Wireline Report

The Wireline Report

Reassigned Numbers Database now available for use

By Mary J. Sisak, Partner, Blooston Law (mjs@bloostonlaw.com)

Reassigned Numbers Database Now Available for Use Effective November 1, 2021, the FCC established the initial interim usage charges for subscriptions to the Reassigned Numbers Database (Database or RND). The Database was available for full use on November 1, 2021. The Database was established to prevent callers, including alarm companies, from placing unwanted calls to consumers who have been assigned phone numbers that previously were assigned to parties who consented to receive calls. By accessing the Database, callers and caller agents will be able to use it to determine whether a telephone number has been reassigned from the consumer they intend to reach and, as a result, avoid calling consumers with reassigned numbers. Callers who use the Database will qualify for a safe harbor from liability under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act for calls placed to consumers who did not consent. The Reassigned Numbers Database is available at www.reassigned.us. The subscription tiers and rates are shown in the chart below. Callers and caller agents can be subscribers of the Database and charges are the same for each. Thus, caller agents may register for a tier based on the aggregate number of queries needed for all of their clients and potentially pay a lower charge per query than an individual client would use. ov2021 Jkt 256001 PO The Administrator may adjust the usage charges, including the number of tiers, the number of queries in the tiers, and the charge for each tier, on a monthly basis with approval of the FCC. The Administrator will post notice of changes to the interim usage charges on the RND website two weeks before they go into effect. Registered subscribers will receive notice of changes to the interim usage charges before their subscription ends as part of the RND renewal notification process.

Discontinuance of TDM Services, Such as 800 Services Previously, we reported that the FCC has streamlined the process for telecommunications carriers to discontinue the provision of TDM-based wireline services, including services such as 800 service. Carriers that seek such discontinuance are required to notify their customers of the proposed discontinuance. The FCC will normally grant requests to discontinue TDMbased services on an expedited basis when the carrier alleges an alternative service is available to consumers.

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