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Glossary of Terms
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800 Number Monthly Fee
A fixed monthly fee that a long distance company will charge
you to have a personal 800 number. Not all long distance companies
charge a monthly fee for their 800 number services.
800 Number Rate (from out-of-state)
For customers with personal 800 numbers, the 800 number rate
is the charge per minute to the person who receives the phone
call rather than to the person who makes the call. Typically,
the 800 number in-state rate is the same as your in-state
long distance rate. However, some carriers may charge you
differently. Please call SmartPrice.com if you have questions
regarding your personal 800 number in-state rate.
Basic Local Exchange Service
Local telephone service for residential or business use. This
service includes primary directory listings, tone dialing
service, access to operator services, access to directory
assistance services, access to 911 emergency service, the
ability to report service problems seven days a week and Lifeline
and TelAssistance services.
Billing Address
This is the address where your long distance phone bill will
be sent. It can either be same or different from your actual
service address.
Billing Increment
The billing increment tells how the long distance company
rounds your calls for billing purposes. If a call is ten minutes
and 13 seconds, a company with 6 second increments will round
to ten minutes and 18 seconds A company with a one minute
billing increment would bill the same call for eleven minutes.
Broadband
A term describing newly developed digital telecom services
and their capacities. Broadband allows consumers integrated
access to voice, high-speed data services, video-demand services,
and interactive information delivery services.
Bundling
A marketing strategy that combines a variety of telephone
and related services on a single bill, often at a discount
over individually purchased services.
Cable Modem
A cable modem is a device that enables you to connect your
PC to your cable TV and receive data at a high speed. Cable
modem service is much faster than traditional analog (telephone
dial-in) service.
Calling Card Rate
The per minute charge for using a calling card. This rate
is typically higher than your regular rate.
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC)
A company that competes with established local telephone businesses
by providing its own network and switching.
Cramming
The illegal practice by a telecommunications provider of billing
a customer for services never requested (for example, billing
a customer for call waiting when they never signed up for
that service). Consumers should review their bills periodically
to detect and correct these charges.
Dedicated Line
A communications circuit provided for the exclusive use of
a particular subscriber. Dedicated lines are generally used
for businesses requiring large number of voice telephone lines
or computers when large amounts of data need to be moved between
points.
Directory Assistance Service
A service that makes directory listing database information
available to retail customers. There is usually a fee associated
with this service.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
A broadband (high-capacity) technology that allows consumers
to connect to the Internet at high speeds. DSL works over
ordinary copper telephone lines, although you need a special
DSL modem to connect to your PC. Generally, the closer a customer
is to the telephone central office providing the service,
the greater the speed available.
Enhanced Service
Any telecom service that uses computer applications to provide
consumers with value-added telephone services, such as voice
mail and call waiting.
Facilities-Based Carrier
Any telecom company that owns facilities and equipment (such
as poles, wires, cables and transmission facilities) that
are used to provide service. AT&T, MCI/WorldCom, Sprint, Qwest,
Broadwing and Level3 are examples of facilities-based carriers.
Fiber
A term that is short for Fiber Optic cable. Fiber Optic cable
is made of bundles of extremely pure glass capable of transmitting
pulses of laser light extremely long distances. Fiber Optic
Cable is the backbone for all modern telephone, data and Internet
networks across the U.S.
InterLATA Toll Service
LATA means Local Access and Transport Area. It refers to the
geographic region that has more than one telephone company
providing its services. An interLATA toll service is the connection
between two local exchange carriers in different regions.
This is the same as long distance service.
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Any company providing commercial access to the Internet.
IXC
InterExchange Carrier (IXC) is the generic name for long distance
phone companies in the United States. AT&T is the largest
IXC, controlling more than 50 per cent of the market. MCI/WorldCom
and Sprint are the second and third largest IXCs. Most of
these carriers offer a full spectrum of telephone, data and
Internet services to their customers as well as reselling
them to other carriers and resellers.
Less Than Minimum Penalty
The amount that is added to your long distance bill if the
monthly minimum dollar amount is not reached. (See Monthly
Minimum to Avoid Penalty)
LOA (Letter of Agency)
A LOA (Letter of Agency) is a form that some long distance
companies ask you to sign before they will switch your long
distance service. Nearly all long distance companies allow
a residential TPV (Third Party Verification) to be performed
as a substitute for an LOA. As technology improves, more and
more long distance companies will allow residential LOAs to
be signed "electronically" on SmartPrice.com, thus eliminating
the need for both paper-based forms and the TPV process.
Local Access and Transport Area (LATA)
A geographic area covered by one or more local telephone companies,
which are legally referred to as local exchange carriers (LECs).
A connection between two local exchanges within the LATA is
referred to as intraLATA. A connection between a carrier in
one LATA to a carrier in another LATA is referred to as interLATA.
