AAA - Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting. A RADIUS-compliant server that authenticates and authorizes users and stores user service profiles.

ANI - Automatic Number Identification. ANI is a feature in which a series of digits, either analog or digital, are included in the call, identifying the telephone number of the calling device. In other words, ANI identifies the number of the calling party.

authorization -

CDR - Call detail record

dialing plan - A string or combination of decimal digits, symbols, and additional information that define the method by which the numbering plan is used. A dialing plan includes the use of prefixes, suffixes, and additional information, supplemental to the numbering plan, required to complete the call.

E.164 - ITU-T recomendation that defines country codes (CC) for all the countries and regions of the world.

Gateway- IP telephony is implemented through networks consisting of VoIP gateway switches that interface between the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) and IP networks, such as the Internet or a private intranet. The Gateway receives the incoming PSTN calls and compresses the voice transmissions into electronic data packets. Th epacketized voice call os sent over the data network to a destination gateway, which depacketizes and decompresses the call and sends it to the PSTN for call termination.

ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network. Communication protocol offered by telephone companies that permits telephone networks to carry data, voice, and other source traffic.

ITC - Independent telephony company

ITSP- Internet Telephony Service Provider. An ITSP’s business model is primarily based on usage revenue generated through voice traffic carried over an IP network.

IVR - Interactive Voice Response. Term is used to describe systems that provide information in the form of recorded messages over telephone lines in response to user input in the form of spoken words or, more commonly.

IXC - Inter-Exchange Carrier. A regulated US class 4 carrier.

LAN - Local Area Network. A LAN is a data network that conects computers, peripherals, and other devices in a relatively small geographical area, usually within the confines of a building or floors within a building.

LATA - Local Access and Transport Area. LATA is a geographic territory used primarily by local telephone companies to determine charges for intrastate calls.

LEC - Local Exchange Carrier. A telephone company that provides customer access to the world-wide public switched network through one of its central offices.

NANP - North American Numbering Plan

node -

numbering plan - A numbering plan specifies the format and structure of the numbers used within that plan. It typically consists of decimal digits segmented into groups in order to identify specific elements used for identification, routing and charging capabilities, e.g. within E.164 to identify countries, national destinations, and subscribers.
A numbering plan does not include prefixes, suffixes, and additional information required to complete acall.
The national numbering plan is the national implementation of the E.164 numbering plan.

PBX - Private branch exchange. A PBX is a customer premises communivation switch used to connect customer telephones (and related equipment) to LEC central office lines (trunks) and to switch internal calls within the customer’s telephone system. Modern PBXs offer numerous software-controlled features, such as call forwarding and call pickup. A PBX uses technology similar to that used by a central office switch, but on a smaller scale.

POTS - Plain Old Telephony Service. General term referring to the variety of telephone networks and services worldwide.

PRI - Primary Rate Interface (PRI) is an ISDN interface to primary rate access. Primary rate access consists of a single 64-kbps D channel plus 23 (T1) or 30 (E1) B channels for voice or data.

PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network. The PSTN is the traditional telephone network used worldwide to carry majority of voice traffic. The PSTN is typically built on circuit-switched technology patforms, whereas IP telephony networks are built on packet-switched technology platform.

RADIUS - Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service. IETF based protocol for AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) services.

RBOC - Regional Bell operating company. Seven regional telephone companies formed by the breakup of AT&T.

RTP - Real-Time Transport Protocol. Commonly used with IP networks. RTP is designed to provide end-to-end network transport functions for applications transmitting real-time data, such as audio, video, or simulation data, over multicast or unicast network services. RTP provides such services as payload type identification, sequence numbering, timestamping, and delivery monitoring to real-time applications.

TELNET - Standard terminal emulation protocol in the TCP/IP protocol stack. Telnet is used for remote terminal connection, enabling users to log in to remote systems and use resources as if they were connected to a local system.

TFTP - Trivial file transfer protocol. Simplified version of FTP that allows files to be transferred from one computer to another over a network, usually without the use of client authentication (for example, username and password).

TDM - Time Division Multiplexing. Transmission scheme employed by all types of digital circuits in the PSTN.

VoIP - Voice Over IP. IP telephony represents the real time transmission of voice signals using Internet Protocol over the public Internet or a private data network. IP telephony provides less-expensive long distance and international communications because they are not regulated.