800 Numbers General Terms and Definition

• FCC (Federal Communications Commission) – a government agency in the US that is responsible for standards and regulations for licenses, rates, tariffs, etc.
• NASC (Number Administration and Service Center) – is an organization that administers and provides user support of the SMS (Service Management System) database.
• PUC (Public Utilities Commission) – is an agency that is responsible for the regulation of services, rates, etc., of public utilities or services such as an electricity, water or telephone. Depending on the state or city PUC is also known as PSC (Public Service Commission), UC (Utilities Commission) or URC (Utility Regulatory Commission)
• Regulator – a governing body, like FCC or PUC, which is responsible for the regulations or standards.
• RespOrg (Responsible Organization) – is the provider of a toll free number to a subscriber. RespOrg are required to access the SMS database to make sure that the number to be issued is obtainable.
• SCP (Service Control Point) – a database under the SS7 (System Signaling 7) network which the SSP (Service Switching Point) give queries for lookup and verification of 800 phone or LNP (Local Number Portability) numbers.
• SMS/800 (800 Service Management System) – the toll free phone numbers database and system that is administered by the NASC and provides access to RespOrg in amending data about 800 numbers. It also shares information with the SCP database.
• Toll-Free Subscriber – a subscriber of a toll-free number to a RespOrg.
• Toll-Free Number – is a free-of-charge number of a business for callers. In the US, this number makes use of 800, 855, 866, 877 or 888 prefix.
• USF (Universal Service Fund) – is a fund program that was created by the FCC to meet the mandates of the Telecommunication Acts of 1996.