The advent of new technologies has created dozens of new terms and acronyms. Prior to the internet wireless and high speed communications, "fax" and "vcr" were the buzzwords of the day. Now it seems that terms and acronyms enter our vocabulary almost on a monthly basis. Here is a short list of telecom and technology terms and acronyms that are essential lingo in today's telecom and technoworld.

HTML - Hypertext Markup Language. The authoring language used to create web pages for the World Wide Web. HTML identifies each element of information in a document using HTML "tags" surrounded by the < and > signs. HTML also allows for links to other webpages on the same server or somewhere else on the internet. The software (browsers or email programs) then converts the contents to a suitable format for viewing. (This newsletter is written in HTML!)


Frame Relay - The emerging standard for high-speed data communications, offering users transmission speeds of 2.048 megabits per second and higher. It allows faster speeds than the X.25 packet switching standard because it does away with elaborate error-correction and routing information. Its main application is interconnecting local area networks.

RBOC - Regional Bell Operating Company There are seven (also known as Baby Bells) which own the local exchange carriers in the US following the divestiture/breakup of AT&T ('Ma Bell') in 1984.

Broadband

1. Transmission system that multiplexes multiple independent signals onto one cable.

2. Telecommunications terminology: Any channel having a bandwidth greater than a voice-grade channel (4 kHz).

3. LAN terminology: A coaxial cable on which analog signaling is used. Also called wideband.


Bluetooth - A short-range wireless connection standard. Its aim is to link a wide range of computers, electronics and telecoms devices. The technology uses a low-power, two-way radio link, which is built into a microchip. The Bluetooth standard is allowing for greater wireless internet capability in the office and for consumers.


PBX - PBX Private Branch Exchange Digital or analog telephone switchboard located on the customer premises and used to connect private and public telephone networks.


VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol
A category of hardware and software that allows people to use the Internet to make telephone calls. Currently, VoIP does not offer the same quality of telephone service as direct telephone connections. Also known as Internet telephony, and Voice over the Internet.

CSR - A CSR (commonly know as a Customer Service Record) is a copy of how your telephone records appear in your local carriers database. It contains information items and charges such as: type of service, federal access charge, number portability charge, calling blocks on the line, 911 charge, etc. It is the "snapshot" of your entire service for each line.

CLEC - Short for Competitive Local Exchange Carrier. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 opened the door to competition for local phone service. This act mandated that the Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILEC) such as Verizon, Bell South, or SBC provide the necessary interfaces so that CLECs could provide seamless local service. For example, Covad Communications is a CLEC.

LATA - Local Access and Transport Area is a term in the U.S. for a geographic area covered by one or more local telephone companies, which are legally referred to as local exchange carriers (LECs). A connection between two local exchanges within the LATA is referred to as intraLATA. A connection between a carrier in one LATA to a carrier in another LATA is referred to as interLATA. InterLATA is long-distance service. The current rules for permitting a company to provide intraLATA or interLATA service (or both) are based on the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

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