The FCC waived its telephone number “aging” rule for those affected by Hurricane Ida. Specifically, the agency is relaxing 52.15(f)(ii), which states that carriers may only “age” telephone numbers that have been disconnected for up to 90 days before assigning them to other customers. The exception means carriers in impacted areas can, once a customer asks, temporarily disconnect service to avoid billing issues, and then reinstate the same number when service is reconnected.
The waiver applies to all companies that provide service in areas of Louisiana and Mississippi affected by Hurricane Ida. It’s immediately effective, and for nine months, expiring on May 31, 2022.
The waiver of the aging rule will also apply to residential customers in other areas for which the President declares states of emergency, either due to Hurricane Ida or to later storms during the 2021-22 hurricane season. These waivers will expire 270 days from the date the President declares a state of emergency for the impacted area(s).
In its Order signed by Wireline Competition Bureau Chief Kris Monteith, the bureau said “because of substantial damage to telecommunications systems we expect to be caused by Hurricane Ida to areas within its path, we encourage all service providers in the areas affected by Hurricane Ida to waive call forwarding, message center, and voicemail service charges for affected customers, to the extent lawfully permitted, until the customers’ service is restored.”
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