B

Bell Operating Company (BOC)
The local (or regional) Telephone Company that owns and operates lines to customer locations and Class 5 Central Office Switches. BOC may also refer to the nineteen Bell Operating Companies that are owned by the seven RBOC's (regional bell operating companies).

C

Calling Card
A telecommunication credit card with an AuthCode or Pin code for using a long distance carrier when the customer is away from their home or office.

Carrier
A telecommunications provider, which owns switch equipment. (Example AT&T, MCI/Worldcom, Sprint, Frontier, Qwest)

Country Code
Two or three digit codes used for International calls outside of the North American Numbering Plan area codes.

F

Facilities-Based Carrier (FBC)
A carrier that uses its own facilities to provide service, in contrast with resellers, that purchase the services of other carriers and then retail the services to customers.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Regulates interstate communications: licenses, rates, tariffs, standards, limitations, etc. Appointed by U.S. President.

I

Interstate
Between multiple states.

Intrastate
Communication within a single state.

InterLATA
Is service between two different LATAs. This could be between 2 LATA's in your state or between your LATA and one in another state. It doesn't matter - they are technically both InterLATA and that is how the carriers refer to them - anything outside your local LATA is InterLATA.

IntraLATA
Is your local service area. In some states the entire state is covered by one LATA, so every call within that state would be considered IntraLATA. Other states have several LATAs, so calls within your own LATA are IntraLATA (also called local long-distance), and calls within your state but outside your service area are InterLATA. Both of these are also referred to as intrastate by most consumers.

International
Between multiple nations.

IXC (Interexchange Carrier)
A company providing long-distance phone service between LECs and LATA's. A long distance service provider. Also known as IEC (interexchange carrier).

L

LATA's (Local Access Transport Areas)
Long distance service within a LATA is provided by the LEC. Service between LATA's is provided by an IXC.

Local Exchange Carrier (LEC)
Local phone company. Example - Pacific Bell, US West, GTE.

O

One Plus (1+)
Customer ability to access the long distance service provider of their choice by first dialing 1, then the long distance number.

P

Primary Interexchange Carrier (PIC)
The long distance company that is automatically accessed when a customer dials 1+.

PIC Charges
A LEC charge for changing the PIC. Often paid by the new IXC.

PIC Freeze
Prevents the long distance from being switched.

R

Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC)
One of the seven "Baby Bell" Companies created by the 1982 Modified Final Judgement that specified the terms of the AT&T Divestiture. The seven include NYNEX, Bell Atlantic, Bell South, Southwestern Bell, U.S. West, Pacific Telesis, and Ameritech.

Reseller
A long-distance carrier (IXC) that does not own a network, but leases bulk capacity and resells portions of it at a higher rate.

S

Switchless Reseller
A reseller of long-distance services that does not utilize any of its own lines, or (switching) equipment. All actual service and equipment is handled by the IXC. The reseller usually does billing to the customer.

T

T1/DS-1
The equivalent of 24 multiplexed voice grade channels. 1.544 million bits per second (1.5Mbps)

T2/DS-2
The equivalent of 4 multiplexed T1 channels. 6.312 million bits per second (6.3Mbps)

T3/DS-3
The equivalent of 28 multiplexed T1 channels. 44.736 million bits per second (45Mbps)

T4/DS-4
The equivalent of 6 multiplexed T3 channels. 274.176 million bits per second (274Mbps)

V

Vanity Number
A specific 800 or 888 number (may spell something).