On September 30, 2014, Venable partner and retired Navy Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett was quoted in the New York Times and Communications Daily on a sensitive phone contract dispute. The contract involves selecting a new Local Number Portability Administrator responsible for routing the country’s millions of phone calls and text messages. In a report, Neustar, which has done the work since the late 1990s, raised the prospect of national security issues if Telcordia, a New Jersey company owned by Swedish-based company Ericsson, were awarded the contract. The North American Numbering Council recommended that the Federal Communications Commission award the contract to Telcordia.
Admiral Barnett, who represents Telcordia, told the New York Times that his client has “deep American roots and would produce a secure and reliable system.” Speaking with Communications Daily, he said, “regardless of whom Neustar pays to implement its scare tactics and spread misinformation, Telcordia will build its number portability system from the ground up as an American system, just as secure as the other critical U.S. systems that Telcordia operates and protects now.”
Admiral Barnett, who represents Telcordia, told the New York Times that his client has “deep American roots and would produce a secure and reliable system.” Speaking with Communications Daily, he said, “regardless of whom Neustar pays to implement its scare tactics and spread misinformation, Telcordia will build its number portability system from the ground up as an American system, just as secure as the other critical U.S. systems that Telcordia operates and protects now.”