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Simple English definitions for legal terms
local-exchange network
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A quick definition of local-exchange network:
A local-exchange network is a system that provides telephone service in a specific area. It includes switches, local loops, and transport trunks, which help direct calls to the right place. The wires that connect telephones to the switches are called local loops, and the wires that carry calls from switch to switch are called transport trunks. All these elements are often referred to as a bundle. Federal law requires that companies who control a local-exchange network allow competition by selling access to their network.
A more thorough explanation:
A local-exchange network is a system that provides telephone service on a local basis. It includes switches, local loops, transport trunks, billing databases, and operator services. Switches direct calls to the appropriate destination, local loops connect telephones to the switches, and transport trunks carry calls from switch to switch.
For example, when you make a phone call to your neighbor, the call goes through the local-exchange network. The switch directs the call to your neighbor's phone through the local loop, and the transport trunk carries the call to your neighbor's switch.
There are federal requirements that a local-exchange carrier who controls a local-exchange network permit competition by selling some access, including unbundled access, to its local-exchange network. This means that other companies can use the local-exchange network to provide telephone service in the same area.