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Cable Modem |
| A device typically connecting a coaxial TV cable to a users PC. Cable modems are capable of the multi-megabit bandwidths available with Internet access via cable-TV facilities. |
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Call Blocking |
| This feature allows one party to block incoming calls from certain phone numbers. |
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Call Forwarding |
| A feature that transfers incoming calls to a different telephone number. This can be initiated and changed from the actual location and in some cases from a remote telephone. |
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Call Hold |
| A feature that allows a station user to hold any call in progress on that station line by flashing the switchhook, dialing a second digit such as "1," or depressing a special station pushbutton that will automatically provide a second dial tone for the purpose of originating another call. |
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Call Restriction |
| feature that allows blockage of defined incoming or outgoing calls, such as long distance calls. |
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Call Setup |
| Process of establishing a call connection between a wireless phone and the wireless system. |
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Call Waiting |
| A feature for a single line telephone whereby one can receive a second call while the line is in use. The feature may be turned on and off as needed for non-interruption purposes such as Internet use. |
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Call |
| All association between two or more users or between a user and a network entity that is established by the used or the network capabilities. This association may have zero or more connections. |
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Caller Id |
| A feature whereby the phone numbers, and sometimes, the name or state of incoming callers is disclosed to the call receiver. Most local telephone companies offer this service. A Caller ID Box or a telephone set with the Caller ID Feature is required for this service. |
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Calling Card Rate |
| The charge per-minute of any long distance calling cards linked to your account. This is usually steeper than your normal long distance rate (to make you pay more for the added convenience). |
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Calling Card |
| A telecommunication credit card with an AuthCode for using a long distance carrier when the customer is away from their home or office (ANI). |
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Calling Card |
| An alternative billing method that allows users to place calls from any telephone and have them billed to their “home” account. |
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Cancellation Fee |
| Also called Early Termination Fee, is a sum assessed of the consumer in the event the consumer terminates service prior to the predetermined service end date. Some carriers may prorate this fee based on remaining term. |
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Cap (Competitive Access Provider) |
| A telecommunications entity engaged in providing competitive access service. |
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Capacity |
| The issue of whether a network has sufficient transmitting capability amount its available transmission media to respond to customer demand for communications transport, especially at peak times. |
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Card |
| An electronic circuit board used to provide features in a key system or PBX; If the card connects individual stations to the PBX, it is known as a line card. |
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Carrier Code |
| A unique five-digit number (SID) assigned by the FCC to each licensed cellular switch center. See CIC for long distance carrier code. |
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Carrier Common Line Charge |
| Refers to a fee paid to the local exchange carrier by the IXCs for connecting to the LECs local loop. This fee is in turn recovered by the IXC through the consumer. |
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Carrier |
| A company that provides communications channels or circuits for both wireline and wireless service. Carriers are either “common” or “private”. Common carriers may not refuse you service, whereas private carriers can. |
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Carry A Call |
| A phrase used to express the action a phone company takes to connect a call from the caller to the receiver. |
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Ccitt |
| (Consultative Committee on International Telegraph and Telephone) Telecommunications organization established by the United Nations to recommend international standards for communications carriers; in April 1994, the name changed to International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Telecommunications Standardization Sector |
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Cell Site |
| Location of wireless antenna and network communications equipment. |
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Cellular Phone |
| A wireless phone that permits users to roam from one communications cell to the next. A ubiquitous term used to refer to all wireless phones. |
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Centrex |
| A class of business services that offers features similar to that of a Private Branch Exchange (PBX), without the necessity of customer-owned equipment and utilizes standard business lines. Because the equipment is located, owned and maintained by the local telephone company's central office, the customer is spared the expense of keeping up with fast-moving technology changes. Local service providers have given unique trade names to their Centrex-like services, e.g., Centranet, Centron, ESSX, Plexar, Premier, Prestige. |
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Channel |
| A telecommunications path of a specific transmission rate between two or more locations. |
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Circuit Switching |
| The process of connecting two callers not hard-wired to each other in a closed communication path. The path is established only on demand (i.e., when the caller lifts the telephone receiver and receives dial tone) and is maintained only for the duration of the call |
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Circuit |
| A physical connection or path connecting two points, through which en electrical current may be established. This connection is used for both sending and receiving. |
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Co (Central Office) |
| The local exchange company's facility / switch, where subscribers' lines are joined to switching equipment for making local and long-distance calls. |
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Cocot (Customer-Owned Coin Operated Telephone) |
| As pay phones are no longer the sole province of the telephone company, any entrepreneur can buy, install, and collect from, a set of privately-owned pay phones. |
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Collect Call |
| A method of operator assisted calling whereby the receiver of the call is billed. This process requires the approval/authorization of the person being called |
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Collocation |
| Refers to the placement of a competitive telecommunications company’s switches and or equipment on the premises of the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier |
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Common Equipment |
| The equipment that governs the system functions of a PBX, key system, or hybrid system. The common equipment is the point where central office lines and/or trunks are connected to the system |
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Communications Protocol |
| strict procedure or interchange convention required to initiate and maintain communications over a communications channel |
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Conference Calling |
| A call whereby three or more parties are connected by means of phone equipment, subscribed phone service or a third party operator/phone service. |
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Connectivity |
| Being connected to the local central office for access to the public switched network |
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Country Code |
| Two or three digit codes used for International calls outside of the North American Numbering Plan area codes. Dial: 011 + country code + city code + local phone number) (e.g. "011 + 91 + 22 + 123- 4567" 91 = India, 22 = Bombay |
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Cramming |
| An illegal activity by unscrupulous long distance carriers who bill you for additional services that you did not request. If you have been crammed, contact the Federal Communications Commission. |
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Cross Bar Switch |
| A second-generation private branch exchange switching system, using magnets to connect horizontal and vertical paths to establish a path through the network. The cross bar is outdated today because it is not programmable and its electromechanical relays and switches take a great deal of space. |
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Cross-Reference |
| Another or cross-reference of a listing in the subscriber’s home directory |
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Cross-Talk |
| Energy leak from one channel to another. On the telephone network you hear somebody else's conversation. If transmitting data, a noise source |
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Csr (Customer Service Representative) |
| employee who processes service orders to establish, change or disconnect residential telephone service. |
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Csu/Dsu (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit) |
| The devices used to access digital data channels. At the customer's end of the telephone connection, these devices perform much the same function for digital circuits that modems provide for analog connections. |
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Custom Calling Features (Ccf) |
| The basic custom calling features now available to subscribers include call waiting, call forwarding, abbreviated dialing, 3-way calling, etc. These revenue-generating features are available from the central office, and do not require any special customer premises equipment. |
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Custom Calling Service |
| Provision of enhanced services to small business users and residential telephone lines. |
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Cutover |
| The exact date/time that a phone number, circuit, etc. is scheduled to be (or was) moved from one implementation (carrier, etc.) to another. (e.g. moving an 800 number from MCI to WorldCom). |
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