(a) The North American Numbering Council (NANC) shall direct establishment of a nationwide system of regional SMS databases for the provision of long-term database methods for number portability.

(b) All telecommunications carriers shall have equal and open access to the regional databases.

(c) The NANC shall select a local number portability administrator(s) (LNPA(s)) to administer the regional databases within seven months of the initial meeting of the NANC.

(d) The NANC shall determine whether one or multiple administrator(s) should be selected, whether the LNPA(s) can be the same entity selected to be the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, how the LNPA(s) should be selected, the specific duties of the LNPA(s), the geographic coverage of the regional databases, the technical interoperability and operational standards, the user interface between telecommunications carriers and the LNPA(s), the network interface between the SMS and the downstream databases, and the technical specifications for the regional databases.

(e) Once the NANC has selected the LNPA(s) and determined the locations of the regional databases, it must report its decisions to the Commission.

(f) The information contained in the regional databases shall be limited to the information necessary to route telephone calls to the appropriate telecommunications carriers. The NANC shall determine what specific information is necessary.

(g) Any state may opt out of its designated regional database and implement a state-specific database. A state must notify the Wireline Competition Bureau and NANC that it plans to implement a state-specific database within 60 days from the release date of the Public Notice issued by the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, identifying the administrator selected by the NANC and the proposed locations of the regional databases. Carriers may challenge a state's decision to opt out of the regional database system by filing a petition with the Commission.

(h) Individual state databases must meet the national requirements and operational standards recommended by the NANC and adopted by the Commission. In addition, such state databases must be technically compatible with the regional system of databases and must not interfere with the scheduled implementation of the regional databases.

(i) Individual carriers may download information necessary to provide number portability from the regional databases into their own downstream databases. Individual carriers may mix information needed to provide other services or functions with the information downloaded from the regional databases at their own downstream databases. Carriers may not withhold any information necessary to provide number portability from the regional databases on the grounds that such data has been combined with other information in its downstream database.

[61 FR 38637, July 25, 1996. Redesignated at 61 FR 47353, Sept. 6, 1996, as amended at 67 FR 13226, Mar. 21, 2002]