PURPOSE AND SCOPE This section identifies the SP's administrative duties for the aging of disconnected telephone numbers. The use of standardized aging processes and intervals promotes the efficient management of disconnected telephone numbers. Several issues were considered during the development of these guidelines@ including providing subscribers specific announcement treatment5@ local/state government regulations@ numbers with higher call volumes (time/temperature@ ticket agents@ etc.)@ and SPs' administrative requirements. Because of the potential negative impact on subscribers who may be reassigned telephone numbers that are not adequately aged@ as well as the potentially inefficient use of numbering resources if numbers are aged too long@ the promulgation of rules and determination of appropriate penalties might be warranted to ensure SP compliance with these aging guidelines. The telephone numbers to which the definition of aging will apply are those numbers in the 10-digit NANP number format (NPA-NXX-XXXX) within existing geographic central office (NXX) codes that are available for assignment to subscriber access lines or their equivalents within a switching entity/point of interconnection (POI). 5 Specific announcement treatment included transfer of calls@ subscriber intercept@ etc.