IP Number
Internet Protocol Number. Sometimes called a dotted quad. A unique number consisting of four parts separated by dots. Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number—if a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet.

IP Phone
Phone providing connectivity to the IP PBX. Features common phone options such as call hold, call forward, speed dial, transfer, calling line ID, call waiting and much more.

IP
Internet Protocol. IP is a method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on a network, i.e. the Internet.

IRC
Internet Relay Chat. Basically a huge multi-user live chat facility. There are a number of major IRC servers around the world, which are linked to each other. Anyone can create a channel and anything that anyone types in a given channel is seen by all others in the channel. Private channels can (and are) created for multi-person conference calls.

ISDN Feature Phone
This terminal, in addition to having a handset and a dialing keypad, also has a LCD display, additional keys for storing frequently dialed numbers and other function keys. A caller can enter the digits to be dialed (which are displayed) since actual dialing does not take place as you press the digits but by an explicit action, say, lifting the hand set, etc. This reduces wrong calling. In case of CLIP service the calling number of call units charged is displayed. This is also used for programming of MSN, CF, etc.

ISDN Handset
It is the simplest type of ISDN terminal and consists of a handset and a phone unit. The telephone converts the user’s speech into digital form for communication on an ISDN line.

ISP
Internet Service Provider. An institution that provides access to the Internet. By establishing points-of-presence (PoP) containing remote access servers and additional devices, as well as a suite of user software packages, the ISPs act as a commercial Internet on-ramp.

ITU or ITU-TSS
International Telecommunications Union, a special agency of the United Nations based in Geneva.

IVR
Interactive Voice Response. Where an inbound call is answered by a recording, which asks the customer to press buttons on the keypad in response to a menu of options. The numbers selected may instruct the system to search for specific information, which is then converted into the spoken word.

Ka-band
The frequency range from 18 to 31 GHz.

kbps
1,000 bits per second.

Kilobyte
A thousand bytes. Actually, usually 1024 (210) bytes.

LAN
Local Area Network. A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building.

Last Mile
An expression used for the cabling or other communication medium from the closest fiber optic point or other type of high speed/large throughput service point to the end users equipment. This may be actually 100 feet to the street or telephone pole, or may be a new line back to the local telephone central office, etc.

L-Band
The frequency range from 0.5 to 1.5 GHz. Also used to refer to the 950 to 1450 MHz used for mobile communications.

Leased Lines
A circuit rented for exclusive use twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week from a telephone company. The connection exists between two predetermined points and cannot be switched to other locations.

LEO
Low Earth Orbit satellite. Satellites that are not stationary from a fixed point on earth and have the lowest orbit of all communication satellites. Must either be tracked or use a frequency band and access methodology that allows access to the satellite with a non-directional antenna. Most handset-to-satellite systems are based on LEO satellites using L-Band.

Link
In the trunking world, this refers to microwave or phone line links that tie one central controller in one location to another.

Local Exchange Carrier
LEC. Telephone companies responsible for providing local connections and services.

Local Service Area
The geographic area that telephones may call without incurring roaming or long distance charges.

MAN
Metropolitan Area Network. Typically, they support transmission speeds from 1.5 Mbps to 45 Mbps.

Management Service Provider
On the Internet, a management service provider (MSP) is a company that manages information technology services for other companies.

MCPC
Multiple Channels Per Carrier. Communications architecture that multiplexes channels of information in the time domain on to a single carrier (frequency domain).

Mbps
1,000,000 bits per second.

Megabyte
A million bytes. A thousand kilobytes.

MEO
Medium Earth Orbit satellite. A satellite that is not stationary from a fixed point on earth and whose orbital path is between the LEOs and GEOs. MEOs must either be ‘tracked’ or use a frequency band and access methodology that allows access to the satellite with a non-directional antenna.

Mesh
Network architecture wherein each node has the ability to communicate with every other node.

Messaging
Using various products, services and technologies to transfer messages from one person to another or from one device to another, such as traditional numeric or alphanumeric paging, e-mail or short messages (SMS) delivered to wireless devices.

MHz
Megahertz. Millions of cycles (Hertz) per second. A frequency or frequency range (bandwidth) through which a cabling system is specified.

Microcell
A bound physical space in which a number of wireless devices can communicate. Because it is possible to have overlapping cells as well as isolated cells, the boundaries of the cell are established by some rule or convention.

