Jargon Buster
A
ACD - Automatic Call Distribution
An automated system for answering, queuing and distributing incoming calls to a number of agents. Popular in call centres, ACD systems also provide statistics such as the number of calls waiting, average length of call queue etc, which can be incorporated into historical reports or displayed in real time on electronic wallboards.
ADSL - Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line
Broadband technology that delivers high data transfer speeds over existing phone lines.
ATM - Asynchronous Transfer Mode
A transmission and switching technique capable of supporting voice, video and data communication. It is unique in that each piece of information is addressed and is the same length. This allows high-speed communication.
Auto Attendant
An automated answering system that uses prompts to direct callers to the correct department or extension - e.g. "For Support - Press 1".
B
Bandwidth
How much you can send through a connection. Usually measured in bits per second. A full page of English text is approximately 16,000 bits. A fast modem can move about 57,000 bits per second whereas a full-motion, full screen video would require some 10,000,000 bits per second, depending on compression.
BRI
Basic Rate ISDN2 provides one D channel and two B channels, each of which is equivalent to a normal telephone line. These can provide up to two simultaneous calls and, as each channel can transmit data speeds at 64Kbps, this represents a data transfer rate of 128Kbps.
C
Call Forwarding
A feature of the telephone system, call forwarding allows incoming calls to be diverted automatically to a different number, for example a mobile phone or a home office.
Call Management Software
Call Management Software provides you with a range of reports, such as cost response levels and traffic reports etc. These are available in both summary and itemized formats, which include full analysis capabilities.
CLI - Calling Line Identity
One of the key ISDN features, CLI displays the phone number of the caller on the answering phone's display panel. CLI alpha tagging also shows the caller's name and company. CLI is the enabling feature of many computer telephony integration applications.
Client
A software programme that is used to contact and obtain data from a server software programme on another computer, often across a vast distance. Each client programme is designed to work with one or more specific type of server programme, and each server requires a specific type of client. A web browser is a specific type of client.
CRM - Customer Relationship Management
The generic term for applications designed to streamline interactions with customers. CRM software allows call centre agents to access a customer's service history from the back-office customer account package. Small businesses are waking up to the advantages of CRM solutions that integrate with their PCs. The Internet, Email, IVR, voice and interactive TV have sparked a seismic shift towards web-enabled call centres, opening up new dimensions in offering good service.
Telephony CTI - Computer Integration
The term used to describe the linking of the telephone system with a computer or network. The classic CTI application is "screen popping", which uses CLI to identify the caller and display his/her database records on the screen before the call is answered. CTI also enables calls to be made directly from a contact management package by simply clicking the call button.
D
DDI - Direct Dial Inwards
A key ISDN feature is the ability to assign individual phone numbers (DDI numbers) to extensions and departments, allowing callers to dial them directly without having to go through the operator.
DECT - Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony
DECT cordless handsets provide wireless communication within an office or company premises. The handsets can be fully integrated with the company phone system, allowing users to make, take and transfer calls securely as they move around the premises.
DPNSS - Digital Private Network Signalling System
A private networking standard developed by BT and other PBX suppliers, which allows full feature access to be provided between PBX's in private networks.
DSS - Direct Station Select
A button on a terminal that can be used to direct dial a person or extension associated with that button.
DTMF - Dual Tone Multi Frequency
Signalling that is the basis for the operation of pushbutton telephone sets. Dialled numbers are transmitted as tones rather than electronic pulses. This is particularly useful for access to supplementary services (e.g. voice-mail and auto attendants).
E
Ethernet
A common method of networking computers in a LAN. There is more than one type of Ethernet (See LAN).
Euro ISDN
A name for ISDN as defined by the relevant European ETSI standards.
Extranet
AN Intranet that is accessible to computers that are not physically part of the company's own private network, for example, to allow vendors and business partners to access a company's web site, and are not accessible to the public.
F
Firewall
A security system that prevents computers on one network from communicating directly with computers on another network. Instead, all communications are routed through a proxy server, which determines whether a particular message or file may pass to or from the host.
