§52.23. Deployment of long-term database methods for number portability by LECs. — Inbound Citations

(a) By November 24, 2003, all covered CMRS providers must provide a long-term database method for number portability, including the ability to support roaming, in the 100 largest MSAs, as defined in § 52.21(k), in compliance with the performance criteria set forth in section 52.23(a) of this part, in switches for which another carrier has made a specific request for the provision of number portability, subject to paragraph (a)(1) of this section. A licensee may have more than one CMRS system, but only the systems that satisfy the definition of covered CMRS are required to provide number portability.

(1) Any procedure to identify and request switches for development of number portability must comply with the following criteria:

(i) Any wireline carrier that is certified (or has applied for certification) to provide local exchange service in a state, or any licensed CMRS provider, must be permitted to make a request for deployment of number portability in that state;

(ii) Carries requesting deployment in the 100 largest MSAs by November 24, 2003 must submit requests by February 24, 2003.

(iii) A covered CMRS provider must make available upon request to any interested parties a list of its switches for which number portability has been requested and a list of its switches for which number portability has not been requested;

(iv) After November 24, 2003, a covered CMRS provider must deploy number portability in additional switches serving the 100 largest MSAs upon request within the following time frames:

(A) For remote switches supported by a host switch equipped for portability (“Equipped Remote Switches”), within 30 days;

(B) For switches that require software but not hardware changes to provide portability (“Hardware Capable Switches”), within 60 days;

(C) For switches that require hardware changes to provide portability (“Capable Switches Requiring Hardware”), within 180 days; and

(D) For switches not capable of portability that must be replaced (“Non-Capable Switches”), within 180 days.

(v) Carriers must be able to request deployment in any wireless switch that serves any area within the MSA, even if the wireless switch is outside that MSA, or outside any of the MSAs identified in the Appendix to this part.

(2) By November 24, 2002, all covered CMRS providers must be able to support roaming nationwide.