Common Telecom Terms and What They Mean
LEC, ILEC, and CLEC
These acronyms describe various phone and internet carriers, each with specific roles and distinctions.
LEC (Local Exchange Carrier):
This is the local company that provides phone and internet services in your area. The LEC owns the infrastructure needed to deliver these services.
ILEC (Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier):
These are the original providers of local services before the 1996 telecommunications deregulation. Examples include AT&T, Verizon, and Spectrum. ILECs are often simply referred to as LECs.
CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier):
These providers compete with ILECs by connecting their equipment to the ILECs' infrastructure. CLECs often offer more competitive pricing.
PRI (Primary Rate Interface)
PRI circuits are delivered over dedicated phone lines from the LEC to your location, providing 23 channels per circuit.
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)
SIP trunks are delivered over the internet instead of traditional phone lines. They are scalable with no minimum trunk requirements, offering flexibility for growing businesses. SIP services can be delivered as PRI or POTS handoffs.
MPOE (Main Point of Entry)
The MPOE, also known as the demarcation point, is where the LEC delivers your new telephone service interface. This point, often located in a basement in multi-story buildings, serves as the handoff location for services that will be extended to your business server or PBX room.
LNP (Local Number Portability)
LNP refers to the process of transferring your existing phone numbers from one service provider to another.
POC (Point of Contact)
The POC is the local onsite contact for the phone service provider, responsible for coordinating the delivery of new services to your business.
LOA (Letter of Authorization)
An LOA is a legal document that grants a telephone service provider permission to transfer your phone numbers from one provider to another. This document must be signed by the authorized contact on the current account.
FOC (Firm Order Commitment)
An FOC is a confirmation of order acceptance that includes the date when the losing carrier will release the phone numbers to the new carrier or when new services will be delivered. Until you receive an FOC, you only have an estimated date for the service change.