Competitive Access Provider
(CAP, or "Bypass Carrier") A company which provides network links between the customer and the IntereXchange Carrier or even directly to the Internet Service Provider. CAPs operate private networks independent of Local Exchange Carriers.
["Getting Connected The Internet at 56k and Up", Kevin Dowd, First Edition, p. 49, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., June 1996, ISBN 1-56592-154-2 (US), ISBN 1-56592-203-4 (international)].