Glossary of Long Distance Service Related Terms

Debit Card

A card that automatically deducts charges from your checking or other established account. There is no credit involved with using a debit card. When you use the debit card, funds are transferred from your established account to the account of the supplier.

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.

Default Carrier

Your regular Dial-1 carrier. Call 1-700-555-4141 to find your default carrier.

Demarc

The demarcation point between your local telephone company wiring and the wiring you install to connect your own telephone.

Deregulation

Changes ordered by state and federal regulators and the courts to introduce competition into the telecommunications industry.

Dial Around Service

Dial Around service refers to the services provided to you through access codes and numbers which allow you to bypass your Primary Interexchange Carrier. These may be 10-10XXX, toll free access numbers, and/or calling cards. Generally, dial around refers to services accessed from your primary telephone.

Direct Dial (1+ Service)

This refers the service you get from your Primary Interexchange Carrier, the long distance company that is automatically accessed when a customer dials 1+ Area Code + Number.

Directory Assistance Service

A service that makes directory listing database information available to retail customers. There is usually a fee associated with this service.

Donor Switch

Switch/Office/Exchange - Refers to the local switch from which an end-user was served prior to changing Service Providers (SP).

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. The Web site www.dslreports.com has detailed information on DSL providers and will help you determine if you're close enough to an equipped central office to get the service.