ACD: Automatic Call Distribution. This is a system feature that handles large volumes of incoming calls by evenly distributing them across multiple extensions. Ideal for call centres environments, such as help desks, accounts departments and sales teams.

ADSL: Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line. This is a method of delivering very high-speed data over existing ordinary phone lines, together with voice calls. Speeds of 10 or more time faster than ISDN are possible.

CLI: Calling Line Identification . This is a telephone system/service feature that permits users to see the telephone number and/or name of the caller.

Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS): It is a service that allows you to route your outgoing calls through the local BT exchange rather than having to program your telephone system or dial a prefix. The change over is simple. There are no equipment changes needed and you even keep the same telephone number.

CT or CTI: Computer Telephony Integration . It’s the process in which a telephone switch communicates call information to a computer, allowing it to manage the call based on commands from the software application. Six key value-added benefits can be derived from CTI deployment:

• Call-based data selection puts information about the caller and the call on the PC screen when the telephone rings.
• Intelligent routing automatically routes calls to the most appropriate person or department.
• Screen-based call management allows users to control and route calls from their computer screen.
• Automated, or predictive, dialing initiates and dials outbound calls.
• Voice and data synchronisation allows the simultaneous transfer of caller information and the call itself to a new call recipient.
• Call monitoring automatically collects information about the call and its progress

DDI: Direct Dialing Inward . It allows a caller outside a company to call an internal extension, or group of extensions, without going through the switchboard.

DECT: Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telephony takes office telephony into new areas, giving your staff complete freedom to move around the office, while still being able to make and take calls. DECT handsets provide an array of sophisticated features, so that staff can stay in touch and manage their calls from anywhere in the building.

DPNSS: Digital Private Network Signaling System. It’s a system that provides signaling between phone systems connected over digital private network links.

GPRS: Global Packet Radio System, which will give fast data transfer (around half the speed of ISDN) on suitable GSM phones. Will speed up delivery of WAP content and other mobile services.

HTML: HyperText Markup Language. Used to write a web document.

HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol’s one of the cornerstones of Web communications.

ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network . It provides digital connectivity for simultaneous transmission of voice and/or data over multiple communications channels. ISDN is the ideal solution for sending large quantities of data over the telephone network. ISDN functionality enables Direct Dialing In (DDI) and Calling Line Identity (CLI). ISDN is available in 2 formats, Basic Rate and Primary rate.

IVR: A single storage, despatch and retrieval system that supports multimedia messages including voice, fax, email and video. It is fully accessible from either a telephone or a PC and provides intelligent message handling.

Keyphone: An ‘intelligent’ handset with access to telephone system features via pre-programmed, or programmable, keys. These features include specific call handling functions such as transferring calls, picking up calls from other extensions, barring calls and queuing calls.

LAN: Local Area Network. It is a communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. It is made up of servers, workstations, a network operating system and a communications link.

Multiplexor: It is a device that merges several low-speed transmissions into one high-speed transmission and vice versa.

Router: It is a device that forwards data packets from one local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) to another. Based on routing tables and routing protocols, routers read the network address in each transmitted frame and make a decision on how to send it based on the most expedient route (traffic load, line costs, speed, bad lines, etc.)

Trunk Line: Trunk-to-trunk transfer allows an incoming call to be extended to an external telephone number by the operator, i.e. a mobile phone, branch office, or even a home number. In conjunction with DDI, external calls can be automatically diverted out over the telephone network to another number, a common out-of-hours working application.

UMTS: Universal Mobile Telephone System. It will supplement and eventually replace GPRS, giving speeds many times that of ISDN on the next generation of mobiles.

Voicemail: A computerised telephone answering system that digitises incoming voice messages and stores them on disk or flash memory allowing them to be re-played by the extension user, saved for future reference or forwarded to other extension users. It usually provides auto attendant capability, which uses pre-recorded messages to route the caller to the appropriate person, department or mailbox. Voice mail systems may also offer directory lookup by name.

Voice Over IP: VoIP means using the Internet Protocol for routing and delivering calls in the same way that data and video are sent now, utilising spare bandwidth over existing data links and leased lines to reduce the ongoing cost of call traffic between linked sites.

Shifting telephone traffic, as well as fax transmissions, to internal data lines saves companies money; and combining phone and data networks eliminates the need for separate information pipelines and separate staff to manage and maintain them. It’s claimed that companies can slash their phone budgets by 35 percent by moving voice traffic to its data network.

Put simply, VoIP redefines the next wave of data and phone integration, creating more effective applications and lowering communications costs.

WAN: Wide Area Network . It is a communications network that covers a wide geographic area, such as state or country. A LAN (local area network) is contained within a building or complex, and a MAN (metropolitan area network) generally covers a city or suburb.

WAP: Wireless Application Protocol. It is a means of delivering scaled-down Web services and email to devices such as mobile phones.