FCC nixes QOR Incumbents will have to find another way to port numbers

The Federal Communications Commission has confirmed that query on release is not an acceptable long-term local number portability solution.

Query on release requires a database query only for calls to numbers that have been ported to another carrier. Location routing number-the local number portability solution that several state commissions have selected-requires a database check for all calls anywhere local number portability is available.

Several incumbent local exchange carriers had asked that they be allowed to use query on release for calls originating on their networks to phone numbers originally assigned to their own networks.

Aimed at increasing competition, local number portability will enable customers to change providers without changing phone numbers.

The incumbents argued that query on release would be less expensive to implement-assuming competitive penetration rates do not exceed a certain level. Query on release, however, could have increased call setup time by about one second on calls to numbers that had been ported to another carrier, said Mark Foster, principal of MDF Associates, a consultancy specializing in local number portability.

This additional post-dial delay would impair call quality for consumers who changed carriers and kept their numbers, the FCC found. location routing number, in contrast, imposes a somewhat shorter period of post-dial delay on calls to all customers in an area in which number portability is available.

"The extra second happens to be one of those esoterics. If you're making a data call, you'll see it," said Frank Dzubeck, president and chief executive officer of Communications Network Architects Inc., a Washington-based consultancy.

The FCC also said that even if additional post-dial delay were imperceptible to the caller, the incumbent carrier could refer to it in advertising. Although several incumbents promised not to make such claims in their advertising materials, the FCC said that would not preclude them from mentioning call setup time in direct sales, telemarketing or news releases.

In the March 11 order, the commission also extended the deadline for the Bell regional holding companies to complete the first phase of number portability, which affects the largest metropolitan area in each Bell company's territory, from Dec. 31, 1997, to March 31, 1998. The deadline to complete the second phase, covering 16 additional metro areas has been extended to May 15, 1998. The final deadline for the initial 100 cities covered by the original local number portability ruling remains Dec. 31, 1998.

The FCC also ruled that within each metro area, carriers need to support local number portability only for local exchanges for which another carrier has made a request.

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