Neustar Attacks FCC LNPA Order as APA Violation, Arbitrary and Capricious

Neustar asked a federal court to overturn an FCC order giving Telcordia conditional rights to be the next local number portability administrator (LNPA). In a brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit filed Monday, Neustar argued that the commission violated the Administrative Procedure Act "by failing to engage in notice-and-comment rulemaking." The agency's review of competing proposals was "arbitrary and capricious" and its selection of Telcordia was based on a cost assessment that contained "an unsupported and erroneous assumption about transition costs," said Neustar, the current LNPA. Neustar also said the FCC "provided no reasoned explanation for refusing to consider" its best offer. The case is Neustar v. FCC, No. 15-1080.