Telecom Abbrevations
Posted On Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at at 2:28 AM by Murali SrinivasanAbbreviations :
CAS - Channel Associated Signalling
CCBS - Call Completion Busy Subscriber
CLIP - Calling Line Identification Presentation
CW - Call Waiting
DDI - Direct Dialling In
DDO - Direct Dialling Out
DTMF - Dual Tone Multi Frequency
EG - ETSI Guide
FDM - Frequency Division Multiplex
FSK - Frequency Shift Keying
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
LF - Loading Factor
LU - Loading Unit (measuring unit for the loading factor (LF)
MFC - Multi Frequency Compelled
MFPB - Multi Frequency Push Button
MW - Message Waiting
2BASE-TL - IEEE EFM Standard
3G - the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology; it supercedes 2G.
8xx - 800, 866, 877 or 888 - prefix for toll free numbers in the USA and Canada.
ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - as opposed to SDSL, the download speed to the customer premises is greater than the upload speed into the Internet, for example, the following are some typical speed options: 1.5 Mb x 128 Kbps, 1.5 Mb x 256 Kbps, 3 Mbps x 384 Kbps, 3 Mbps x 512 Kbps
AJAX - Asynchronous JavaScript and XML
ASN - Autonomous System Number - Used for routing on Internet
BGP - Border Gateway Protocol - BGP is used to accomplish load balancing when you have more than one dedicated circuit from more than one ISP
BI - Business Intelligence
BPL - Broadband over Power Line
BTN - Billing Telephone Number
CBR - Committed Bit Rate
CDMA - Code Division Multiple Access - a wireless technology using TIA/EIA IS-95 protocol that allows multiple cell phones to share bandwidth used by carriers such as Sprint and Verizon Wireless.
CDR - Call Detail Record
CDR - Committed Data Rate - bandwidth equivalent of the port at each customer location.
CEF - CISCO Express Forwarding - an industry standard for binding data Ts together without voice or video service.
CET - Carrier Ethernet Transport - an architectural approach to building scalable transport infrastructure for supporting the evolution to NGNs that integrates Ethernet tunnel switching and intelligent WDM (WDM giving the ability to do multi-degree switching at wavelength and sub wavelength levels).
CIR - Committed Information Rate
CLEC - Competitive Local Exchange Carrier - a phone company that competes with an ILEC.
CO - Central Office - This is the building near your location that your phone and internet lines run to.
COS - Class of Service - IP traffic prioritization
CPNI - Customer Proprietary Network Information - individually identifiable information that is created by a customer’s relationship with a communications provider, for example, data about the duration, frequency and timing of calls, information on a customer’s bill and call detail information.
CRDD - Customer Requested Due Date - Date by which customer would like to have service turned on.
CSU - Channel Service Unit - For digital lines, provides termination for the digital signal and ensures connection integrity through error correction and line monitoring.
CSU/DSU - Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit - Connects a digital line (e.g., T1 or DS3) to a LAN; typically routers have CSU/DSUs built in.
CWDM - Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing - This technology greatly increases the carrying capacity of fiber optic cables. It uses up to 8 different wavelengths for different channels. See DWDM.
DDR - double-data rate - normally applied to DRAM
DECT - Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications - a digital wireless telephone 3G technology using TDMA over radio frequencies (1880-1900 MHz in Europe and many other areas; 1920-1930 MHz, or 1.9 GHz in the USA) to cordless phones.
DeMarc - Demarcation Point - point where telecommunications facilities owned by one organization interface with those of another organization - typically the point at an organization's floor telephone closet were organization circuit(s) interfaces with the telephone service provider's circuit(s).
DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - Protocol by which IP addresses and other parameters are assigned to clients for a certain time period (Lease).
DIA - Dedicated Internet Access - This includes fractional T1, T1, bonded T1, fractional T3, DS3, and OC3 service.
DID - Direct Inward Dialing - A feature that allows there to be more direct dial phone numbers than there are lines into a location. When a call comes through, the number that was dialed is passed with the call so that a PBX can handle the call in a prescribed manner. For example, there may be 100 offices within a building with only 20 phone lines coming in from the phone company. With 100 DIDs, the PBX can send an incoming call to whichever of the 100 offices is assigned the DID that was dialed.
DLCI - Data Link Connection Identifier
DMH - Dual Mobile Handset - a handset that has Wi-Fi and traditional cellular offerings in one device.
DRAM - dynamic random access memory
DSL - Digital Subscriber Line - a family of technologies that offers digital data transmission between the local phone company Central Office and the customer. Typically, DSL speeds range between 128 Kbps and 3 Mbps. See ADSL, IDSL and SDSL for some of the different options. Cost and reliability of DSL service is less than that of T1 service.
DSLAM- DSL access multiplexer
DSM - Dynamic Spectrum Management.
DSU - Data Service Unit - For digital lines, converts T1 or T3 line frames into frames the LAN can interpret and vice versa; it manages timing errors and signal regeneration.
DTO - direct termination overflow - a feature whereby a call being terminated on a phone trunk can be forwarded to a 10-digit phone number if the trunks are full.
DVI - Digital Visual Interface
DWDM - Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing - This technology exponentially increases the carrying capacity of fiber optic cables. It uses up to 40 different wavelengths for different channels. Only a handful of the largest telecommunications providers operate commercial DWDM networks. Few organizations are large enough to need such capacity.
EDGE - Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution - a wireless broadband technology similar to EVDO but used on GSM networks. EDGE download speeds range from 100 Kbps to 300 Kbps.
EFM - Ethernet in the First Mile
EIR - Exceeded Information Rate
EMI - Enterprise Mobile Integration - allows extension of PBX functions to a cell phone.
Enum - Electronic Numbering - an IETF standard expected to marry PSTN to IP networks
EPVC - Enterprise PVC
EUCL - End User Common Line charge aka as the subscriber line charge - a monthly charge added to phone, voice T1 and PRI bills to cover state and federal charges. The EUCL is part of the FCC-mandated tariffed access charges that recover LEC costs associated with the origination and termination of interstate calls.
EVDO - also abbreviated as EV-DO, EvDO, 1xEV-DO or 1xEvDO - Evolution Data Only or Evolution Data Optimized - a wireless radio broadband data protocol used with CDMA featuring download speeds possibly up to 3.1 Mbps (Rev. A). Today's average EV-DO download speeds average 300 Kbps to 500 Kbps with peak rates of 2.4 Mbps. Upload speeds average 50 Kbps to 70 Kbps with peak rates of 144 Kbps.
EVDO card - card that plugs into the PCMCIA slot on your laptop (almost all laptops have a PCMCIA slot), and as long as you can pick up a decent signal from that carrier's cell tower, you can get online with your laptop and this manufacturer-specific air card - aka "air card".
EVPL - Ethernet Virtual Private Line
FAP - Fair Access Policy - A policy that allows everyone over a satellite connection to have access to a certain minimum bandwidth. To accomplish this, a transmission limit is enforced. When a user exceeds the limit, their bandwidth is severely limited for a certain period of time that may vary from a day to a month. It's important to read the providers Terms of Service to understand the exact policy.
FMC - Fixed Mobile Convergence - the integration of landline and wireless technologies and services into a single telecommunications network.
FOC - Firm Order Commit Date - Outside Wiring Date
FroSDSL - Frame over SDSL
FTTH - Fiber-to-the home
FTTN - Fiber-to-the-node - broadband service offered by Qwest and Bell Canada
FTTP - Fiber to the premises
FTTX - Fiber to the neighborhood
GFP - Generic framing procedure - GFP can be used to import non-traditional services such as Ethernet and storage area networks to Sonet.
GPS - Global positioning satellite - GPS chips, embedded in equipment, communicate with GPS satellites to identify the equipment's location.
GSM - Global System for Mobile Communications - cellular technology used in over 100 countries by carriers such as T-Mobile.
HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface
HPNA - Home Phone Network Alliance - Version 3.1 is a recognized ITU standard that can use copper pairs and/or coax to distribute multimedia applications throughout a home at up to 320 Mbps.
