LATA
Local Access Transport Areas (200 in the U.S. ). A geographic service area defined in the AT&T Modified Final Judgement. The RBOCs (Baby Bells) and GTE are restricted to operations within, but not between, LATAs . Long distance service within a LATA is provided by the LEC . Service between LATAs is provided by an IEC . LATAs are represented by a 3-character code, and there are 164 of them across the country.

LEC - Local Exchange Carrier
The local or regional telephone company that owns and operates lines to customer locations and Class 5 Central Office Switches. LECs have connections to other COs , Tandem (Class 4 Toll) offices and may connect directly to IECs like WorldCom, AT&T, MCI, Sprint, etc.

LEC Billing
Arrangement whereby the Local Exchange Carrier invoices the customer for some or all telecommunications services.

LOA - Letter Of Agency
A document that authorizes changing the service provider. (See RespOrg, 800 Portability)

LNP - See Local Number Portability .

Local Number Portability - Aka: Number Portability Service Charge or LNP
This fee started to appear on many local telephone bills in February 1999. This fee allows local telephone companies to recover costs associated with supporting the technical capability to allow a consumer or business to retain their existing telephone number when switching to another local provider. Local companies are allowed, but not required, to pass on these costs. However most do. They are only allowed to charge this fee for five years from the first date they start to charge the fee, and are not allowed to start charging the fee until they can provide the ability to the end-user of retaining their phone number in the event of switching local telephone companies. Local telephone companies are required to make this "number portability" service available within 6 months of being requested to do so by another local telephone company wishing to service the area. This is NOT a tax. It is a charge that is part of the price you pay to your local telephone company. Neither the FCC nor any other government agency receives the Local Number Portability fee. Local telephone companies are not allowed to charge this fee for customers on the Lifeline Assistance Program.

Long Distance Carrier
A company providing long-distance phone service between LECs and LATAs .