In
telecommunications
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than tha ...
a point of interface (POI) is used to show the physical interface between two different carriers, such as a
local exchange carrier (LEC) and a
wireless carrier, or an LEC and an
IntereXchange Carrier
An interexchange carrier (IXC), in U.S. legal and regulatory terminology, is a type of telecommunication company, commonly called a long-distance telephone company. It is defined as any carrier that provides services across multiple local access ...
(IXC).
This
demarcation point
In telephony, the demarcation point is the point at which the public switched telephone network ends and connects with the customer's on-premises wiring. It is the dividing line which determines who is responsible for installation and mainten ...
often defines responsibility as well as serving as a point for testing. In many cases, a POI exists as a point of demarcation ("DEMARC") within an LEC building, and is established under "
co-location" agreements. A long distance, wireless, or competitive local carrier "rents" space at the local telephone (usually
tandem switch) location.
This space is physically a "cage" in which a device for interconnecting telecom services is installed. This device was originally a wire frame with one side being accessed by the LEC, and the other side accessed by the other carrier. In recent years, "electronic frames" such as
digital cross connect systems have been used as POI devices. Local exchange services are ordered from the local telephone carrier who delivers the service to their side of the POI. The other carrier then arranges to its own facilities (fiber, or other type of transport) into the POI and transports the service to its own network facilities.
See also
*
Federal Standard 1037C
Federal Standard 1037C, titled Telecommunications: Glossary of Telecommunication Terms, is a United States Federal Standard issued by the General Services Administration pursuant to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, ...
Local loop
References
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