Microwave Radio
A radio system operating in the 3-30 GHz frequency band. Characterized as line-of-sight transmission and wide bandwidth. Can typically carry 960 voice channels and more. To reach long distances, several repeater stations, spaced about 30 miles apart, are required. HE, VHF and UHF radios are also used as narrowband transmission systems.

Microwave
Line-of sight, point-to-point transmission of signals at high frequency. Many CATV systems receive some television signals from a distant antenna location with the antenna and the system connected by microwave relay. Also used for data, voice and other types of information transmission.

Modem
A device that transmits and receives computer data through a communications channel such as radio, telephone lines or cellular phones. Modem comes from MOdulate/DEModulate.

MTBF
Mean Time Between Failures. MTBF is a basic measure of reliability for repairable items. It can be calculated as an inverse of the failure rate for a content failure rate system.

MTTR
Mean Time To Repair. MTTR is the most common measure of maintainability. It is the average time required to perform corrective maintenance on all the removable items in a product or a system.

Multicast
A process of transmitting messages from one source to many destinations.

Multifunctional LCD
An easy-to-read digital display shows the message count and machine status. Some models include a digital clock. Displays on select models also show the dialed number and a full operation menu.

Multimedia
Combining multiple forms of media in the communication of information.

Multimode Fiber
An optical waveguide in which light travels in multiple modes. Typical core/cladding size (measured in micrometers) is 62.5/125 and 50/125.

Multiplexer
A device, which enables several different signals to be sent down the same line. Sometimes referred to as ‘MUX’.

N-AMPS
Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service. Combines the AMPS transmission standard with digital signaling information to effectively triple the capacity of AMPS while adding basic messaging functionality.

Narrowband PCS
Mobile and portable radio (including paging) services such as two-way paging, acknowledgment paging, voice paging and data services. These services are transmitted over a set of frequencies.

Network Attached Storage
Network Attached Storage (NAS) is hard disk storage that is set up with its own network address rather than being attached to the department computer that is serving applications to a network’s workstation users. By removing storage access and its management from the department server, both application programming and files can be served faster because they are not competing for the same processor resources.

Network Computer
Where you put most of the intelligence back into the server, similar to a mainframe system and dumb terminals where you use the desktop PC merely for input, output and presentation with all the applications run only on the server. However, the NC does have its own intelligence. Also called thin clients.

Network Control Center
Also called traffic control center. In a networked call center environment, where people and equipment monitor real-time conditions across sites, change routing thresholds as necessary and coordinate events that will impact base staffing levels.

Network Operations Center
A network operations center (NOC) is a place from which a telecommunications network is supervised, monitored, and maintained. Enterprises with large networks as well as large network service providers have a network operations center, a room containing visualizations of the network or networks that are being monitored, workstations at which the detailed status of the network can be seen, and the necessary software to manage the networks.

NIC
Network Interface Card. Allows a PC to attach to a network.

Node
A device connected to a network. It is an end point of a network connection common to two or more lines in a network. Nodes can be processors, controllers or workstations.

Noise
More technically referred to as electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI), electrical noise disrupts the smooth sine wave one expects from utility power.

One-armed Router
A one-armed router is a router that routes traffic between virtual local area networks (VLANs).

OSI Interconnection Model
The Open Systems Interconnection model was created by the International Standards Organization to serve as a blueprint for all network communication technologies dividing up all the processes of networking functions into seven distinct layers. The highest layer is the application that a device is running and with which a user may interact. The lowest layer is simply the physical medium of data transfer, such as coaxial cable. Each layer has its own distinct functions and services. There are a total of seven layers.

Packet Filter
Inspects each packet for user-defined content, such as an IP address, but does not track the state of sessions. This is one of the least secure types of firewalls.

Parabolic Antenna
The most frequently found satellite TV antenna. The function of the parabolic shape is to focus the weak microwave signal hitting the surface of the dish into a single focal point in front of the dish.

Passive Optical Network
A passive optical network (PON) is a system that brings optical fiber cabling and signals all or most of the way to the end user. The optical transmission has no power requirements or active electronic parts once the signal is going through the network.

PBX
Private Branch eXchange. A small to medium sized customer premise telephone system that is also a switch (computer) providing communications between onsite telephones and exterior communications networks.

PC/PBX
Personal Computer Based Private Branch Exchange. Much more flexible than traditional private branch exchanges because of the modular design of personal computers.

