DOCSLIB.ORG

Telecommunications Glossary

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Telecommunications Glossary TELECOMMUNICATIONS GLOSSARY Act: The federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, which opened up competition in the local exchange market and updated the universal service requirements. Bill and keep: A means to recover the costs of exchanging traffic over a telecom network from the carrier’s own subscribers, instead of billing the other carrier for origination and termination charges. Bill & keep generally assumes a rough balance of traffic between carriers. CAF – Connect America Fund: The new USF support mechanism created by the FCC to promote broadband-capable services; will replace the previous voice-focused High Cost Fund. CALLS: An FCC order adopted in 2000 that reduced interstate access charges for those carriers that participated, and created a separate cost recovery mechanism. CLEC – Competitive Local Exchange Company: A company that provides local exchange service to subscribers, usually in competition with the incumbent local exchange company, or ILEC. CPNP – Calling party network pays: Since the AT&T divestiture, this has been the traditional means by which carriers compensate each other for the exchange of traffic based on the theory of cost causation (the carrier who “causes” the costs should pay the other carrier). DSL – Digital Subscriber Line: A service for Internet access, generally through dial-up access via a modem. ETC – Eligible Telecommunications Carriers: Carriers designated by state commissions or the FCC as eligible to receive federal universal service funds. Exchange area: A local service area for a telecommunications carrier that sets the definition of “local telephone service,” usually based on a wire center location and service coverage. Generally, within this area, a subscriber may make unlimited calls for a certain flat rate per month. FCC – Federal Communications Commission: The federal agency responsible for regulating communications, including telecommunications, TV and radio broadcasting, spectrum, and other communications matters. High-Cost Fund: the traditional mechanism created by the Act to provide subsidies for rural LECs in high-cost areas, consisting of mechanisms such as High-cost loop support, local switching support, corporate operations and expenses, safety additive, and others. IAC: intrastate access charge: The charge that carriers pay each other for the exchange of traffic from point of origination to point of termination of a call. There are various terms for this (IAS and others. Under federal law, traffic is separated into interstate and intrastate components, and state commissions have had exclusive authority to set rates for intrastate access. ICA: Interconnection agreement: Contractual agreements between carriers, in particular competitive and incumbent local exchange companies, that set forth the rules for exchange of traffic, including rates, terms and conditions, and dispute resolution. Under Sections 251 and 252 of the Act, state commissions have jurisdiction to arbitrate agreements where the parties cannot agree on terms, and to resolve disputes about the agreements. ICC – Intercarrier Compensation: The means by which telecommunications carriers pay each other for carrying calls or terminating calls originated by other carriers. ILEC – Incumbent Local Exchange Company: A company providing local exchange service on the effective date of the Act. IP – Internet Protocol: Technology that uses the Internet instead of traditional “switched access” technology via the public switched network. IP-to-IP interconnection: These are largely “commercial agreements” between carriers that govern the rates and terms for exchange of traffic over a broadband network that uses IP conversion technologies. Not subject currently to the Act or state commission oversight. ITAC: Interim Terminating Access Charge: This is a Washington specific intrastate access charge established by the UTC to provide for cost recovery for rural LECs participating in this mechanism. LEC – Local Exchange Carrier: A telecommunications company that provides service to local