View source for Interconnect agreement

{{Use American English|date=January 2019}}{{Short description|Agreement between network service providers to connect their networks
}}
An '''interconnect agreement''' is a business [[contract]] between telecommunications organizations for the purpose of interconnecting their networks and exchanging telecommunications traffic. Interconnect agreements are found both in the [[public switched telephone network]] and the [[Internet]].

In the public switched telephone network, an interconnect agreement invariably involves settlement fees based on [[Calling party|call source]] and [[Called party|destination]], connection times and duration, when these fees do not cancel out between operators. 

On the Internet, where the concept of a "[[telephone call|call]]" is generally hard to define, settlement-free [[peering]] and [[Internet transit]] are common forms of interconnection. A contract for interconnection within the Internet is usually called a [[peering agreement]].

Interconnect agreements are typically complex [[contractual agreement]]s involving payment schemes and schedules, coordination of [[Policy-based routing|routing policies]], [[acceptable use policy|acceptable use policies]], traffic balancing requirements, technical standards, coordination of network operations, dispute resolution, etc. Legal and regulatory requirements are often an issue. For example, network operators may be forced by law to interconnect with their competitors. In the United States, the [[Telecommunications Act of 1996]] mandated methods of interconnection and the compensation models for doing so.

==External links==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.isp-planet.com/cplanet/legal/1199legal.html |title=Negotiating Interconnection Agreements |author=Peter L. Gardon |accessdate=2008-06-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080114042354/http://www.isp-planet.com/cplanet/legal/1199legal.html |archivedate=January 14, 2008 }} 
* {{cite web|url=http://www.techagreements.com/T-Interconnection-Agreements.aspx |title=Interconnection Agreements |accessdate=2008-06-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506092309/http://www.techagreements.com/T-Interconnection-Agreements.aspx |archivedate=May 6, 2008 }} 
* {{cite web |url=http://www.twobirds.com/english/publications/articles/WhoPaystheTerminatingOperator.cfm |title=Who Pays the Terminating Operator? |date=2002-05-30 |author=Sally Trebble |publisher=Bird and Bird |accessdate=2008-06-05}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

[[Category:Telecommunications law]]
[[Category:Internet architecture]]
[[Category:Contract law]]


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