A CIC, or carrier identification code, is a numeric code that is assigned by the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) Administrator for the provisioning of selected switched services (ATIS, 2001). This is much simpler than it might sound. Since telecommunication carriers often have to host traffic from other carriers-because no one carrier can provide service to all places-it is necessary to differentiate between calls originating with particular carriers. The code is primarily useful for billing purposes (Dodd, 2005). After all, if carriers consistently host traffic originating with other carriers, then billing cannot be based solely on traffic. In that case, one carrier might not be able to bill for significant portions of its business because it would have no record of the calls that traveled through another carrier. .

             Carrier identification codes are four digit numbers. With them, individual calls can be differentiated based on the originating switch or carrier from which it came. Each numeric code is unique to each carrier. They are employed by telephone companies to route calls to the trunk group designated by the carrier to which the code was assigned (ATIS, 2001). This is a complicated way of saying that CIC codes are stamps that allow routing devices to differentiate between call traffic based on the carrier from which the call originated.

             2. In 1984, AT&T had a near monopoly on telephone service. It was believed that divestiture would help communication for the consumer. Divestiture was designed to open completion for what service?.

             The divestiture of AT&T in 1984 was an antitrust measure undertaken by the U.S. Justice Department after a number of complaints from independent long distance service providers. As a near monopoly, AT&T had complete control over all telephony infrastructure. AT&T, at the time, manufactured and maintained all of the telecommunications lines in the country.