exchange areas; distinguished from a company that provides long-distance service. Price-cap Regulation: The opposite of ROR regulation: Another term would be incentive regulation, in which the regulatory body allows the regulated carriers to charge a maximum price (with an allowance of a productivity factor, or X-factor), and then manage costs within that revenue structure. No filing of tariffs. PSTN: Public switched telephone network: This network configuration is the traditional telecom network by which carriers exchange traffic, built on both copper and fiber networks for both “local” and “toll” (long-distance) traffic comprised of wire centers, switches, and local loops to end-users. Reciprocal compensation: A method of intercarrier compensation defined in Section 251(b)(5) of the Act. It is the opposite of interexchange, or toll traffic, which means it is traffic exchanged between carriers that is primarily “local” in nature. Therefore, the rates charged are lower than those for toll traffic. ROR: Rate-of-return: Another term for this is cost-based regulation, or prices based on embedded costs incorporating a return on equity in the revenue requirement. Usually requires the filing of tariffs. Carriers are subject to rate-of-return regulation at either the federal or state level. Toll: Telecommunications traffic that travels between exchanges (local calling areas); also defined as “long-distance” traffic. Toll traffic can be distinguished from “local” traffic by the carrier through its switches and software. USAC – U.S. Administrative Company: The quasi-governmental body, overseen by a diverse Board of Directors that administers various universal support mechanisms on behalf of the FCC. USF – Universal Service Fund: A federal fund managed by the USAC and supported by fees paid by carriers to provide funding for various universal support mechanisms, i.e., High cost, Lifeline, Link-Up programs. VOIP – Voice over the Internet Protocol: A method of exchanging voice traffic over an applications layer in a broadband network using IP-packets and IP technologies to exchange the traffic. Can either be a “managed IP network” or the general public Internet network. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Local Network Competition
    Chapter 15 LOCAL NETWORK COMPETITION Glenn A Woroch* University of California, Berkeley Contents 1. Introduction 1.1.Scope and objectives 1.2.Patterns and themes 2. Local Network Competition in Historical Perspective 2.1.Local competition in one city, a century apart 2.2.U.S. experience with local competition and monopoly 2.3.The experience abroad 3. Economic Conditions of Local Network Competition 3.1.Defining local services and markets 3.2.Demand for local network services 3.3.Cost of local service and technical change 4. The Structure and Regulation of the Local Network Industry 4.1.Structure of the U.S. local exchange industry 4.2.Regulation of local network competition 5. Strategic Modelling of Local Network Competition 5.1.Causes and consequences of local network competition 5.2.Strategic choices of local network entrants 5.3.Strategic models of local network competition 5.4.Entry barriers 6. Empirical Evidence on Local Network Competition 7. Wireless Local Competition 7.1.Wireless communications technologies 7.2.Wireless services as wireline competitors 7.3.Structure of the wireless industry 7.4.An assessment of the wireless threat 8. The Future of Local Competition References * I have received helpful comments on earlier drafts from Mark Armstrong, Bob Crandall, David Gabel and Lester Taylor. Ellen Burton of the FCC and Amy Friedlander of CNRI supplied useful empirical and historical information. I am especially grateful to Ingo Vogelsang for his encouragement, guidance, and inexhaustible patience throughout this project. I. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Scope and Objectives of this Chapter This chapter surveys the economic analysis of competition in markets for local telecommunications services.1 Its main objective is to understand patterns of competition in these markets and evaluate its benefits and costs against the alternative forms of industrial organisation.
