A for-profit business that offers to transmit voice
and data messages and simultaneously adds value to the
messages it transmits. Examples include telephone
answering services, alarm/security companies and
transaction processing companies.
Equal Access
(AT&T Divestiture - 1982 Modified Final Judgement)
The provision of one-plus capability to interLATA competitors
of AT&T. Customers should be able to reach the carrier
of their choice by dialing 1+ the long-distance number.
The MFJ and the FCC require local exchange carriers
to provide equal access (most central offices now have
this capability). Equal Access may also refer to a more
generic concept under which the BOCs must provide access
services to AT&T's competitors that are equivalent
to those provided to AT&T.
Extranet
One-to-one connections over the Internet that are not
accessible to all; mainly set up by a business for
their customers or business partners.
Facilities-Based Carrier - FBC
A carrier that uses its own facilities to provide
service, in contrast with resellers, that purchase the
services of other carriers and then retail the services
to customers. (Most facilities-based carriers use the
services of other carriers to some extent.)