HSUPA - High Speed Uplink Packet Access
IAD - Integrated Access Device - Device used to breakout voice lines from data channels on a T1; usually has built-in router functionality; depending on the carrier, voice lines can be delivered either as digital or analog (DS1 or PRI).
IAM - Identity and Access Management
ICB - Individual Case Basis - Pricing that is not standard but that must be developed manually for special situations.
ICT - Information and Communications Technology.
IDSL - ISDN Digital Subscriber Line: DSL service with limited availability. Allows 18,000-feet coverage and a upstream and downstream bandwidth of 144 kbit/s, slightly higher than the bandwidth of a bonded dual channel ISDN connection at 128kbit/s.
ILEC - Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier - the phone company that was providing local telephone service when the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was enacted.
IMS - IP Multimedia Subsystem - a Next Generation Networking architecture that supports a wide range of IP-based applications over packet-switched and circuit-switched networks using SIP. IMS allows network operators and service providers to control and charge for each service; it merges the Internet and Cellular worlds.
IP - Internet Protocol
IPP - Internet Printing Protocol - allows you to print to a network printer by specifying the device's URL
IPS - Intrusion-prevention system - system loaded with filters taht halt attacks against system vulnerabilities
IPsec- Internet Protocol security
IPT - IP Telephony
IRU - Irrefutable Rights of Use contract - Typically, a 10 or 20 year contract whereby bandwidth is sold by one carrier to another. Usually, no money changes hands but it involves a trade of bandwith.
ISP - Internet Service Provider
IVR - Interactive Voice Response
LAN - Local Area Network
LCA - Local Calling Area
LCR - Lowest Cost Routing
LNP - Local Number Portability - allows phone numbers to be ported (moved) from one carrier to another, for example from a landline phone to a cell phone or a VoIP phone.
LTE - Long Term Evolution - a 4G wireless technology developed within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization. Verizon Wireless has decided to use LTE in it's future plans to complement it's existing CDMA network.
M2M - Machine-to-machine, for example cellular M2M communications. Typical applications are utility meter reading and vehicle tracking and diagnostics.
M2M - Month to Month - normally large Telecommunications contracts start with a term between 1 and 3 years, sometimes 5 years; once that initial term is up, a contract may be renewed or it may go to a M2M arrangement.
MBE - Mid-Band Ethernet
MDU - Multi-Dwelling Unit - apartment buildings.
MEF - MetroEthernet Forum
MLPPP - MultiLink Point-to-Point Protocol
MMDS - Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service aka Microwave Multipoint Distribution Services - A digital line of sight wireless broadcasting and communications system that works in the 2.1-2.7 GHz range. It is licensed by the FCC and can be used to transmit data and phone services over 30 mile distances.
MMR - MeetMe Room - room at a Collocation Center in which carriers connect to ports that connect to customers rack equipment. MMRs are required because carriers have no access into the room where the customer racks are located.
MNP - Mobile Number Portability
MoCA - Multimedia over Coax Alliance
MoU - Memorandum of understanding
MPLS - Multi-protocol Label Switching - IETF standard used to prioritize traffic to avoid network congestion or failures. Today, QoS doesn't carry over from one network to another. Once MPLS is widely deployed, it promises to not only accomplish this QoS carryover but to introduce advanced QOS. MPLS offers the ability to integrate voice, video and data across a common platform. It can replace ATM, Frame Relay, and Hosted VPN offerings.
MPOE - Minimum Point of Entry - Main Phone Closet or Box - typically in the basement or on the first floor.
MSAP - Multi-Service Access Platform.
MSPP - Multiservice Provisioning Platform.
MSSP - Managed Security Service Provider
MTNS - MultiTransport Network Service
NAC - Network Access Control
NAT - Network Address Translation
NGN - Next-Generation Networks
NIC - Network Interface Card - Card used in a PC to connect to a network.
NIU - Network Interface Unit
NNI - Network-to-Network Interface
OCN - Operating Carrier Number
OLPC - One Laptop Per Child - project whose goal is to bring inexpensive computing resources to children in the developing world.
ONT - Optical Network Terminal - terminal that supports a number of customers.
PBB-TE- Provider Backbone Bridging - Traffic Engineering - Emerging IEEE standard for Ethernet transport which provides enhancements known as PBT.
PBT - Provider Backbone Transport - Ethernet enhancement which can allow control of data paths in a large carrier network.
PBX - Private Branch Exchange
PL - Private line
PNG - Portable Network Graphics - graphics format offering advantages of JPEGs (such as true-color support) and GIFs (such as lossless compression) plus new capabilities such as varying degrees of transparency.
PON - Passive optical network
POP - Point of Presence
PoS - Packet over Sonet
POTS - Plain Old Telephone System - The telephone system that runs on the PSTN.
POTS - Packet Optical Transport System - combines the functionality of SONET/SDH, Ethernet and WDM/ROADM
PPP - Point to Point Protocol
PS/ALI-Private Switch/Automatic Location Identification - ability to identify the phone within an organization from which a 911 call was placed.
PSAPs - Public safety answering points - Points at which 9-1-1 calls are answered.
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network -the international telephone system based on copper wires carrying analog voice data on circuit-switched telephone networks. Also, known as the POTS.
PtP - Point-to-Point - usually refers to a dedicated circuit run between two points.
PTT - Push-to-talk
PVC - Permanent Virtual Circuit
PVR - Personal Video Recorder
QoS - Quality of Service
RAN - Radio Access Network
RFID - Radio frequency identification
RSS - Rich Site Summary, RDF Site Summary, or Really Simple Syndication - all of these refer to the same thing - RSS is a commonly accepted XML standard platform, a format for syndicating news and the content of news-like sites. With RSS a webmaster can instantly deliver information
RTP - Real Time Protocal
SBC - Session Border Control
SBC - Session Border Controller - SBCs offer security and quality in the deployment of next generation communications services and architectures such as FMC, IMS and VoIP.
SDR - single-data rate - normally applied to DRAM
SDRAM - synchronous DRAM
SDSL - Symmetric Digital iSubscriber Line - the download and upload speeds (bandwidths) are the same as opposed to ADSL.
SIM - Subscriber Identity Module - Removable SIM cards in cell phones allow phones to be instantly activated, interchanged, swapped out and upgraded simply by inserting or removing a SIM card. In the USA, only GSM cell phones use SIM cards.
SIP - Session Initiation Protocol
SLA - Service level agreement
SMS - Short Message Service - text messaging - sending short messages to and from mobile phones.
SMS/800- 800 Service Management System - the operations support system used to maintain North American toll free call processing records, toll free number availability, and toll free number reservation status.
SSE - Simple Sharing Extensions - a specification that extends RSS from unidirectional to bidirectional information flows.
SSL - Secure Socket Layer
SWC - Serving Wire Center
T-MPLS - Transport MPLS
T1 - DS1 (as opposed to DSL) - highly reliable voice or data service.
TDM - Time Division Multiplexed
TDMA - Time Division Multiple Access - a wireless technology using TIA/EIA IS-136 protocol that allows multiple cell phones to share bandwidth.
TFN - Toll Free Number
TN - Telephone Number
TRS - Telecommunications Relay Service - link between telephone users and people who use text telephones (aka TTYs).
UBR - Unspecified Bit Rate - an ATM bandwidth-allocation service that uses available bandwidth with no guaranteed throughput level.
UC - Unified Communications
UDP - User Datagram Protocol
UMA - Unified Mobile
UMTS - Universal Mobile Telecommunications System - a third-generation (3G) cell phone technology that is being developed into a 4G technology. Theoretically, it can support data transfer rates up to 14 Mpbs depending on the implementation.
UNE - Unbundled Network Element - defined by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as any "facility or equipment used in the provision of a telecommunications service," as well as "features, functions, and capabilities that are provided by means of such facility or equipment." The most important UNE to most CLECs is the local loop, or "last mile", which gives CLECs access to the ILEC's customers.
UWB - Ultrawideband - a short range transmission alternative to Bluetooth.
VBR - Variable Bit Rate
VCC - Voice Call Continuity
VDSL - Very high speed DSL.
