Terms used in this part have the following meanings:

Books of account. Books of account refer to the financial accounting system a company uses to record, in monetary terms, the basic transactions of a company. These books of account reflect the company's assets, liabilities, and equity, and the revenues and expenses from operations. Each company has its own separate books of account.

Incumbent Independent Local Exchange Carrier (Incumbent Independent LEC). The term incumbent independent local exchange carrier means, with respect to an area, the independent local exchange carrier that:

(1) On February 8, 1996, provided telephone exchange service in such area; and

(2)

(i) On February 8, 1996, was deemed to be a member of the exchange carrier association pursuant to §69.601(b) of this title; or

(ii) Is a person or entity that, on or after February 8, 1996, became a successor or assign of a member described in paragraph (2)(i) of this section. The Commission may also, by rule, treat an independent local exchange carrier as an incumbent independent local exchange carrier pursuant to section 251(h)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Independent Local Exchange Carrier (Independent LEC). Independent local exchange carriers are local exchange carriers, including GTE, other than the BOCs.

Independent Local Exchange Carrier Affiliate (Independent LEC Affiliate). An independent local exchange carrier affiliate is a carrier that is owned (in whole or in part) or controlled by, or under common ownership (in whole or in part) or control with, an independent local exchange carrier.

In-region service. In-region service means telecommunications service originating in an independent local exchange carrier's local service areas or 800 service, private line service, or their equivalents that:

(1) Terminate in the independent LEC's local exchange areas; and

(2) Allow the called party to determine the interexchange carrier, even if the service originates outside the independent LEC's local exchange areas.

Local Exchange Carrier. The term local exchange carrier means any person that is engaged in the provision of telephone exchange service or exchange access. Such term does not include a person insofar as such person is engaged in the provision of a commercial mobile service under section 332(c), except to the extent that the Commission finds that such service should be included in the definition of that term.

[64 FR 44425, Aug. 16, 1999]