Sec.  53.3   Terms and definitions.

   Terms used in this part have the following meanings:

   Act. The Act means the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

   Affiliate. An affiliate is a person that (directly or indirectly) owns or
   controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control
   with, another person. For purposes of this part, the term “own” means to own
   an equity interest (or the equivalent thereof) of more than 10 percent.

   AT&T Consent Decree. The AT&T Consent Decree is the order entered August 24,
   1982, in the antitrust action styled United States v. Western Electric,
   Civil  Action No. 82–0192, in the United States District Court for the
   District of Columbia, and any judgment or order with respect to such action
   entered on or after August 24, 1982.

   Bell Operating Company (BOC). The term Bell operating company

   (1) Means any of the following companies: Bell Telephone Company of Nevada,
   Illinois  Bell  Telephone  Company,  Indiana  Bell  Telephone Company,
   Incorporated, Michigan Bell Telephone Company, New England Telephone and
   Telegraph Company, New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, New York Telephone
   Company, U S West Communications Company, South Central Bell Telephone
   Company, Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, Southwestern Bell
   Telephone  Company,  The  Bell  Telephone Company of Pennsylvania, The
   Chesapeake  and  Potomac Telephone Company, The Chesapeake and Potomac
   Telephone Company of Maryland, The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company
   of Virginia, The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia,
   The Diamond State Telephone Company, The Ohio Bell Telephone Company, The
   Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, or Wisconsin Telephone Company; and

   (2) Includes any successor or assign of any such company that provides
   wireline telephone exchange service; but

   (3)  Does  not include an affiliate of any such company, other than an
   affiliate described in paragraphs (1) or (2) of this definition.

   In-Region  InterLATA service. In-region interLATA service is interLATA
   service that originates in any of a BOC's in-region states, which are the
   states in which the BOC or any of its affiliates was authorized to provide
   wireline telephone exchange service pursuant to the reorganization plan
   approved under the AT&T Consent Decree, as in effect on February 7, 1996.
   For  the  purposes of this part, 800 service, private line service, or
   equivalent services that terminate in a BOC's in-region state and allow the
   called  party  to determine the interLATA carrier are considered to be
   in-region interLATA service.

   InterLATA  Information Service. An interLATA information service is an
   information service that incorporates as a necessary, bundled element an
   interLATA  telecommunications  transmission component, provided to the
   customer for a single charge.

   InterLATA  Service.  An  interLATA  service is a service that involves
   telecommunications between a point located in a LATA and a point located
   outside such area. The term “interLATA service” includes both interLATA
   telecommunications services and interLATA information services.

   Local Access and Transport Area (LATA). A LATA is a contiguous geographic
   area:

   (1) Established before February 8, 1996 by a BOC such that no exchange area
   includes  points  within  more than one metropolitan statistical area,
   consolidated metropolitan statistical area, or state, except as expressly
   permitted under the AT&T Consent Decree; or

   (2) Established or modified by a BOC after February 8, 1996 and approved by
   the Commission.

   Local Exchange Carrier (LEC). A LEC is 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
   commercial mobile service under section 332(c) of the Act, except to the
   extent that the Commission finds that such service should be included in the
   definition of such term.

   Out-of-Region  InterLATA  service.  Out-of-region interLATA service is
   interLATA service that originates outside a BOC's in-region states.

   Section 272 affiliate. A section 272 affiliate is a BOC affiliate that
   complies with the separate affiliate requirements of section 272(b) of the
   Act and the regulations contained in this part.

Subpart B—Bell Operating Company Entry Into InterLATA Services