VLAN - Virtual LAN
VOD - Video on Demand.
VoIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol - Method of providing voice or phone service via internet connections
VoWLAN - Voice-over-WLAN
VPLS - virtual private LAN service - A Layer 2 service offering any-to-any connectivity and a full mesh.
VPN - Virtual Private Network - classic VPN uses IPsec to encrypt transmissions for connections made over the Internet.
WAN - Wide Area Network
Web 2.0 - Web 2.0 is sort of an attitude or an approach to the World Wide Web. It generally refers to a second generation of services available on the web that lets people collaborate and share information online. Examples of Web 2.0 are Wikipedia, Flickr, Google Maps, Del.icio.us, Google AdSense, Yahoo's new My Web 2.0, 43 Things, and blogs and wikis in general.
WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy - a security protocol meant to safeguard wireless packet transmissions that is inferior to WPA.
WIC - WAN Interface Card - A router has a WIC per T1 in a bonded T1.
Wi-Fi - Wireless Fidelity, a set of standards known as 802.11
WiMax - Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
WLAN - Wireless LAN
WPA - Wi-Fi Protected Access - a security protocol meant to safeguard wireless packet transmissions that is defined in standard 802.11i and that is superior to WEP.
XML - Extensible Markup Language - XML is a simple, very flexible text format derived from SGML. Originally designed to meet the challenges of large-scale electronic publishing, XML is also playing an increasingly important role in the exchange of a wide variety of data on the Web and elsewhere.
CAS - Channel Associated Signalling
CCBS - Call Completion Busy Subscriber
CLIP - Calling Line Identification Presentation
CW - Call Waiting
DDI - Direct Dialling In
DDO - Direct Dialling Out
DTMF - Dual Tone Multi Frequency
EG - ETSI Guide
FDM - Frequency Division Multiplex
FSK - Frequency Shift Keying
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
LF - Loading Factor
LU - Loading Unit (measuring unit for the loading factor (LF)
MFC - Multi Frequency Compelled
MFPB - Multi Frequency Push Button
MW - Message Waiting
2BASE-TL - IEEE EFM Standard
3G - the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology; it supercedes 2G.
8xx - 800, 866, 877 or 888 - prefix for toll free numbers in the USA and Canada.
ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - as opposed to SDSL, the download speed to the customer premises is greater than the upload speed into the Internet, for example, the following are some typical speed options: 1.5 Mb x 128 Kbps, 1.5 Mb x 256 Kbps, 3 Mbps x 384 Kbps, 3 Mbps x 512 Kbps
AJAX - Asynchronous JavaScript and XML
ASN - Autonomous System Number - Used for routing on Internet
BGP - Border Gateway Protocol - BGP is used to accomplish load balancing when you have more than one dedicated circuit from more than one ISP
BI - Business Intelligence
BPL - Broadband over Power Line
BTN - Billing Telephone Number
CBR - Committed Bit Rate
CDMA - Code Division Multiple Access - a wireless technology using TIA/EIA IS-95 protocol that allows multiple cell phones to share bandwidth used by carriers such as Sprint and Verizon Wireless.
CDR - Call Detail Record
CDR - Committed Data Rate - bandwidth equivalent of the port at each customer location.
CEF - CISCO Express Forwarding - an industry standard for binding data Ts together without voice or video service.
CET - Carrier Ethernet Transport - an architectural approach to building scalable transport infrastructure for supporting the evolution to NGNs that integrates Ethernet tunnel switching and intelligent WDM (WDM giving the ability to do multi-degree switching at wavelength and sub wavelength levels).
CIR - Committed Information Rate
CLEC - Competitive Local Exchange Carrier - a phone company that competes with an ILEC.
CO - Central Office - This is the building near your location that your phone and internet lines run to.
COS - Class of Service - IP traffic prioritization
CPNI - Customer Proprietary Network Information - individually identifiable information that is created by a customer’s relationship with a communications provider, for example, data about the duration, frequency and timing of calls, information on a customer’s bill and call detail information.
CRDD - Customer Requested Due Date - Date by which customer would like to have service turned on.
CSU - Channel Service Unit - For digital lines, provides termination for the digital signal and ensures connection integrity through error correction and line monitoring.
CSU/DSU - Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit - Connects a digital line (e.g., T1 or DS3) to a LAN; typically routers have CSU/DSUs built in.
CWDM - Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing - This technology greatly increases the carrying capacity of fiber optic cables. It uses up to 8 different wavelengths for different channels. See DWDM.
DDR - double-data rate - normally applied to DRAM
DECT - Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications - a digital wireless telephone 3G technology using TDMA over radio frequencies (1880-1900 MHz in Europe and many other areas; 1920-1930 MHz, or 1.9 GHz in the USA) to cordless phones.
DeMarc - Demarcation Point - point where telecommunications facilities owned by one organization interface with those of another organization - typically the point at an organization's floor telephone closet were organization circuit(s) interfaces with the telephone service provider's circuit(s).
DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - Protocol by which IP addresses and other parameters are assigned to clients for a certain time period (Lease).
DIA - Dedicated Internet Access - This includes fractional T1, T1, bonded T1, fractional T3, DS3, and OC3 service.
DID - Direct Inward Dialing - A feature that allows there to be more direct dial phone numbers than there are lines into a location. When a call comes through, the number that was dialed is passed with the call so that a PBX can handle the call in a prescribed manner. For example, there may be 100 offices within a building with only 20 phone lines coming in from the phone company. With 100 DIDs, the PBX can send an incoming call to whichever of the 100 offices is assigned the DID that was dialed.
DLCI - Data Link Connection Identifier
DMH - Dual Mobile Handset - a handset that has Wi-Fi and traditional cellular offerings in one device.
DRAM - dynamic random access memory
DSL - Digital Subscriber Line - a family of technologies that offers digital data transmission between the local phone company Central Office and the customer. Typically, DSL speeds range between 128 Kbps and 3 Mbps. See ADSL, IDSL and SDSL for some of the different options. Cost and reliability of DSL service is less than that of T1 service.
DSLAM- DSL access multiplexer
DSM - Dynamic Spectrum Management.
DSU - Data Service Unit - For digital lines, converts T1 or T3 line frames into frames the LAN can interpret and vice versa; it manages timing errors and signal regeneration.
DTO - direct termination overflow - a feature whereby a call being terminated on a phone trunk can be forwarded to a 10-digit phone number if the trunks are full.
DVI - Digital Visual Interface
DWDM - Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing - This technology exponentially increases the carrying capacity of fiber optic cables. It uses up to 40 different wavelengths for different channels. Only a handful of the largest telecommunications providers operate commercial DWDM networks. Few organizations are large enough to need such capacity.
EDGE - Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution - a wireless broadband technology similar to EVDO but used on GSM networks. EDGE download speeds range from 100 Kbps to 300 Kbps.
EFM - Ethernet in the First Mile
EIR - Exceeded Information Rate
EMI - Enterprise Mobile Integration - allows extension of PBX functions to a cell phone.
Enum - Electronic Numbering - an IETF standard expected to marry PSTN to IP networks
EPVC - Enterprise PVC
EUCL - End User Common Line charge aka as the subscriber line charge - a monthly charge added to phone, voice T1 and PRI bills to cover state and federal charges. The EUCL is part of the FCC-mandated tariffed access charges that recover LEC costs associated with the origination and termination of interstate calls.
EVDO - also abbreviated as EV-DO, EvDO, 1xEV-DO or 1xEvDO - Evolution Data Only or Evolution Data Optimized - a wireless radio broadband data protocol used with CDMA featuring download speeds possibly up to 3.1 Mbps (Rev. A). Today's average EV-DO download speeds average 300 Kbps to 500 Kbps with peak rates of 2.4 Mbps. Upload speeds average 50 Kbps to 70 Kbps with peak rates of 144 Kbps.
EVDO card - card that plugs into the PCMCIA slot on your laptop (almost all laptops have a PCMCIA slot), and as long as you can pick up a decent signal from that carrier's cell tower, you can get online with your laptop and this manufacturer-specific air card - aka "air card".
