ILEC vs CLEC

“ILEC” is the abbreviated form of “Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier,” and “CLEC” is the short form of “Competitive Local Exchange Carrier.” The ILEC and the CLEC were formed soon after the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It was the breakup of the monopoly of AT&T and the Bell Systems in 1984 that led to the ILEC and CLEC.

The Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier is a company that is characterized by providing local telephone service. The ILEC owns most of the loops and facilities in a servicing area. The Competitive Local Exchange Carrier is companies that are known to provide an alternative service to the ILEC within its territory. CLEC is a combination of new competitors in the field. A Competitive Local Exchange Carrier is those companies that have rented space from the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier.

The CLEC is always in competition with the ILEC which is an already-established, local telephone provider. One basic difference between an Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier and a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier is that the ILEC provides service to the public, and the CLEC has the right to compete for that business but is not indebted to provide the same plane of service.

An Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier can also be said to be a service provider in a specific geographic area. For example, the old AT&T is an ILEC that provides service to a particular region.
Different laws and rules govern both the ILECs and CLECs. The regulations for CLECs are quite different from ILECs.

Summary:

1.“ILEC” is the abbreviated form of “Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier,” and “CLEC” is the short form of “Competitive Local Exchange Carrier.”
2.It was the breakup of the monopoly of the AT&T and Bell Systems in 1984 that led to the creation of the ILEC and CLEC.
3.One basic difference between an Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier and a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier is that the ILEC provides service to the public, and the CLEC has the right to compete for that business but is not indebted to provide the same plane of service.
4.The Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier is a company that is characterized by providing local telephone service. The Competitive Local Exchange Carrier is companies that are known to provide an alternative service to the ILEC within its territory.
5.A Competitive Local Exchange Carrier is those companies that have rented space from the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier.

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