Insights

Your Role as a Resp Org in The All-New Reassigned Numbers Database (RND)

Jul 13, 2021

From Nick Jonas to Paris Hilton to Elon Musk, you probably have at some time read an article about an average citizen who got assigned a celebrity’s former phone number. While different calls and messages might elicit different reactions – from entertaining to annoying to “just plain weird” – one thing that is NOT different about all these calls and texts is that for the current owner of the phone number, they are UNWANTED.

Hence the reason the Reassigned Numbers Database – or RND for short – was created. The RND, which was established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and developed by Somos, helps prevent consumers from getting unwanted calls intended for someone who previously held their phone number. Specifically, callers can use the RND, which houses permanently disconnected U.S. geographic and Toll-Free Numbers and the date of the most recent permanent disconnect, to determine whether a telephone number may have been reassigned.

By reducing the number of unwanted calls made to a reassigned number, the RND helps provide an added layer of protection to consumers while likewise contributing towards improved trust and confidence in phone calls. With the introduction of the RND, however, you may be asking yourself:

Of note, the FCC has mandated that voice service providers and the Toll-Free Number Administrator, Somos, provide monthly reports on permanently disconnected U.S. geographic and Toll-Free Numbers as well as the associated date of disconnection. Based on the services you provide, your next steps as a Resp Org are as follows:

If you are a Resp Org that solely provides Toll-Free Numbering services: there is no action required on your part!  Somos will proactively load disconnect data into the database on your behalf. 

If you are a Resp Org that provides Toll-Free AND local number services: Somos will proactively load disconnect data into the database for your Toll-Free Numbers; however, you will need to access the RND web interface directly to load disconnect data for your local numbers. 

Ready to learn more? We invite you to join our complimentary Beta Test Period or visit https://www.reassigned.us/resources/videos for a host of video tutorials that will help you get started.