wireline carrier

Also known as a B Carrier.A provider of traditional landline telecommunications services. Such services involve connections to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) by wire (or fiber) local loops that terminate in fixed locations at customer premises.The distinction between wireline and non-wireline carriers was made primarily for purposes of segregating bidders for radio spectrum assignment during the FCC cellular radio spectrum auctions.The initial approach toward spectrum assignment was designed to ensure that there was one wireline (i.e., telephone company) and one non-wireline carrier per market. See also carrier, cellular radio, FCC, landline, local loop, premises, PSTN, radio, and spectrum.