Tele-Tech Updates Newsletter

Local Enterprise Package New From Tele-Tech

Service providers continue to merge. New territories are entered at lightning speed. Competitors, old and new, threaten around every corner. In today's volatile local calling arena, can you afford not to incorporate the market's most accurate, verifiable data into your applications?

Local Enterprise is a package created for companies with a significant presence in the local calling market and a need to share data, among groups and across applications, throughout the enterprise. Local Enterprise clients use the industry's most accurate local calling data, combined with Tele-Tech's expertise on local calling rules and regulations nationwide, to sync the data in applications used by various parts of the organization.

With a single-source data set in place, the local calling area or price presented by sales and marketing is consistent with
information given to subscribers by customer care. This information is identical to what is programmed in switch routing protocols, which also matches what's shown on the subscriber's (or interconnect partner's) bill. It is a corporate-wide, seamless view of local calling, which eliminates confusion and conflict.

Detailed specifications on the databases included in Local Enterprise, as well as case studies and assistance in determining your ROI are readily available. Contact Kimberly Russo at 800-433-6181 x7103 or krusso@telecomdb.com

Verizon Challenges Virgina SCC Ruling

Verizon Communications Inc. says a Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) decision to cut regulation in some of the company's most populous markets does not go far enough.

The SCC found that Verizon had not proven its claim that Virginia's entire statewide telephone market was competitive under Virginia Law.

The telephone company filed a petition Dec. 28, 2007, asking regulators to reconsider.

Verizon wants the commission to change rules in a Dec. 14 order that are to be used to determine what telephone exchanges are competitive and, therefore, where rates should be deregulated. Verizon says more phone-service providers should be counted in determining competition than the new rules allow.

According to the test developed by regulators, Verizon has adequate competition to deregulate rates for 62 percent of its residential telephone lines and 57 percent of its business customers.

To qualify as competitive, an exchange must have two or more Verizon competitors that are available to 75 percent of customers. Additionally, at least one competitor must provide its own wires to 50 percent or more of the homes.

Verizon argues that the test ignores rivals such as Cavalier Telephone and Ntelos, which operate their own switches but use wires leased from Verizon to reach customers.

Verizon has also asked that the rules for establishing the competitiveness of Internet voice services be changed.

It has asked that the rule be changed so that the availability of broadband services to 75 percent of customers in a phone exchange would be enough to consider Internet voice service as an effective competitor.

In its order, the commission found that parts of the Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, Richmond and Roanoke areas had sufficient competition to reduce regulation of prices for residential customers. It found sufficient competition for small-business customers in parts of the Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia and Roanoke areas.

NPA Updates

PSC Proceeding to Evaluate Options in 315 Area Code

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) recently instituted a proceeding to investigate and evaluate options for adding central office codes and area codes in the 315 region while minimizing disruptions to customers.

The North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) advised the Commission in September 2007 that the 315 area code will exhaust by the third quarter of 2010.

As a result, a Numbering Plan Area Code Relief Plan needs to be developed and implemented prior to that date.

Exhaust Dates Extended for 402 and 308 in Nebraska

The forecasted exhaust dates for Nebraska's two area codes has been extended, the Nebraska Public Service Commission (NPSC) was informed on Nov. 6, 2007.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and NANPA informed the Telecommunications Department that area code 402 gained one fourth of a year and 308 gained one full year as a result of an analysis of number usage throughout the respective area codes.

The 402 area code is now projected to exhaust in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to the third quarter indicated in the previous report.

The 308 area code now has a projected exhaust date of the third quarter of 2030, extended from the third quarter of 2029.

Wisconsin PSC Requires Further Conservation Measures in 715 and 920

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) recently established mandatory number pooling in the 715 and 920 area codes to further conserve phone numbers and delay area code exhaustion in these areas.

For the past year, the PSC has been addressing area code exhaustion in the 715 and 920 area codes. In recent months, the PSC held public hearings on relief plans. Although the Commission is now requiring providers to pool their unused numbers, it is still moving forward to address relief efforts. A decision on these efforts is expected this year.

Local Calling Update

Expanded Local Calling Comes to South Louisiana

The Louisiana Public Service Commission announced recently that calls between the following communities will become toll free on Jan. 15, 2008: Donaldson to and from Litcher and Vacherie.