ATT DEFINITY Communications System Generic 3 Basic Call Management System Instructions Manual

							Glossary
Issue  4  September 1995GL-21 
minor alarm
An ind i cation of a failure that could affect customer service. Minor alarms are automatic ally dis-
played on LEDs on the attendant console and maintenance or alarming  circuit pack, sent to the 
alarm log, and reported to a remote maintenance fac ility, if applic a ble.
modem
A device that converts digital data signals to analog signals for transmission over telephone cir-
c uits. The analog signals are converted back to the original digital data signals by another 
modem at the other end of the circuit.
modem pooling
A capability that provides shared conversion resources (modems and data modules) for 
cost-effective access to analog facilities by data terminals. When needed, modem pooling inserts 
a conversion resource into the path of a data call. Modem pooling serves both outgoing and 
incoming calls.
modular processor data module (MPDM)
A processor data module (PDM) that can be configured to provide several kinds of interfaces 
(RS232C, RS449, and V.35) to  customer-provided data terminal equipment (DTE). See also pro-
cessor data module.
modular trunk data module (MTDM)
A trunk data mo dule (TDM) that can be configured to provide several kinds of interfaces 
(RS232C, RS449, and V.35) to  customer-provided data terminal equipment (DTE).
modulator-demodulator
See modem.
multiappearance voice terminal
A terminal equip p ed with several call ap p earance buttons for the same extension number, allow-
ing the user to handle more than one call, on that same extension numb er, at the same time.
multicarrier cabinet
A structure that holds one to five carriers. See also single-carrier cabinet.
multifrequency-compelled (MFC), release 2 (R2) signalling
A signal consisting of two frequency  components, such that when a signal is transmitted from a 
switch, another signal acknowledging the transmitted signal is received by the switch. ‘‘R2’’ des-
ignates signaling used in the USA an d   countries outsi de the USA.
multiplexer
A device used to combine a number of individual channels into a single common bit stream for 
transmission.
multiplexing
A process whereby a transmission facility is divi ded into two or more channels, either by splitting  
the frequency band into a number of narrower b ands or by divi ding the transmission c hannel into 
su ccessive time slots. See also time-division multiplexing.
multirate
Multirate refers to the new N x DS0 service (see N x DS0). 
						

							Glossary
GL-22Issue  4  September 1995 
N
N x DS0
N x DS0, equivalently referred to as N~x 64 ~kbps, is an emerging standard for wideband calls 
separate from H0, H11, and H12 ISDN channels. The emerging N x DS0 ISDN multirate circuit 
mode bearer service will provide circuit-switched calls with data rate multiples of 64 kbps up to 
1536 kb p s on a T1 facility or up  to 1920 kb p s on an E1 facility. In the switch, N x DS0 channels will 
ran g e up to 1984 k bp s  usi n g NFAS E1 interfaces.
narrowband
A circuit-switched call at a data rate up to and including 64 kb p s. All nonwideband switch calls 
are considered narrowband.
Non-Facility Associated Signaling (NFAS)
A method that allows multiple T1 and/or E1 facilities to share a single D-channel to form an Inte-
grated Servi ces Digital Network primary rate interfac e (ISDN PRI). If D-Channel Back u p is not 
used, one facility is configured with a %D-channel, while the other facilities that share the D-chan-
nel are configured without D-channels. If D-Channel Backup  is used, two facilities are  configured 
to have D-channels (one D-channel on each facility), while the other facilities that share the 
D-channels are configured without D-channels.
On every facility, all DS0s that are not %D-channels are available as %B-channels. Therefore, a 
T1 facility without a D-channel has 24~B-channels, and an E1 facility without a %D-channel has 
31 ~B-channels.
network
A series of points, nodes, or stations connected by communications channels.
network-specific facility (NSF)
An information element in an ISDN-PRI message that specifies which public-network servi ce is 
used. NSF applies only when Call-by-Call Servi ce Selection is used to a c cess a p u blic-network 
service.
network interface
 A common boundary between two systems in an interconnected group of systems.
node
A switching or control point for a network. Nodes are either ‘‘tandem’’ (em they receive signals 
and pass them on (em or ‘‘terminal’’ (em they originate or terminate a transmission path.
O
offered load
The traffic that would be generated by all the requests for servi ce oc c urring within a monitored  
interval, usually one hour.
othersplit
The Work State that indicates the agent is currently active on another split’s call, or in ACW for 
another sp lit. 
						

