The identification of administrative authorities and the development of associated procedures for registering and accessing names and addresses of communications data systems are considered in this paper. It is noted that, for data communications systems using standards based on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model specified by the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT), many of the technical standards are in place, but the international and American administrative authorities and procedures are not. It is suggested that the hierarchical administrative organization employed by the CCITT in OSI specifications is the model that ought to be applied. The concepts of naming, addressing, the OSI model, and OSI registration authorities are introduced, and current work in the United States on national registration authority procedures for OSI is summarized. Discussions of differences between telephony and data and the need for proper procedures for registration and identification of registration authorities in the United States conclude the paper. (23 references) (EW)