LATA Hear it!

LATA Finance Definition
A U.S. telecom term, which stands for local access and transport area. A LATA is a particular area that is covered by one or more local telephone companies, called local exchange carriers (LECs). IntraLATA is a connection between two local exchanges within the same LATA. InterLATA, which essen-tially is long distance service, is a connection between a carrier in one LATA to a carrier in another LATA. Rules governing what companies can provide both types of service were established in the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
LATA (Local Access and Transport Area) Telecom Definition
A geographical area defined by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a result of the Modified Final Judgement (MFJ) that broke up the AT&T Bell System on January 1, 1984. The Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) and their component Bell Operating Companies (BOCs) were prevented from offering interLATA toll services, i.e., long distance calling services that crossed LATA boundaries. Initially, the BOCs had the exclusive rights to offer intraLATA toll service, also known as local long distance, within the confines of the 196 defined LATAs. LATAs now serve primarily as reference points for call rating and routing. See also BOC, FCC, MFJ, and RBOC.