							Glossary
Issue  4  September 1995GL-23 
P
packet
A group of bits (em including a message element, which is the d ata, and a control information ele-
ment (IE), which is the header (em used in packet switching and transmitted as a discrete unit. In 
each packet, the message element and control IE are arranged in a specified format. See also 
packet bus an d packet switching.
packet bus
A wide-bandwidth bus that transmits packets.
packet switching
A data-transmission technique whereb y user information is segmented and routed in dis crete 
data envelopes called ‘‘packets,’’ each with its own appended control information, for routing, 
sequencing, and error checking. Packet switching allows a channel to be o c cupied only during  
the transmission of a p acket; on completion of the transmission, the channel is made available for 
the transfer of other packets. See also BX.25 and packet.
paging trunk
A telec ommunic ations channel used to a c cess an amp lifier for loudsp eaker paging .
party/extension active on call
A party is on the c all if it is a ctually c onnected  to the c all (in active talk or in held state). An origina-
tor of a call is always a party on the call. Alerting parties, busy parties, and tones are not parties 
on the call.
PCOL
Personal Central Office Line.
primary extension
The main extension associated with the physical station set.
principal
A station that has its primary extension brid g ed on one or more other stations.
personal computer (PC)
A personally controllable microcomputer.
pickup group
A group of individuals authorized to answer any call directed to an extension number within the 
group.
port
A d ata- or voice-transmission a c cess p oint on a devi ce that is used  for c ommunicating  with other 
devic es.
port carrier
A carrier in a multicarrier cabinet or a single-carrier cabinet containing port circuit packs, power 
units, and service circuits. Also called a ‘‘port cabinet’’ in a single carrier cabinet.
port network (PN)
A cabinet containing a TDM bus and packet bus to which the following components are con-
nected: port circuit packs, one or two tone-clock circuit packs, a maintenance circuit pack, ser-
vi ce circuit packs, and (optionally) up to four expansion interfac e (EI) circuit p a cks in G3. Eac h 
PN is controlled either locally or remotely by a switch processing element (SPE). See also expan-
sion port network and  processor port network. 
						

							Glossary
GL-24Issue  4  September 1995 
port-network connectivity
The interconnection of port networks (PNs), regardless of whether the configuration uses direct or 
switched connectivity.
Primary Rate Interface (PRI)
A standard Integrated Servi ces Digital Network (ISDN) frame format that spec ifies the protocol 
used  between two or more communications systems. PRI runs at 1.544 Mbps and, as used in 
North America, provides 23 64~kb p s %B-channels (voice or data) and one 64~ kbps %D-channel 
(signaling). The D-channel is the 24th channel of the interface and contains multiplexed  si gnaling 
information for the other 23 channels.
PRI endpoint (PE)
The wideband switching capability introduces PRI End p oints on switch line-si de interfaces. A PRI 
endpoint consists of one or more contiguous B-channels on a line-si de T1 or E1 ISDN PRI fa c ility 
and has an extension number. Endpoint applications have call control cap a bilities over PRI end-
p oints.
principal (user)
A person to whom a telephone is assigned and who has message center coverage.
private network
A network used exc lusively for the telecommuni cations needs of a particular customer.
private network office code (RNX)
The first three d i gits of a 7-digit private network numb er. These c o des are numbered 220 through 
999, excluding any codes that have a 0 or 1 as the second  digit.
processor carrier
A phrase used for ‘‘control carrier’’ in G3rV2. See also control carrier.
processor data module (PDM)
A device that provides an RS232C data communications equipment (DCE) interface for connect-
ing to data terminals, applications processors (APs), and host computers and provides a digital 
c ommunications protocol (DCP) interface for connection to a communications system. See also 
modular processor data module.
processor port network (PPN)
A port network (PN) controlled b y a switch proc essing element (SPE) that is directly connected to 
that PN’s time-division multiplex (TDM) bus and local area network (LAN) bus. See also port net-
work.
processor port network (PPN) control carrier
A c arrier c ontaining the maintenance c ircuit pack, tone/clock circuit pack, and switch processing 
element (SPE)  c ircuit packs for a processor port network (PPN) and, o ptionally, port circuit packs.
Property Management System (PMS)
A stand-alone computer used b y lodging and health servi ces organizations use for services such 
as reservations, housekeeping, and billing.
protocol
A set of conventions or rules governing the format and timing of message exchanges to control 
d ata movement and   correction of errors.
public network
The network that can be openly acc essed by all customers for local or long-distance calling.
pulse-code modulation (PCM)
An extension of pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) in whic h carrier-si gnal pulses modulated by 
an analog si gnal, such as speech, are quantized and encod e d to a digital, usually binary, format. 
						