EVPL - Ethernet Virtual Private Line
FAP - Fair Access Policy - A policy that allows everyone over a satellite connection to have access to a certain minimum bandwidth. To accomplish this, a transmission limit is enforced. When a user exceeds the limit, their bandwidth is severely limited for a certain period of time that may vary from a day to a month. It's important to read the providers Terms of Service to understand the exact policy.
FMC - Fixed Mobile Convergence - the integration of landline and wireless technologies and services into a single telecommunications network.
FOC - Firm Order Commit Date - Outside Wiring Date
FroSDSL - Frame over SDSL
FTTH - Fiber-to-the home
FTTN - Fiber-to-the-node - broadband service offered by Qwest and Bell Canada
FTTP - Fiber to the premises
FTTX - Fiber to the neighborhood
GFP - Generic framing procedure - GFP can be used to import non-traditional services such as Ethernet and storage area networks to Sonet.
GPS - Global positioning satellite - GPS chips, embedded in equipment, communicate with GPS satellites to identify the equipment's location.
GSM - Global System for Mobile Communications - cellular technology used in over 100 countries by carriers such as T-Mobile.
HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface
HPNA - Home Phone Network Alliance - Version 3.1 is a recognized ITU standard that can use copper pairs and/or coax to distribute multimedia applications throughout a home at up to 320 Mbps.
HSUPA - High Speed Uplink Packet Access
IAD - Integrated Access Device - Device used to breakout voice lines from data channels on a T1; usually has built-in router functionality; depending on the carrier, voice lines can be delivered either as digital or analog (DS1 or PRI).
IAM - Identity and Access Management
ICB - Individual Case Basis - Pricing that is not standard but that must be developed manually for special situations.
ICT - Information and Communications Technology.
IDSL - ISDN Digital Subscriber Line: DSL service with limited availability. Allows 18,000-feet coverage and a upstream and downstream bandwidth of 144 kbit/s, slightly higher than the bandwidth of a bonded dual channel ISDN connection at 128kbit/s.
ILEC - Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier - the phone company that was providing local telephone service when the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was enacted.
IMS - IP Multimedia Subsystem - a Next Generation Networking architecture that supports a wide range of IP-based applications over packet-switched and circuit-switched networks using SIP. IMS allows network operators and service providers to control and charge for each service; it merges the Internet and Cellular worlds.
IP - Internet Protocol
IPP - Internet Printing Protocol - allows you to print to a network printer by specifying the device's URL
IPS - Intrusion-prevention system - system loaded with filters taht halt attacks against system vulnerabilities
IPsec- Internet Protocol security
IPT - IP Telephony
IRU - Irrefutable Rights of Use contract - Typically, a 10 or 20 year contract whereby bandwidth is sold by one carrier to another. Usually, no money changes hands but it involves a trade of bandwith.
ISP - Internet Service Provider
IVR - Interactive Voice Response
LAN - Local Area Network
LCA - Local Calling Area
LCR - Lowest Cost Routing
LNP - Local Number Portability - allows phone numbers to be ported (moved) from one carrier to another, for example from a landline phone to a cell phone or a VoIP phone.
LTE - Long Term Evolution - a 4G wireless technology developed within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization. Verizon Wireless has decided to use LTE in it's future plans to complement it's existing CDMA network.
M2M - Machine-to-machine, for example cellular M2M communications. Typical applications are utility meter reading and vehicle tracking and diagnostics.
M2M - Month to Month - normally large Telecommunications contracts start with a term between 1 and 3 years, sometimes 5 years; once that initial term is up, a contract may be renewed or it may go to a M2M arrangement.
MBE - Mid-Band Ethernet
MDU - Multi-Dwelling Unit - apartment buildings.
MEF - MetroEthernet Forum
MLPPP - MultiLink Point-to-Point Protocol
MMDS - Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service aka Microwave Multipoint Distribution Services - A digital line of sight wireless broadcasting and communications system that works in the 2.1-2.7 GHz range. It is licensed by the FCC and can be used to transmit data and phone services over 30 mile distances.
MMR - MeetMe Room - room at a Collocation Center in which carriers connect to ports that connect to customers rack equipment. MMRs are required because carriers have no access into the room where the customer racks are located.
MNP - Mobile Number Portability
MoCA - Multimedia over Coax Alliance
MoU - Memorandum of understanding
MPLS - Multi-protocol Label Switching - IETF standard used to prioritize traffic to avoid network congestion or failures. Today, QoS doesn't carry over from one network to another. Once MPLS is widely deployed, it promises to not only accomplish this QoS carryover but to introduce advanced QOS. MPLS offers the ability to integrate voice, video and data across a common platform. It can replace ATM, Frame Relay, and Hosted VPN offerings.
MPOE - Minimum Point of Entry - Main Phone Closet or Box - typically in the basement or on the first floor.
MSAP - Multi-Service Access Platform.
MSPP - Multiservice Provisioning Platform.
MSSP - Managed Security Service Provider
MTNS - MultiTransport Network Service
NAC - Network Access Control
NAT - Network Address Translation
NGN - Next-Generation Networks
NIC - Network Interface Card - Card used in a PC to connect to a network.
NIU - Network Interface Unit
NNI - Network-to-Network Interface
OCN - Operating Carrier Number
OLPC - One Laptop Per Child - project whose goal is to bring inexpensive computing resources to children in the developing world.
ONT - Optical Network Terminal - terminal that supports a number of customers.
PBB-TE- Provider Backbone Bridging - Traffic Engineering - Emerging IEEE standard for Ethernet transport which provides enhancements known as PBT.
PBT - Provider Backbone Transport - Ethernet enhancement which can allow control of data paths in a large carrier network.
PBX - Private Branch Exchange
PL - Private line
PNG - Portable Network Graphics - graphics format offering advantages of JPEGs (such as true-color support) and GIFs (such as lossless compression) plus new capabilities such as varying degrees of transparency.
PON - Passive optical network
POP - Point of Presence
PoS - Packet over Sonet
POTS - Plain Old Telephone System - The telephone system that runs on the PSTN.
POTS - Packet Optical Transport System - combines the functionality of SONET/SDH, Ethernet and WDM/ROADM
PPP - Point to Point Protocol
PS/ALI-Private Switch/Automatic Location Identification - ability to identify the phone within an organization from which a 911 call was placed.
PSAPs - Public safety answering points - Points at which 9-1-1 calls are answered.
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network -the international telephone system based on copper wires carrying analog voice data on circuit-switched telephone networks. Also, known as the POTS.
PtP - Point-to-Point - usually refers to a dedicated circuit run between two points.
PTT - Push-to-talk
PVC - Permanent Virtual Circuit
PVR - Personal Video Recorder
QoS - Quality of Service
RAN - Radio Access Network
RFID - Radio frequency identification
RSS - Rich Site Summary, RDF Site Summary, or Really Simple Syndication - all of these refer to the same thing - RSS is a commonly accepted XML standard platform, a format for syndicating news and the content of news-like sites. With RSS a webmaster can instantly deliver information
RTP - Real Time Protocal
SBC - Session Border Control
SBC - Session Border Controller - SBCs offer security and quality in the deployment of next generation communications services and architectures such as FMC, IMS and VoIP.
SDR - single-data rate - normally applied to DRAM
SDRAM - synchronous DRAM
SDSL - Symmetric Digital iSubscriber Line - the download and upload speeds (bandwidths) are the same as opposed to ADSL.
SIM - Subscriber Identity Module - Removable SIM cards in cell phones allow phones to be instantly activated, interchanged, swapped out and upgraded simply by inserting or removing a SIM card. In the USA, only GSM cell phones use SIM cards.
SIP - Session Initiation Protocol
SLA - Service level agreement
SMS - Short Message Service - text messaging - sending short messages to and from mobile phones.
SMS/800- 800 Service Management System - the operations support system used to maintain North American toll free call processing records, toll free number availability, and toll free number reservation status.
SSE - Simple Sharing Extensions - a specification that extends RSS from unidirectional to bidirectional information flows.
