Glossary of Telecom and IT terms Used:

Nowerdays in Telecoms and IT there are a lot of abbreviations used to describe products or services. Here are a few with their meanings.

ACD	Automatic Call Distribution - The system used to distribute calls through to those responsible for answering.
ADSL	Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - Another name for broadband with different upload and download speeds.
BRA	Basic Rate Acces- Another name for ISDN2 Digital phone lines
CCU	Central Control Unit - The box on the wall that runs your phone system
CLI	Calling Line Identity - Your phone number
CPS	Carrier Pre Selection - A service where you can pre select who carries your phone calls on your BT line
CTI	Computer Telephony Intergration - linking your PC and phone together
DASS	Digital Access Signalling System - An old type of signalling used on phone lines now replaced with a Euro version.
DDI	Direct Dial Inwards - used so people from outside can dial straight through to your phone and bypass the switchboard
DPNSS	Digital Private Network Signalling System - a name given to signals used between 2 phone systems
DTMF	Dual Tone Multi Frequency - The tones you hear when you make a phone call
FPS	Fax Preference Service - Stop unwanted faxes (Junk Fax) coming in
ISDN	Intergrated Services Digital Network - a name for digital phone lines
ISP	Internet Service Provider - who bills you for your broadband is your ISP
ICSTIS	Independent Committee for the Supervision of Telephone Information Services
LLU	Local Loop Unbundling - The ability for other operators to use the cables between the phone exchange and your premises.
NGN	Non Geographic Numbers - Phone numbers that are not tied to an area such as 0800 freephone
OCB	Outgoing Calls Barred - stops you dialling out when it is applied to your phones
PSTN	Public Switched Telephone Network - The phone network
PABX	Private Automatic Branch Exchange - A name for a telephone system
PMBX	Private Manual Branch Exchange - Another name for a telephone system
SDSL	Synchronous Digital Subscriber Line -Another name for broadband with the same upload and download speeds.
SIP	Session Initiation Protocol - another name for signalling when making phone or data calls.
UPS	Uninterrupted Power Supply - will keep your phones up and working when there is a power cut.
VDSL	Very high bandwidth DSL - a very fast internet connection
VOIP	Voice Over Internet Protocol - making phone calls over the internet instead of over the phone line.
WAN	Wide Area Network - computers from different buildings linked together