Glossary of Industry Terms

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Slam	An end user that is PICed without their permission. An RBOC Slam Fee must be paid for each slam.
SMS - Service Management System
SMS Customer Record	All information related to one 800 number, effective date and time, etc.
Speed Dialing	A service to abbreviate and accelerate frequently dialed numbers.
State Tax	A collection of tax types that each state is allowed to charge. Tax jurisdiction (which state can charge tax for a call) is based on the two-out-of-three rule: where it originates, where it terminates, where it is being billed to - if two match, that state can charge the tax.
Surcharge	An additional charge on top of a base rate for a specified reason.
Switch	A device (like a DMS-250 or a PBX) that responds to originator signals and dynamically connects the caller to the desired communication destination.
Switched Access	Nondedicated local access between the customer's premise and the serving wire center which is interconnected to the company's point-of-presence for origination or termination of service.
Switched Access Service	A class of LEC services that provides the link from the customer's premise to the IEC PoP for switched circuits.
Switched Resellers	Resellers that utilize their own switching hardware (and sometimes their own lines) and the lines of other IXCs to provide long-distance service to its subscribers. They provide their own billing and service.
Switched Services	All dial up long-distance services including conventional residential and WATS (most have incremental use charges). (See Message Toll Service)
Switching Fee	A per-line fee (usually around 5$) imposed by the LEC to reprogram their switching system to change your default carrier. Subscribers must usually pay this fee when switching to a reseller. Some resellers will reimburse the subscribers for this fee.
Switchless Reseller	A reseller of long-distance services that does not utilize any of its own lines, or (switching) equipment. All actual service and equipment is handled by the IXC. Billing is usually done, by the reseller themselves, to the customer.