Number Pooling

Number Pooling is a method of reallocating telephony numbering space in the North American Numbering Plan, primarily in growth areas in the United States. Instead of allocating blocks of ten thousand numbers to each carrier in each community, a block of ten thousand numbers is assigned to an individual geographic rate center. That block is then split into ten blocks of a thousand numbers each, which can be separately assigned to competitive local exchange carriers by a number pooling administrator. This reduces the quantity of wasted numbers in markets which have been fragmented between multiple carriers.

NENA Relevant Documents:

NENA 03-505, NENA Technical Information Document on Rate Center Consolidation (Archived)

External Resources:

National Pooling Administrator website