NRUF

NRUF stands for Number Resource Utilization/Forecast, a reporting mechanism used in the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) to manage the pool of available telephone numbers. The NRUF process collects data on a carrier’s current inventory of NANP resources and its forecasted utilization for the next 24 months. Its primary purpose is to support efficient allocation of number resources and to help prevent premature exhaustion of NANP numbers.

A typical NRUF submission includes the carrier’s current inventory of assigned and reserved numbers, planned code allocations such as NXX blocks, and a 24-month utilization forecast by service type (for example, wireless, wireline, VoIP, and other). Providers also report anticipated requests for additional numbers or block acquisitions and note any constraints or planned retirements. The data are submitted to the NANPA and used to support resource planning, inventory management, and policy decisions.

NRUF is generally filed twice a year. NANPA consolidates the data, performs analyses, and may publish regional statistics or summaries to inform numbering policy and conservation efforts. While specific reporting details can vary, NRUF remains a central tool for maintaining the integrity of the NANP and ensuring that numbers are allocated where they are needed.

See also: NANPA, North American Numbering Plan, Numbering resources, NXX, NPA.