Telephone Terminology

Provides a toll free number or numbers for incoming calls (these numbers often share a line with a non-toll free number)

A company that offers pay-per-use information services, such as sports scores or financial market updates, via 900 or 976 phone numbers.

Weather reports, news, soap opera updates, and other information provided as an option with some phone service plans. Fees are often charged for such services.

A high-capacity wireline used mainly for high-speed data transfer.

A system that handles analog and digital traffic over a single switched network.

Communication between LATAs.

Communication between two different LATAs.

A long distance company providing long-distance phone service between LECs and LATAs.. Any phone company providing phone service between local service areas of a state and to locations in other states. A company that provides long distance phone service between local exchange carriers (LECs, pronounced "lecks") and area codes outside a LEC's service area. AT&T, Sprint, and MCI WorldCom are examples of interexchange carriers. Also called IEC and IXC.

Communication between nations.

The prefix for dialing a number in another country; it is followed by a country code and the local phone number. Calls between the U.S. and Canada don't require use of this prefix.

The ability to directly dial a call to another country.

The rate charged for making calls from the US to an international location.

Provides Internet connections to customers with PCs or other reception devices. The customers are usually billed for the service. The largest ISP is America Online (AOL).

Between states. Interstate communications are regulated by the FCC.

Communication within a Local Access Transport Area. LECs are allowed to handle these calls without an IEC.

The proposal to open local service areas to competition by long distance companies.

Communication within a single state. Intrastate communications are regulated by each state's PUC.