SSL - Secure Socket Layer
SWC - Serving Wire Center
T-MPLS - Transport MPLS
T1 - DS1 (as opposed to DSL) - highly reliable voice or data service.
TDM - Time Division Multiplexed
TDMA - Time Division Multiple Access - a wireless technology using TIA/EIA IS-136 protocol that allows multiple cell phones to share bandwidth.
TFN - Toll Free Number
TN - Telephone Number
TRS - Telecommunications Relay Service - link between telephone users and people who use text telephones (aka TTYs).
UBR - Unspecified Bit Rate - an ATM bandwidth-allocation service that uses available bandwidth with no guaranteed throughput level.
UC - Unified Communications
UDP - User Datagram Protocol
UMA - Unified Mobile
UMTS - Universal Mobile Telecommunications System - a third-generation (3G) cell phone technology that is being developed into a 4G technology. Theoretically, it can support data transfer rates up to 14 Mpbs depending on the implementation.
UNE - Unbundled Network Element - defined by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as any "facility or equipment used in the provision of a telecommunications service," as well as "features, functions, and capabilities that are provided by means of such facility or equipment." The most important UNE to most CLECs is the local loop, or "last mile", which gives CLECs access to the ILEC's customers.
UWB - Ultrawideband - a short range transmission alternative to Bluetooth.
VBR - Variable Bit Rate
VCC - Voice Call Continuity
VDSL - Very high speed DSL.
VLAN - Virtual LAN
VOD - Video on Demand.
VoIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol - Method of providing voice or phone service via internet connections
VoWLAN - Voice-over-WLAN
VPLS - virtual private LAN service - A Layer 2 service offering any-to-any connectivity and a full mesh.
VPN - Virtual Private Network - classic VPN uses IPsec to encrypt transmissions for connections made over the Internet.
WAN - Wide Area Network
Web 2.0 - Web 2.0 is sort of an attitude or an approach to the World Wide Web. It generally refers to a second generation of services available on the web that lets people collaborate and share information online. Examples of Web 2.0 are Wikipedia, Flickr, Google Maps, Del.icio.us, Google AdSense, Yahoo's new My Web 2.0, 43 Things, and blogs and wikis in general.
WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy - a security protocol meant to safeguard wireless packet transmissions that is inferior to WPA.
WIC - WAN Interface Card - A router has a WIC per T1 in a bonded T1.
Wi-Fi - Wireless Fidelity, a set of standards known as 802.11
WiMax - Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
WLAN - Wireless LAN
WPA - Wi-Fi Protected Access - a security protocol meant to safeguard wireless packet transmissions that is defined in standard 802.11i and that is superior to WEP.
XML - Extensible Markup Language - XML is a simple, very flexible text format derived from SGML. Originally designed to meet the challenges of large-scale electronic publishing, XML is also playing an increasingly important role in the exchange of a wide variety of data on the Web and elsewhere.
7 OSI Layers
Posted On Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at at 11:15 PM by Murali SrinivasanOpen Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is developed by ISO (International organization for standardization) in 1984. OSI reference model is a logical framework for standards for the network communication.
OSI reference model is now considered as a primary standard for internetworking and inter computing. Today many network communication protocols are based on the standards of OSI model. In the OSI model the network/data communication is defined into seven layers.
These 7 layers further divide the tasks of moving the data across the network into subtask and hence complete one communication cycle between two computers or two network devices. Each layer is assigned a task and the task is completed independently.
The 7 layers of the OSI models can be divided into Upper and Lower layers.
P D N T S P A - Please Do Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away.
or - Please Do Not Take Sales Persons Advice.
The 7 layers of the OSI models can be divided into Upper and Lower layers.
P D N T S P A - Please Do Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away.
or - Please Do Not Take Sales Persons Advice.
Layer 7: Application Layer
The application layer defines the interfaces for communication and data transfer.
This layer also provides and support services such as job transfer, handles network access, e-mail, supports user applications and error recovery.
Protocols: FTP, DNS, SNMP, SMTP, FINGER, TELNET, TFTP, BOOTP and SMB are operated on the application layer.
Layer 6:Presentation Layer
The presentation layer presents the data into a uniform format and masks the difference of data format between two dissimilar systems. It also translates the data from application to the network format. Presentation layer is also responsible for the protocol conversion, encryption, decryption and data compression. Presentation layer is a best layer for cryptography.
Layer 5: Session Layer
Session layer establish and manages the session between the two users at different ends in a network. Session layer also manages who can transfer the data in a certain amount of time and for how long. The examples of session layers and the interactive logins and file transfer sessions. Session layer reconnect the session if it disconnects. It also reports and logs and upper layer errors.
Protocols: NetBIOS, Mail Slots, Names Pipes, RPC.
Protocols: NetBIOS, Mail Slots, Names Pipes, RPC.
Layer 4: Transport Layer
Transport layer manages end to end message delivery in a network and also provides the error checking and hence guarantees that no duplication or errors are occurring in the data transfers across the network. Transport layer also provides the acknowledgement of the successful data transmission and retransmits the data if no error free data was transferred.
It also provides and error handling and connectionless oriented data deliver in the network.
Protocols: TCP, SPX,NETBIOS, ATP and NWLINK.
It also provides and error handling and connectionless oriented data deliver in the network.
Protocols: TCP, SPX,NETBIOS, ATP and NWLINK.
Layer 3: Network Layer
The network layer determines that how data transmits between the network devices. It also translates the logical address into the physical address e.g computer name into MAC address. It is also responsible for defining the route, managing the network problems and addressing. Router works on the network layer and if a sending device does not break the data into the similar packets as the receiving device then network layer split the data into the smaller units and at the receiving end the network layer reassemble the data.
Network layer routes the packets according to the unique network addresses. Router works as the post office and network layer stamps the letters (data) for the specific destinations.
Protocols: IP, ICMP, ARP, RIP, OSI, IPX and OSPF.
Protocols: IP, ICMP, ARP, RIP, OSI, IPX and OSPF.
Layer 2:Data Link Layer
Defines procedures for operating the communication links,Frames packets,Detects and corrects packets transmit errors.
Layer 1: Physical Layer
Defines physical means of sending data over device. It interfaces between network medium and devices.Defines optical, electrical and mechanical characteristics.
OSI Model Reference Table
| Layer | Function | Protocols | Network Components |
| Application User Interface |
| DNS; FTP; TFTP; BOOTP; SNMP;RLOGIN; SMTP; MIME; NFS; FINGER; TELNET; NCP; APPC; AFP; SMB | Gateway |
| Presentation Translation |
| | Gateway Redirector |
| Session Syncs and Sessions |
| NetBIOS Names Pipes Mail Slots RPC | Gateway |
| Transport Packets; Flow control & Error-handling |
| TCP, ARP, RARP; SPX NWLink NetBIOS / NetBEUI ATP | Gateway Advanced Cable Tester Brouter |
| Network Addressing; Routing |
| IP; ARP; RARP, ICMP; RIP; OSFP; IGMP; IPX NWLink NetBEUI OSI DDP DECnet | Brouter Router Frame Relay Device ATM Switch Advanced Cable Tester |
| Data Link Data frames to bits |
| Logical Link Control
802.1 OSI Model 802.2 Logical Link Control | Bridge Switch ISDN Router Intelligent Hub NIC Advanced Cable Tester |
| Media Access Control
802.3 CSMA/CD (Ethernet) 802.4 Token Bus (ARCnet) 802.5 Token Ring 802.12 Demand Priority | |||
| Physical Hardware; Raw bit stream |
| IEEE 802 IEEE 802.2 ISO 2110 ISDN | Repeater Multiplexer Hubs
TDR Oscilloscope Amplifier |
Wireless Networks
Posted On at at 10:39 PM by Murali SrinivasanWireless Network Types :
Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANS)
WLANS allow users in local area, such as in a university or a library to form a network and gain wireless access to the internet. A temporary network can be formed by a small number of users without the need of access point; given that they do not need to access the resources.
Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANS)
There are two current technologies for wireless personal network Bluetooth and Infra Red. These technologies will allow the connectivity of personal devices within an area of 30 feet. Infra Red requires a direct line and the range is less as compared to Bluetooth technology.
Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMANS)
WMANS allow the connectivity of multiple networks in a metropolitan area such as building in a city. The network connectivity is the alternative of copper or fiber cabling.
Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANS)
WWANS or Wireless Area Networks can be maintained over large areas such as in different cities or between different countries, via multiple satellite systems or antenna sites. The types of system are called 2G systems.
The following table shows the range those different types of wireless network covers.
Network Meter :
Personal Area Network 0-10
Local Area Network 0-100
Wide Are Network 0-10000
Security in Wireless Networking :
The following different types of security methods are available in the wireless networking.
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
Wired Equivalent Privacy is intended to stop the interference of radio frequency that is signaled by unauthorized users and this security measure is most suitable for the small networks. There is not key management protocol and each key is entered manually into the clients that’s why this is very time consuming administrative task. The WEP security method is based on the RC4 encryption algorithm. In the WEP all the client computers and Access points are configured with the same encryption and decryption keys.
Service Set Identifier (SSID)
Service Set Identifier (SSID) acts a simple password by allowing WLAN network to be split up into different networks and each having a unique identifier. These identifiers are configured in the multiple access points. To access any of any networks, a computer is configured in such a way that each is having a corresponding SSID identifier for that network. If the SSID match between the two computers or networks then access is granted to each other.
Media Access Control filtering (MAC Access Control)
A list of the MAC addresses of the client computers can be inputted into an Access point and only those computers are granted to give the access to the network. When a computer makes a request, its MAC address is compared to the list of the MAC addresses to the Access point and based on this access permission granted to deny.
This is a good security method but it is mainly involved in the small wireless networks because there is more manual work is involved of entering the MAC address into the Access point.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a simple type of the wireless networking that operates in the digital devices, like mobiles phones, personal computers, PDA, Laptops, digital camera, MP3 players and other Bluetooth enabled devices to form a small network. 2.4 GHz short-range radio frequency bandwidth.In the Bluetooth technology 8 devices can be connected to each other at the same time. Bluetooth can also be found in the headsets, hands-free kits, wireless keyboards and mouse. Bluetooth technology was invented by Ericsson in 1994 and after four years in 1998 some major mobile phone companies such as Nokia, Ericsson, Intel and Toshiba formed a group to promote this technology.
Bluetooth technology falls in the category of Personal Area Networking ( PAN ) because it operates in the range of 30 to 300 feet.The wireless personal area network (WPAN) technology, based on the Bluetooth specification, is now an IEEE standard under the denomination of 802.15 WPANs Bluetooth uses the radio waves technology, which is not very expensive and has low power consumption. Many different companies are intended to add the Bluetooth chip in their digital devices. Bluetooth technology is getting very popularity because of its low cost and portability.
The Future of Wireless Networking :
WLANS wireless networking type is very popular in home networking and more than 20 percent homes with broadband internet are using WLANS and this number is increasing. In a general estimate worldwide hotspots have now reached more than 30,000 and will grow about 210,000 in the next few years. Most large hotels already offer Wi-Fi and the business travelers are willing to pay wireless access. 802.11 is the next Wi-Fi speed standard is set to offer bandwidth around 108 Mbps and is still under development. With the speed of 70 Mbps and a range up to 30 miles, the 80216 standard, known as WiMAX is sure to get boost.
WiMax: Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
WiMax is a popular name of the 802.16 wireless metropolitan-area network standard, including both 802.16-2004 for fixed WiMAX and 802.16-2005 for mobile WiMAX. WiMax has a range of up to 31 miles. Data rates for WiMax can reach up to 75 Mbps (Fixed) or 15 Mbps (
- 802.16-2004 is often called 802.16d, since that was the working party that developed the standard. It is also frequently referred to as "Fixed WiMAX" since it has no support for mobility.
- 802.16e-2005 is an amendment to 802.16-2004 and is often referred to in shortened form as 802.16e. It introduced support for mobility, amongst other things and is therefore also frequently called "Mobile WiMAX".
Wi-Max provides quad services such as phone, video, voice, data and cable TV. Wi-Max provides more quality and speed and the data transfer rate can be up to 70 Mbps. The 802.16d standard supports directional antenna base equipment i.e. user has to have a static connection and it does not support the roaming users. The 802.16e standard supports the small chips embedded in the motherboard. It is comparatively a cheap solution because no extra equipment would be required to make a Wi-Max connection.
The devices that make the Wi-Max network are CPE, OSM, Access points and microwave backhaul. CPE talks to the Access point by using the Wi-max standard. Base station offloads the traffic on the city POP by using the microwave backhaul.
The deployment of the Wi-Max is similar to the Wi-fi. The Wi-Max access point sends signals to the Wi-Max receivers, which is placed at the top of the room at the subscriber’s end. Quality of service (QOS) is some issue with the Wi-Max because when more users gain access to the access points to towers. Wi-Max is an ideal wireless network communication system where is distance is not favorable for the wired networks.
The devices that make the Wi-Max network are CPE, OSM, Access points and microwave backhaul. CPE talks to the Access point by using the Wi-max standard. Base station offloads the traffic on the city POP by using the microwave backhaul.
The deployment of the Wi-Max is similar to the Wi-fi. The Wi-Max access point sends signals to the Wi-Max receivers, which is placed at the top of the room at the subscriber’s end. Quality of service (QOS) is some issue with the Wi-Max because when more users gain access to the access points to towers. Wi-Max is an ideal wireless network communication system where is distance is not favorable for the wired networks.
Comparison with Wi-Fi
Comparisons and confusion between WiMAX and Wi-Fi are frequent, possibly because both begin with the same two letters, are based upon IEEE standards beginning with "802.", and both have a connection to wireless connectivity and the Internet. Despite this, the two standards are aimed at different applications.
- WiMAX is a long-range system, covering many kilometers that typically uses licensed spectrum (although it is possible to use unlicensed spectrum) to deliver a point-to-point connection to the Internet from an ISP to an end user. Different 802.16 standards provide different types of access, from mobile (similar to data access via a cellphone) to fixed (an alternative to wired access, where the end user's wireless termination point is fixed in location.)
- Wi-Fi is a shorter range system, typically hundreds of meters, that uses unlicensed spectrum to provide access to a network, typically covering only the network operator's own property. Typically Wi-Fi is used by an end user to access their own network, which may or may not be connected to the Internet. If WiMAX provides services analogous to a cellphone, Wi-Fi is more analogous to a cordless phone. Free community wifi networks have shown that with proper antennas, wifi can have very long ranges.
- WiMAX and Wi-Fi have quite different Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms. WiMAX uses a mechanism based on setting up connections between the Base Station and the user device. Each connection is based on specific scheduling algorithms, which means that QoS parameters can be guaranteed for each flow. Wi-Fi has introduced a QoS mechanism similar to fixed Ethernet, where packets can receive different priorities based on their tags. This means that QoS is relative between packets/flows, as opposed to guaranteed.
- WiMAX is highly scalable from what are called "Femto"-scale remote stations to multi-sector 'maxi' scale base that handle complex tasks of management and mobile handoff functions and include MIMO-AAS smart antenna subsystems.
Due to the ease and low cost with which Wi-Fi can be deployed, it is sometimes used to provide Internet access to third parties within a single room or building available to the provider, often informally, and sometimes as part of a business relationship. For example, many coffee shops, hotels, and transportation hubs contain Wi-Fi access points providing access to the Internet for customers.
Important Telecom Terms
Posted On Monday, June 23, 2008 at at 11:12 PM by Murali SrinivasanANI:
Automatic Number Identification - ANI information is used like caller ID except for a few differences that make it impossible to block or hide.
Analog line:
The first type of phone lines the phone companies used. An analog trunk line is one coming in from the phone company. An internal analog lines runs within the company to an analog phone, usually over an RJ11 phone cable. A single phone conversation or channel can run over this type of line.
A regular telephone designed to be used with Analog trunk lines.
