Glossary

A/D Converter A circuit that converts signals from analog form to digital form.

Address The number dialed by a calling party that identifies the party called. Also a location or
destination in a computer program. ADSL A data transmission system primarily used for Internet access, where the requirement is to download large volumes of data from the central office. Aliasing The occurrence of spurious frequencies in the output of a PCM system that were not present in the input-due to foldover of higher frequencies. AM (Amplitude Modulation) A technique for sending information as patterns of amplitude variations of a carrier sinusoid. Amplifier An electronic device used to increase signal power or amplitude. Analog Information represented by continuous and smoothly varying signal amplitude or frequency over a certain range, such as in human speech or music. Asynchronous Refers to circuitry and operations without common timing (clock) signals. Attenuation The decrease in power that occurs when any signal is transmitted. Audio Frequency A frequency detectable by the human ear, usually between 20 and 15,000 H z . Bandwidth The range of signal frequencies that a circuit or network will respond to or pass. Base Unit The transmitter (antenna and equipment), in a fixed location, and usually having higher power than mobile units. Binary Code A pattern of binary digits (0 and 1) used to represent information such as instructions or numbers. Bipolar Having both positive and negative polarity. Bit An acronym for binary digit; the smallest piece of binary information; a specificationof one of two possible alternatives. BORSCHT An acronym for the functions that must be performed in the central office when digital voice transmission occurs: Battery, Overvoltage, Ringing, Signaling/Supervision,Coding, Hybrid, and Test.

Byte A group of eight bits treated as a unit. Often equivalent to one alphabetic or numeric character. Cable An assembly of one or more conductors insulated from each other and from the outside by a protective sheath. CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) The most common transmission method for mobile handsets in the United States. G I 1 In cellular mobile telephony, the geographic area served by one transmitter. Subscribers may move from cell to cell.

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GLOSSARY

Central Office (CO) The switching equipment that provides local exchange telephone service for a given geographical area, designated by the first three digits (NNX or NXX) of the telephone number. Channel An electronic communications path, usually of 4,000-Hz (voice) bandwidth. Circuit An interconnected group of electronic devices, or the path connecting two or more communications terminals.

Common Battery A system of supplying direct current for the telephone set from the central office. Compander An acronym for COMpressor-exPAVDER, a circuit that compresses the dynamic range of an input signal, and expands it back to almost original form on the output. Critical Mode State in which the core of the optical fiber is very thin compared with that of multimode fibers. Crossbar Switch An electromechanical switching machine utilizing a relay mechanism with horizontal and vertical input lines (usually 10 by 20), using a contact matrix to connect any vertical to any horizontal. Crosspoint The element that actually performs the switching function in a telephone system. May be mechanical using metal contacts, or solid state using integrated circuits. Crosstalk Undesired voice-band energy transfer from one circuit to another (usually adjacent). CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) The relationship between a telephone call and associated data hcld on a computer. Current The flow of electrical charge, measured in amperes. Cutoff Frequency The frequency above which or below which signals are blocked by a circuit or network. D/A Converter A circuit that converts signals from digital form to analog form. Data In telephone systems, any information other than human speech. Data Set Telephone company term for modem. Decibel (dB) A unit of measure of relative power or voltage, in terms of the ratio of two values. dB = 10 log P1/P2, where PI and P2 are the power levels in watts. Decoder Any device that modifies transmitted information to a form that can be understood by the receiver. Demodulation The process of extracting transmitted information from a carrier signal. Demultiplexer A circuit that distributes an input signal to a selected output line (with more than one output line available). Digital Information in a discrete or quantized form; not continuous. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) A high-speed transmission system for carrying data over twisted copper pairs. Such systems include ADSL,SDSL, HDSL, and VDSL. Distortion Any difference between the transmitted and received waveforms of the same signal. DTMF (Dud-Tone Multifrequency) Use of two simultaneous voiceband tones for dialing. DTV (Digital Television) The transmission and reception of digital television signals, and display of those signals on a digital T V set. Electromagnetic Spectrum The entire available range of sinusoidal electrical signal frequencies.

