Glossary - N

N

NAMPS

See Narrowband Analog Mobile Phone Service.

Narrowband

1. Telecommunications service that carries voice information in a narrowband of frequencies.
2. A specific frequency range set aside by the FCC for mobile or radio services, including paging systems, from 50 cps to 64 Kbps.

Narrowband Analog Mobile Phone Service (NAMPS)

A standard for cellular telephone system that combines voice processing with digital service for paging, text messaging, etc.

National Electric Code (NEC)

A nationally recognized safety standard for the construction, design and maintenance of electrical circuits.

National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA)

Formed in 1983 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), NECA is a not-for-profit corporation whose members are local telephone companies. NECA provides Company Codes, which are used to identify CLECs/Resellers; and helps administer the FCC access charge plan and other federal and state telecommunications programs.

Nationwide Narrowband

The ten Narrowband Personal Communications Services (PCS) licenses that cover the 50 states and the U.S. territories; they operate on the 900 MHz band.

Nationwide/Statewide Cost Averaging

A method of averaging costs by which uniform prices are set for telephone service. This practice ensures that subscribers using more costly-to-serve highly trafficked routes, such as those between small communities, receive the same service for the same price, as do subscribers on lower-cost highly trafficked metropolitan routes.

NEBS (Network Equipment Building Systems)

A set of safety- and performance-related standards for telecommunications equipment installed in central offices.

NECA

See National Exchange Carrier Association.

Network Address

Numeric character string used to specify the location of the called customer. Also known as protocol address.

Network Channel (NC)

Industry standard code that defines the type of service provided on a circuit.

Network Channel Interface (NCI)

Identifies the electrical conditions on the circuit.

Network Element

As defined in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a facility or equipment used in provisioning a telecommunications service. The term may include the features, functions and capabilities of that facility or equipment.

Network Equipment Building Systems

A set of safety- and performance-related standards for telecommunications equipment installed in central offices.

Network Interface Device (NID)

1. The equipment at the Rate Demarcation Point on an end user's premises at which a telephone company's responsibility for the provision of services ends. The NID is the point of demarcation between the loop and an end user's inside wire, which grounds the unbundled loop.

Network Node

In a topological description of a network, a point of junction of the links. Switching center used in data networks, particularly in the context of packet-switching.

Network Operations Center (NOC)

An operations center, open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, that oversees and coordinates management of the switching network; it manages the status of the network and coordinates the use of network trunking capacity. In case of problems, the NOC sets restoration priorities and coordinates restoration activities.

Network Trafic Management

Centralized surveillance of maintenance and traffic conditions in order to maximize the effectiveness of the network and minimize incidences of overload or failure.

Network-to-Network Interface (NNI)

The ability to link Local Area Networks hundreds of miles apart.

Network Segment

An electronically continuous portion of a network, usually consisting of the same wire.

NID

See Network Interface Device.

North American Numbering Plan (NANP)

The numbering plan used in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and certain Caribbean Islands. The NANP format is a 10-digit number that consists of a 3-digit NPA code (Area Code), 3-digit NXX code (Exchange), and 4-digit code (Line).

NPA

See Numbering Plan Area.

Numbering Plan Area (NPA)

An NPA is referred to as an area code. There are two general categories of NPAs:

1. Geographic NPA -- Associated with a defined geographic area; all telephone numbers bearing such an NPA are associated with services provided within that geographic area.
2. Non-Geographic NPA -- Associated with a specialized telecommunications service, which may be provided across multiple geographic NPA areas; for example 800, 900, 700, 500 and 888. Also known as a Service Access Code or SAC Code.

Number Portability As defined in the Telecommunications Act of 1996

The ability of telecommunications service users to retain, at the same location, existing telephone numbers without impairment of quality, reliability, or convenience when switching from one telecommunications carrier to another.

Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC)

This center administers the Service Management System(SMS) regional database, managed by an independent third party, to store all Local Number Portability data, including the status of a ported telephone number, the current service provider and the owner of the telephone number.

NXX, NXX Code, Central Office Code, or CO Code

The three digit switch entity indicator which is defined by the "D", "E", and "F" digits of a 10-digit telephone number within the North American Numbering Plan. Each NXX code contains 10,000 station numbers. Historically, entire NXX code blocks have been assigned to specific individual local exchange end office switches.

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