- ADSL - Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line
- A Broadband technology that delivers high data transfer speeds over existing phone lines.
- Analogue Lines
- This was the original, and still is the common telephone line for many small systems, however some of today's modern telephony systems are moving from traditional analogue to more cost effective digital alternatives such as ISDN. Analogue lines are rented, if you rent 3 analogue lines then 3 members of your company can speak to 3 separate outside destinations all at the same time. If you have 3 analogue lines, yet only require one telephone number for your company, then you simply request 1 line and 2 auxiliary lines. Don't forget to allow lines for fax machines and franking machines etc.
- Analogue Phones
- Analogue phones, otherwise known as POTS (Plain Old Telephone System), are basic telephone system phones that allow calls to be placed and received by routing them through the public switched network.
- ACD - Automated Call Distribution
- ACD enables you to quickly and cost-effectively introduce a range of sophisticated call management techniques that will allow you to prioritise calls so that existing or high value customers are placed at the head of the queue, identify types of call and direct them to the most appropriately skilled agent, set up intelligent announcements to advise callers of their place in the queue and the estimated time to answer. ACD is a popular software solution for call centre environments as it provides statistics that can be incorporated into intelligent management reports.
- ATM - Asynchronous Transfer Mode
- A transmission and switching technique capable of supporting voice, video and data (Multimedia) communications. It is unique in that each piece of information is addressed and is of the same length. This allows very high-speed communications.
- Auto Attendant
- An automated answering system that uses prompts to direct callers to the correct department or extension - e.g. "For Support press 1".
- Backbone
- A high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network. The term is relative since a backbone in a small network will probably be much smaller than many non-backbone lines in a large network.
- Bandwidth
- How much you can send through a connection. Usually measured in bits per second. A full page of English text is roughly 16,000 bits. A fast modem can move about 57,000 bits per second whereas full-motion, full screen video would require some 10,000,000 bits per second, depending on compression.
- BRI - Basic Rate ISDN2
- BRI 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 at speeds of 64Kbps, this represents a data transfer rate of 128Kbps.
- Call forwarding
- A feature of telephone systems which allows incoming calls to be diverted automatically to a different number, for example a mobile phone or a home office.
- Call Management
- Call Management is a software client/server application that links to you r telephone system and collects real-time call data such as, number of calls waiting, number of available agents, number of abandoned calls, time of oldest call waiting, speed of answer and average talk time. Typically used within call centre environments, Call Management provides a means for managing call traffic and producing monthly reports, it is a graphical, PC-based call reporting and administration application that makes it easy to collect, display and analyse real-time abd historical data that can help you run operations more efficiently.
- Call Recording
- Call recording allows you to record a telephone conversations for later playback and analysis. Conversations are recorded to a storage medium, often a hard disc on a PC or a network device. Typically, the voice recorded files are saved in Windows .wav formats making them easy to use. There are many uses that voice recording can be put to, Solicitors, Call Centre Supervisors, Doctors, Insurance Brokers and Accountants can all benefit from this facility.
- Client
- A software programme that is used to contact and obtain data from a server programme on another computer. Each client programme is designed to work with one or more specific kinds of server programme, and each server requires a specific kind of client. A web browser is a specific kind of client.
- CEM - Customer Experience Management
- Software solutions that improve the effectiveness and performance of employees with in customer service and contact centre environments. Performance management and eLearning packages which identify individual learning needs and offer immediate eLearning solutions to enhance the customer's experience.
- CLI - Call Line Identity
- One of the key ISDN features, CLI displays the phone number of the caller on the answering phone's display. CLI alpha tagging also shows the callers name and company. CLI is the enabling feature of many computer telephony integration systems.
- CRM - Customer Relationship Management
- 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 packages. 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 a new dimension in offering good service.
- CTI - Computer Telephony 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 system. before the call is answered. CTI also enables calls to be made directly from a contact management package by simply clicking the call button. There are two types of CTI: first party CTI, a standalone solution that requires each PC to be connected to a telephone, and third party CTI, a multiple terminal solution requiring a single link between the telephone system and the network.
- DDI - Direct Dial Inwards
- A key ISDN feature giving you the ability to assign individual phone numbers (DDI Numbers) to extensions and departments, enabling callers to dial them directly without having to go through the operator.
- Digital Cordless Phones
- Digital cordless phones now have lots of features, many the same as those we have come to rely upon with our mobile phones. Cordless phones can easily be plugged into your analogue or digital phone sockets or telephone system extensions boxes.
- DECT - Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony
- DECT handsets provide wireless communications 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 PBXs in private networks.
- DTMF - Dual Tone Multi Frequency
- Signalling which 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. voicemail and auto attendants).
- Encryption
- A method used to secure data that is transferred over the Internet by scrambling it in such a way that only the intended recipient of the message can read its contents.
- 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 a company's own private network, but that is not accessible to the general public - for example, to allow vendors and business partners to access a company web site.
