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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A local exchange carrier (LEC) is any person or company that provides telephone exchange service or exchange access under U.S. federal law. The definition is based on the service provided, not on whether a provider uses traditional landlines or a particular network technology.
What does LEC mean in telecom?
Section 153(32) of the Communications Act defines a local exchange carrier as “any person that is engaged in the provision of telephone exchange service or exchange access.” Read the definition in 47 U.S.C. § 153(32).
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The wording is broad: it turns on providing the specified service, rather than a provider’s corporate form or whether its network is copper-based. The definition itself does not name a particular company or technology.
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An incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) is not simply another name for every LEC. LEC is the broader statutory category; ILEC is a status defined under Section 251 in relation to a particular area.
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| Point of comparison | LEC | ILEC |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Broad category under 47 U.S.C. § 153(32), based on providing telephone exchange service or exchange access. | A category defined under 47 U.S.C. § 251(h). |
| Area and criteria | The § 153(32) definition does not itself set out an incumbent test tied to a specific area. | Generally, the statutory test considers whether the carrier provided telephone exchange service in the area on February 8, 1996, along with exchange-carrier-association or successor criteria. The FCC may also treat certain comparable carriers as incumbents by rule. |
| Legal duties | Section 251 establishes duties for LECs, including provisions on resale, number portability and dialing parity. | Section 251 also sets out additional incumbent-carrier duties, including interconnection and access to network elements. |
See 47 U.S.C. § 251 for the incumbent definition and the related statutory duties. The duties attach through the law; they are not part of the definition of LEC itself.
Does the definition include wireless providers?
The statute excludes a person insofar as it provides commercial mobile service, unless the FCC determines that the service should be included. The qualification matters: it is too broad to say that wireless companies can never be LECs. The statutory language addresses the person only to the extent it is engaged in providing commercial mobile service. The mobile-service clause appears in § 153(32).
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why does the term matter?
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 established the local-competition framework by amending the Communications Act and adding relevant definitions and duties. In that framework, the distinction between LECs generally and ILECs in particular areas helps identify which statutory obligations apply. Public Law 104-104, the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
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For a specific provider, state, market or regulatory proceeding, the general definition is only a starting point. Determining the provider’s status requires facts about its services and, for ILEC status, the relevant area and statutory criteria.
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