The other day, I'd heard that Sint Maarten's incorporation into the NANP might be delayed somewhat. The permissive dialing was to have been on
31-May-2010, mandatory on 30-November-2010. They are presently a part of the Netherlands Antilles +599, but that political entity is to be dissolved by the end of 2010, each current member island to have its own direct relations of one form or another with the Dutch Kingdom. Aruba broke from the Netherlands Antilles political entity back in the early or mid 1980s, although is still associated with Holland itself, directly, but they requested and received their own ITU Country Code +297 at the time some 25 or so years ago.Sint Maarten (but NOT the French side of the island, the French Antilles side known as Saint-Martin) has been assigned Area Code 721 under the NANP (Country Code +1), and will eventually be recognized by "the world" as +1-721-. All of their landline, CLEC, and wireless "POTS" office codes are of the 5xx format, and their local numbers are seven-digits. Thus, their +599-5xx-xxxx numbers will change to +1-721-5xx-xxxx.
However, there is a Cellular "POTS" 555 office code, and according to the ITU's website of national numbering plans, Sint Maarten was also recently assigned a 511 cellular "POTS" office code. These would NOT be allowed to continue as such under the NANP.
NeuStar-NANPA issued PL-396 back in early October 2009 announcing that Sint Maarten will be joining the NANP according to the schedule of dates referenced above. There was a chart/list of 54x office codes, but these are the codes of the landline ILEC "Telem". NONE of the other 5xx codes for the CLECs or wireless (not even the wireless carrier associated with landline ILEC Telem) were shown on that chart. The NANPA PL of Oct.2009 also stated that the test-number would be announced "at a later date".
I have heard that +1-721-622-7836 could be the test-number, since
622-7836 spells "MAARTEN". And there are NO +599-6xx office codes ANYWHERE ELSE in the Netherlands Antilles, and obviously not in Sint Maarten itself since uses the 5xx c.o.code range.However, there was still NO further PL from NANPA, nor anything at the ITU's website, nor anything from Telcordia-TRA regarding the additional details on Sint Maarten's migration into the NANP. The end of February
2010 is three months before the intended permissive dialing date, and that is the time-frame when the test-number is usually activated for new area codes in the US, Canada, and even the Dominican Republic. Sometimes, test-numbers have been activated even much sooner than the 3-months period before the effective overlay date, or if a split then the permissive dialing date, but for the past several years (after 2000 or so, things in the later 1990s were very confusing!), the test-numbers are activated no later than three months before permissive dialing of a split or the effective date of POTS office codes (pre)assigned (whether or not any are assigned codes initially) in an overlay.But even though +1-721-MAARTEN could likely be the test-number, there has still been NO formal/official/public announcement that this will indeed be the test-number, and the permissive dial date for +1-721 (alongside six more months of continued access as +599) for Sint Maarten (current 5xx office codes) is now LESS than three months away!
Well, NANPA has REMOVED the effective date of 31-May-2010 from their website's page "Planned NPAs Not Yet In Service",
The new Planning Letter #404 simply states the following:
"The Regulatory Authority of the Government of St. Maarten, NA has requested that the introduction of the 721 NPA be delayed. At this time, additional information concerning a new implementation schedule is not available. Another Planning Letter will be issued when the Authority has established new dates for implementation."
No proposed rescheduled permissive nor mandatory dates are indicated whatsoever. So, it's now a "wait and see". HOPEFULLY, all of the bugs and such that have caused this postponement from the previously anticipated dates will be worked out soon, especially information on what the test-number will be (+1-721-MAARTEN ??), as well as the dates for the test-number... and that the rescheduled permissive dial period will be AT LEAST six months. Also, that full documentation be supplied to Telcordia-TRA and the ITU, in addition to NeuStar-NANPA.
Mark J. Cuccia Lafayette LA, formerly of New Orleans LA pre-Katrina