FCC Subscriber Line Charge (SLC)

"SLC" is also known as FCC charge for Network Access, Federal Line Cost Charge, Interstate Access Charge, Federal Access Charge, Interstate Single Line Charge, Customer Line Charge.

The FCC instituted this charge as it developed its access charge regime after the break-up of AT&T in 1984, and caps the maximum price that a company may charge. This is not a government tax or surcharge, and it does not end up in the government's treasury. The SLC recovers some of the costs of the local network formerly recovered through interstate toll charges. While only ILECs are required to collect the SLC, the FCC explicitly affirmed the right of CLECs to impose a SLC on their customers. Thus, CLEC SLC rates are not capped in the same manner as ILEC SLCs.