Telecoms glossary for start-ups part I
When SMEs start to buy Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – and indeed, other aspects of business telecommunications – vendors and service providers have a habit of throwing jargon at them, all of which can contribute to confusion.
Managed voice and data services provider 8el works with many UK businesses to provide them with communications and has prepared this glossary of common terms and phrases.
Access – used to describe the part of the wide area (external) network or Internet connection that is concerned with linking the customer to the core.
ADSL – Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Lines are a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines, it is commonly known as broadband. ADSL is described as an asymmetric technology because the download speed is faster than the upload speed.
ATM – Asynchronous Transfer Mode: the initial network technology that underpins converged telecoms networks, and which although still in place, is rapidly being replaced with IP based technologies.
Broadband – refers to the connection used to connect sites to a network. In the UK, broadband is predominately delivered over BT copper lines or cable operators fibre connections.
Carrier – another term used to describe the telecom companies who own and/or operate the public or wide area networks. Typical examples include BT, Cable & Wireless and 8el.
CLI – Call Line Identification – that handy tool that gives you the number associated with an incoming call. This is used to lookup and display names in the address books rather than numbers.
Cloud – what service providers often talk about when referring to their core networks, particularly in a managed network.
DDI (Direct Dialling Inward) – enables inbound numbers to call users, bypassing the switchboard.
Fibre – fibre optic networks provide high speed, high bandwidth connectivity. Cable networks are already built using fibre, as well as some wide area telecom networks. Use of fibre is likely to increase.
Fixed line telephony – simply the name that service providers use when referring to lines that are permanently installed (e.g . overhead or underground) – as opposed to mobiles.
Follow me Service – this redirects your call to another telephone number, such as a mobile phone or a different extension, office or even location. It means that when the recipient is moving to another location, they will still be able to receive calls.
IP - Internet Protocol is the method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on the Internet. It has had as much impact in the world of telephony as it has in the internet environment. IP enables ‘any to any’ communications, meaning that two devices can communicate without prior arrangement. It is also highly flexible, allowing for a whole raft of more advanced and interactive services to be created.
IP Centrex – Centrex has been provided by carriers for many years. It basically refers to provision of the kind of services businesses are used to with phone systems, but instead of needing a box installed at the customer’s site, the service is managed by the provider.
IP Centrex is a further development, using the flexibility of IP-based technology to provide a greater range of more sophisticated services. Furthermore, since the network is managed by the provider, as they develop new features and functions, then these are available to customers as a simple software upgrade.
IP PBX – an internet-based version of a standard PBX. An IP PBX is typically a combination of software and hardware (i.e. a computer server) connected to external lines. IP PBXs can provide all the functionality of a traditional PBX and more. However, like PBXs they do have their limitations – e.g. if the lines go down, then there are no alternative routing options.
IP Phones – these are telephones designed to be used specifically with a VoIP service. Certain models can also carry traditional PABX services too. For instance, 8el provides IP phones that enable the user to switch between VoIP and PABX services (in some cases, companies choose to continue with their legacy PABX while gradually phasing in use of VoIP services).
ISDN – Integrated Subscriber Digital Network lines, designed to allow digital transmission of voice and data traffic via a single or multiple bonded channels..
Key Phone Systems – these phones are in effect mini-PBXs and are what many small companies use instead of a full-scale PBX. A key phone system will have direct connections to external lines (i.e. no need to dial ‘9’ for an outside line) and the ability to transfer and hold calls. Lights on the phone indicate who is engaged and which lines are ringing. This functionality can now be ported to IP phones.
Click here for part II in this series
You can find out more about managed VoIP services for your business at www.8el.com