PCMCIA/PC Card
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. PC Cards are removable, credit-card sized devices that may be plugged into slots in PCs and wireless communication devices to provide fax or modem functions or network cards.

PCS
Personal Communications Service (or System). PCS services include next-generation wireless phone and communication services, wireless local loop, low-powered handsets, in-building wireless LAN service for businesses, enhanced paging service, etc. A personal communications system refers to the hardware and software that provide communications services.

Peak Hours
Typically, when the demand for access to wireless networks is high during the business day. Service providers typically charge full-service per-minute rates during peak hours.

Personal Area Network
A personal area network is a technology that could enable wearable computer devices to communicate with other nearby computers and exchange digital information using the electrical conductivity of the human body as a data network.

PCS
Personal Communications Services. PCS is a wireless phone service somewhat similar to cellular telephone service but emphasizing personal service and extended mobility. It is sometimes referred to as digital cellular (although cellular systems can also be digital).

Peer-to-Peer Communications
A model in which each party has the same capabilities and can initiate a communication session. In recent usage, peer-to-peer has come to describe applications in which users can use the Internet to exchange files with each other directly or through a mediating server.

Personal Identification Number
In the context of wireless devices, the personal identification number (PIN) is a code used in conjunction with a SIM card to complete a call or data transmission.

PKI
Public Key Infrastructure. Enables users of a basically non-secure public network such as the Internet to securely and privately exchange data through the use of a public and a private cryptographic key pair that is obtained and shared through a trusted authority. PKI provides digital certificates that identify individuals or organizations.

PMR
Private Mobile Radio. Generally for use within a defined user group such as the emergency services or by the employees of a mining project.

Port
First and most generally, a place where information goes into or out of a computer or both. On the Internet, port often refers to a number that is a part of the URL, appearing after a colon (:) right after the domain name.

PRI
Primary Rate Interface. A type of ISDN service designed for large organizations. Includes many B-channels (Bearer channels) and one D-channel (Data channel).

Private Network
A network made up of circuits for the exclusive use of an organization or group of affiliated organizations. Can be regional, national or international in scope. Common in large organizations.

Propagation Delay
The amount of time it takes a signal to travel through a cable or system.

Protocol
Agreed-upon methods of communications used by computers. A specification that describes the rules and procedures that products should follow to perform activities on a network, such as transmitting data.

Proxy
A firewall mechanism that replaces the IP address of a host on the internal (protected) network with its own IP address for all traffic passing through it.

PSTN
Public Switched Telephone Network. The complete public telephone system comprising telephone exchanges, local and trunk lines and telephone sets.

PTN
Public Telephone Network. Usually a common carrier such as a telephone company regulated by the FFC.

PTT
Historically, the Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and Telegraph. Now, a term to describe the incumbent, dominant operator in a country, many of which are being or have been privatized.

Public Switched Network
The public telephone network, which provides the capability of interconnecting any home or office with any other.

Queue
Holds callers until an agent becomes available. Queue can also refer to a line or list of items in a system waiting to be processed (for example, e-mail messages).

Radio Link
Makes it possible to wirelessly connect a base station to telephone switches and other units in an infrastructure.

Receiver
An electronic device which enables a particular satellite signal to be separated from all others being received by an earth station and converts the signal format into a format for video, voice or data.

Repeater
Receives radio signals from the base station. They are then amplified and re-transmitted to areas where radio shadow occurs. Repeaters also work in the opposite direction, i.e. receiving radio signals from mobile telephones, then amplifying and re-transmitting them to the base station.

RF
Radio Frequency. For trunking systems, this is usually in the 800 MHz or 900 MHz band. The signals are carried through the air over these ‘RF carrier frequencies’.

Roaming
Within your home network, this means that your mobile phone automatically sets up communication procedures with different radio base stations when on the move. International roaming means that you can use networks other than your own, when traveling abroad.

Router
A data switch that handles connections between different networks. A router identifies the addresses on data passing through the switch, determines which route the transmission should take and collects data in the so-called packets, which
are then sent to their destinations.

Routing
The forwarding of data packets in packet-switched networks to the intended address.

Sags
Also known as brownouts, sags are short-term decreases in voltage levels. This is the most common power problem, accounting for 87 percent of all power disturbances, according to a study by Bell Labs.

Satellite Communications
The use of geostationary orbiting communication satellites to relay transmission from one earth station to another or to several earth stations. It takes only three satellites to cover the entire Earth.

