Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission selects Telcordia for number pooling trial

Communications software and solutions provider Telcordia Technologies Inc. has been selected by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) as the pooling administrator for the state's mandatory thousands-block number pooling trial for the 509 area code covering eastern Washington. The trial will begin in the Spokane Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), particularly Spokane County, and will expand to all LNP capable rate areas in the 509 area code. The mandatory trial start date is scheduled for July 8, 2001.

"We are delighted to announce this number pooling trial with the WUTC and to serve as its pool administrator for the Spokane Metropolitan Statistical Area," said Richard Harrison, general manager, Number Planning and Administration. "The Telcordia Center for Number Pooling Administration includes a state of the art system for performing pooling administration and allows for online applications, data validation and reports during a pooling trial. The center is supported by the technical and software development experts of Telcordia."

In the past, carriers were assigned telephone numbers in blocks of 10,000 on a rate center basis, which would potentially strand large quantities of numbers and cause a shortage of central office codes and area codes. This shortage would cause frequent area code changes and ultimately lead to a premature exhaust of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).

Thousands-block number pooling is a number resource optimization technique. A pooling system provides more efficient numbering resource management and extends the life of area codes by allocating resources in blocks of 1,000 instead of 10,000.

Telcordia Technologies has participated in the development of industry guidelines for thousands-block number pooling administration and implementation of telecommunications initiatives. In addition, it served for 14 years as the impartial administrator of NANP, provides the software for numbering administration in Canada, and continues to have a leading role in industry forums addressing key numbering issues and policies. Most recently, Telcordia served as the pooling administrator for the Tennessee Regulatory Authority's mandatory thousands-block number pooling trial for the 615 area code and upcoming 901 area code.

For further information about the Telcordia Center for Pooling Administration, visit www.telcordia.com/TCNPA

Source: Telcordia Technologies
With contributions by Ellen Jensen, Managing Editor