    [Show full text]
  • Tds National Reports Itu Telecom World 2003 and Canton Ofgeneva Hosted by Therepublic
    2003 ORLD W ELECOM TDS NATIONAL REPORTS TDS NATIONAL International Telecommunication Union Place des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 730 6161 – Fax: +41 22 730 6444 E-mail: [email protected] TDS NATIONAL REPORTS TDS NATIONAL ITU T HOSTED BY THE REPUBLIC www.itu.int/itutelecom AND CANTON OF GENEVA TDS NATIONAL REPORTS The Republic and Canton of Geneva sponsors of the Telecom Development Symposium (TDS) Table of contents Page Page Albania ................................................. 1 Moldova................................................ 145 Angola .................................................. 5 Mongolia............................................... 147 Armenia................................................ 9 Myanmar .............................................. 155 Bangladesh .......................................... 11 Nepal .................................................... 159 Benin .................................................... 17 Nicaragua ............................................. 165 Bhutan.................................................. 21 Pakistan................................................ 167 Bosnia and Herzegovina ...................... 27 Papua New Guinea .............................. 179 Burkina Faso ........................................ 31 Paraguay .............................................. 183 Burundi................................................. 41 Cambodia............................................. 43 Peru ...................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Central Telecom Long Distance, Inc
    Central Telecom Long Distance, Inc. 102 South Tejon Street, 11th Floor Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Telecommunications Service Guide For Interstate and International Services May 2016 This Service Guide contains the descriptions, regulations, and rates applicable to furnishing of domestic Interstate and International Long Distance Telecommunications Services provided by Central Telecom Long Distance, Inc. (“Central Telecom Long Distance” or “Company”). This Service Guide and is available to Customers and the public in accordance with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Public Availability of Information Concerning Interexchange Services rules, 47 CFR Section 42.10. Additional information is available by contacting Central Telecom Long Distance, Inc.’s Customer Service Department toll free at 888.988.9818, or in writing directed to Customer Service, 102 South Tejon Street, 11th Floor, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 1 INTRODUCTION This Service Guide contains the rates, terms, and conditions applicable to the provision of domestic Interstate and International Long Distance Services. This Service Guide is prepared in accordance with the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Availability of Information Concerning Interexchange Services rules, 47 C.F.R. Section 42.10 and Service Agreement and may be changed and/or discontinued by the Company. This Service Guide governs the relationship between Central Telecom Long Distance, Inc. and its Interstate and International Long Distance Service Customers, pursuant to applicable federal regulation, federal and state law, and any client-specific arrangements. In the event one or more of the provisions contained in this Service Guide shall, for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof, and this Service Guide shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.
    [Show full text]
  • Carrier Locator: Interstate Service Providers
    Carrier Locator: Interstate Service Providers November 1997 Jim Lande Katie Rangos Industry Analysis Division Common Carrier Bureau Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC 20554 This report is available for reference in the Common Carrier Bureau's Public Reference Room, 2000 M Street, N.W. Washington DC, Room 575. Copies may be purchased by calling International Transcription Service, Inc. at (202) 857-3800. The report can also be downloaded [file name LOCAT-97.ZIP] from the FCC-State Link internet site at http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/stats on the World Wide Web. The report can also be downloaded from the FCC-State Link computer bulletin board system at (202) 418-0241. Carrier Locator: Interstate Service Providers Contents Introduction 1 Table 1: Number of Carriers Filing 1997 TRS Fund Worksheets 7 by Type of Carrier and Type of Revenue Table 2: Telecommunications Common Carriers: 9 Carriers that filed a 1997 TRS Fund Worksheet or a September 1997 Universal Service Worksheet, with address and customer contact number Table 3: Telecommunications Common Carriers: 65 Listing of carriers sorted by carrier type, showing types of revenue reported for 1996 Competitive Access Providers (CAPs) and 65 Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs) Cellular and Personal Communications Services (PCS) 68 Carriers Interexchange Carriers (IXCs) 83 Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) 86 Paging and Other Mobile Service Carriers 111 Operator Service Providers (OSPs) 118 Other Toll Service Providers 119 Pay Telephone Providers 120 Pre-paid Calling Card Providers 129 Toll Resellers 130 Table 4: Carriers that are not expected to file in the 137 future using the same TRS ID because of merger, reorganization, name change, or leaving the business Table 5: Carriers that filed a 1995 or 1996 TRS Fund worksheet 141 and that are unaccounted for in 1997 i Introduction This report lists 3,832 companies that provided interstate telecommunications service as of June 30, 1997.