- Firewall
- A security system that prevents computers on a network from communicating directly with computers on another network. Instead, all communication is routed through a proxy server, which determines whether a particular message or file may pass to or from the host.
- Gateway
- A hardware or software set up that translates between two dissimilar protocols, for example AOL has a gateway that translates between its internal, propriety e-mail format ant Internet e-mail format. Another meaning is describe any mechanism for providing access to another system.
- HiperLAN
- A wireless LAN protocol developed by ETSI akin to 802.11. There are two types of HiperLAN, both operating in the 5GHz band. HiperLAN/1 provides data-rates up to 20 Mbps and HiperLAN/2 rates up to 54Mbps.
- Host
- Any computer or 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 (e-mail) and HTTP (web).
- HTML - HyperText Markup Language
- A language used for creating documents for the World Wide Web. HTML uses special code that tells web browsers how to display elements such as text and images in a document.
- 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).
- IP Phones
- IP phones/handsets generally offer all the powerful performance features that you get with other types of desktop phones, whilst allowing you to benefit from all the advantages of tapping into an IP-based solution. IP phones are an efficient tool for demanding individual users who are often on the move.
- 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 a 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 ISDN 2 (2 channels) and Primary Rate ISDN 30 (30 channels).
- ISDN 2
- ISDN 2 is a digital solution that gives you voice, data and fast access to the Internet for two to eight users. The connection offers speeds of up to twice as fast as an analogue modem when two channels are combined. One of the major benefits of ISDN is the compatibility with most of today's existing telephone/communications infrastructures which allows businesses to benefit from simultaneous use of the telephone and Internet at the same time. Charges for ISDN are based on line rental and levels of usage, there are a range of suppliers to choose from all with varying price tariffs.
- ISDN 30
- ISDN 30 is a sophisticated digital solution which enhances your voice, data and Internet access for between eight to thirty users. The connection offers speeds up to twice as fast as an analogue modem.ISDN30 offers clear, secure digital line of voice traffic and can be used to send data over a secure connection to other PCs. Charges are based on line rental and usage, there are a range of suppliers to choose from all with varying price tariffs.
- IVR - Interactive Voice Response
- IVR systems automate routine transactions, such as requests for literature or information by using voice recognition or phone keypad operations.
- ISPs - Internet Service Providers
- An Internet Service Provider maintains a server that is directly connected to the Internet. You must connect through a service provider unless you are directly connected to the Internet. Connecting to a service provider entails calling the provider and setting up a PPP account.
- Intranet
- A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same kinds 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.
- JavaScript
- A programming language that is mostly used in web pages, usually to add features that make the pages more interactive. When it is included in an HTML file it relies upon the browser to interpret the JavaScript. When it is combined with CSS, and later versions of HTML (4.0 and later) the result is often called DHTML (Dynamic HTML).
- JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
- JPEG is most commonly mentioned as a file format is preferred to the GIF format for image files. JPEG ft for photographic images as opposed to line art or simple logo art.
- Kilobyte
- A thousand bytes (Usually 1024 bytes).
- 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 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
- Lines such as telephone lines or fibre optic cables are rented for exclusive 24/7 use from your location to another location. The highest speed data connections require a leased line.
- MOH - Music on Hold
- A MOH system plays a pre-recorded program for callers to listen to while they are on hold. You can choose to have the system play music, a voice message, or a combination of both. The average length of a program is 4-6 minutes. If you prefer you can also choose to broadcast a local radio station. In terms of equipment an MOH system consists of a device that is plugged into your phone system that resembles a tape or CD player. MOH systems can be connected to nearly all office phone systems. Connections are less common, however, with smaller KSU-less phone systems.
- Network
- Any time you connect two or more computers together so that they can share resources, you have a computer network.
- NIC - Network Information Centre
- Generally, any office that handles information for a network. The most famous of these on the Internet was InterNIC, which was where most new domain names were registered until that process was decentralised to a number of private companies. Also means "Network Interface Card" which is the card in a computer into which you plug a network cable.
- Operator Console
- The Telephone Operator connects callers, handles messages, locates staff, dials destinations and welcomes visitors to reception. These tasks can be performed effortlessly with the introduction of Operator Console hardware. It is easy to use, with an easy to learn graphical user interface with icons, extensive and flexible name directories and a range of message facilities. Operator Console allows your telephone operator to combine call handling with other office applications.
- Outside Exchange Lines
- Your telephone system lines will be connected to a local exchange, the quantity of outside exchange lines needed is dependant upon your specific requirements and the number of users within your office these lines could be digital i.e. ISDN 2, ISDN 30 or analogue. It is best to discuss this with your chosen supplier as it is possible that they can also help you ensure that all your existing lines are working cost effectively.
- Open Source Software
- Open Source Software is software for which the underlying programming is available to the users so that they may read it, make changes to it, and build new versions of the software to incorporate those changes. There are many types of open source software, mainly differing in the licensing term under which (altered) copies of the source may (or must) be redistributed.
- 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 co-mingle 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 where a network can be connected to, 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 e-mail and other services to entice people to use that 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
- PRI 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 - as if you didn't know!