Satellite Phone
They operate both on GSM/AMPs networks and via satellite in areas where there is no coverage.

Satellite
A sophisticated electronic communications relay station orbiting 22,237 miles above the equator, moving in a fixed orbit at the same speed and direction of the earth (about 7,000 mph east to west).

SCPC
Single Channel Per Carrier. Communications architecture that places one source of information on to a single carrier (frequency domain). Economical ways to get multiple signals on one transponder.

SDH
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy. A standard for digital signal transmission within transport networks.

Server
A computer that provides a specific kind of service to client software running on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a WWW server, or to the machine on which the software is running.

Service Provider
A company that provides services and subscriptions to telephone, mobile phone and Internet users.

Shared Hub
Satellite communications operations center that is shared among several network users; often used for VSAT operations.

SIM Card
Subscriber Identity Module card. A small printed circuit board that must be inserted in any GSM-based mobile telephone when signing on as a subscriber. It contains subscriber details, security information and memory for a personal directory of numbers.

Single Mode Fiber
A type of fiber cable capable of transmitting light over longer distances than multimode fiber at extremely high speeds (tera and peta speeds). All of DWP’s fiber optic cables consist exclusively of single mode fiber.

Smart Card
A plastic card with an embedded microchip (Integrated Circuit) which allows the storage, addition and processing of information

SMR
Specialized Mobile Radio. This is a term that the FCC attached to the ‘for public use’ trunking business. If a company has a wireless trunking backbone system that is open for use by the general public (for a fee), then they are an SMR.

SMS
Short Message Service. Available on digital networks, allowing messages of up to 160 characters to be sent and received via the network operator’s message center to your mobile phone.

SMTP
Simple Mail Transport Protocol. The main protocol used to send electronic mail on the Internet. SMTP consists of a set of rules for how a program sending mail and a program receiving mail should interact.

SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol. SNMP consists of a simply composed set of network communication specifications that cover all the basics of network management in a method that poses little stress on an existing network

Spectrum
The range of electromagnetic radio frequencies used in transmission of voice, data and television.

Splice
A physical connection between the ends of two fiber strands.

Spoofing
Pretending to be someone else. The deliberate inducement of a user or a resource to take an incorrect action. Attempt to gain access to an Alarm Indication Signal (AIS) by pretending to be an authorized user.

Spread Spectrum
The transmission of a signal using much wider bandwidth and power than would normally be required. Spread spectrum also involves the use of narrower signals that are frequency hopped through various parts of the transponder.

SSL
Secure Sockets Layer. A protocol designed by Netscape Communications to enable encrypted, authenticated communications across the Internet. SSL is used mostly (but not exclusively) in communications between web browsers and web servers. URLs that begin with ‘http’ indicate that an SSL connection will be used. SSL provides three important things: privacy, authentication and message integrity.

Switch
A network device that filters and forwards a piece of a message (also called packets) between LAN segments.

T-1
The US term for a digital carrier facility. A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits per second.

T-3
A digital WAN carrier facility. A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at 44,736,000 bits-per-second.

T-4
273 Mbps, 4,032 channels.

TAPI
CTI protocol. Developed by Microsoft and Intel. TAPI is designed to integrate telephony control into a users’ 32-bit desktop environment.

Talk Time
The length of time a wireless device may be engaged in transmission (phone conversations, sending or receiving data) before it runs out of battery power. Talk time, expressed in hours and minutes, is much shorter than standby time because transmission requires more power.

Tbps
Terabits. 1,000,000,000,000 bits per second.

TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A protocol used to send data in the form of individual units (called packets) between computers over the Internet. While IP takes care of handling the actual delivery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the packets that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet.

TDM/TDMA
Time Division Multiplex/Multiple Access. A method for combining multiple data circuits into one circuit (or vice versa) by assigning each circuit a fixed unit of time for its data transmission.

Thinnet
Thicknet and Thinnet (sometimes called ThickWire and ThinWire) are commonly used terms for the larger and smaller size of coaxial cable used in Ethernet LANs. Thicknet, also known as Thickwire, is 0.4 inches in diameter and has 50 ohms of electromagnetic impedance. Thinnet, also known as Thinwire and Cheapernet, is 0.2 inches in diameter with the same impedance as Thickwire.

Throughput Rate
The maximum repetitive rate at which a data-conversion system can operate with a specified accuracy.