InterLATA is long distance service. The current rules for
permitting a company to provide intraLATA or interLATA service
(or both) are based on the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Local Toll Calls
These are calls that are in your same area code, but require
you to dial a "1" before dialing the 7-digit telephone number.
Traditionally, local telephone companies charged higher rates
for these services. Now, in most states, long distance carriers
provide these services, often at a reduced rate as compared
to local phone companies.
Mobile Rate
The rate you will be charged when you call a mobile phone
in another country. Some long distance companies have different
rates for international calls to mobile phones versus international
calls to regular phone lines.
Monthly Fee
A fixed cost that is paid to the long distance company each
month regardless of the number or length of calls.
Monthly Minimum
For certain rate plans, long distance companies require a
certain dollar amount of usage per month. If the monthly minimum
is not met, a charge is often incurred.
Monthly Minimum to Avoid Penalty
Some companies charge a fee if you do not spend a certain
amount each month. (See Less Than Minumum Penalty)
MRC (Monthly Recurring Cost)
A customer's fixed costs for service that recur on a monthly
basis and do not depend upon usage or volume.
NPA
Numbering Plan Area. The first three digits of a telephone
number, commonly called the Area Code.
NNX
Network numbering exchange. The second set of three digits
of a telephone number that designates a number to a specific
central office.
Number Portability
The ability of consumers to retain their existing telephone
number(s) - and the same quality of service - when switching
to a new local service provider.
Off-Peak In-state/Out-of-state Rate
Off-Peak Rate refers to the calling period between 7pm and
7am.
Peak In-state/Out-of-state Rate
Peak Rate refers to what are considered the prime calling
hours: between 7am and 7pm.
PIC
Primary Interexchange Carrier. The PIC is the main long distance
carrier used for "1+dialing" through which all interstate
long distance calls are made.
PIC Freeze
Pre-subscribed Interexchange Carrier Freeze. A PIC Freeze
is in place when a consumer makes arrangements with their
LEC (local exchange carrier) or telephone company to prevent
changing the user's PIC without their permission. This is
done to prevent "slamming."
PICC (PIC Charge)
Primary Interexchange Carrier Charge, also known as the Pre-Subscribed
Interexchange Carrier Charge. The FCC-mandated flat-rate charge
that applies to pre-subscribed IXCs connecting to end-users
through LEC (local exchange carrier) facilities. This charge
appears on the bill sent to you from your long distance carrier.
Quality Rating
On a scale of one to five stars, SmartPrice.com rates the
quality of each long distance company. This rating is based
on the number of complaints the FCC receives about that particular
company. Click here for more information about the SmartPrice.com
quality ratings.
RBOC
Regional Bell Operating Company. One of the original seven
local telephone companies created as part of the breakup of
AT&T. The RBOCs include: Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, Bell South,
NYNEX, Pacific Telesis Group, Southwestern Bell, and US West.
RespOrg (Responsible Organization)
A Responsible Organization is the company who is responsible
for assigning and managing 1-800 numbers. When switching to
a new long distance carrier, you will be asked to sign a Responsible
Organization form if you would like to keep your existing
1-800 number.
Service Address
This is the address where the telephone number(s) you are
switching is located. It can either be the same or different
from your billing address.
Slamming
The illegal act of switching a retail customer's long distance
and/or local telecommunications service provider without permission
and/or knowledge of the customer or any of the customer's
representatives.
Subscriber Line Charge (SLC)
A monthly fee paid by telephone subscribers that is used to
compensate the local telephone company for part of the cost
of installation and maintenance of the telephone wires, poles
and other facilities that link your home to the telephone
network. This charge will appear on the bill sent to you by
your local phone company.
Switched Access Service
A service providing access to a network-based switching device
that provides intrastate and interstate long distance service.
This service is reached through 1+ dial access from your local
telephone company.
TelAssistance Program
A program providing eligible consumers with a 65% reduction
in the applicable tariff rate for qualifying services. These
programs were instituted as part of the Modified Final Judgment
that broke up the Bell System to ensure that a basic service
level is available to anyone.
Telecommunications
Any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals,
writing, images, sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire,
radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems.
Universal Service Fund Charge
This is an FCC-mandated charge appearing on the bill sent
to you from your long distance carrier. The fund provides
support for Internet access for schools, libraries and healthcare
facilities.
Wholesale Service
A telecommunications service is considered a wholesale service
when it is provided to a telecommunications utility that provides
a retail service to residence or business end-user customers.
Your estimated monthly bill
This is an estimate of what you can expect to pay per month
with your new calling plan, if the calling habits you entered
are accurate and tend to stay the same from month to month.
This figure is based on your current monthly bill amount and
individual calling patterns you told SmartPrice.com, as well
as the rates, fees and billing increments of the new long
distance company.
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© Copyright 2003 Online-Telephone.com - All Rights Reserved.
Version 2.1 September 2003.