Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
With approximately 500 million records in the database, NCTUE is the premier, industry-specific data source for accurately assessing new applicant risk. NCTUE allows members to screen new consumers for customer service applications and unpaid closed accounts to decrease write-offs and improve profitability.
Although results vary, members have seen a significant lift in loss mitigation by joining NCTUE. Members also receive updates with new phone numbers and address information for a high percentage of their outstanding, unpaid closed accounts
Membership in NCTUE is open to any telco company (as defined by the Telecommunications Act of 1996) with residential accounts and any pay TV or utility company with consumer accounts.
Members include national, regional, and local companies that provide these services:
Equifax Information Services is the contracted supplier that manages the database on behalf of the members. The database does not include Equifax credit information, and Equifax is not a member of NCTUE.
Our mission is to serve as an FCRA-compliant credit reporting agency for the telecommunication, pay TV, and utility industries by submitting industry-specific payment information to enable members of the exchange to better identify and manage financial risks and to better monitor customer relationships during the life of the service affiliation.
A board of trustees and an executive director oversee operations of the exchange and provide day-to-day administration. The board is comprised of member companies in telco, pay TV, and utility industries. NCTUE membership is governed by member agreements, operating guidelines, and bylaws.
NCTUE was formed Dec. 1, 1980, when credit executives of long-distance carriers and the National Association of Credit Management Southwest (NACM Southwest) formed the National Telecommunications Credit Group. From there …
Feb. 1, 1993: An informal committee of Credit Group members and a representative of NACM Southwest formed to pursue the establishment of a national database to be owned and operated according to guidelines set by the members.
Oct. 1, 1993: After numerous meetings, the National Telecommunications Data Exchange (NTDE), a non-profit corporation, was founded by several leading service providers.
June 1, 1996: Telecommunications consumer executives, with the assistance of NACM Southwest, started the process of developing a national database of consumers to better monitor payment and service behaviors in the industry.
June 1, 1997: The National Consumer Telecommunications Data Exchange (NCTDE) was founded in 1997 by AT&T, Bellsouth, Citizens, Frontier, IXC, MCI, NYNEXLD, Sprint, and WorldCom. In September 1997, the Department of Justice approved the creation of the database, and Equifax was selected as the vendor.
Jan. 1, 2002: NCTDE and Equifax re-signed an agreement to manage the database. The U.S. Department of Justice approved the combination of telecommunications and utilities providers in one exchange.
Jan. 1, 2003: Pay TV providers were added to the by-laws in 2003, bringing the mix of data providers to its current state.
Jan. 1, 2009: Equifax and the NCTUE established the NCTUE Plus database, which added member-provided tradeline-level account information to turn the existing “negative-only” repository into a more comprehensive tool for better decisioning.
Jan. 18, 2024: Equifax and NCTUE extend their long-standing relationship for Equifax to manage the NCTUE database.
Sir Guy Epps
Comcast Cable
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