    [Show full text]
  • Telecommunications Infrastructure for Electronic Delivery 3
    Telecommunications Infrastructure for Electronic Delivery 3 SUMMARY The telecommunications infrastructure is vitally important to electronic delivery of Federal services because most of these services must, at some point, traverse the infrastructure. This infrastructure includes, among other components, the Federal Government’s long-distance telecommunications program (known as FTS2000 and operated under contract with commercial vendors), and computer networks such as the Internet. The tele- communications infrastructure can facilitate or inhibit many op- portunities in electronic service delivery. The role of the telecommunications infrastructure in electronic service delivery has not been defined, however. OTA identified four areas that warrant attention in clarifying the role of telecommunications. First, Congress and the administration could review and update the mission of FTS2000 and its follow-on contract in the context of electronic service delivery. The overall perform- ance of FTS2000 shows significant improvement over the pre- vious system, at least for basic telephone service. FTS2000 warrants continual review and monitoring, however, to assure that it is the best program to manage Federal telecommunications into the next century when electronic delivery of Federal services likely will be commonplace. Further studies and experiments are needed to properly evaluate the benefits and costs of FTS2000 follow-on options from the perspective of different sized agencies (small to large), diverse Federal programs and recipients, and the government as a whole. Planning for the follow-on contract to FTS2000 could consider new or revised contracting arrangements that were not feasible when FTS2000 was conceived. An “overlapping vendor” ap- proach to contracting, as one example, may provide a “win-win” 57 58 I Making Government Work situation for all parties and eliminate future de- national infrastructure will be much stronger if bates about mandatory use and service upgrades.
    [Show full text]
  • Introductory Concepts
    www.getmyuni.com INTRODUCTORY CONCEPTS 1.1 WHAT IS TELECOMMUNICATION? Many people call telecommunication the world’s must lucrative industry. In the United States, 110 million households have telephones and 50% of total households in the U.S. have Internet access and there are some 170 million mobile subscribers. Long-distance service annual revenues as of 2004 exceeded 100 × 109 dollars.1 Prior to divestiture (1983), the Bell System was the largest commercial company in the United States. It had the biggest fleet of vehicles, the most employees, and the greatest income. Every retiree with any sense held the safe and dependable Bell stock. Bell System could not be found on the “Fortune 500” listing of the largest companies. In 1982, Western Electric Co., the Bell System manufacturing arm, was number seven on the “Fortune 500.” However, if one checked the “Fortune 100 Utilities,” the Bell System was up on the top. Transferring this information to the “Fortune 500” put Bell System as the leader on the list. We know it is big business; but what is telecommunications? Webster’s (Ref. 1) calls it communications at a distance.TheIEEE Standard Dictionary (Ref. 2) defines telecom- munications as the transmission of signals over long distance, such as by telegraph, radio, or television. Another term we often hear is electrical communication. This is a descriptive term, but of somewhat broader scope. Some take the view that telecommunication deals only with voice telephony, and the typical provider of this service is the local telephone company. We hold a wider interpretation. Telecommunication encompasses the electrical communication at a distance of voice, data, and image information (e.g., TV and facsimile).
    [Show full text]
  • Telecommunications; Amending 17 O.S
    STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 48th Legislature (2002) HOUSE BILL HB2796 By: Braddock and Case AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to telecommunications; amending 17 O.S. 2001, Section 139.102, which relates to the Oklahoma Telecommunications Act of 1997; adding definition; prohibiting the Corporation Commission from imposing any regulation on a high speed Internet access service or broadband service provider; allowing regulation in certain circumstances; allowing continuation of certain interconnection agreements; requiring certain provider to make agreements available to other providers; allowing the Corporation Commission to enforce certain interconnect agreements; prohibiting the Commission from expanding certain regulation; providing for codification; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 17 O.S. 2001, Section 139.102, is amended to read as follows: Section 139.102 As used in the Oklahoma Telecommunications Act of 1997: 1. "Access line" means the facility provided and maintained by a telecommunications service provider which permits access to or from the public switched network; 2. "Commission" means the Corporation Commission of this state; 3. "Competitive local exchange carrier" or "CLEC" means, with respect to an area or exchange, a telecommunications service provider that is certificated by the Commission to provide local exchange services in that area or exchange within the state after July 1, 1995; Req. No. 7936 Page 1 4. "Competitively neutral" means not advantaging or favoring one person over another; 5. "End User Common Line Charge" means the flat-rate monthly interstate access charge required by the Federal Communications Commission that contributes to the cost of local service; 6.
