Glossary
- ACD (Automatic Call Distributor) - A device used in call centers which distributes incoming calls to agents.
- Analog - using the properties of a voltage change or frequency modulation to represent a signal.
- Asterisk - a complete PBX in software. Asterisk was developed by Mark Spencer of Digium Corporation. Asterisk enjoys a world-wide developer community with enhancements added on an ongoing basis.
Asterisk is distributed under the GPL (open source) license.
- Auto Attendant - where incoming calls are automatically answered with IVR prompts and directed to the appropriate extension. Compare with live answer.
- CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier) - A telephone company created after de-regulation. See ILEC.
- Codec - the device which digitizes an analog voice stream for transmission; converts a received digital signal back to analog for the human ear.
- CRM (Customer Relationship Management) - a computer system which manages customer relationships.
- DID (Direct Inward Dial) - a telephone number that rings in on a T1 circuit. A T1 circuit may have tens or even hundreds of DID numbers, each one assigned to an individual.
- Digital - using a series of on/off states to represent a signal.
- DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) - a method of providing digital broadband service over existing telephone wires.
- File server - a central system which maintains a repository of files.
- Firewall - a device which protects internal systems from malicious activity originating on the Internet.
- ILEC (Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier) - the telephone company that existed before de-regulation. See CLEC.
- IP (Internet Protocol) - the protocol which provides the routing functionality for the Internet. TCP and UDP are the two Internet protocols that utilize IP.
- IP-PBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange) - a PBX that has the ability to send a VoIP voice stream over a LAN/WAN circuit.
- ISP (Internet Service Provider) - the firm that provides your connection to the Internet.
- ITSP (Internet Telephony Service Provider) - a company which provides telephone services using the Internet. Telecom Matters Corp. is an ITSP.
- IVR (Interactive Voice Response) - a feature of a PBX which prompts the caller with voice messages and received input from the touch tone keys.
- Key System - an office telephone system where each "outside" line appears as a button on each telephone set. An incoming call will blink the corresponding line button on each set.
- LAN (Local Area Network) - a local network, typically using Ethernet technology, that provides for the interconnection of computers and VoIP telephones.
- LEC (Local Exchange Carrier) - a telephone company. See ILEC and CLEC.
- Linux - an Unix-like operating system created by Linus Torvalds. Linux enjoys a world-wide developer community with enhancements added on an ongoing basis. Linux is distributed under the GPL (open source) license.
- Live Answer - where a person answers incoming calls and directs each call to the appropriate extension. Compare with auto attendant.
- Mail server - a central system which receives and sends email messages on behalf of email clients.
- Open Source - a licensing mechanism whereby users are allowed to use, modify, re-distribute, and even sell copies of a software program. The only stipulation is that, if the program is re-distributed with modifications, the source code of the modifications must be provided.
- PBX System (Private Branch Exchange) - a telephone system that allows switching of calls between office telephone sets and external telephone sets. Extension dialing. Compare with Key System.
- POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) - industry slang to describe dialtone delivered on a analog, copper wire circuit. Telephone service to a residence is typically delivered over a POTS circuit.
- PRI (ISDN Primary Rate Interface) - a type of signaling used on a T1 circuit.
- PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) - the telephone circuit switched network.
- SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) - one of the many protocols used in VoIP. The SIP protocol perform call control for a VoIP transaction.
- SMDI (Station Message Detail Interface) - the interface whereby a voice-mail system notifies a PBX to turn on/off the message waiting indicator.
- Soft-Phone - a computer program running on a PC. With a headset, a user can initiate and receive telephone calls without having to use a physical telephone set. Useful for call center applications.
- T1 - a 1.54Mbps circuit carrying voice, data, or both.
- TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) - a legacy technology for transmitting a digitized voice stream over a dedicated circuit. TDM calls are circuit switched. Compare with "VoIP".
- Unified Messaging - the ability of an IP-PBX to handle fax, e-mail, and instant messages.
- Voice-Mail - a function whereby a user can leave a voice message for another user.
- VoIP (Voice over IP) - the transmission of a packetized voice stream over a shared, IP (packet switched) connection. Uses packet switching technology (i.e., TCP/IP). Compare with "TDM".
- WAN (Wide Area Network) - the connection between the LAN and the ISP.
- Web server - a system which replies to HTTP requests from a browser. A system which serves web pages to the community.
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