A Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) is a telecommunications company that competes with traditional local telephone companies, also known as Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs). CLECs provide various services such as local and long-distance phone service, broadband internet, and data services to businesses and residential customers. Unlike ILECs, CLECs do not own the physical infrastructure of the telecommunications network, but instead lease it from ILECs or build their own network.