ATIS Meets FCC Deadline in Publishing Pseudo-Automatic Number Identification (p-ANI) Standards

April 6, 2007, Washington, DC – ATIS announced today the release of p-ANI Administration Guidelines ( ATIS-0300089) for the administration and assignment of non-dialable pseudo Automatic Number Identification (p-ANI) numbers to eligible users in areas where access to such numbering resources has been ordered or implemented. p-ANIs are typically used to route calls and display the location of callers who subscribe to a service that is either mobile, nomadic, or involves a user telephone number containing an area code that is foreign to the serving E9-1-1 selective routing system.

The FCC requested the guideline in January, asking that it be completed in an expedited fashion. The ATIS Committees responsible for the work delivered the guideline in only two months, by the March deadline as requested. Robin Smith of Verizon and Co-chair of the Central Office Code (CO/NXX) Subcommittee of t he Industry Numbering Committee said “The committee’s deadline was driven by the necessity to get people the help they need when they need it.” The other ATIS group working with the CO/NXX was the Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF) Subcommittee on Emergency Call & Data Routing (ECDR-H).

The guidelines were developed in response to situations in which users with certain types of numbers could not be located by the facilities equipped and staffed to receive 9-1-1 calls. Certain VoIP numbers, for instance, did not correspond to the caller’s actual physical location. The new p-ANI guidelines will provide the necessary information for those seeking p-ANIs and for the administrative functionality of the Routing Number Administrator (RNA). They will not go into effect until the FCC provides direction on: the technical requirements document; the selection of the RNA and any applicable FCC Order; and issues pertaining to the appropriate regulatory authority.

About the ATIS INC and ESIF Committees

The Industry Numbering Committee is a committee of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions ( ATIS) that provides an open forum to address and resolve industry-wide issues associated with planning, administration, allocation, assignment and use of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) numbering resources within the NANP area .

The Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF) is the primary venue for the telecommunications industry, public safety and other stakeholders to generate and refine both technical and operational interconnection issues to ensure life-saving E9-1-1 services are available for everyone in all situations. ESIF enables many different telecommunications entities to fully cooperate and interconnect with each other to determine the best practices and solutions necessary to effectively and promptly deploy E9-1-1 services nationwide. ESIF's mission is to facilitate the identification and resolution of both technical and operational issues related to the interconnection of telephony and emergency services networks. ESIF works closely with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), which currently manages the technical evolution of the 9-1-1 system and emergency communications process through its Future Path Plan.

For more information on the new p-ANI standard contact Jean-Paul Emard at (202) 434-8824 or at jpemard@atis.org

About ATIS

ATIS is a leading standards development and technical planning organization committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Participants from more than 300 communications companies are active in ATIS’ 22 industry committees, Incubator Solutions Program, and other activities. www.atis.org