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25-Pair Cable
Cable containing 50 conductors used for
connecting phone demarc.
66 BlockType of punchdown block used on distribution frames to
connect sets of wires in a phone system.
110 Block
Type of punchdown block used on distribution frames to
connect sets of wires in a phone system.
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ACD - Automatic Call Distributor
A phone function that routes inbound calls to appropriate
groups of people or individuals based on the phone numbers
they dialed or various call routing parameters
setup on the phone equipment.
ANI - Automatic Number IdentificationThe phone number that a
caller is calling from, also known as caller ID.
AMI - Automatic Number Identification
Encoding method used on T1 circuits. Replaced by B8ZS.
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B8ZS - Bipolar/Binary 8 Zero Substitution
Encoding
method used on T1 circuits.
BRI - Basic Rate
InterfaceA circuit-switched interface for voice and
data communication.
BridgeDevice that connects two network segments that use the same
communications protocol.
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CDR - Call Detail Recording
Software package that allows
for detailed reporting of user's phone activity.
CTI - Computer Telephony IntegrationThe integration of your phone
system with intelligent routing to transfer the caller to
the correct area of the company so the call may be answered.
CAT 3 Cable
Type of wiring used for
cabling voice jacks. This type of cable supports
10 Mbps - Ethernet (10-BaseT) or 16 Mbps - token ring.
CAT 5 CableType of wiring used for cabling both voice
and data jacks. This type of cable supports 100
Mbps - Fast Ethernet. Supported distance is 328 feet.
CAT 5E CableType of wiring used for cabling both voice
and data jacks. This type of cable supports 1000
Mbps - Gigabit Ethernet. Supported distance is 1,148 feet.
CAT 6 CableType of wiring used for cabling both data
jacks. This type of cable supports 1000 Mbps - Gigabit
Ethernet. Supported distance is 721 feet. Analog
phones cannot be run using CAT 6 cable.
CO - Central OfficeA local phone company's switching site that connects
lines to lines, lines to trunks and trunks to trunks.
COS - Class of ServiceThe rights a user is given for
phone features and dialing privileges.
Crossover CableType of network cable used to connect two similar
devices back-to-back.
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D4
Also known as Super Frame. Framing type used on T1
circuits. Replaced by ESF.
DCE - Data Communications EquipmentDevices that
comprise the network end of the user-network interface.
Provides the clocking signal to synchronize data between the
DCE and DTE.
DID - Direct Inward Dialing
A phone line/number that
local phone companies provide to businesses. A company may
receive a block of DID numbers. They can be used as a
company's main number, fax number or assigned to individuals
so that callers do not require an operator to reach an
individual.
DNIS - Dialed Number Identification ServiceThe number that a
user dials. It can be used in ACDs and IVRs to route the
call to the appropriate group or individual.
DND - Do Not DisturbA phone feature allowing the user to make
their extension appear to be busy
DTE - Data Terminal EquipmentDevice at the end of a user-network.
Uses clocking signals from the DCE.
DTMF - Dual Tone Multi FrequencyThe tone that is being sent when
you enter digits on your phone. It is a combination of two
tones and the two tones vary depending on the numbered
entered.
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E&M Signaling
Type of signaling used indicating the
use of a handset corresponding to the ear and mouth
corresponding to the transmitting part of a phone.
EIA/TIA 568A/BStandard describing the characteristics
and applications for Unshielded Twisted Pair cabling.
ESF - Extended SuperframeFraming type used on T1
circuits.
EthernetFrame-based computer
networking technology for local area networks. Defines
the wiring and signaling used at the physical layer and
frame format and protocols used at the data link layer of
the OSI model.
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FIFO - First In, First Out
FIFO is used in call queuing.
If a call enters a queue, you may want that call to be
answered first before any other calls that enter the queue.
FAC - Forced Authorization CodeA code that a user enters on their
phone to gain authorization to dial a long distance call.
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G.711
The international standard for encoding telephone
audio on a 64 kbps channel. It is a pulse code modulation (PCM)
scheme operating at a 8 kHz sample rate, with 8 bits per
sample.
G.729
An industry standard which allows you to push more calls in
limited bandwidth to utilize IP voice in more cost effective
ways. A typical call consumes 64Kbps of voice bandwidth.
G.729 reduces the call to 8Kbps.
Ground Start
Method of signaling from a CO in which one side of a cable
is temporarily grounded.
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House Pair
Voice cabling that consists of green, red,
black, and yellow wires. Typically used in residential
buildings.
Hub
Network device which allows the connection of
multiple Ethernet devices, making them act as a single
segment. Also known as a multi-port repeater.
Hunt Group
A group of phone stations joined together for
purposes of routing calls. Typically calls are routed based
on the order the extensions are listed in the hunt group.
The call will be routed to the first idle station in that
group.
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IDF - Intermediate Distribution Facility
Secondary
telecommunications room in a facility. Dependent on the MDF.
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
ISDN is a set
of standards for digital transmission over ordinary
telephone copper wire as well as other media.
