An automated system designed to guide a caller through the options of a voice menu. Typically set to answer and route incoming calls.

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1 Jargon Buster Access Server An Access Server or Network Access Server connects devices to a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN). Internet Service Providers are able to provide customers with Internet connectivity using the Access Server. The server provides user authentication and permits the flow between the user host and hosts. Active Directory The Active Directory provides information on objects including services, resources and users. The AD allows the control of security settings and access to the objects. ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) uses existing copper telephone lines to send and receive data at speeds that far exceed conventional dial-up modems. The technology is used to provide high-speed Internet access along the same line used for voice or telephony services. ADSL maximum data transfer rates differ for uploading and downloading data. Analogue Line See PSTN. Anonymous Call Rejection Rejects calls where the caller withholds their number. Answer 1571 Takes messages for you when you are unavailable or your line is engaged. Auto Attendant An automated system designed to guide a caller through the options of a voice menu. Typically set to answer and route incoming calls. Backbone The backbone of a network refers to infrastructure that interconnects multiple networks and provides a route for the high-speed exchange of data between different networks. The backbone can interconnect different networks of dispersed devices in offices for example. Local Area Networks can be interconnected over a backbone to provide a Wide Area Network.

2 Bandwidth Bandwidth refers to the size of a data connection s capacity. Bandwidth is usually measured in kilobits per second (Kbps), Megabits per second (Mbps) or Gigabits per second (Gbps). Circuit (access), a physical circuit is a wire or a part of a wire which provides a communications route between two or more points on a network. The circuit, sometimes described as a local loop connects a customer premise to a switch, router, multiplexer, or other device at the edge of a carrier or service provider network. Bar Use of Call Return Means callers to your number cannot use the Call Return option (i.e. pressing '5' if you are engaged so that it calls them back). BRI Stands for Basic Rate Interface see ISDN2e. Broadband A term used to describe fast internet access. Wide bandwidth which can be either ADSL or SDSL. ADSL can suffer from vast bandwidth changes (see also Contention Ratio). Call Barring Stops certain calls being made from your phone. Call Deflection Enables incoming calls to be identified and then forwarded to another destination before answering the call. Alternatively, incoming calls can be automatically forwarded to selected destinations dependent on their calling line identity. Call Diversion Allows you to divert calls to almost any phone - anywhere in the UK, most overseas destinations or a mobile phone! Caller Display Displays the number calling you (on an Analogue line only). Calling Line Identity Presentation (CLIP) Lets you see the number of the person calling before you pick up the phone, enabling you to greet the caller in an appropriate manner (on an ISDN line only). Calling Line Identity Restriction (CLIR) This prevents your directory number from being released at any time. It is useful if you don't want people to call you back, i.e. if you are running an outbound telemarketing campaign.

3 Call Forwarding Automatically transfers incoming calls to a different location, e.g. if moved to a different exchange area. Can either be admin provided or customer controlled. Call Hold A service feature that enables a user to retain an existing call, while accepting or originating another call using the same handset or phone device. The held call is tied to the handset that placed the call on hold and, therefore, can only be taken out of hold from the same handset. Call Minder Like Answer 1571, with the additional advantage of remote access and the option of having personalised messages. Call Park A service feature that allows a user to place an active call on 'hold' at one telephone handset and then retrieve the call, from any other handset within the same phone network. The call is effectively placed in a 'parking bay' and is allocated a parking bay number, e.g Users can then pick up another handset on the same network and type in the bay number to retrieve the held call. Caller Redirect (CNI) A recorded announcement on a ceased line advising the caller of the new number to dial. This is a chargeable service. Call Return A service that will call your phone to let you know when an engaged number becomes free. Normally activated by pressing '5' when you reach an engaged number. Call Sign Allows you to distinguish between incoming calls on the same line. Call Transfer A service feature that allows a user to place a call on hold whilst, simultaneously, transferring the call to another destination. The destination can typically be both an internal or external telephone. Call Waiting Tells you if someone is trying to call when you re already on the phone. Choose To Refuse Enables you to bar the telephone number of the last answered incoming call.

4 Cloud Computing Cloud Computing refers to a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet rather than a local server or computer which are used to process, manage and store data. Cloud Computing is broken down into three common service levels: SaaS, PaaS and IaaS. See definitions. Collocation Collocation is where an organization houses its servers in a server room in a third party data centre and uses a service provider for the provision of network connections, such as Internet leased lines to several servers which are housed together in a server room. Connected Line Identity Presentation (COLP) Allows you to see the number of the line that you have been connected to. Connected Line Identity Restriction (COLR) Restricts the access of incoming callers to your identity. Contention Ratio A term used to describe the number of individual Broadband customers connecting to a single internet node at the local public exchange. High contentions ratios will cause vast speed differences depending on time of day and number local users on line. Beware of the 4pm school rush! Convergence IP convergence is the consolidation of networks (e.g. voice, data, video) into a single platform lowering the cost of networks and communications. DDI DDI allows users to rent individual phone numbers without the need to rent individual lines. A single phone line is allocated to a range of numbers saving the expense of having a separate phone line for each number. DECT Stands for Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications. A technology used to link cordless mobile handsets to a wired telephone system. DEL Stands for Direct Exchange Line see PSTN. Directory Enquiries Only (DQR) Not in the BT Phone Book, but is held on Directory Enquiries (118 services).

