unbundling

In the context of the FCC's Computer III Inquiry, the process of separating individual tariffed offerings and services that are associated with a specific element in the CEI or ONA tariff from other tariffed basic service offerings. [After para. 158, FCC Report and Order, June 16, 1986.]

The term used to describe the access provided by local exchange carriers so that other service providers can buy or lease portions of its network elements, such as interconnection loops, to serve subscribers.