1010 Dial-around long distance explanations: ACNA, CIC, PIC

1010 Dial Around Long Distance Explanations

ACNA = Access Customer Name Abbreviation
CIC = Carrier Identification Code
PIC = Presubscribed Interexchange Carrier

All long distance carriers in the US have one or more CIC (carrier identification code) codes, this is a code in the format 10-1X-XXX, and is used by your local telephone company to decide how to route your long distance and international telephone calls. When used to bypass your 1+ long distance carrier, these codes are commonly refered to as 10 10 long distance access numbers.

ACNA (access customer name abbreviation) is a three letter code, which is used to identify the underlying long distance carrier for a CIC code. (While an ACNA may be the same for several CIC codes, each CIC code will only have one ACNA associated with it.)

All long distance and international calls start with a CIC code. However, when you use your regular 1+ long distance carrier, you do not need to enter the CIC code, as it is already programmed into the switch at your local telephone company. For this reason, the CIC code for your 1+ long distance carrier is also called a PIC (presubscribed interexchange carrier) code.

Each time you dial a CIC code prior to your calls, you are bypassing the preprogrammed PIC code (and your designated 1+ long distance carrier), forcing your phone call to be carried by a different long distance carrier. You can only have one PIC code assigned to a given telephone number at any time, although you may use an unlimited number of CIC codes to distribute your calls among multiple long distance carriers. This method of utilizing a carriers CIC code is termed "casual calling", as you determine on a call by call basis what carrier to utilize. Some long distance carriers do not allow casual calling, so that you will not be able to complete a call by using their CIC code prior to a call. Many phone companies charge a very high cost for casual calls, in order to discourage such use. Finally, some long distance carriers build their business around casual callers, by promoting dial around long distance services, often known as 10-10 dial-arounds.

This last group includes heavily advertised access codes such as 10-10-220, 10-10-321, 10-10-811, and 10-10-987. Please see our comparison of the most common 1010 dial around long distance plans for further details.

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