A firm telecom infrastructure provides businesses with the foundation to carry out communications consistently and effectively. Understanding the basic concepts of the industry is an excellent stepping stone toward establishing a productive IT environment.
Keep reading to learn more about common telecom lingo and the nature of the technology industry.
Why Learning Telecom Terms and Acronyms Is Valuable
The telecom industry is complicated. There’s no way around it. The telecommunications world moves at a breakneck pace, and it can feel overwhelming if you don’t keep up.
Telecom lingo is vast and varied. However, learning the vocabulary is a great way to increase your familiarity with the technology and get a handle on the concepts. Keep reading if you want to know the nuances of communications services and prepare to introduce a comprehensive and effective data communications system to your business.
Common Telecommunication Definitions and Their Purpose
Understanding telecom lingo can seem impossible without the right professional background. Take your first steps toward expertise with an explanation of these telecom terms and acronyms:
Digital
Digital refers to information organized into numerical steps. Encoded signals represent information in the form of steps or discrete numbers.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
VoIP is a technology that allows users to place phone calls over an internet connection. VoIP is a cost-effective alternative to local telephone companies. VoIP enables many cloud communications services, including voicemail to email, custom caller ID, and auto attendants.
Subscriber Line Charge (SLC)
Telephone subscribers pay a monthly fee to compensate telephone companies who install the telephone wire, poles, and other equipment that connect you with the network.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
DSL is a data communications system that transfers the internet through copper wire. DSL is a great way to implement broadband internet technology and ensure data transfer at high speed. DSL requires no additional wiring because it uses existing connections for data communications.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Line
ISDN lines are circuit-switched telephone network systems that transmit voice-over and data through a digital signal. Users can make video calls and phone calls and share data. The technology was invented to help businesses transition from landline technology to digital solutions. ISDN is a popular option when high-speed data technology like DSL or modem connections aren’t an option.
Local Exchange Carrier (LEC)
Local exchange carrier is a term used to describe the telephone company that provides local service to a particular area. Local exchange carriers provide telephone lines to many businesses and homes in an area known as a local exchange. Along with interexchange carriers (IXC), they’re one of the nation’s two varieties of landline telephone services.
Interexchange Carrier (IXC)
An interexchange carrier is a telephone company that provides connections between local exchanges in different areas. These long-distance services include high-speed digital tools for data transfer and voice and video calls.
Local Loop
A local loop is a wired connection from a telephone company’s primary office. This communications system was initially intended for analog technology. However, the local loop can send digital signals quickly and directly with an integrated service digital network (ISDN) or a digital subscriber line (DSL).
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
A private branch exchange is a telephone system in an enterprise that manages incoming and outgoing phone calls and other communications. A PBX can switch calls between users on local services and allow users to share external phone lines. Private branch exchanges cut costs for businesses by removing the need to have lines for every user on the communications system.
PBXs are owned by the organization rather than a telephone company. The included equipment can accommodate analog lines, a digital connection, or both. Most private branch exchanges use cutting-edge technology to convert digital signals to analog for external calls on the local loop. PBX systems are compatible with voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and cloud-based solutions.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
A private branch exchange is a telephone system in an enterprise that manages incoming and outgoing phone calls and other communications. A PBX can switch calls between users on local services and allow users to share external phone lines. Private branch exchanges cut costs for businesses by removing the need to have lines for every user on the communications system.
PBXs are owned by the organization rather than a telephone company. The included equipment can accommodate analog lines, a digital connection, or both. Most private branch exchanges use cutting-edge technology to convert digital signals to analog for external calls on the local loop. PBX systems are compatible with voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and cloud-based solutions.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data transmitted over a network in a given time. Your bandwidth determines how much information you receive every second. With high bandwidth, you can receive more data at once without sacrificing connection speed.
Your actual bandwidth depends on many factors. Network overhead, congestion, cabling issues, overall IT infrastructure, and other factors can affect the amount of bandwidth your business can access. Implementing a comprehensive communications system is a great way to ensure you make the most of your resources.
Local Area Network (LAN)
A LAN is a collection of devices connected in one location. They can exist in office buildings, retail spaces, and homes. They can vary in size, supporting anywhere from one to thousands of users in one building. Enterprise networks allow users in an organization to communicate quickly and efficiently, as long as they stay within the LAN’s range.
LANs are an excellent alternative when a wide area network (WAN) or metropolitan area network (MAN) isn’t available. WANs and MANs cover a much larger geographical area and bring many LANs together.
Network Termination Equipment (NTE)
Network termination equipment is the gear used to connect all customer data and equipment to the carrier’s line. The equipment often includes a built-in router that allows you to access communications systems and telephone services.
First Class Connection Is Your Guide to the Technology World
Learning your way around telecom lingo is only the beginning. If you want to introduce an adequate telecommunications infrastructure to your organization, you must source and install all the right tools and resources. It may be tempting to stick with whatever communications system you have in place now, but a revision to your technology can afford you a much-needed boost in connectivity and productivity across your business.
First Class Connection provides you with the network services you need to ensure security in your telecommunications. We reduce your IT spending by refining your environment and modifying your existing IT department for a fraction of the cost of a new technician hire.
Are you ready to push past studying the telecom glossary and build a lasting technological foundation for your company? Reach out today.