Toll Bypass
Avoiding the long-distance carrier network (and associated tolls) when connecting to another subscriber outside of the local area, by means of the Internet, a private network, tie lines, etc.

Toll-Free Service
Enables callers to reach a call center out of the local calling area without incurring charges.

Topology
The arrangement of cable and nodes in the network, known as the network topology, is also considered part of hardware items. The physical topology represents the physical layout of the network and is distinguished from the logical topology, which determines how communication takes place in the network.

Traffic
Messages sent and received over a communication channel and measured in Erlangs or other units.

Transciever
Combination of transmitter and receiver.

Transmission
The sending of information in the form of electrical signals over electric wires, waveguides or radio or in the form of light signals.

Transponder
The antenna-like part of the communications satellite that receives signals from the earth, translates and amplifies them, and retransmits them back to earth. Satellites have numerous transponders, typically 32.

Trunk
A circuit between two telephone exchanges or switching centers or from an exchange to a customer’s switchboard.

Trunking
In its basic definition, trunking is a method of permitting a high number of conversations over a smaller number of communications paths.

Tunneling
Like skip, this is when the atmosphere ‘flips’ over and allows radio signals to travel long distances. This generally happens in the early morning hours when the sun rises. The upper atmosphere warms before the ground air and this causes a ‘tunnel’ where the signals bounce up and down close to the ground. This lets them travel long distances and then interfere with other trunk systems.

Twisted Pair
Two insulated copper wires twisted together with the ‘twists’ or ‘lays’ varied in length to reduce potential signal interference, between the pairs. Twisted pair is the most commonly used medium for connecting telephones, computers and terminals to PABXs, supporting speeds of up to 64 kbps.

Ultra Wideband
Ultra Wideband (also known as UWB or as digital pulse wireless) is a wireless technology for transmitting large amounts of digital data over a wide spectrum of frequency bands with very low power for a short distance. Ultra wideband radio can not only carry a huge amount of data over a distance up to 230 feet at very low power (less than 0.5 milliwatts), but has the ability to carry signals through doors and other obstacles that tend to reflect signals at more limited bandwidths and a higher
power.

UMTS
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. The name for the third generation mobile telephone standard.

Uniform Call Distributor
Unified Call Distributor (UCD) is a simple system that distributes calls to a group of agents and provides some reports. A UCD is not as sophisticated as an ACD.

UTP
Unshielded Twisted Pair cable. Cable made from pairs of wires, which have been twisted together.

VDSL
Very high-bit rate Digital Subscriber Line. Extension of High-bit Digital Subscriber Line offers up to 52 Mbps downstream and 1.5 Mbps upstream, over distances of 1,000 to 4,000 feet.

Virtual Call Center
A distributed call center that acts as a single site for call handling and reporting purposes.

VISN
Virtual Integrated Sky Network is a VSAT based meshed network. Sometimes, VISN indicates a VISN indoor unit but is also used to describe a VISN network.

Voice Processing
A blanket term that refers to any combination of voice processing technologies, including voice mail, automated attendant, audiotex, voice response unit (VRU) and faxback.

VPN
Virtual Private Network typically uses the Internet as the transport backbone to establish secure links with business partners, extend communications to regional and isolated offices and significantly decrease the cost of communications for an increasingly mobile workforce. VPNs serve as private network overlays on public IP network infrastructures such as the Internet.

VSAT
Very Small Aperture Terminal. Small earth stations, usually 1.2 meter to 1.8 meter in diameter (antenna dish sizes from 0.6 meter to 3.8 meter in diameter can also be used as Very Small Aperture Terminals).

WAN
Wide Area Network. Private network facilities that link business network nodes.

WAP
Wireless Application Protocol. A free, unlicensed protocol for wireless communications that makes it possible to make advanced telecommunications services and to access Internet pages from a mobile telephone.

WDM
Wavelength Division Multiplexing. A new technology that uses optical signals on different wavelengths, to increase the capacity of fiber optic networks, in order to handle a number of services simultaneously.

Wireless Node
A user computer with a wireless network interface card (adapter).

Wireless
Communication without any physical connections between the sender and the receiver. Using the radio frequency spectrum (airways), hardware, software and technologies to transmit information.

X.25 Protocol
The X.25 protocol, adopted as a standard by the Consultative Committee for International Telegraph and Telephone (CCITT), is a network protocol that allows computers on different public networks to communicate through an intermediary computer at the network layer level.