Acronym Guide

ADSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line – commonly known as Broadband

BRI – Basic Rate Interface – commonly known as ISDN2

D-Side – DP Side of the PCP – telephone cabling between local cabinet and DP

DDI – Direct Dial Inwards – enables a caller to bypass the switchboard direct to an extension

DNS – Domain Name System – translates easily memorised domain names, i.e. Cedar Telecom, to the numerical IP addresses that make them work

DP – Distribution Point – network endpoint on site

FTP – File Transfer Protocol

FTTC – Fibre to the Cabinet – type of broadband using fibre to your local cabinet

FTTP – Fibre to the Premises – type of broadband using fibre right to your premises

G.Fast – Fast Broadband – type of fast broadband using fibre and copper to the premises

Gbit – Gigabit

HTTP – Hypertext Transfer Protocol – the foundation of data communication for the Web

IP – Internet Protocol – method data is sent by over the Internet

IP Address – allows one computer to find another – similar to a street address enabling a physical address to be found

ISDN – Integrated Services for Digital Network – network technology that enables data transfer or voice calls

LAN – Local Area Network – network connecting computers within a limited local area

Mb – Megabit – a unit of storage or data transfer. A Megabit Mb is 1/8 of a Megabyte MB

MB – Megabyte

NTE – Network Terminating Equipment

NTS – Number Translation Services – translates a dialled number to a physical site

PBX – Private Branch Exchange

PCP – Primary Connection Point – telecoms cabinet, normally green

POP – Point of Presence – where a network is

POTS – Plain Old Telephone Service – old acronym for traditional phone service

PPM – Pence Per Minute

PRI – Primary Rate Interface – commonly known as ISDN30

PSTN – Public Switched Telephone Network – the telephone network

QoS – Quality of Service

SIP – Session Initiation Protocol – method of making calls over the Internet

SIP ALG – Session Initiation Protocol Application Layer Gateway – modifies SIP call traffic

SIP Trunks – method of making calls through a system over the Internet

SoGEA – Single order Generic Ethernet Access – broadband connection

Static IP Address – you keep the same IP Address

TPS – Telephone Preference Service – register to block unsolicited sales or marketing calls. To register click here – TPS

VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol – calls over your broadband

VPN – Virtual Private Network – secure, private solution to send and receive information

WAN – Wide Area Network – network connecting multiple LANs