    [Show full text]
  • Atlantic Broadband Enterprise, LLC – Pennsylvania Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Tariff
    Atlantic Broadband Enterprise, LLC Telephone PA P.U.C. Tariff No. 1 Title Page COMPETITIVE LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIER TITLE PAGE ATLANTIC BROADBAND ENTERPRISE, LLC COMPETITIVE LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIER Regulations and Schedule of Charges For business Customers Only Within the Service Territories of Armstrong Telephone Company - North, Armstrong Telephone Company - PA, Citizens Telecommunications of New York, Inc., Citizens Telephone Company of Kecksburg, Consolidated Communications of Pennsylvania Company, Deposit Telephone Company, Frontier Communications - Commonwealth Telephone Company, Frontier Communications - Lakewood, Inc., Frontier Communications - Oswayo River, Inc., Frontier Communications of Breezewood, Inc., Frontier Communications of Canton, Inc., Frontier Communications of Pennsylvania, Inc., Hancock Telephone Company, Hickory Telephone Company, Ironton Telephone Company, Lackawaxen Telephone Company, Laurel Highland Telephone Company, Mahanoy & Mahantango Telephone Company, Marianna and Scenery Hill Telephone Company, North Penn Telephone Company, Palmerton Telephone Company, Pennsylvania Telephone Company, Pymatuning Independent Telephone Company, South Canaan Telephone Company, Sugar Valley Telephone Company, The Bentleyville Telephone Company, North-Eastern PA Telephone Company, United Telephone Company of PA d/b/a CenturyLink, Venus Telephone Corporation, Verizon-North, LLC, Verizon-Pennslvania, LLC, Westside Telecommunications, Windstream Buffalo Valley, Windstream Conestoga, Inc., Windstream D&E, Inc., Windstream Pennsylvania, Yukon Waltz Telephone Company. The Company will mirror the exchange area boundaries as stated in the tariffs of Armstrong Telephone Company - North P.U.C. No. 2; Armstrong Telephone Company - PA PA PUC No. 10; Citizens Telecommunications of New York, Inc. P.U.C. No. 2; Citizens Telephone Company of Kecksburg P.U.C. No. 3; Consolidated Communications of Pennsylvania Company P.U.C. No. 11; Deposit Telephone Company PA PUC No. 1; Frontier Communications - Commonwealth Telephone Company PA PUC No.
    [Show full text]
  • Tariff Schedules Applicable to Local Exchange Services Within the State of California
    Enhanced Communications Network, Inc. Cal. P.U.C. Schedule No. 1-T d/b/a Asian American Association First Revised Cal. P.U.C. Title Sheet 1031 S. Glendora Avenue Cancels Original Title Sheet West Covina, CA 91790 COMPETITIVE LOCAL CARRIER TARIFF SCHEDULES APPLICABLE TO LOCAL EXCHANGE SERVICES WITHIN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OF ENHANCED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, INC. d/b/a ASIAN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION U-6658-C Advice Letter No. 10 Issued By: Date Filed: January 19, 2007 Decision No.: 03-02-051 Thomas Haluskey, Effective Date: January 26, 2007 Resolution No. Director of Regulatory Affairs Enhanced Communications Network, Inc. Cal. P.U.C. Schedule No. 1-T d/b/a Asian American Association Fourth Revised Cal. P.U.C. Sheet 1 1031 S. Glendora Avenue Cancels Third Revised Sheet 1 West Covina, CA 91790 COMPETITIVE LOCAL CARRIER CHECK SHEET Current sheets of this tariff are as follows: Page Revision Page Revision Page Revision Title First Revised 41 First Revised 83 First Revised 1 Fourth Revised* 42 First Revised 84 First Revised 2 Fifth Revised* 43 First Revised 85 First Revised 3 Original 44 First Revised 86 First Revised 4 First Revised 45 First Revised 87 First Revised 5 Second Revised 46 First Revised 88 First Revised 6 Second Revised 47 First Revised 89 First Revised 7 Original 48 First Revised 90 First Revised 8 Original 49 First Revised 91 First Revised 9 Original 50 First Revised 92 First Revised SECTION 1 51 First Revised 93 Second Revised 10 First Revised 52 First Revised SECTION 2 11 First Revised 53 First Revised 94 Second Revised 12 First
    [Show full text]
  • Network Quality Assurance
