possesses, directly or indirectly—
(A) An equity interest by stock, partnership (general or limited) interest,
joint venture participation, or member interest in the other person ten
(10%) percent or more of the total outstanding equity interests in the other
person, or
(B) The power to vote ten (10%) percent or more of the securities (by stock,
partnership (general or limited) interest, joint venture participation, or
member interest) having ordinary voting power for the election of directors,
general partner, or management of such other person, or
(C) The power to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of such other person, whether through the ownership of or right to
vote voting rights attributable to the stock, partnership (general or
limited) interest, joint venture participation, or member interest) of such
other person, by contract (including but not limited to stockholder
agreement, partnership (general or limited) agreement, joint venture
agreement, or operating agreement), or otherwise;
(ii) The NANPA and B&C Agent, and any affiliate thereof, may not issue a
majority of its debt to, nor may it derive a majority of its revenues from,
any telecommunications service provider. “Majority” shall mean greater than
50 percent, and “debt” shall mean stocks, bonds, securities, notes, loans or
any other instrument of indebtedness; and
(iii) Notwithstanding the neutrality criteria set forth in paragraphs (a)(1)
(i) and (ii) of this section, the NANPA and B&C Agent may be determined to
be or not to be subject to undue influence by parties with a vested interest
in the outcome of numbering administration and activities. NANC may conduct
an evaluation to determine whether the NANPA and B&C Agent meet the undue
influence criterion.
(2) Any subcontractor that performs—
(i) NANP administration and central office code administration, or
(ii) Billing and Collection functions, for the NANPA or for the B&C Agent
must also meet the neutrality criteria described in paragraph (a)(1).
(b) Term of administration. The NANPA shall provide numbering
administration, including central office code administration, for the United
States portion of the North American Numbering Plan (“NANP”) for an initial
period of five (5) years. At any time prior to the termination of the
initial or subsequent term of administration, such term may be renewed for
up to five (5) years with the approval of the Commission and the agreement
of the NANPA. The B&C Agent shall provide billing and collection functions
for an initial period of five (5) years. At any time prior to the
termination of the initial or subsequent term of administration, such term
may be renewed for up to five (5) years with the approval of the Commission
and the agreement of the B&C Agent.
(c) Changes to regulations, rules, guidelines or directives. In the event
that regulatory authorities or industry groups (including, for example, the
Industry Numbering Committee—INC, or its successor) issue rules,
requirements, guidelines or policy directives which may affect the functions
performed by the NANPA and the B&C Agent, the NANPA and the B&C Agent shall,
within 10 business days from the date of official notice of such rules,
requirements, guidelines or policy directives, assess the impact on its
operations and advise the Commission of any changes required. NANPA and the
B&C Agent shall provide written explanation why such changes are required.
To the extent the Commission deems such changes are necessary, the
Commission will recommend to the NANP member countries appropriate cost
recovery adjustments, if necessary.
(d) Performance review process. NANPA and the B&C Agent shall develop and
implement an internal, documented performance monitoring mechanism and shall
provide such performance review on request of the Commission on at least an
annual basis. The annual assessment process will not preclude
telecommunications industry participants from identifying performance
problems to the NANPA, the B&C Agent and the NANC as they occur, and from
seeking expeditious resolution. If performance problems are identified by a
telecommunications industry participant, the NANC, B&C Agent or NANPA shall
investigate and report within 10 business days of notice to the participant
of corrective action, if any, taken or to be taken. The NANPA, B&C Agent or
NANC (as appropriate) shall be permitted reasonable time to take corrective
action, including the necessity of obtaining the required consent of the
Commission.
(e) Termination. If the Commission determines at any time that the NANPA or
the B&C Agent fails to comply with the neutrality criteria set forth in
paragraph (a) of this section or substantially or materially defaults in the
performance of its obligations, the Commission shall advise immediately the
NANPA or the B&C Agent of said failure or default, request immediate
corrective action, and permit the NANPA or B&C Agent reasonable time to
correct such failure or default. If the NANPA or B&C Agent is unwilling or
unable to take corrective action, the Commission may, in a manner consistent
with the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act and the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, take any action that it deems
appropriate, including termination of the NANPA's or B&C Agent's term of
administration.
(f) Required and optional enterprise services. Enterprise Services, which
are services beyond those described in § 52.13 that may be provided by the
new NANPA for specified fees, may be offered with prior approval of the
Commission.
(1) Required Enterprise Services. At the request of a code holder, the NANPA
shall, in accordance with industry standards and for reasonable fees, enter
certain routing and rating information, into the industry-approved
database(s) for dissemination of such information. This task shall include
reviewing the information and assisting in its preparation.
(2) Optional Enterprise Services. The NANPA may, subject to prior approval
and for reasonable fees, offer “Optional Enterprise Services” which are any
services not described elsewhere in this section.
(3) Annual report. NANPA shall identify and record all direct costs
associated with providing Enterprise Services separately from the costs
associated with the non-enterprise NANPA functions. The NANPA shall submit
an annual report to the NANC summarizing the revenues and costs for
providing each Enterprise Service. NANPA shall be audited by an independent
auditor after the first year of operations and every two years thereafter,
and submit the report to the Commission for appropriate review and action.
[ 63 FR 55180 , Oct. 23, 1997, as amended at 73 FR 9481 , Feb. 21, 2008]
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Goto Section: 52.11 | 52.13
Goto Year: 2014 |
2016
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