Also known as a Phone recording, Voice logging, Agent monitoring or Call monitoring.The term call recording means to record a telephone call or other audio source. A call recorder is the hardware and software that tap into a phone line (usually multiple lines or channels) and records or monitors those calls.
Also known as a line or a port. A channel originally was a term used for a single digital line, but now is fairly synonymous with a line or a port. Sometimes confusing as a Digital line such as a T1 may carry multiple channels. However a channel can only carry one phone conversation.
Call recordings can be shrunk into smaller computer files that take up less space by using various compressions. Usually the smaller the file size the higher the compression and usually the poorer the audio quality.
Data channel - A special channel on T1 PRI or E1 PRI lines that carries information about the voice or phone channels such as the phone number the call came from (ANI information), and what phone number it is going to. (DNIS information)
A digital extension is a number assigned by a PBX to a digital phone that allows a single phone number to be subdivided into many sub numbers. A digital phone recorder can capture what extension a call recording was made from when attached by a serial cable to the SMDR port of a PBX. The digital phone recorder must then be able to translate the SMDR data from the PBX and attach this data to the recording. This usually requires a few hours of testing and setup.
Usually a phone that works with and requires a particular digital PBX or set of PBXs from the same manufacturer. The PBX assigns each digital phone a digital extension number that can be easily changed or reassigned at a later time. Digital phones, just like analog phones use RJ11 phone cables.
A digital trunk line that carries 31 channels or phone lines within it and 1 "D" channel, that carries digital information about the other 31 phone lines.
A digital trunk line that carries 32 channels or phone lines within it.
Also known as 8P8C, Network cable or mistakenly as RJ45 cable. This is the standard cable used to connect networks and computers together. It has 8 pins at the end but otherwise looks like a large phone cable. A Versadial phone recorder will use CAT 5 Ethernet cable connect to the SPAN port of a hub or switch of a LAN (local area network) to record VoIP calls.
Internal phone lines that connect the PBX with one or more phones at a location. Recording extension lines allows the collection of a wealth of data from the PBX as well as allowing for the recording of extension to extension calls. This is the preferred way to record though it may be more expensive as there are usually more extension lines than trunk lines at a location. This is because an extension allows several phones to access each trunk line since it is unlikely that all extensions will be in use at once. Extensions communicate in a format determined by the PBX that connects them to the trunk lines.
Another name for the phone. A phone recorder can tap into a phone line at the individual handset as well as at a PBX or on from the trunk lines. Recording from the handset has several advantages but involves running an extra cable from each phone to the phone recorder that can be a lot of work and clutter.
An older digital format that carries two phone lines or channels along with a third D channel that carries special information about the two phone lines.
To listen to "live" or ongoing call recordings. Phone lines, radio channels or any type of audio line can be monitored.
Private Branch Exchange - A PBX or PABX is an electronic device used to take incoming trunk phone lines and route them to the appropriate extensions inside a company. There are many brands of PBX with slightly different features. Most have a SMDR port providing a log of call information. The most common reason a company buys a PBX is to allow them to purchase less trunk phone lines from their phone company or telecom provider than they would otherwise have to buy. A PBX could allow a company with 24 digital extensions to only need four or 12 incoming trunk lines. Since it is rare that all 24 digital extensions would be in use at once the PBX is able to route incoming or outgoing calls on available trunk lines. When a PBX is used then the type of handsets or phones used must be compatible with that PBX.
A Portable Digital Assistant. Basically a small handheld computer sometimes integrated with a phone and known as a "smart phone." PDAs usually run either the Palm OS or Windows Mobile operating system. In call recording a PDA may be used to monitor calls, search and access call recordings over a wireless network allowing supervisors more freedom in doing their job. Only Versadial currently offers call recording software that works on a PDA.
Same as a PBX. The more accurate but less used term for PBX.
Different phones are compatible with differnt PBXs and call recorders. To find out what model and brand phone you have either ask the telecom provider that sold them to you or look on the bottom of the phone. Most phones have this information printed there. This info could look like this: "Nortel M7280" or "Plantronics CT12".
The cable that brings audio to a phone. A phone line may be digital or analog and usually consists of a single channel allowing one call at a time to be transmitted over it. Some digital lines may be subdivided to carry multiple channels, each with a phone conversation. Such digital lines are T1s, E1s, ISDN or similar digital lines.
Also known as a Call logger, Voice logger, Agent monitor or Call monitor.) A phone recorder consists of the hardware and software necessary to tap into, monitor and record phone lines, radio transmissions or any type of audio line. Most call recording is done by recorders that can monitor and record multiple lines simultaneously as well as providing ways to search call recordings by various means, and grade or attach custom notes to these call recordings. Phone recorders range in price from the cost of a computer up to tens of thousands of dollars for large systems with complex software. Digital phone recorders are specialized to record directly from digital trunk lines, or from the PBX.
Also known as a line or a channel. Port refers to the plug in spot for an incoming line being recorded. A phone recorder with 4 ports would be able to record 4 phone lines or 4 conversations at once.
Usually a small plastic frame box that allows multiple RJ11 phone cables to be plugged in and connected to a large Telco cable that can carry all the lines within one cable. This is useful in reducing the number of cables having to be run to between the phone recorder and the phones to be recorded.
Also known as a standard phone cable.Everyone has seen and used on of these standard phone cords. With 4 pins on a transparent plastic connector and a gray cable these usually only carry one phone line or channel.
A serial cable is a common computer cable used to connect peripheral devices such as a modem to a computer and has 25 pins. Used by a phone recorder to connect to the SMDR port of a PBX.
Station Message Detail Recording.This serial port is common on most modern PBXs and provides information such as what phone numbers called in, what extensions they called to, and what time of the day they called. This valuable information can be harvested by the phone recorder and attached to the call recordings automatically by plugging a serial cable between the phone recorder and the SMDR port of a PBX.
Also known as an Amphenol or Telco cable.A heavy 50 pin connector cable used to carry multiple phone lines inside a company. This cable handles up to 25 channels or phone lines within it and is typically used to connect from the phone recorder to a block with up to twenty five RJ11 or phone cables.
A digital trunk line that carries 23 B channels or phone lines within it and 1 D channel, that carries digital information about the other 23 phone lines.
A digital trunk line that carries 24 B channels or phone lines within it.
An incoming line from the phone company or telecom provider. These incoming lines can be analog, T1, E1, ISDN or PRI and often carry multiple channels pm each capable of carrying its' own phone conversation. Tapping into trunk lines for call recording is usually more cost effective and easier than recording from the extension lines but may make it harder to search the call recordings later as the detailed extension information is not available unless a workaround such as SMDR integration is used.
Voice logger:
Voice Recorder.The term voice logging means to record a voice or audio source. Voice logging is synonymous with call recording.
Voice Over Internet Protocol. A newer technology that allows phone conversations to be digitized and sent as packets of information transferable over the Internet or local networks and then translated back into phone conversations. VOIP specific phones are necessary to translate the information into sound and some type of a network to carry the information. Phone recorders can capture and record VOIP conversations in a variety of ways.
Voice Activation - Voice activation allows a phone recorder to start recording once a sufficiently loud sound comes in over a phone line. The volume level necessary to trigger recording can be set by a user in the VS Logger software. Choosing VOX as a triggering mechanism has pros and cons. VOX requires no compatibility between the PBX and the recorder and can be used to save storage space by getting rid of hold time. The disadvantages to VOX are the amount of time needed to determine the best threshold level to activate recording. If the level is too low then low volume connections may get missed, but if it is too high then ambient noise may trigger unwanted recordings. Other options for triggering recordings include "on-hook/off-hook" or an event such as the pressing of a defined button on the phone or on a computer.
An industry standard file used to store a piece of audio. This standard is playable on any Windows based computer and is the recognized standard. It is not a compressed format though and the file size is quite large. WAV files can easily be converted into other compressed file types.
Automatic Number Identification - ANI information is used like caller ID except for a few differences that make it impossible to block or hide.
