Phone & Telco Intelligence
Phone & Telco Intelligence
Deep-dive reference guides for phone numbers, networks, and telco history — from Bell Labs to the modern wireless era.
80+ searchable telco terms: NPA, NXX, CLLI, LATA, OCN, SS7, STIR/SHAKEN, and more. Each entry includes a plain-English definition and cross-references.
80+ Terms →A visual timeline of American telecommunications from 1876 to today. Covers Bell System, divestiture, the 1996 Telecom Act, and the rise of wireless.
29 Milestones →Class 4 vs. Class 5 switches, tandem offices, softswitch platforms, and the SS7 signaling stack. Understand what happens when a call routes through the PSTN.
Reference →The Common Language Location Identifier system encodes every telephone office in North America. Learn how to decode an 11-character CLLI into city, state, site, and equipment type.
Decode Guide →Local Access and Transport Areas define the geographic boundaries for local vs. long-distance calling. Created by the 1984 AT&T divestiture, LATAs determine which carrier can carry your call.
Geography →Local Number Portability (LNP) lets you keep your phone number when switching carriers. Learn how NPAC, LERG, and the porting process work behind the scenes.
How LNP Works →The North American Numbering Plan Administration assigns area codes and manages number resources across 20+ countries. Learn the structure of a NANP number and how NPA-NXX blocks are allocated.
Numbering Plan →ILECs, CLECs, RBOCs, IXCs, MVNOs — the telecom industry has a carrier for every niche. Understand who owns the last mile, the backbone, and the airwaves.
Industry Structure →