IVR - Interactive Voice ResponseA telephony technology that
prompts the user to enter information via their phone keypad
to access information from a database or system. This
information can also be used to update information within
the database.
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KSU - Key Service Unit
The main part of a telephone
system which contains the electronics controlling which line
is directed to which phone. A KSU is typically mounted
in a closet near the telephone company demarcation point.
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LEC - Local Exchange Carrier
The telephone company that
is providing your phone service.
LIFO - Last In, First OutRefers to the way items in a data
structure are stored and processed. Last is processed
first, and first is processed last.
Loop StartA trunk signaling method used to establish an
electrical connection between a PBX and the telephone
company's switching equipment.
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MAC - Moves, Adds, Changes
The moving, adding and
changing or removing an individual from the phone system.
MAC Address - Media Access Control AddressPhysical
hardware address that uniquely identifies each node on a
network.
MDF - Main Distribution FramePrimary telecommunications room in a
facility. Connection point for IDFs.
MOH - Music on HoldThe music played after a caller is placed on
hold.
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Network
A system of interconnected electronic components
or circuits.
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OC - Optical Carrier
High-speed data circuit utilizing
fiber optic technology. Typically represented as OC-1
with speed of 51.84 Mbps.
OPX - Off-Premise Extension
An extension or phone that
is located at a different location than the phone switch.
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Packet Prioritization
Gives certain packets priority
over other packets in a data stream.
Park
When a caller is placed on hold on another
individual's extension that is already in use.
PBX - Private Branch ExchangeTypically proprietary hardware and
software that provides users access to the public switched
telephone network. The main purpose of a PBX is to save
companies money by pooling phone lines together for many
users.
Pilot NumberA number that can be sent with a phone call from the
public switched telephone network to the phone switch that
would be used for call routing. Pilot numbers are used for
hunt and ACD groups.
POP - Point of PresenceA physical layer within a local access and
transport area (LATA) at which an inter-LATA carrier
establishes itself for the purpose of obtaining LATA access
and to which the local exchange carrier provides access
services.
POTS - Plain Old Telephone ServiceThe concatenation of the
world's public circuit-switched telephone networks.
PRI - Primary Rate InterfaceISDN circuit-switched interface for
voice and data communication.
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone NetworkThe concatenation of the
world's public circuit-switched telephone networks.
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Queue
A series of calls waiting for a user or channel to
become available.
QOS - Quality of ServiceThe performance specification of a
communications channel or system.
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Ring
Typically the red pair in a house cable. Used
in combination with Tip to complete a phone circuit.
RJ11 - Registered Jack 11
The most common telephone
jack. Four conductors are used, but can have up to six.
RJ14 - Registered Jack 14Used for two lines that can either be
voice or data. Four wires are needed to support the two
phone lines. One set of wires contains a red and green wire.
The other set contains a yellow and black wire.
RJ21X
Standard for modular connecting using 50
conductors. Typically used to implement a 25-line phone
system. Also known as a 50-pin telco connector.
RJ25 - Registered Jack 25Standard for modular connector
using six conductors. Typically used in a 3-line phone
system.
RJ31X
Typically used in a security system which allows
the system to seize an analog line.
RJ45 - Registered Jack 45A single line jack used for digital
transmission which uses eight conductors.
RJ48 - Registered Jack 48
Phone connector used for T1
termination using 8 positions.
RNA - Ring No AnswerA forwarding condition where a call is
forwarded to another phone if it is not answered within a
specified number of rings or amount of time.
Router
Common computer networking device that forwards
data packets across an internetwork toward their final
destination using a process known as routing.
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Server
A computer that shares its resources, such as
files and printers, with clients on a network.
SIP - Session Initiated Protocol
A standard protocol
used for initiating an interactive session that can involve
multimedia elements.
Straight Through
Also known as a patch cable. A
transmission medium of copper or optical fiber wrapped in a
protective cover using identical pinouts on both ends of the
cable.
Switch
An intelligent computer networking device that
connects network segments. A switch accepts a frame on
a port, then selectively transmits the frame out another
port based on the frame's MAC or hardware address.
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T1
A high speed digital facility that operates at 1.544
Mbps for both voice and data communications.
TAPI - Telephony Application Program InterfaceA standard program
interface that allows your computer and phone to communicate
with each other.
TDD - Telecommunications Display DeviceA phone equipped with a
keyboard and display for people that are hearing or speech
impaired.
Tie LineA private communication link for linking two systems
together.
Tip
Typically the black pair in a house cable.
Used in combination with Ring to complete the circuit.
TrunkA grouping of voice or data channels between telephone
sytems.
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UCD - Uniform Call Distribution
A method used in
telecommunications to distribute incoming calls evenly among
phone stations.
Unified Messaging
The integration of many message
streams, such as e-mail, fax, voice and video, into a single
location.
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VoIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol
The delivery of
voice information in digital form. Discrete packets are sent
over data lines rather than in traditional circuit-committed
protocols on the public switched telephone network.
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Wink
A brief interruption in a continuous signal that
can be used to identify certain actions that a phone system
would need to take.
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