- Mission [1]
- The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is responsible to Congress and the American people for ensuring that an
orderly framework exists within which communications products and services can be quickly and reasonably provided to consumers
and businesses. In support of this mission, one of the Commission's goals is to "support the Nation's economy by ensuring
that there is a comprehensive and sound competitive framework for communications services." The North American Numbering Plan
(NANP) is the basic numbering scheme that permits interoperable telecommunications service within the United States, Canada,
Bermuda, and most of the Caribbean. The NANP provides a framework for assigning the telephone numbers upon which those services
depend for permitting calls throughout the U.S. and international calls among member countries to be completed without the
need to dial international access codes and international country codes. These numbers are a public resource, and are not
the property of the carriers or their subscribers. Access to numbering resources is critical to entities desiring to participate
in the telecommunications industry. An adequate source of telephone numbers, available through a uniform numbering plan, is
essential to provide consumers with efficient access to new telecommunications services and technologies and to support continued
growth of an economy increasingly dependent upon those services and technologies. Telephone numbers are the means by which
businesses and consumers gain access to, and reap the benefits of, the public switched telephone network. These benefits cannot
be fully realized, however, unless numbering resources of the NANP are administered in a fair and efficient manner. The purpose
of the North American Numbering Council (NANC) is to advise the Commission and to make recommendations, reached through consensus,
that foster efficient and impartial NANP administration. The NANC advises the Commission on numbering policy and technical
issues, initially resolves disputes as directed by the Commission, and provides guidance to the North American Numbering Plan
Administrator (NANPA), the Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA), and the Pooling Administrator (PA), as directed
by the Commission. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Council assures that NANP administration supports the following
policy objectives: (1) that the NANP facilitates entry into the communications marketplace by making numbering resources available
on an efficient, timely basis to communications service providers; (2) that the NANP does not unduly favor or disfavor any
particular industry segment or group of consumers; (3) that the NANP does not unduly favor or disfavor one technology over
another; (4) that the NANP gives consumers easy access to the public switched telephone network; and (5) that the NANP ensures
that the interests of all NANP member countries are addressed fairly and efficiently, fostering continued integration of the
NANP across NANP member countries.
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