5 Ethernet Demarcation Device (EDD) An Ethernet Demarcation Device enables Ethernet services to enterprises and business subscribers. Owned by service providers and located at the customer premises, it provides a clear demarcation point between customer and service provider networks. As well as delivering managed services to customers with Quality of Service (QoS) control for each service, these devices have all the necessary carrier-class management and Operations, Administrations and Management functions essential for service providers to monitor network health and performance up to the demarcation point. Ethernet Ethernet describes the physical network that carries data traffic. The most commonly used technology for implementing Local Area Networks (LANs) Ethernet, is used to define how data is transmitted between computer devices. Computers, printers and devices are connected to each other through the hub/switch/bridge using cables in a star-like or a bus-like configuration. Ethernet initially supported a theoretical data rate of 10 megabits per second but today can extend to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps). Ethernet VPN Ethernet VPN is a group of technologies used to provide Virtual Private Network services over the Internet between the Ethernet LANs. One of the Ethernet VPN technologies is based on Virtual Private LAN Services (VLPS) and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), which provides more benefits than other alternative Layer 2 or 3 VPN technologies. Exchange Line See PSTN. Ex Directory - Calls Offered (XDCO) Not in the BT Phone Book, and not disclosed by Directory Enquiries. The operator will offer to call the customer for persistent enquiries. Please note that this is a chargeable service. Ex Directory - No Calls Offered (XDNC) Not in the BT Phone Book or held on Directory Enquiries. Feature line A BT specific service running over the PSTN. Designed for small companies (typically max 3 users), it is a dated product that provides limited basic PBX functionality requiring one dedicated phone line per user. Feature line is not considered to be cost effective for 4 or more users. Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC) This is a generic term for any broadband service that uses fibre optic cable, in place of traditional copper wiring, to connect a telephone exchange to the 'green cabinets' in the surrounding roads. This means that copper wires are only used in the last few hundred metres between a green cabinet and a customer's premises. Unlike copper, fibre does not suffer from signal loss over distance and so provides much faster download and upload bandwidth speeds.

6 Fibre Optics Fibre Optics is a method for the transmission of data using optic Fibre cable and light. Light is transmitted over high purity, hair-thin fibres of glass. The bandwidth capacity of Fibre optic cable is much greater than that of conventional cable or copper wire. Firewall A firewall is a protective security screen (hardware or software) that aims to protect network devices from hostile intrusion, viruses or malicious activity over the network. A corporate network s traffic flows through the firewall and access to a corporate or private network is granted or denied. Gigabits per Second (Gbps) Gbps is a measure of the speed of data transfer in networking. Gigabit Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet is a transmission technology based on the Ethernet protocol with speed tenfold over the fast Ethernet supporting a theoretical maximum data rate of 1000 Mbps or 1 Gbps. Ethernet operates at Layers 1 and 2 of the 7-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) networking model, delivering its data packets to any device connected to the network cable. Hosted Telephony Hosted Telephony is an Internet Protocol (IP) based phone system which is hosted in a service provider s data centre removing the need for phone system hardware. Customer profiles are controlled via web-based browsers and can be edited by the end-user via an Internet connection. Hunt Group Multiple phones allocated to a single extension number which enable a call to be answered by any one person within a group. Calls will generally hunt from one phone to another until answered. ICT Stands for Information and Communication Technology. Equipment such as computers, the Internet, CD-ROMS and other software. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) a network technology that provides digital transfer of simultaneous voice and data traffic and works over ordinary telephone lines. Local Area Network (LAN) A LAN is a data network connecting devices including computers, printers and servers in one location for fast and secure internal communication.

