Glossary - A

A

Acceptance Limit (AL)

The maximum margin, value, or deviation that is allowed at service turn-up or end user acceptance.

Access

1. The method, time, circuit, or facility used to enter the network.
2. The service provided by local exchange carriers or alternate access providers that connects an Interexchange carrier with its customers. There are two kinds of access services:
   • Switched access -- Provides such service over the Public Switched Telephone Network
   • Special access service-- Provides dedicated access for private line services or sometimes at the closed end of switched services.

Access Charge

A charge billed to Interexchange Carriers for the origination and termination of interexchange calls through a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC).

Access Code

A short sequence of digits assigned by a telephone service provider to an individual customer to provide access to a specific service, feature or function of a telecommunications network or computer system. The five-digit code (used for call destinations within the United States) has the form 10XXX; the seven-digit code (used for international call destinations) has the form 101XXXX or 950-XXXX.

Access Carrier (or Customer) Name Abbreviation (ACNA)

A three-character code assigned to each Interexchange Carrier; designates the customer to which circuits are billed.

Access Line

The portion of a telephone line between the end user's location and the telephone service provider's central office. Also called local loop, subscriber loop or local line.

Access/Local Tandem Switch

Switching systems that concentrate and distribute traffic originating from or terminating at end offices in the access/local service area.

Access Method

1. The method by which networked stations determine when they can transmit data on a shared transmission medium.
2. Software within an SNA processor that controls the flow of information through a network.

Access Minutes

The elapsed time, figured in minutes, between the start of an access attempt and successful access.

Access Rate

The transmission speed, in bits per second, of the physical access circuit between the end user and the network.

Access Service Ordering Guidelines (ASOG)

Industry guidelines for issuing Access Service Requests (ASRs), as sponsored by the Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF) and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS). These guidelines outline the forms, data elements and the business rules necessary to create an Access Service Request.

Access Tandem

Switching system that concentrates and distributes traffic originating from or terminating at end offices in the access/local service area.

Access Tandem Connection (ATC)

The interconnection between a Verizon tandem switch and another service provider's switching entity/Point of Interface over which local traffic, EAS or IntraLATA traffic may flow to and from the end offices subtending the interconnection tandem switch.

Address Table

A table stored in routers, bridges and switches that enables these devices to know where on the network to forward information.

Adjustment

A correction (often in the form of a credit) made to a customer's account when billing errors have been properly documented.

ADSL

See Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line.

Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN)

A telephone network architecture that adds advanced computer intelligence to the telephone system. AIN supports advanced telecommunications features such as voice recognition.

Verizon Advantage Pack

Package of local and regional calling services with discounts on voice messaging services.

Affiliate

As defined in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a person or entity that (directly or indirectly) owns or controls a telecommunications company, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, another person or entity.

AIN

See Advanced Intelligent Network.

AIN Query

Advanced Intelligent Network query capability on a Verizon AIN.

Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)

Trade group for telecommunications carriers, resellers, manufacturers and providers of enhanced services. ATIS s heavily involved in standards issues including interconnection and interoperability issues.

Alternate Billed Call (ABC)

A call originating on one line and charged to another, using collect, bill-to-third (Third Number) or calling card.

Alternate Exchange Carrier Name (AECN)

A unique identifier for a CLEC.

Alternate Mark Inversion (AMI)

A DS1 line code that does not perform zero code suppression and is therefore transparent to an all-zeros byte.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

An organization that certifies standards developed by a wide variety of industry groups. ANSI does not create standards, but rather consolidates those which have been created by other organizations.

Analog Transmission

The traditional telephone technology (for voice transmission) in which sound waves (or other data) are converted into electrical impulses of varying strength or amplitude.

Ancillary Telecommunications Services

Subordinate, supplementary and subcomponent characteristics and capabilities of telecommunications services that are made available to Enhanced Service Providers by Local Exchange Carriers. An example of an ancillary service is protocol conversion.

ANI

See Automatic Number Identification.

ANSI

See American National Standards Institute.

Area Code

Also known as a Numbering Plan Area (NPA). A three-digit code that identifies the local calling area.

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)

A transmission technology that transmits an asymmetric digital signal using one of a variety of line codes as specified in the ANSI standard. ADSL technology enables data transmission over existing copper wiring at data rates several hundred times faster than analog modems, providing for simultaneous delivery of voice, video and data. See Verizon High Speed Internet for Business.

Asynchronous Protocol

A type of transmission in which information is sent at random, at any speed with no routing information.

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Network Service is a form of 'fast packet' switching service for high speed networks which require flexible bandwidth, high-performance transport and switching for connectivity between and among widely distributed customer locations. Learn more.

ATIS

See Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions.

ATM

See Asynchronous Transfer Mode.

ATM Forum

A telecommunications industry organization that focuses on the development, standardization and deployment of ATM products.

Automatic Callback

Calling feature available with CustoPak that automatically connects a user to a busy internal station when it becomes idle. This feature is designed to increases productivity and minimizes callbacks and unnecessary dialing.

Automatic Location Identification/Data Management System (ALI/DMS)

The Verizon emergency services (E911/911) database that contains customer location information (including name, address, telephone number, and sometimes special information from the local service provider). This information is used to process subscriber access records into Automatic Location Identification (ALI) records, which are used in response to 9-1-1 calls. Verizon uploads records from this database to the ALI Gateway for downloading by local ALI database systems. The selective router ALI (SR/ALI) uses these records to determine the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for routing emergency calls.

Automatic Number Identification (ANI)

The number transmitted through the network that identifies the calling party. Technically, a Common Channel Inter-office Signaling (CCIS) parameter that refers to the number transmitted on an out-of-band basis through the SS7 signaling network identifying the calling party's telephone number. Also known as Calling Party Number (CPN).

Auxiliary Interconnection

An interconnection between a Verizon switch and another service provider's switching entity/Point of Interface for the provisioning of ancillary services such as Operator Services.

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