Glossary of Long Distance Service Related Terms

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

A telecommunication credit card with an AuthCode (authorization code) for using a long distance carrier when the customer is away from their home or office (ANI).

Calling Card Rate

The per minute charge for using a calling card. This rate is typically higher than your regular rate.

Carrier

A telecommunications provider which owns switch equipment.

Carrier Line Charge

Aka: National Access Fee, Presubscribed Interexchange Carrier Charge, Presubscribed Line Charge, Regulatory Related Charge, or Carrier Line Charge. Pronounced "pixie." This charge started on January 1, 1998 as part of the FCC overhaul of telephone fees. Long distance companies pay a flat fee to the local telephone company when you pre-subscribe your telephone line to their long distance service. (Sometimes referred to "Dial 1" or "Plus 1" service) The charge is designed to compensate the local telephone companies for the costs associated with providing "local loop" service. If a consumer or business has not selected a long distance company for its telephone lines, the local telephone company may bill for the PICC. Although every long distance company is charged the same flat rate per line, long distance companies are allowed to recharge you for this in any way they see fit, and each company uses a different method to charge this carrier specific fee. It is normally not presented to you in such a way that you would think it is a competitive pricing issue. But it is! Some companies do not charge this fee at all, and some charge a carrier specific flat fee. We offer full details of the amazing differences in this rate on the Fees Comparison page. This is NOT a tax. Please note that on July 1, 2000 the FCC ruled that long distance companies no longer will have to pay this fee to local companies for residential lines, or single line businesses. The charge continues for multiple line businesses. Many long distance companies are still charging you for this, even though they aren't paying it anymore!

Central Office

Building that houses local switching equipment and serves as the primary operating and service center for all telephones in its geographical area.

CHCF-A, CHCF-B

Aka: Universal Service Fund Charge, Universal Service Charge, CHCF-A & CHCF-B. This charge started on January 1, 1998 as part of the FCC overhaul of telephone fees. All companies that provide telephone service between states pay a set percentage of their previous year's billings. The charge is designed to ensure affordable access to telecommunications services for telephone customers with low incomes, telephone customers who live in areas where the cost of providing telephone service is extremely high, libraries, schools, and rural health care providers. Although all companies providing interstate telephone service are charged the same percentage of their billings, companies are allowed to recharge you for this in any way they see fit, and each company uses a different method to charge this carrier specific fee. It is normally not presented to you in such a way that you would think it is a competitive pricing issue. But it is! Some companies do not charge this fee at all, some charge a carrier specific flat fee, others charge a percentage of your interstate and international usage, while others charge a percentage of your entire bill. We offer full details of the amazing differences in this rate on the Fees Comparison page. Although the charge the companies pay is in essence a tax, the fee on your bill is carrier specific, and is NOT a set tax. The telephone company keeps any difference between the USF fees they collect and the charge they pay to the Universal Service Fund. Click here to visit the FCC and to see the current contribution factor.

Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC)

A company that competes with established local telephone businesses by providing its own network and switching.

Complete block

Also known as CNID (Calling Number Identification Delivery) block, prevents the calling line's name and telephone number from being displayed on Caller ID devices each time a call is made. The number is then displayed as "Private" or "Anonymous" (not available to COPT lines in most areas and is governed by tariff rulings).

Composite Billing

Formerly known as Summary Billing, this allows a customer to consolidate their separate payphone accounts into one billing statement for payment. Call details and all other charges are still itemized for each separate line, but the balance is then transferred to the master Composite Billing number for ease of payment. A nominal one-time charge may apply to establish Composite Billing on the accounts.

Country Code

Two or three digit codes used for International calls outside of the North American Numbering Plan area codes. Dial: 011 + country code + city code + local phone number) (e.g. "011 + 91 + 22 + 123- 4567" 91 = India, 22 = Bombay).

Cramming

The practice of placing unauthorized, misleading, or deceptive charges on your telephone bill. Entities that fraudulently cram people appear to rely largely on confusing telephone bills in order to mislead consumers into paying for services that they did not authorize or receive.

Customer Line Charge

Aka: Federal Access Charge, Customer Line Charge, Interstate Access Charge, Interstate Single Line Charge, FCC Approved Customer Line Charge, Subscriber Line Charge or SLC. This federally ordered charge billed by your local telephone company pays part of the cost to the local telephone company of supplying a phone line into your home or business. It is designed to help local phone companies recover the cost of providing "local loops" which refers to outside telephone wires, underground conduit, telephone poles, and other equipment and facilities connecting you to the telephone network. This is NOT a tax. It is a charge that is part of the price you pay to your local telephone company. Neither the FCC nor any other government agency receives the Federal Subscriber Line Charge. The FCC places a maximum cap on this charge.

Customer Premises Equipment

Equipment on the customer's premises that is leased or owned by the customer. (Also known as customer provided equipment)

Cutover

The exact date/time that a phone number, circuit, etc. is scheduled to be (or was) moved from one implementation (carrier, etc.) to another. (e.g. moving an 800 number from MCI to Planet Earth).