U.S. Department of Justice ruling (effective 9/84) that requires all RBHCs with ESS systems using SPC technology, and serving a market of at least 10,000 access lines, to offer the same quality of connection at the same rates to all common carriers. Under this arrangement, subscribers choose a primary long-distance carrier that they access by dialing "1" + area code + telephone number. Other long-distance carriers are reached by dialing "10" plus a three-digit access code unique to each carrier, then dialing "1" + area code + telephone number.
Ability to choose between the different long-distance carriers. In rural areas, some local exchange carriers are still serviced by only one long-distance carrier.
(1) The concept -- enforced by the 1984 Modified Final Judgement (MFJ) -- that all Interexchange Carriers (IXC) must have the same access to the local BOC facilities as AT&T enjoys; provided as Feature Group D interconnection. (2) The arrangement whereby the BOCs provide trunk side connections to an End Office (EO), Automatic Number Identification (ANI), answer supervision, dial pulse or DTMF signal recognition.
As defined by the Modified Final judgment , a uniform method by which Interexchange Carrier s are accessed by end-users.
All long distance carriers must be accessible by dialing 1 – and not a string of long dialing codes. This service allows customers to complete toll calls through a long-distance company without using an identification code if the chosen long distance company has elected full equal access status. It has the availability of "1-plus" dialing.
(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.
(1) Concept made into law by the 1984 Modified Final Judgment (MFJ) that all long distance carriers must have the same access to local facilities as AT&T enjoys. (2) Arrangement whereby the BOCs provide trunk-side connections to an end office, automatic number identification (ANI), answer supervision, dial pulse or DTMF signal recognition. (3) Process that permits customers to subscribe to the long distance carrier of their choice.
With equal access, customers can choose an alternative long distance company and dial 1 + the area code + the telephone number ("1 + dialing") to place all of their long distance calls on that network. (Prior to equal access, customers using alternative long distance companies had to dial up to 17 extra digits to place a long distance call.)
An FCC ruling that said all users of public switched networks should have free and equal access to the carrier of their choice ( implemented via 800,888,950, and 10XXX access).
Starting in 1985, consumers could choose their long-distance carrier.
All service providers must have equal access to the market. Section 253(a) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 directs that "no State or local statute or regulations, or other State or local legal requirement, may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the ability of any entity to provide any interstate or intrastate telecommunications service."
Policy through which local telephone companies must provide network facilities that are equal in quality, type, and price to all long-distance companies.
A condition where the local exchange access service offered by a carrier is made available in equal kind, quality, and price to all long distance companies.
The provision of exchange access to all long distance carriers on equal terms. Mandated at divestiture, equal access requires that the Bell Operating Companies (BOCs) provide interexchange carriers (IECs), other than AT&T, the same access to the BOCs' central office switches as that provided for AT&T. This allows non-AT&T customers to dial long distance over their preferred IEC without having to dial extra digits.
The offering of access to local exchange facilities on a non-discriminatory basis.
Equal Access is an international not-for-profit organization that provides information and education about healthcare and social issues through radio in developing countries. The organization is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Kathmandu, Nepal; Kabul, Afghanistan; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; and New Delhi, India.