The FCC has released a public notice announcing the proposed North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) fund size estimate and contribution factor for the fiscal year October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017 (FY2016). A properly funded NANPA ensures that telecommunications consumers will continue to have numbering resources for new services and technologies. Welch LLP (Welch), the FCC’s contracted billing and collection agent, authorized under Section 52.16(a) of the Commission’s rules, distributes funds to NANPA and the Pooling Administrator – – the entities that support these functions. Welch calculates contributions amounts to all NANPA members, including those located in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Contribution factors, per Commission rules, are the product of the carriers’ end-user telecommunications revenues for the prior calendar year, with a minimum annual contribution of $25. Welch proposed a FY2016 NANPA funding requirement of $6,816,306 and a contribution factor of 0.0000368. Caribbean contributions amount to $24,439, Canadian contributions amount to $116,895, U.S. carrier contributions amount to $5,775,123, and a carry-over FY2015 surplus of $899,849 is also factored into the total amount. Welch also provides for a $500,000 contingency fund for FY2016. More detailed information can be found in Welch’s monthly fund reports to NANPA and the FCC. Unless the FCC takes contrary action, the fund size and contribution factors become effective 14 days after the release of the public notice.