7 IP Address Internet Protocol Address (or IP Address) is a unique address in number format which every computer device has. The IP address enables computer devices to communicate with each other over an IP network or the Internet. In order for data to be sent from one computer to another over the Internet, a data packet must be transferred across the network containing the IP addresses of both devices. The unique IP address allows data to reach the right destination. IP Telephony (also see Hosted Telephony) Using Internet Protocol as a method of carrying voice calls. With IP, voice communications (in the form of IP packets) are routed directly from the origin to destination devices. IPv4 and IPv6 Internet Protocol Version 4(IPv4), is the most commonly used numbering system used to create IP addresses. IPv4 employs 32-bits of recombined digits and has a maximum of 4.3 billion possible addresses. IPv6 is a newer system for the creation of IP addresses. It uses 128 bits instead of 32 bits for its addresses, creating trillions of new IPv6 addresses, enough to support the demand for IP addresses for some expected time to come. ISDN (provided in two formats as per below) Stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. Digital telephony service that gives better call quality, quicker connection times and DDI facilities. ISDN is generally provided to connect to a customer s PBX. ISDN can also be used in Radio and was historically used for faster Internet connection before the advent of broadband. ISDN2e Provided in pairs i.e. 2 channels/lines per ISDN2e. The majority of customers would get a maximum of 4 pairs before moving up to ISDN30e. The e stands for the European standard. ISDN30e Provided over one large circuit (bearer/pipe) either as copper or in many cases fibre optic. The minimum number of channels/lines one can have is 8 moving up to 30. Larger organisations can rent multiple ISDN30e s should they require more lines. The e stands for the European standard. LAN Stands for Local Area Network Data network that connects computers, servers, printers etc together, generally within one physical location. Like For Like Transfer (LFLT) A Like For Like Transfer is the order placed with Openreach by the new supplier for the transfer of the telephone lines. The process itself involves a member of Openreach administering the change from the incumbent supplier to the new supplier so that billing is then carried out by them. A LFLT typically takes twelve working days and involves no physical downtime. Load Balanced Balancing a workload amongst multiple computer devices, for example, virtual servers or servers.

8 Leased Line A leased line is a service contract between a provider and a customer, whereby the provider agrees to deliver a symmetric telecommunications line connecting two or more locations in exchange for a monthly rent (hence the term lease). It is sometimes known as a "Private Circuit" or "Data Line" in the UK. Unlike traditional lines it does not have a telephone number, each side of the line being permanently connected to the other. Leased lines can be used for telephone, data or Internet services. Mbps Megabit per second (Mbps) is a measure of the speed of data transfer in networking. Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a networking technology which is used to route data packets over an IP network. MPLS ensures that all packets in a particular flow take the same route over a backbone. When used for a corporate VPN/WAN, the technology eliminates the need to buy and manage multiple firewalls as traffic is routed within a secure virtual private network. Network to Network Interface (NNI) Network to Network Interface (NNI) is both a physical and logical point of demarcation defining how two networks interconnect and exchange information. The NNI serves the technical boundary where protocol issues are resolved and as the point of division between the responsibilities of individual service providers. No Directory Entry Required (NQR) No directory entry is made, this option is usually only available for lines connected to alarm systems, modems etc. Ordinary (O) Directory entry held in the BT Phone Book and from Directory Enquiries (118 services) PBX aka PABX Public (Automated) Branch Exchange aka Switchboard aka Phone System. POTS Stands for Plain Old Telephone Service see PSTN Presentation Number Enables the option of "masking" the main outbound number of a telephone line with a different number. This option is useful for call centres or companies that are located in obscure locations and don t want end users to know their physical location or if they want to present a non-geographic number to the customers they are calling. For example, a company has a simple 0207 number but they want an 0845 number to be displayed to every end user that they call.

9 PRI Stands for Primary Rate Interface see ISDN30e Point of Presence (PoP) A Point of Presence (PoP) is the point at which a telecoms carrier establishes a physical presence in a geographic area, and at which the local exchange carriers (LECs) terminate access services. The PoP can consist of the highspeed telecommunications equipment and technologies that enable users to connect to the Internet via their ISP. The PoP can include call aggregators, modem banks, routers, and high-speed Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switches. Private Branch Exchange (PABX or PBX) Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a switch station for telephone systems. Serving as the exchange point for the routing of incoming and outgoing calls, PBX consists of several branches of telephone systems and switches. PSTN Stands for Public Switched Telephone Network. This is the standard telephone service provided over basic analogue phone lines. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the standard telephone service provided over basic analogue phone lines. Quality of Service (QoS) QoS is the ability to provide different priority to different applications, users, or data flows, or to guarantee a certain level of performance to a data flow. QoS involves prioritization of network traffic. QoS can be targeted at a network interface, toward a given server or router's performance, or in terms of specific applications. A network monitoring system must typically be deployed as part of QoS, to insure that networks are performing at the desired level. Router A device (or, in some cases, software on a computer) that directs IP packets to the next point toward their destination. Pulse Metering Sends 50Hz pulses to customers lines to indicate units of charge. Reminder Call An alarm call that you are able to set up by programming your own phone.

