Amazingly Simple Telecoms Glossary
All
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ADSL |
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - A broadband technology that delivers very high data transfer speeds over existing telephone lines. More bandwidth is delivered downstream than upstream; i.e. you can download items faster than you can upload. This is ideal for residential connections, or businesses not running a server. |
| Analogue Lines |
The original telephone lines. They are still the common choice in smaller telephone systems, however the technology around today has resulted in a shift toward more cost-effective options such as ISDN and SIP trunking. |
| Auto Attendant |
An automated answering system that uses prompts to guide the caller to the correct department or extension, for example, “For the sales department, press 1”. |
| Bandwidth |
A measurement which gives an indication of the amount of data that can be sent through a connection. |
| BlackBerry |
A handheld device which gives you mobile phone, email and other useful functionality away from the office. |
| Call Forwarding |
This feature enables incoming calls to be forwarded automatically to a different number, for example, your mobile or home number. |
| Channel |
This is another word for telephone line, usually in the context of digital lines. We also refer to our group of partners as the 'channel'. |
| CLI Presentation |
Calling Line Identification Presentation - Clever technology which displays the phone number of the caller on the receiver’s phone display. |
| DDI – Direct Dialling Inward |
This is the ability to assign individual phone numbers (DDI numbers) to extensions, faxes, computers and departments, enabling callers to dial them directly and automatically through the switchboard without having to go through a receptionist. |
| DECT |
Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephone - DECT cordless handsets provide wireless communications within an office, building or site, and they can be fully integrated into the company telephone system. |
| DSL – Digital Subscriber Line |
This is technology that brings high-bandwidth information to homes and small business over telephone lines. It can carry both data and voice signals. (See ADSL and SDSL) |
| IP PBX |
IP Telephone System |
| IP Telephony |
IP Telephony is the use of IP signalling methods to send voice traffic across a data network. It can eliminate the need for separate voice and data networks by converging all traffic on one network, and it provides a wide range of other benefits for business phone users. |
| IP – Internet Protocol |
This is the generic term used to describe the way that voice and data signals can be sent between devices connected to a network, including across the internet and local area networks. |
| IP/VoIP Gateway |
A gateway for existing telephone systems, converting traditional telephony traffic into IP for transmission over a data network. Using an IP gateway can be considered as a ‘migration path’ towards IP Telephony, as you can gradually transfer to IP Telephony, whilst adding longevity to your existing telephone system. |
| ISDN |
Integrated Services Digital Network - ISDN is a digital public network for voice and data communications with charges for line rental and calls. ISDN is available as ‘ISDN2e’, where the lines come in pairs, or as ‘ISDN30e’ which comes in groups of up to 30 lines, the minimum order being 8. |
| LAN – Local Area Network |
A computer network within a limited area, for example, within a building or a specific floor of a building. |
| Leased Line |
A line provided direct from your premises to another site of your choice, or connecting to the internet. Ideal for data-intensive and larger businesses who want large bandwidth, high reliability (including a Service Level Agreement) and have mission-critical applications to run across it. Also known as a ‘private circuit’. |
| Local Loop Unbundling |
The process where BT makes its local network (the copper wires running from the premises to the local exchange) available to other providers, who can then upgrade individual lines to offer high speed Internet access. |
| MPLS |
Multi-Protocol Label Switching - a technology designed to enhance network traffic and flow, it delivers packets of information between nodes on a network. |
| Network |
A computer network consists of two or more computers connected to each other so that they can share and exchange resources. |
| PBX – Private Branch Exchange |
A private business telephone system. |
| Pots vs. Pans |
One of our favourite acronyms: Plain Old Telephone Systems versus Pretty Amazing New Systems. We can help with either. |
| PSTN |
The public switched telephone network which was traditionally analogue, but now includes digital (ISDN). |
| QoS – Quality of Service |
This is used to provide acceptable voice quality across IP networks. |
| SDSL – Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line |
A broadband technology that delivers very high data transfer speeds over existing telephone lines. The same bandwidth is delivered downstream and upstream; i.e. you can download items as fast as you can upload. This is more appropriate for businesses running a server. |
| SIP |
Session Initiation Protocol - a signalling protocol used for establishing sessions in an IP network. |
| SIP Trunking |
In order for your telephone system to be fully IP enabled, you will need a SIP trunk. A SIP trunk is a pure IP connection between your premises and the national telephone network. SIP Trunks can work on broadband and other types of data connectivity such as leased lines. |
| Smart Phone |
A mobile phone which is like a mini-computer and can browse the internet, receive email and let you work on documents and spreadsheets whilst on the move. |
| Soft PBX – Soft Phone |
A software application providing server-based telephony, for example, a soft phone on your laptop allows you to make calls from it. |
| Telephone Extensions |
The number of extensions you will require depends on how many staff you have needing desktop phones. |
| Trunk |
Not to be confused with the front end of an elephant, in telephony a trunk is just another way of saying a ‘line’ or ‘channel’ that you need for making a call. |
| Unified Messaging |
This system provides one centralised mailbox for all email, voice and fax messages, and all messages can be viewed, replied to, saved or deleted in this one inbox. |
| Voicemail |
Allows callers to leave messages in individual mailboxes. These messages can often be retrieved remotely. |
| VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol |
VoIP=IP Telephony. VoIP is the transmission of voice traffic over a wide area network, VPN or the internet. |
| VPN – Virtual Private Network |
Linking phone systems and/or data networks together across the internet. A VPN is a fast and secure way to transfer data between remote sites. |
| WAN – Wide Area Network |
A computer network that covers a larger area rather than being limited to one building or site. |