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Encoder Any device that modifies information into a desired pattern or form for a specific method of transmission. ESS (Electronic Switching System) A telephone switching machine using electronics, often combined with electromechanical crosspoints, and usually with a stored-program computer as the control element. E-TDMA (Extended Time Division Multiple Access) A communication system that offers a much greater capacity than analog systems. Fxchange Area The territory within which telephone service is provided without extra charge. Also called the local calling area. FCC (Federal Communications Commission) The U.S. government agency that regulates and monitors the domestic use of the electromagneticspectrum for communications. Fiber Optic Technology The process of transmitting infrared and visible light frequencies through a low-loss glass fiber with a transmitting laser or LED. FM (Frequency Modulation) A technique for sending information as patterns of frequency variations of a carrier signal. Frequency The rate in hertz (cycles per second) at which a signal pattern is repeated. FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) A method of transmitting digital information that utilizes two tones; one representing a one level, the other a zero level. Ground An electrical connection to the earth or to a common conductor that is connected to the earth at some point. Ground S t a r t A method of signaling between two machines where one machine grounds one side of the line and the other machine detects the presence of the ground. Half-Duplex A circuit that carries information in both directions but only in one direction at a time. HDSL (High-Rate DSL) A high-rate data transmission system used for ISDN-PRI. HDTV A high-resolution digital television combined with CD-quality Dolby digital Surround Sound. Home Area The geographic area in which a mobile telephone subscriber is normally located. Hybrid In telephony, a circuit that divides a single transmission channel into two, one for each direction; or conversely, combines two channels into one. Instruction Code Digital information that represents an instruction to be performed by a computer. Integrated Circuit A circuit whose connections and components are fabricated into one integrated structure on a certain material such as silicon. ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) Data transmission system encompassing basic rate (ISDN-BRA) and primary rate (ISDN-PRI) service. Light-emitting diode (LED) A low-power device used in short-range systems using multimode glass or plastic fiber. Lmeside Refers to the portion of the central office that mnnecu to the local loop. Local Loop The voiceband channel connecting the subscriber to the central office. Loop Start The usual method of signaling an off-hook or line seizure, where one end closes the loop and the resulting current flow is detected by the switch at the other end. Loss Attenuation of a signal from any cause.

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GLOSSARY

Message Telephone Service (MTS) The official name for long-distance or toll service. Microwaves All frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum above 1 billion hertz (1 gigahertz). Mobile Unit The part of the mobile telephone system that is not fixed in its location; hence, it is not attached to the telephone network by wires. Modulation The systematic changing of the properties of an electronic wave, using a second signal, to convey the information contained in the second signal. Multiplexing The division of a transmission facility into two or more channels. Off-Hook The condition that indicates the active state of a customer telephone circuit. The opposite condition is on-hook. Oscillator An electronic device used to produce repeating signals of a given frequency and amplitude. PABX or PBX A private (automatic) branch telephone exchange system providing telephone switching in an office or building. PAC3 (Personal Access Communication System) Digital cordless system used in North America. It uses a frequency selection algorithm to find an unused channel prior to transmission. Parallel Data The transfer of data simultaneously over two or more wires or transmission links. Parity A bit that indicates whether the number of Is in a bit string is odd or even. PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) A communication systems technique of coding signals with binary codes to carry the information. PCS (Personal Communication System) A communication system that allows all-in-one wireless telephone, paging, messaging, and data service, while offering greatly improved battery life on the handheld mobile units. Period The time between successive similar points of a repetitive sigoal. Phase The time or angle that a signal is delayed with respect to some reference position. Portable Unit The portion of a cordless telephone that is not electrically attached to the network by wires. Consists of a transmitter, receiver, and perhaps a keypad. Program I he sequence of instructions stored in the computer memory. RCC (RadioCommon Carrier) A company that provides mobile telephone service, but is not a telephone company. Receiver The person or device to which information is sent over a communication link. Register A series of identical circuits placed side by side that are able to store digital information. Ring The alerting signal to the subscriber or terminal equipment; the name for one conductor of a wire pair designated by R. Roamer A mobile telephone subscriber using the system outside of his or her home area. Serial Data The transfer of data over a single wire in a sequential pattern. SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) A multiplex system that uses optical fiber for transmission. Sidetone That portion of the talkers voice that is fed hack to his o r her receiver. Simplex A circuit that can carry information in only one direction; for example, broadcasting. SLIC (Subscriber Line Interface C i t ) In digital transmission of voice, the circuit that performs some or all of the interface functions at the central office. See BORSCHT
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GLOSSARY

SONET (SynchronousOptical Network) A multiplex system that uses optical fiber for transmission. State A condition of an electronic device, especially a computer that is maintained until an internal or external occurrence causes change. Step-by-step (SS)System An electromechanical telephone switching system in which the switches are controlled directly by digits dialed by the calling party. Subscriber The telephone or Internet service customer. Subscriber Loop Another term for local loop. Synchronous Events that are controlled by or referred to a common clock. TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) A communication system technique that separates information from channel inputs and places them on a carrier in specific positions in time. TDMA (Time Division Multiple Acoess) A common multiple-access method employed in digital cellular systems. TDMA is used by the North American digital cellular system. Tip One conductor of a wire pair, designated by T; usually the more positive of the two. Toll Center A major telephone distribution center that distributes calls from one major metropolitan area to another. Transmission Passing information, using electromagneticenergy, from one point to another. TransmissionLink The path over which information flows from sender to receiver. Transmitter The person or device that is sending information over a communication link. Trunk A transmission channel connecting two switching machines. Trunkside The portion of the central office that connects to trunks going to other switching offices. Voice-GradeLine A local loop, or trunk, having a bandpass of approximately 300 to 3,000 Hz. Voltage A measure of the electrical force that causes current flow in a circuit. Wideband Circuit A transmission Edcility having a bandwidth greater than that of a voicegrade line. Wire Pair A local loop of two wires that connects each phone to the central ofice.

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