220 ILCS 5/13-202

"Telecommunications carrier" means and includes every corporation, company, association, joint stock company or association, firm, partnership or individual, their lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court whatsoever that owns, controls, operates or manages, within this State, directly or indirectly, for public use, any plant, equipment or property used or to be used for or in connection with, or owns or controls any franchise, license, permit or right to engage in the provision of, telecommunications services between points within the State which are specified by the user. "Telecommunications carrier" includes an Electing Provider, as defined in Section 13-506.2. Telecommunications carrier does not include, however: (a) telecommunications carriers that are owned and operated by any political subdivision, public or private institution of higher education or municipal corporation of this State, for their own use, or telecommunications carriers that are owned by such political subdivision, public or private institution of higher education, or municipal corporation and operated by any of its lessees or operating agents, for their own use; (b) telecommunications carriers which are purely mutual concerns, having no rates or charges for services, but paying the operating expenses by assessment upon the members of such a company and no other person but does include telephone or telecommunications cooperatives as defined in Section 13-212; (c) a company or person which provides telecommunications services solely to itself and its affiliates or members or between points in the same building, or between closely located buildings, affiliated through substantial common ownership, control or development; or (d) a company or person engaged in the delivery of community antenna television services as described in subdivision (c) of Section 13-203, except with respect to the provision of telecommunications services by that company or person.