Image
The country’s only authorized source of number portability data
Originally, number portability was introduced to give consumers and businesses choice and convenience to keep their telephone number. It helped spark innovation as service providers introduced new features and services to entice consumers to choose them as their phone company. The ability to keep their telephone number meant consumers and businesses were more likely to change service providers to take advantage of those new features and services.
Fast forward to today. The telephone number really is the personal identifier for most people. Without number portability, people would be less likely to change their number. At the same time, with hundreds of thousands of numbers switched, it can be difficult to definitively know if the same person owns the same telephone number. For businesses and organizations including law enforcement, service providers, risk assessment and fraud mitigation firms, market research firms, call centers and compliance specialists, it has become increasingly important to connect the person to the number. It is an issue iconectiv is uniquely equipped, more than any other business, to handle because iconectiv provides access to port-corrected telephone numbering data, which is critical for a wide range of business needs.
As the Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA) for the United States, iconectiv manages the nation’s Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC). The largest system of databases of ported telephone numbers in the world, the U.S. NPAC includes approximately 1 billion telephone numbers for ~1600 Service Providers and Providers of Telecom-Related Services (PTRS). NPAC data can be accessed for very specific uses and only qualified businesses and organizations are authorized to receive the data.
Learn how iconectiv can connect you to NPAC data
Image
Authorized NPAC user
Service Providers, Providers of Telecom-Related Services (PTRS) and Service Bureaus
Authorized NPAC users can access telephone number portability data for routing, rating, billing and network maintenance in connection with providing or facilitating the provision of telecommunications services. Authorized users include Service Bureaus that perform porting work on behalf of a Service Provider.
Image
PortData Source
Law enforcement and public safety agencies
When verifying a telephone number during an investigation, dispatching emergency response services or relaying 9-1-1 calls, Law Enforcement and Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) personnel need to know the data is updated and accurate. Accessing the nation’s sole authoritative numbering database helps quickly verify porting history and provides the Service Provider’s Law Enforcement Emergency Contact information.
Image
PortData Validate
Fraud mitigation and risk assessment
Healthcare providers, financial institutions and fraud mitigation and risk assessment businesses can access telephone number portability data to help verify a customer’s identity before approving a transaction or disclosing information. Subscribing to this service enables businesses to be aware of recent porting activity that may indicate fraud.
Image
PortData Comply
Marketing, research and TCPA compliance
For businesses that need to stay in compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), one violation can result in steep fines. PortData Comply provides up-to-the-minute information about whether a number has been ported between wireless and wireline. Call centers, contact centers, market research firms, marketing agencies, telemarketers and debt collectors can access this authoritative data to avoid inadvertently dialing prohibited numbers.
Knowing which NPAC service to choose
NPAC User Data is restricted and made available to qualified entities only for permitted uses. Understanding eligibility requirements and the data elements that are provided with each service helps streamline the registration process.
While companies can register for multiple services, each service has its own registration process. The LNPA Account Management team can assist in the selection and eligibility of services.
Image
Number Portability Industry Forum
The Number Portability Industry Forum (NPIF) is the body that makes the decisions and recommendations that form the basis of the regulatory orders.