Definition

central office (CO)

In telephone communication in the United States, a central office (CO) is an office in a locality to which subscriber home and business lines are connected on what is called a local loop. The central office has switching equipment that can switch calls locally or to long-distance carrier phone offices.

In other countries, the term public exchange is used.

Related glossary terms: RS-232C, encoder, online, BOC (Bell operating company), Peltier effect, LEC (local exchange carrier), IT Survival Kit: Networking refreshers, downstream, Usenet, network configuration management (NCM)

This was last updated in June 2005

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

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