local exchange carrier


local exchange carrier

(communications)(LEC) A company allowed to handle local callsfollowing the break-up of the Bell system in the US byanti-trust regulators. These vary from Regional BellOperating Companies (RBOC) through to small independents suchas Farmers Cooperative.

Local exchange carriers are not allowed to handlelong-distance traffic. This is handled by inter-exchangecarriers (IXC) who are not allowed to handle local calls.