G
Gateway
A hardware or software set up that translates two dissimilar protocols; for example, AOL has a gateway that translates between its internal proprietary email format and Internet email format. Another meaning is the description of any mechanism for providing access to another system.
H
Hyper LAN
A wireless LAN protocol developed by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standard Institute) akin to 802.11. There are two types of Hyper LAN, both operating in the 5GHz band. Hyper LAN/1 provides data-rates up to 20 mbps and Hyper Lan/2 data rates up to 54 Mbps.
Host
Any computer on a network that is a repository for services available to other computers. It is common to have one host machine provide several services, such as SMTP (email) and HTTP (Web).
HTML - Hypertext Mark-up Language
A language used for creating documents for the World Wide Web. HTML uses special codes that tell Web browsers how to display elements, such as text and images in a document.
I
Internet Services Providers (ISP's)
An Internet Service Provider maintains a server that is directly connected to the Internet. Unless you are directly connected to the Internet, you must connect through a service provider. Connecting to a service provider entails calling the provider and setting up a PPP account.
IP - Internet Protocol
The signalling standard used to transmit data across the Internet and LANs. IP uses packet switching techniques to send data in small chunks (packets).
Intranet
A private network, inside a company or organisation that uses the same kind of software that you would find on the public Internet, but which is only for internal use.
IP Telephony
The use of IP signalling methods to send voice traffic across a data network. Voice signals are broken down into packets and reassembled at the receiving end. This eliminates the need for separate voice and data networks by converging all traffic on one network.
IP Gateway - VoIP Gateway
A gateway, for an existing telephone system, which converts normal circuit-switched telephony traffic into IP for transmission over a data network, such as private data network between two sites.
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
ISDN is a dial up digital public network for voice and data communications with charges based on line rental and usage. ISDN provides a number of advanced telephony services, such as CLI and DDI, which form the basis of today's advanced telephony applications. It is available in two forms: Basic Rate ISDN2e (2 channels) and Primary Rate ISDN30e (30 channels).
IVR - Interactive Voice Response
IVR systems allow routine transactions, such as requests for literature or information to be handled automatically by using voice recognition or phone keypad operations.
L
LAN - Local Area Network
A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building.
LAN Interconnection
Using ISDN, an organisation can connect LANs at different locations into a WAN (Wide Area Network) on a dial up basis, without the need for a permanent, expensive, leased data link.
LAN telephony
The convergence of voice and data on a LAN, eliminating the need for separate voice and data networks within an organisation.
Leased Line
A Telephone line or fibre optic cable that is rented for exclusive 24/7 use from your location to another location. The highest speed data connections require a leased line.
M
MOH - Music on Hold
Music on Hold is provided as standard on the majority of modern telephone systems. Some systems allow an external music source to be connected.
N
Network
Any time you connect two or more computers together, so that they can share resources, you have a network.
P
Packet Switching
The method used to move data and voice around a network. In packet switching, all the data is broken up into chunks - each chunk has the address of where it came from and where it is going. This enables chunks of data from many different sources to coexist on the same lines and be sorted and directed along different routes by special machines along the way. In this way, many people can use the same lines at the same time.
Point of Presence
A Point of Presence usually means a city or location to which a network can be connected, often with dial up phone lines.
Portal
Usually used as a marketing term to describe a web site that is, or is intended to be, the first place people see when they are using the Web. Typically, a Portal site has a catalogue of web sites, a search engine or both. A Portal site may also offer Email and other services to entice people to use this site as their main "point of entry" to the web.
Predictive Dialling
A third party CTI application, predictive dialling removes all dialling responsibilities from an agent. Once a call has been completed, the software automatically dials the next number on the agent's call list.
PRI
Primary Rate ISDN (ISDN30e) provides up to 30 "B" channels, giving users 30 lines that can be used for any combination of voice data and video.
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network
The regular, old-fashioned telephone system.
Q
Qos - Quality of Service
Used to provide acceptable voice quality across IP networks.