Analog line:
The first type of phone lines the phone companies used. An analog trunk line is one coming in from the phone company. An internal analog lines runs within the company to an analog phone, usually over an RJ11 phone cable. A single phone conversation or channel can run over this type of line.
A regular telephone designed to be used with Analog trunk lines.
Also known as a Phone recording, Voice logging, Agent monitoring or Call monitoring.The term call recording means to record a telephone call or other audio source. A call recorder is the hardware and software that tap into a phone line (usually multiple lines or channels) and records or monitors those calls.
Also known as a line or a port. A channel originally was a term used for a single digital line, but now is fairly synonymous with a line or a port. Sometimes confusing as a Digital line such as a T1 may carry multiple channels. However a channel can only carry one phone conversation.
Call recordings can be shrunk into smaller computer files that take up less space by using various compressions. Usually the smaller the file size the higher the compression and usually the poorer the audio quality.
Data channel - A special channel on T1 PRI or E1 PRI lines that carries information about the voice or phone channels such as the phone number the call came from (ANI information), and what phone number it is going to. (DNIS information)
A digital extension is a number assigned by a PBX to a digital phone that allows a single phone number to be subdivided into many sub numbers. A digital phone recorder can capture what extension a call recording was made from when attached by a serial cable to the SMDR port of a PBX. The digital phone recorder must then be able to translate the SMDR data from the PBX and attach this data to the recording. This usually requires a few hours of testing and setup.
Usually a phone that works with and requires a particular digital PBX or set of PBXs from the same manufacturer. The PBX assigns each digital phone a digital extension number that can be easily changed or reassigned at a later time. Digital phones, just like analog phones use RJ11 phone cables.
A digital trunk line that carries 31 channels or phone lines within it and 1 "D" channel, that carries digital information about the other 31 phone lines.
A digital trunk line that carries 32 channels or phone lines within it.
Also known as 8P8C, Network cable or mistakenly as RJ45 cable. This is the standard cable used to connect networks and computers together. It has 8 pins at the end but otherwise looks like a large phone cable. A Versadial phone recorder will use CAT 5 Ethernet cable connect to the SPAN port of a hub or switch of a LAN (local area network) to record VoIP calls.
Internal phone lines that connect the PBX with one or more phones at a location. Recording extension lines allows the collection of a wealth of data from the PBX as well as allowing for the recording of extension to extension calls. This is the preferred way to record though it may be more expensive as there are usually more extension lines than trunk lines at a location. This is because an extension allows several phones to access each trunk line since it is unlikely that all extensions will be in use at once. Extensions communicate in a format determined by the PBX that connects them to the trunk lines.
Another name for the phone. A phone recorder can tap into a phone line at the individual handset as well as at a PBX or on from the trunk lines. Recording from the handset has several advantages but involves running an extra cable from each phone to the phone recorder that can be a lot of work and clutter.
An older digital format that carries two phone lines or channels along with a third D channel that carries special information about the two phone lines.
To listen to "live" or ongoing call recordings. Phone lines, radio channels or any type of audio line can be monitored.
Private Branch Exchange - A PBX or PABX is an electronic device used to take incoming trunk phone lines and route them to the appropriate extensions inside a company. There are many brands of PBX with slightly different features. Most have a SMDR port providing a log of call information. The most common reason a company buys a PBX is to allow them to purchase less trunk phone lines from their phone company or telecom provider than they would otherwise have to buy. A PBX could allow a company with 24 digital extensions to only need four or 12 incoming trunk lines. Since it is rare that all 24 digital extensions would be in use at once the PBX is able to route incoming or outgoing calls on available trunk lines. When a PBX is used then the type of handsets or phones used must be compatible with that PBX.
A Portable Digital Assistant. Basically a small handheld computer sometimes integrated with a phone and known as a "smart phone." PDAs usually run either the Palm OS or Windows Mobile operating system. In call recording a PDA may be used to monitor calls, search and access call recordings over a wireless network allowing supervisors more freedom in doing their job. Only Versadial currently offers call recording software that works on a PDA.
Same as a PBX. The more accurate but less used term for PBX.
Different phones are compatible with differnt PBXs and call recorders. To find out what model and brand phone you have either ask the telecom provider that sold them to you or look on the bottom of the phone. Most phones have this information printed there. This info could look like this: "Nortel M7280" or "Plantronics CT12".
The cable that brings audio to a phone. A phone line may be digital or analog and usually consists of a single channel allowing one call at a time to be transmitted over it. Some digital lines may be subdivided to carry multiple channels, each with a phone conversation. Such digital lines are T1s, E1s, ISDN or similar digital lines.
Also known as a Call logger, Voice logger, Agent monitor or Call monitor.) A phone recorder consists of the hardware and software necessary to tap into, monitor and record phone lines, radio transmissions or any type of audio line. Most call recording is done by recorders that can monitor and record multiple lines simultaneously as well as providing ways to search call recordings by various means, and grade or attach custom notes to these call recordings. Phone recorders range in price from the cost of a computer up to tens of thousands of dollars for large systems with complex software. Digital phone recorders are specialized to record directly from digital trunk lines, or from the PBX.
Also known as a line or a channel. Port refers to the plug in spot for an incoming line being recorded. A phone recorder with 4 ports would be able to record 4 phone lines or 4 conversations at once.
Usually a small plastic frame box that allows multiple RJ11 phone cables to be plugged in and connected to a large Telco cable that can carry all the lines within one cable. This is useful in reducing the number of cables having to be run to between the phone recorder and the phones to be recorded.
Also known as a standard phone cable.Everyone has seen and used on of these standard phone cords. With 4 pins on a transparent plastic connector and a gray cable these usually only carry one phone line or channel.
A serial cable is a common computer cable used to connect peripheral devices such as a modem to a computer and has 25 pins. Used by a phone recorder to connect to the SMDR port of a PBX.
Station Message Detail Recording.This serial port is common on most modern PBXs and provides information such as what phone numbers called in, what extensions they called to, and what time of the day they called. This valuable information can be harvested by the phone recorder and attached to the call recordings automatically by plugging a serial cable between the phone recorder and the SMDR port of a PBX.
Also known as an Amphenol or Telco cable.A heavy 50 pin connector cable used to carry multiple phone lines inside a company. This cable handles up to 25 channels or phone lines within it and is typically used to connect from the phone recorder to a block with up to twenty five RJ11 or phone cables.
A digital trunk line that carries 23 B channels or phone lines within it and 1 D channel, that carries digital information about the other 23 phone lines.
A digital trunk line that carries 24 B channels or phone lines within it.
An incoming line from the phone company or telecom provider. These incoming lines can be analog, T1, E1, ISDN or PRI and often carry multiple channels pm each capable of carrying its' own phone conversation. Tapping into trunk lines for call recording is usually more cost effective and easier than recording from the extension lines but may make it harder to search the call recordings later as the detailed extension information is not available unless a workaround such as SMDR integration is used.
Voice logger:
Voice Recorder.The term voice logging means to record a voice or audio source. Voice logging is synonymous with call recording.
Voice Over Internet Protocol. A newer technology that allows phone conversations to be digitized and sent as packets of information transferable over the Internet or local networks and then translated back into phone conversations. VOIP specific phones are necessary to translate the information into sound and some type of a network to carry the information. Phone recorders can capture and record VOIP conversations in a variety of ways.
Voice Activation - Voice activation allows a phone recorder to start recording once a sufficiently loud sound comes in over a phone line. The volume level necessary to trigger recording can be set by a user in the VS Logger software. Choosing VOX as a triggering mechanism has pros and cons. VOX requires no compatibility between the PBX and the recorder and can be used to save storage space by getting rid of hold time. The disadvantages to VOX are the amount of time needed to determine the best threshold level to activate recording. If the level is too low then low volume connections may get missed, but if it is too high then ambient noise may trigger unwanted recordings. Other options for triggering recordings include "on-hook/off-hook" or an event such as the pressing of a defined button on the phone or on a computer.
An industry standard file used to store a piece of audio. This standard is playable on any Windows based computer and is the recognized standard. It is not a compressed format though and the file size is quite large. WAV files can easily be converted into other compressed file types.