Customers regularly ask us about the 1-800 “RespOrg” process. Here's some info that might help.
Resp Org is short for Responsible Organization. Newton’s Telecom Dictionary defines RespOrgs as – “telecommunications providers that have responsibility for obtaining 800 service numbers from the Service Management System and building and maintaining customer records.”
Before 1-800 number portability started in May of 1993, major telecom carriers were each responsible for their own set of 1-800 numbers: 1-800 999 XXXX was always MCI and 1-800 542 XXXX was always AT&T and so on. Today, 1-800 numbers are owned by end-user customers, not telecom carriers. Due to the popularity of US toll-free numbers, 1-800 service was expanded to include 1-888 numbers (April 1996), 1-877 numbers (April 1998) and 1-866 numbers (later in 1998). We can expect to see 1-855 numbers when the current supply of numbers is exhausted.
To address the growing complexity of 1-800 number portability, the old Bellcore (Bell Communications Research) built a 1-800 database, a Number Administration Service Center (NASC) was formed and endorsed by the FCC then transferred to a independent third party called Service Management Systems (SMS). SMS now runs the complex 1-800 number database.
Under today’s rules, the telephone company that carriers the traffic (minutes) on a specific 1-800 number cannot stop a customer from “RespOrging” – transferring responsibility for -- that number to another carrier. A RespOrg form is used between carriers to complete the move. It contains the customer’s billing details as well as their authorization to move the number from one carrier to another. With this written permission from the customer, the previous carrier will usually release the number within 3-5 business days or give the new carrier a reason why the number cannot be released. The reason is often “UBR” or unsatisfactory billing relationship, which usually means the end-user still has an outstanding, unpaid bill associated with that number. With cooperation of both carriers, however, a seamless transfer of responsibility for the number takes place within the SMS database.
When a carrier will not release a 1-800 number, a “NASC” of the number becomes necessary. A NASC is a forced change of Resp Org ID. The new carrier submits paperwork to SMS and for a fee the number is moved without the cooperation of the current carrier. Many companies will only Resp Org and not NASC a number. DOW Networks – which is a member of the SMS database -- will Resp Org or NASC numbers for customers.
The advice we offer to any company who wants to move its 1-800 number from one carrier to another is to make sure the new carrier is a member of SMS and has its own RespOrg ID. That eliminates administrative complexities and generally results in better customer service.
