The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) has endorsed location routing number (LRN) technology as the most viable long-term solution to telephone number portability, although it does not expect LRN to become generally available for installation on most major central-office switching equipment until the second quarter of 1997.
The PSC noted that LRN minimizes the impact on network architecture by preserving existing routing logic and hierarchy, thus minimizing switch modifications and changes to databases and operating systems. Unlike other approaches currently on trial by carriers in certain areas of the state, LRN uses a single telephone number in rerouting calls and could aid portability for both location and service providers.
The PSC adopted a staff recommendation to focus portability trials on LRN and to accelerate deployment statewide by addressing threshold issues such as: 1) cost recovery and billing, 2) choice of a neutral database administrator, and 3) development of a service management system database. Re Framework for Transition to Competition in Loc. Exch. Market, Case 94-C-0095, Jan. 23, 1996 (N.Y.P.S.C.).