Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier

Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier

An incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC), is a local telephone company in the United States that was in existence at the time of the breakup of AT&T into the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), also known as the "Baby Bells." The ILEC is the former Bell System or Independent Telephone Company responsible for providing local telephone exchange services in a specified geographic area. GTE was the second largest ILEC after the Bells, but it has since been absorbed into Verizon, a RBOC. ILECs compete with competitive local exchange carriers (CLEC). When referring to the technical communities ILEC is often used just to mean a telephone provider.

In Canada, the term ILEC refers to the original telephone companies such as Telus (BC Tel and AGT), SaskTel, Manitoba Telephone Systems (MTS Allstream), Bell Canada Enterprises and Aliant.

Read more about Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier:  Definition, Duties

Famous quotes containing the words incumbent, local, exchange and/or carrier:

    It is remarkable that almost all speakers and writers feel it to be incumbent on them, sooner or later, to prove or acknowledge the personality of God. Some Earl of Bridgewater, thinking it better late than never, has provided for it in his will. It is a sad mistake.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    These native villages are as unchanging as the woman in one of their stories. When she was called before a local justice he asked her age. “I have 45 years.” “But,” said the justice, “you were forty-five when you appeared before me two years ago.” “SeƱor Judge,” she replied proudly, drawing herself to her full height, “I am not of those who are one thing today and another tomorrow!”
    State of New Mexico, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)

    I can exchange opinion with any neighbouring mind,
    I have as healthy flesh and blood as any rhymer’s had,
    But O! my Heart could bear no more when the upland caught the wind;
    I ran, I ran, from my love’s side because my Heart went mad.
    William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

    We know what the animals do, what are the needs of the beaver, the bear, the salmon, and other creatures, because long ago men married them and acquired this knowledge from their animal wives. Today the priests say we lie, but we know better.
    native American belief, quoted by D. Jenness in “The Carrier Indians of the Bulkley River,” Bulletin no. 133, Bureau of American Ethnology (1943)