Flat Rate Internet Access Call Origination meaning

In telecoms practice, Flat Rate Internet access Call Origination (FRIACO) describes a wholesale call‑origination service on the public switched telephone network that lets internet service providers receive dial‑up internet calls for a fixed periodic charge, regardless of call duration. It enabled unmetered internet access packages for end users by replacing per‑minute charging with a flat fee at the wholesale level. FRIACO is not a statutory term. It is a regulatory and industry expression found in UK and Irish telecoms regulation, determinations and wholesale reference offers (e.g. under Oftel/Ofcom and ComReg decisions concerning operators with significant market power). It typically appears in interconnection agreements and regulatory dispute resolutions concerning wholesale call origination, pricing and cost orientation. Key features are: unmetered wholesale charging; call origination from the access provider’s network to a designated interconnection point; and applicability to dial‑up internet access services. Usage and meaning are consistent across England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland under the Ofcom framework, with a closely equivalent concept in Ireland regulated by ComReg. Although largely legacy following broadband migration, the term remains relevant in historic contracts, pricing disputes, regulatory decisions and when interpreting SMP conditions or legacy wholesale obligations relating to unmetered dial‑up access.