QSIG
The protocol for networking telecommunications systems from different manufacturers.
R
Router
A special purpose computer or software package that handles the connection between two or more packet switched networks. Routers spend all their time looking at the source and destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.
S
S Bus
A device used to connect data terminals, such as video conference units, to ISDN lines.
Server
A computer or software package that provides a specific kind of service to client software, running on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of software or to the machine on which the software is running. A single server machine can have several different server software packages running on it, thus providing many different services to the client.
SIP - Session Initiation Protocol
An Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard, SIP is an open, Internet genuine protocol for establishing and maintaining multi-party, mixed media sessions over converged networks. SIP enables the creation and deployment of feature rich services that go far beyond simple VoIP calls.
Soft PBX
This is the term used to describe a software application that provides server based telephony. Performing similar functions to a hardware PBX, soft PBXs offer a range of PBX functions, voice-mail and integration with other server based applications, such as Unified Messaging and contact management systems.
Structured Cabling
A structured cabling system comprises standard-compliant components, such as wall outlets and connections, and the cable itself. The cable is likely to be Category 5e UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) copper cabling along the floor, often leading to multimode fibre optic cable in the backbone or vertical riser of the building. Category 5 is currently installed in most buildings that have a structured cabling system. Category 5e is being heralded as the solution guaranteeing access to broadband technologies and is fast becoming the cable of choice. Category 6 is today's premium UTP cabling and supports even more bandwidth and even faster speeds.
T
TAPI - Telephone Application Programme Interface
Developed by Microsoft, 1st and 3rd party TAPI are the standard interfaces for CTI applications.
U
Unified Messaging
Unified Messaging (UM) systems provide one centralized mailbox for email, voice and fax messages. All message types can be viewed, replied to, saved or deleted in the same Inbox using a familiar message management system such as Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes.
UPS - Uninterrupted Power Supply
A UPS will protect your IT and communications when the power has failed or if there is a dip or temporary drop out, but in most cases that is all it is designed to do. Unless there are other protection devices fitted to the UPS, it will not protect against surges or from damage than can be caused by harmonic distortion on the LV network.
V
Video Conferencing
The video conferencing market essentially splits into three broad segments - endpoints, infrastructure and installation - with further segmentation in the endpoint (personal, set-top and group systems) and the infrastructure (i.e. H320, H323, gateways, gatekeepers) sectors. Increasingly, video conferencing is being merged into a broader market, called digital video communications, with major manufacturers now moving to supply video, audio and data communications in integrated packages to companies moving away from ISDN systems towards IP networks.
VPN - Virtual Private Networks
This usually refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet. However, the voice and data sent across the Internet is encrypted, so the entire network is "virtually" private. Organisations with offices in more than one location can link phone systems in a VPN and by using a linked numbering plan, a staff member in one location can dial a colleague at another office just by dialling their extension number.
Voice-Mail
Voice-mail systems allow callers to leave voice messages in individual mailboxes. Messages can be retrieved remotely.
VoIP (Voice over IP)
The transmission of voice traffic over a wide area network or the Internet using the IP signalling standard (See IP Gateway).
Speeds.
W
WAN - Wide Area Network
Any Internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building or site.
Web Browser
This is an application, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, that enables you to view web pages on the World Wide Web on another network or on your computer. A browser also enables you to jump from one web page to another by following links and to download files from the Internet to your own computer.
Wireless Local Area Network
The WLAN is the wireless extension to the wired LAN. More and more organisations have people on the road that need touchdown areas in the office and wireless is the easiest way to facilitate this. There is also the roaming factor, where people need to wander within a building and need access to central systems. The standard on which most WLANs are currently based is 802.11b. It is a revision of 802.22 standard allowing data rates up to 11 Mbps in the 2.4 Ghz ISM band.
Wireless Wide Area Network
Companies with more than one building on a campus or in close proximity in a city can use Wi-Fi technology - or higher frequency, high-speed radio technologies - to build wireless "bridges" between sites. |
