CNA Consortium

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I. Background of CNAC

The Canadian Numbering Administration Consortium, Inc. (CNAC) was incorporated on June 5, 1998 under the Canada Business Corporations Act. The CNAC operates under the regulatory oversight of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The primary role of CNAC is to administer Canada's telecommunications numbering resources via the selection and funding of a neutral administrator who performs the functions of Canadian Numbering Administration (CNA) for the Canadian telecommunications industry. In addition, the CNAC pays the Canadian share of the costs of the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA). The cost of performing this function is funded by Canadian telecommunication service providers (TSP) who benefit from numbering resources within Canada. Any entity that is an Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC), a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC), an Independent Telephone Company, a Canadian International Carrier, an Interexchange Carrier or a Wireless Service Provider (WSP) is required by the CRTC to fund the costs of numbering administration in Canada.

II. CNAC Shareholders

The CNAC operates under a Unanimous Shareholder Agreement (USA) which defines the mandate, governance and operation of the corporation. Any entity that is required to fund the costs of numbering administration in Canada (i.e., an Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC), a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC), an Independent Telephone Company, a Canadian International Carrier, an Interexchange Carrier or a Wireless Service Provider (WSP)) may voluntarily choose to become a shareholder of the CNAC. Internet Service Providers, Paging Service Providers, Resellers and End-Customers are not currently required to fund numbering administration in Canada and therefore are not eligible to be shareholders unless they otherwise satisfy the shareholder eligibility criteria. To obtain a copy of the Unanimous Shareholder Agreement (USA), click HERE.

III. Canadian Numbering Administration

The administration and assignment of numbering resources in Canada is performed by an independent third party who acts as the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA). The current CNA is COMsolve Inc. Canada is a participating nation in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) which is shared by 20 nations including Canada, the United States and 18 Caribbean countries. The NANP is administered by the NANP Administration (NANPA), an administrator selected by the United States Federal Communications Commission in consultation with the 19 nations participating in the NANP. The current NANPA is Somos, Inc.. For additional information on the NANPA see https://www.nationalnanpa.com/.

IV. Billing & Collection Agent and Funding

The CNAC has selected an accounting firm to perform the function of Billing & Collection Agent (B&C Agent) who is responsible for the collection of funds from Canadian telecommunications service providers and for the disbursement of funds to the CNA and NANPA as well as other administrative costs of CNAC. The current B&C Agent is Welch & Company LLP. The B&C Agent prepares a budget based on anticipated costs for the funding year which is approved by CNAC. The B&C Agent implements the funding mechanism proposed by the CSCN and approved by the CRTC to fund the costs of numbering administration in Canada. The funding mechanism requires all entities that are obligated to fund numbering administration to report their annual "eligible" revenue to the B&C Agent using a reporting worksheet due April 1st each year. The B&C Agent uses this information to calculate each entity's share of the funding of CNAC based on the percentage share of each entity's revenue of the total industry revenue as reported on the worksheets, subject to minimum contributions. For additional information on the funding mechanism see CNAC Funding Mechanism.

V. CNAC Contacts

CNAC Related Links:

• CNA Consortium Information on CRTC Web Site
• CNAC Unanimous Shareholder Agreement (USA) - October 1, 2021
• CNAC Service User Agreements
• CNAC Funding Mechanism

CNA RFP

Information regarding the request for proposal (RFP) process for a vendor to perform the Canadian Numbering Administrator position for the five-year period commencing on January 1, 2024 is set out in the documents listed below. Please note that CNAC may issue notices from time to time in regard to the RFP Process, including any updates to the RFP schedule. Interested parties are encouraged to check back to this site on a regular basis.

• Notice of Commencement of RFP Process – October 7, 2022.
• CNA RFP – October 7, 2022.

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