The FCC has full jurisdiction over the telephone numbering system in the United States. The Commission’s policies governing numbering are designed to promote competitive markets and ensure the efficient use of numbers. Policies and activities include:
- Ensuring local number portability, which allows consumers to keep their existing phone number when switching to a new carrier
- Ensuring access to number resources for all providers
- Extending the life of the 10-digit number system, known as the North American Numbering Plan, through thousands-block number pooling and other measures
- Preventing premature exhaustion of numbers in an area code
Overseeing allocation and management of Toll Free numbers
All numbering related proceedings are available via ECFS - search