During criminal investigations, time matters – and criminals know it. Quickly switching telephones and telephone numbers from one Service Provider to another is one of the most effective ways for criminals to evade detection. To save valuable time during investigations, law enforcement and public safety personnel can benefit from quickly finding which Service Provider owns the telephone number and getting the law enforcement emergency contact information for that Service Provider.
This information can be obtained by knowing the telephone number’s Service Provider of record, which is stored in the country’s Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC). The NPAC is the nation’s authoritative number portability database and PortData Source is the most effective way for law enforcement personnel to definitively verify the Service Provider of record and access the porting history of telephone numbers. PortData Source provides two ways for users to access this information: Enhanced Law Enforcement Platform (ELEP) and Interactive Voice Response (IVR).
The subscription, web-based Enhanced Law Enforcement Platform (ELEP) is for Law Enforcement and Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) users. Users can access in-depth information for up to 100 telephone numbers per search that includes Service Provider history, the current Service Provider for ported numbers, historical data and information to reach the Service Provider’s Law Enforcement Emergency Contact.
The free, telephone-based Interactive Voice Response (IVR) service allows law enforcement and public safety personnel to call anytime, from anywhere to quickly determine the current Service Provider for a telephone number and its Law Enforcement Emergency Contact. Porting information is provided for up to 20 telephone numbers at a time and there is no limit to the number of calls that can be made.
Before registering, law enforcement and public safety personnel should first decide what service(s) best fit their needs: ELEP, IVR or both. The Comparison Chart highlights the differences between the two services to assist in the decision-making process. Download Chart
Each service has its own registration form, which can be submitted at the individual or agency level. Agencies interested in both the ELEP online subscription service and the IVR free, telephone service must submit a separate registration for each one.
Every year, millions of Americans change Service Providers while keeping their telephone number. This process, known as portability, is supported by the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC). Comprised of seven regional systems across the U.S., the NPAC manages the number portability processes of all telecom Service Providers in the United States, including wireline, wireless, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
The NPAC is managed by iconectiv, serving in our capacity as America’s Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA)