How the Reassigned Numbers Database will work

The Reassigned Numbers Database (RND) will enable callers to verify whether a telephone number has been permanently disconnected, and potentially reassigned, before calling that number. The intent is to reduce the number of unwanted calls made to reassigned telephone numbers. Here’s how it will work.

Data collection

The RND will require each telephone number provider to report the date of the most recent permanent disconnection for each telephone number allocated or ported to the provider. These are the only data to be collected:

  • Telephone number
  • Date of most recent permanent disconnection

Toll free numbers are to be included in this database when permanently disconnected.

The FCC announced that voice service providers must start collecting and maintaining this data on July 27, 2020. Small providers have an additional six months, until January 27, 2021, to begin collecting data. A small provider is defined as having 100,000 or fewer subscriber lines.

Providers will be required to report this data on the 15th of each month. The start date for reporting has not yet been announced.

How the Reassigned Numbers Database will work

Aging period

The quicker a disconnected number is reassigned to a new subscriber, the more likely that calls will be made to the wrong person. Therefore, the RND rules require a minimum aging period of 45 days before a permanently disconnected number can be reassigned to a new subscriber.

How the RND will be used

A caller will query the RND by providing the telephone number they intend to call and a cutoff date.

The cutoff date represents a “date of prior express consent.” For example, this could be the most recent date when the caller last spoke with their customer at that number or that the customer updated his or her contact information.

The RND will provide one of three possible responses to each query:

  • Yes. This telephone number has been permanently disconnected on or after the date provided.
  • No. This telephone number is in the RND, but the most recent disconnection date is before the cutoff date provided.
  • No data. This telephone number is not in the RND.

This logic is illustrated in the following timeline, which shows the query result returned after comparing the query date with the disconnection date on file.

RND query logic

RND query logic

The RND will be accessible with a web interface intended for low volume inquiries, up to 50 telephone numbers at a time. It will also support high-volume queries using RESTful API or secure FTP download.

References