10 Remote Call Forwarding (RCF) A method for forwarding calls made to a ceased line to a new number, without the caller being aware that the call has been forwarded. There is normally a set up cost and monthly charge for this service. In addition the owner of the line has to pay the cost of the forwarded part of the call, as well as the exchange line rental for the ceased line (this is because the number of the ceased line cannot be reallocated to another user whilst RCF is in effect. Ring Back See 'Call Return' SDSL Stands for Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. The same as ASDL but provides the same speed/bandwidth in both directions. Useful for companies needing to upload high bandwidth packets quickly. Common requirement with VOIP networks. Service Maintenance Level 1 (previously Standard Care) Fault resolved by the end of the next working day + 1, Monday to Friday, excluding Public and Bank Holidays. This service is included in line rental charges. Note that this service only applies to residential customers. Service Maintenance Level 2 (previously Standard or Prompt Care) Fault resolved by the end of the next working day, Monday to Saturday, excluding Public and Bank Holidays. This service is included in line rental charges. Service Maintenance Level 3 (previously Total Care) Fault resolved by midnight of the same day if reported by 13.00, otherwise resolved the following day. Operates 24 hours a day 365 days a year. This is a chargeable service. Service Maintenance Level 4 (new service) Fault resolved within 6 hours, operates 24 hours a day 365 days a year. This is a chargeable service. Note that it is possible to pay to upgrade to a higher Service Maintenance Level at the time of a fault, although this is normally very expensive. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) enables calls to be routed via the internet rather than a telephone network. SIP Stands for 'Session Initiation Protocol'. It is essentially a communications protocol used to set up and clear down sessions with one or more users over the internet. Can be used in a multitude of scenarios, but most common is in the initiation and termination of Voice over IP calls. SIP Trunks Basically an internet phone line. Part of the broadband bandwidth is allocated solely for a VoIP call. Each VoIP call requires one SIP trunk but a good quality broadband service can accommodate multiple SIP trunks. SIP trunks are much cheaper to rent than traditional phone lines.

11 Site Assurance Only available on ISDN30 lines. This service allows you to pre-pr0gramme a number that you would like your ISDN30 lines to divert to in the event of a line failure or other emergency. The divert can be activated within one hour by calling a specific phone number and quoting a password which you are given at the time of setting up the service. There is a monthly charge for this facility, whether or not you use it. Charges will also be incurred for the diverted part of the call when the diversion is activated. SLA Stands for 'Service Level Agreement' - part of a service contract where the level of service is formally defined. In practice, the term SLA is sometimes used to refer to the contracted delivery time (of the service) or performance. Smart Divert Call divert with remote access SMTP Stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The standard Internet protocol for transferring electronic mail from one computer to another. Sub Addressing (20 Octet) This service allows calling parties to send up to 20 alphanumeric characters (except #) with the digits of the number they are dialling. Different combinations of characters can then be allocated to each device connected to a called ISDN 30e line. The characters sent would depend which piece of equipment is accessed, i.e. the phone will ring, access will be gained to PC, etc. Note: Terminal equipment must have the capability to send and/or receive Sub Addresses to use this service Three Way Calling Allows you talk to two people at the same time - even if one of them is abroad! Telephone Preference Service (TPS) The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a central opt out register whereby individuals can register their wish not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls. It is a legal requirement that companies do not make such calls to numbers registered on the TPS Unified Messaging Enables you to access voice, fax, and text messages via one single or telephone account. Virtualization Virtualization refers to technologies designed to provide a layer of abstraction between computer hardware systems and the software running on them. With virtualization, an entire server (including processor and storage) runs as a software image, meaning multiple virtual machines can be run on one physical machine.

12 Virtual Private Networking (VPN) VPN provides secure connections between private networks linked through private networks or public networks such as the Internet. It allows remote computers to act as though they were on the same secure, local networkideal for linking multiple sites, home-based or remote workers. The main benefit of a VPN is the lower cost needed to support this technology compared to alternatives like traditional leased lines or remote access servers. Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) VPLS is a class of VPN that supports the connection of multiple sites in a single bridged domain over a managed IP/Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network. The goal is to overcome the limitations of traditional protocols, any-to-any, full-mesh service across a Wide Area Network. All services in a VPLS appear to be on the same LAN, regardless of location. This removes complexity from enterprise networks, and lets carriers scale the networks. VOIP (see Hosted Telephony) Stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol - Voice translated into data packets and transmitted across an internet connection or network - just like any other file or you might send. Upon reaching the other end data is transformed back into its original form and emerges like a regular phone call. (VOIP is critically dependent upon the speed of the packets across the internet and the correct assembly order once they arrive at their destination for obvious reasons!) Wide Area Network (WAN) A WAN is a network covering a broad area and connecting multiple smaller networks across local, regional, or national boundaries. Multi-site organizations can use them to link LANs together (see LAN). If you would like to find out more about these terms, please visit or call to speak to an advisor who would be happy to help.