A competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) is a North American telecommunications provider classification that emerged based on the competition model of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 in the United States. The act required the previously established incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) in each local market to provide infrastructure hosting and services to CLECs to enable competition with the ILEC over the Public switched telephone network (PTSN). With many providers releasing fibreoptics to the premises much of the legislation concerning competition over the copper twisted pair (Landline) network to the premises has become void.