What are Access Rates?

When you make a long-distance call, your long-distance carrier must pay All West Communications for starting, or originating, the call. In addition, your long-distance carrier must pay the telephone company that provides local service to the person you are calling to complete or terminate the call. The charges that the long-distance provider pays to All West Communications to originate the call and the other local exchange company to terminate the call are referred to as access (as in the access the long-distance provider must get to the local network).