Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

inter-exchange carrier
     
         (IXC) A company allowed to handle
        long-distance calls following the break-up of the Bell system
        in the US by anti-trust regulators.
     
        {Local Exchange Carriers} (LEC) are not allowed to handle
        long-distance traffic and Inter Exchange carriers are not
        allowed to handle local calls.
     
        (2002-08-28)