Glossary of telephony terms

This is a glossary of telephony terms, derived from the Glossary of Telecommunication Terms published as Federal Standard 1037C. Please see the Federal Standard article for copyright-related issues, as not all parts of the source document are in the public domain.

ISDN

access contention[?] -- B channel[?] -- bearer service[?] -- broadband ISDN[?] (B-ISDN) -- circuit transfer mode[?] -- contribution[?] -- customer access[?] -- D channel[?] -- demand service[?] -- digital subscriber line (DSL) -- distribution -- distribution service[?] -- event -- frame -- functional signaling[?] -- H-channel -- hybrid interface structure[?] -- interactive service[?] -- interface functionality -- interface payload[?] -- ISDN -- labeled channel[?] -- labeled interface structure[?] -- labeled multiplexing[?] -- labeled statistical channel[?] -- LAP-D[?] -- messaging service[?] -- network element[?] (NE) -- network termination[?] -- network termination 1 (NT1) -- network termination 2[?] (NT2) -- positioned channel[?] -- post-production processing[?] -- primary rate interface (PRI) -- reference configuration[?] -- reference point[?] -- reserved circuit service[?] -- retrieval service[?] -- R interface[?] -- Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) -- S interface -- synchronous transfer mode[?] -- teleaction service[?] -- terminal adapter -- T-interface -- transfer mode[?] -- transit delay[?] -- T reference point[?] -- U interface -- V reference point[?] -- wide area network (WAN)

Switching

analog switch[?] -- broadband exchange[?] (BEX) -- burst switching -- call progress signal[?] -- circuit-switched data transmission service[?] -- circuit switching -- class of office[?] -- common control -- congestion -- crosspoint[?] -- digital switching[?] -- distributed switching -- electronic switching system (ESS) -- fast packet switching -- first-in last-out[?] (FIFO) -- interrupted continuous wave[?] (ICW) -- joint multichannel trunking and switching system -- message switching -- multiple access -- multiple homing -- nonblocking switch[?] -- off-hook signal[?] -- one-way trunk -- pilot-make-busy circuit[?] (PMB) -- private exchange[?] (PX) -- public switched network[?] (PSN) -- public switched NS/EP telecommunications services[?] -- public switched telephone network (PSTN) -- queuing delay -- rotary hunting[?] -- seizing[?] -- semiautomatic switching system -- signal transfer point[?] (STP) -- space-division switching[?] -- spill forward[?] -- split homing[?] -- step-by-step switching system[?] (SXS) -- switch -- switchboard -- switch busy hour[?] -- switching -- synchronous transfer mode[?] -- Tactical Automatic Digital Switching System[?] (TADSS) -- thin-film optical switch[?] -- three-way calling[?] -- time-division switching[?] -- trunk -- wink pulsing

Telephony Hardware

acoustic coupler -- aerial cable[?] -- aerial insert -- applique -- central office (C.O.) -- combined distribution frame (CDF) -- common battery -- conditioned loop[?] -- connecting arrangement[?] -- cord circuit -- cord lamp[?] -- cordless switchboard[?] -- crossbar switch -- cross-connection[?] -- cross-office trunk[?] -- customer office terminal (COT) -- customer service unit (CSU) -- dial switching equipment[?] -- digital access and cross-connect system (DACS) -- digital circuit patch bay[?] -- digital loop carrier[?] (DLC) -- digital primary patch bay[?] -- digital switch -- distribution frame[?] -- drop -- DSA board[?] -- D-type patch bay[?] -- electrically powered telephone[?] -- embedded base equipment[?] -- embedded customer-premises equipment[?] -- end instrument -- end office[?] -- entrance facility[?] -- entrance point[?] -- entrance room[?] -- equal-level patch bay[?] -- equipment room[?] -- equipment side[?] -- exchange -- exchange facilities[?] -- extension bell[?] -- four-wire repeater[?] -- grandfathered systems -- grandfathered terminal equipment[?] -- group distribution frame[?] (GDF) -- high-frequency distribution frame[?] (HFDF) -- individual line[?] -- inside plant -- integrated station[?] -- intercom[?] -- intermediate distribution frame (IDF) -- interoffice trunk[?] -- interposition trunk -- interswitch trunk[?] -- intertoll trunk[?] -- intraoffice trunk[?] -- key set[?] -- key telephone system[?] (KTS) -- K-type patch bay[?] -- limited-protection voice equipment[?] -- line side[?] -- local battery -- local exchange loop[?] -- local side[?] -- main distribution frame (MDF) -- main station[?] -- master frequency generator -- MM patch bay[?] -- new customer premises equipment[?] -- office classification -- off-premises extension[?] (OPX) -- on-premises extension[?] -- orderwire multiplex[?] -- outside plant -- patch and test facility[?] (PTF) -- plant -- private exchange[?] (PX) -- private line -- proration -- protected distribution system (PDS) -- public switched telephone network (PSTN) -- rack[?] -- repertory dialer[?] -- rotary dial -- SECORD[?] -- semiautomatic switching system -- signal center[?] -- sound-powered telephone[?] -- special grade access line[?] -- splice closure[?] -- station battery[?] -- STU[?] -- supergroup distribution frame[?] (SGDF) -- switchboard -- switched circuit[?] -- switched loop -- tandem center[?] -- tandem office[?] -- technical control facility (TCF) -- Telecommunications Device for the Deaf[?] (TDD) -- telecommunications facilities[?] -- telephone -- terminal equipment -- through-group equipment[?] -- through-supergroup equipment[?] -- tie trunk[?] -- translator[?] -- tributary office[?] -- videophone[?] -- vodas[?] -- vogad[?] -- voice frequency primary patch bay (VF)