    NENA-03-501 Revised October 3, 2005 NENA Technical Information Document on Network Quality Assurance NENA Technical Information Document 03-501 Prepared by: National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Network Quality Assurance Working Group Published by NENA Printed in USA Revised October 3, 2005 NENA TID 03-501, Network Quality Assurance NENA TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT NOTICE This Technical Information Document (TID) is published by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) as an information source for the designers and manufacturers of systems that are used for the purpose of processing emergency calls. It is not intended to provide complete design specifications or parameters or to assure the quality of performance for systems that process emergency calls. NENA reserves the right to revise this TID for any reason including, but not limited to, conformity with criteria or standards promulgated by various agencies, utilization of advances in the state of the technical arts or to reflect changes in the design of network interface or services described herein. It is possible that certain advances in technology will precede these revisions. Therefore, this TID should not be the only source of information used. NENA members are advised to contact their Telecommunications Carrier representative to ensure compatibility with the 9-1-1 network. Patents may cover the specifications, techniques or network interface/system characteristics disclosed herein. No license expressed or implied is hereby granted. This document is not to be construed as a suggestion to any manufacturer to modify or change any of its products, nor does this document represent any commitment by NENA or any affiliate thereof to purchase any product whether or not it provides the described characteristics.
    [Show full text]
  • Trends in Telephone Service
    Trends in Telephone Service Industry Analysis Division Common Carrier Bureau August 2001 This report is available for reference in the FCC’s Information Center at 445 12th Street, S.W., Courtyard Level. Copies may be purchased by calling International Transcription Service, Inc. at (202) 857-3800. The report can also be downloaded [file names: TREND101.ZIP, TREND101.PDF] from the FCC-State Link Internet site at <www.fcc.gov/ccb/stats>. Table of Contents Introduction.................................................................................................. 1-1 Access Charges ............................................................................................ 1-3 Table 1.1 Interstate Per-Line Access Charges ..........................................................................1-5 Table 1.2 Interstate Per-Minute Access Charges ......................................................................1-6 Table 1.3 Interstate Per-Line Access Charges by Carrier..........................................................1-7 Table 1.4 Interstate Per-Minute Access Charges by Carrier......................................................1-8 Advanced Telecommunications.................................................................... 2-1 Table 2.1 High-Speed Lines.....................................................................................................2-3 Table 2.2 Advanced Services Lines..........................................................................................2-3 Table 2.3 Residential and Small Business
    [Show full text]
  • Mercer Direct
    EXHIBIT RAM-1 Resume of Dr. Robert A. Mercer, PhD. Experience Principal, BroadView Telecommunications, LLC, March, 2000-Present Provides strategic planning and education related to public and private telecommunications infrastructures, with a particular emphasis on local exchange competition, broadband integrated networks, intelligent networks, and private enterprise networking. Examples of current work include the analysis of competitive alternatives for the provision of local exchange services, and advising a national association on alternative methods of obtaining and managing its telecommunications services. Conducts telecommunications policy analyses, with particular current emphasis on the interconnection, unbundling, resale, and universal service aspects of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. This focuses on evaluating the cost of local exchange service provided by incumbent telephone companies and other competitive entities, and includes extensive involvement as an expert witness in federal and state regulatory proceedings. Serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program (ITP) at the University of Colorado, where he has taught a course in advanced data communications and computer networking. Directs and participates on Master's thesis committees in the ITP, and also participates in effort to define and coordinate the program's curriculum, particularly as it pertains to data communications. Has previously developed and taught courses on telecommunications infrastructure directions, multi- protocol
    [Show full text]