- QoS - Quality of Service
- Used to provide acceptable voice quality across IP networks.
- Q.Sig
- Q.Sig is a protocol for networking telecom systems from different manufacturers.
- 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 t the source and destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.
- Soft PBX
- 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, voicemail and integration with other server based applications such as Unified Messaging and contact management systems.
- S Bus
- Device used to connect data terminal such as video conferencing 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 clients on the network.
- SIP - Session Initiation Protocol
- An 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.
- Structured Cabling
- A structured Cabling system comprising of standards-compliant components, such as wall outlets and connections, and the cable itself, which is likely to be Category 5e UTP 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 heralded as the solution guaranteeing access to broadband technologies and is fast becoming the cabling of choice.
Category 6 is today's premium UTP cabling and supports even more bandwidth and even faster speeds.
- TAPI - Telephone Application Program Interface
- Developed by Microsoft, 1st and 3rd party TAPI are the standard interface for CTI applications.
- Telephone Extensions
- The number of extensions you require will typically be based on the number of staff you have that need desktop phones. It is wise to take slightly more than you may currently need to allow room for expansion.
- UM - Unified Messaging
- UM systems provide one centralised mailbox for all e-mail, 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 comms when the power has failed or if there is a dip or temporary drop out, but in most cases that's all it is designed to do. Unless there are other protection devices fitted to the UPS then it won't protect against surges or from damage that can be caused by harmonic distortion on the LV network.
- 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, videoconferencing 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 and to move their offerings away from ISDN systems towards IP networks.
- VPN - Virtual Private Network
- Usually refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet, but 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. Using a linked numbering plan, a staff member in one location can dial a colleague at another office just by dialling their extension number.
- Voicemail
- A voicemail system provided an individual answering service for each member of staff. It allows callers to leave voice messages in individual mailboxes when people are away from their desks, out of the office or engaged on another call. Messages can be retrieved internally through your desktop phone, or externally if you are absent from your office.
- VoIP - Voice over IP
- VoIp eliminates the need for separate voice and data networks by converging all traffic into one network. Both voice and data traffic can be transmitted over a common IP network to provide companies with fully integrated communications. Adopting VoIP can offer your company a variety of benefits such as improved communication between offices and remote locations, the ability to introduce new network applications and make significant cost savings through more effective use of your company's network.
You should consider purchasing an IP-based telephone system if you wish to network multiple offices using PBX-to-PBX communications, if you have or want just one infrastructure that can support voice and data between two or more locations, want a smooth migration toward VoIP and investment protection, would like to allow remote workers to become part of the centralised telephone system and share common functionality, or if you are looking to carry out a major upgrade to your existing data network.
- WAN - Wide Area Network
- Any Internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building or site.
- Web Browser
- 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 computer.
- Wireless LAN
- The wireless extension to the wired LAN is a growing market. More organisations have people on the road that need touchdown areas in the office. Wireless is the easiest way to facilitate this. There is also the roaming factor where people need to roam within buildings and need access to central systems.
- Wireless Standards
- The standard on which most WLANs are currently based is 802.11b. It is a revision of the 802.11 standard allowing data rates up to 11Mbps in the 2.4GHz ISM band.
802.11a - A revision of 802.11 that operates in the unlicensed 5 GHz band and allows transmission rates of 54Mbps. 802.11a uses OFDM as opposed to FHSS or DSSS. Higher data rates are available by combining channels. Due to higher frequency, range is less than lower frequency systems and can increase the cost of the overall solution because a greater number of access points may be required. 802.11a is not directly compatible with 802.11b or 802.11g networks. Multi mode NICs will solve this problem.
802.11g - An extension to 802.11b, 802.11g will broaden 802.11b's data rates to 54Mbps within the 2.4GHz band using OFDM technology. An 802.11b radio card will interface directly with an 802.11g access point (and vice versa) at 11Mbps or lower depending on range. Range at 54Mbps is less than 802.11b access points operating at 11Mbps.
- WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy
- A security protocol for WLANs. WEP was intended to provide the same level of security as that of a wired LAN. However, it has been found that WEP is not as secure as once believed. WEP is used at the two lowest layers of the OSI and it therefore does not offer end-to-end security.
- Wi-Fi - Wireless Fidelity
- Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliances (WECA) brand identity for the IEEE 802.11b standard; WECA certification that ensures a product's compatibility.
- Wi-Fi5
- Refers to WLAN products based upon the 802.11a specification operating in the 5GHx radio frequency band. Only products that have passed WECA interoperability testing are allowed to display the Wi-Fi5 certification logo.
- 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, higher speed radio technologies - to build wireless 'bridges' between sites.
- XML - eXtensible Markup Language
- A widely used system for defining data formats. XML provides a very rich system to define complex documents and data structures such as invoices, molecular data, news feeds and so on. As long as a programmer has the XML definition for a collection of data (often called a schema) then they can create a programme to reliably process any data formatted according to those rules.