							Glossary
Issue  4  September 1995GL-25 
Q
quadrant
A quadrant is a group of six contiguous DS0s in fixed locations on an ISDN PRI fac ility. Note that 
this term  comes from T1 terminology (one-fourth of a T1), but there are five quadrants on an E1 
ISDN PRI facility (30B + D).
A quadrant is considered available or idle when all six contiguous DS0s are idle. Otherwise, the 
quadrant is considered contaminated or partially contaminated. This is a dynamic condition; 
quadrants b e come i dle and  c ontaminated  as calls are p laced  and dropped. Note that a T1 facility 
containing the primary or backup D-channel (23B + D) has a maximum of three idle quadrants. 
The fourth  quadrant (DS0s 19-24) never has six contiguous idle DS0s b e cause one is always allo-
cated to the D-channel. On an E1 facility, channel 0 is reserved for framing and syn chronization, 
and channel 16 contains the D-channel when present, but five quadrants are potentially available.
queue
An ordered sequence of calls waiting to be proc essed.
queuing
The process of holding  calls in order of their arrival to await connection to an attendant, to an 
answering group, or to an idle trunk. Calls are automatically connected in first-in, first-out 
sequence.
R
random access memory (RAM)
A storage arrangement whereby information c an b e retrieved at a speed independent of the loca-
tion of the stored information.
read-only memory (ROM)
A storage arrangement primarily for information retrieval applications.
recall dial tone
Tones signalling that the system has completed a function (such as holding a call) and is ready to 
accept dialing.
redirection criteria
The information administered for each voi ce terminal’s coverage path that determines when an 
incoming call is redirected to coverage.
redirection on no answer
An optional feature that redirects an unanswered ringing ACD call after an administered number 
of rings. The call is then redirected back to the agent.
remote home numbering-plan area code (RHNPA)
A foreign numbering-plan area code that is treated as a home area c o de by the Automatic Route 
Selec t ion (ARS) feature. Calls can be allowed or denied based on the area c o de and the dialed 
central offic e (CO) code rather than just the area code. If the call is allowed, the ARS pattern used  
for the call is determined by these six digits.
reorder tone
A tone to signal that at least one of the facilities, suc h as a trunk or a digit transmitter, needed for 
the call was not available at the time the call was plac e d. 
						

							Glossary
GL-26Issue  4  September 1995 
report scheduler
Software that is used in conjunction with the system printer for the purpose of scheduling the days 
of the week and time of day that the desired reports are to be printed.
RS232C
A physical interface specified by the EIA. RS232C transmits an d  receives asynchronous data at 
speed s of up to 19.2 kb p s over cable distances of up to 50 feet.
ROSE
Remote Operations Servic e Element is a CCITT and  ISO stan d ard that defines a notation and ser-
vi ces that su p port interactions between the various entities that make up a distributed application.
S
sanity and control interface (SAKI)
A custom, very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) microchip located on each port circuit pack. The 
SAKI provides address rec o gnition, buffering, and syn chronization between the angel and the 
five control time slots that make up the control channel. The SAKI also scans and collects status 
information for the angel on its port circuit pack and, when polled, transmits this information to the 
archangel.
simplex system
A system that has no redundant hardware.
simulated bridged appearance
The same as a temporary bridged appearance, allows the station user (usually the principal) the 
ability to bridge onto a call which had been answered by another party on its behalf.
single-carrier cabinet
A combined cabinet and carrier unit that contains one carrier. See also multicarrier cabinet.
single-line voice terminal
A voice terminal serve d by a single-line tip and ring circuit (models 500, 2500, 7101A, 7103A).
small computer system interface (SCSI)
An ANSI bus standard that provides a high-level command interface between host comp uters 
and peripheral devic es.
software
A set of computer programs that perform one or more tasks.
split
A c ondition whereby a caller is temp orarily separated  from a c onnection with an attendant. A split 
condition automatically occurs when the attendant, active on a call, presses the start button.
split number
The sp lit’s identity to the switch and BCMS.
split report
Provides historical traffic information for internally measured splits.
split (agent) status report
Provides the real-time status and measurement data for internally measured agents and the split 
to which they are assigned. 
						

							Glossary
Issue  4  September 1995GL-27 
staffed
Indicates an agent position is logged-in. A staffed agent will be functioning in one of four work 
modes: Auto-In, Manual-In, ACW, or AUX-work.
Station Message Detail Recording (SMDR)
An obsolete term now called CDR (see  call detail recording), which is a switch feature that uti-
lizes software and hardware to record call data.
standard serial interface (SSI)
A communications protocol developed  by AT&T Teletyp e Corporation for use with the 500 busi-
ness communications terminals (BCTs) and the 400-series printers.
status lamp
A green light that shows the status of a call appearance or a feature button by the state of the light 
(lit, flashing, fluttering, broken flutter, or unlit).
stroke counts
A method used  by Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) agents to record up to nine cus-
tomer-defined events per call when the Call Management System (CMS) is active.
switch
Any kind of telephone switching system. See also communications system.
switchhook
The buttons located under the receiver on a voice terminal.
switch node (SN) carrier
A carrier containing a single switch node, power units, and, optionally, one or two digital signal 
level-1 (DS1) converter circuit packs. An SN carrier is located in a center stage switch (CSS).
switch node (SN) clock
The circuit pack in a switch node (SN) carrier that provides cloc k and maintenance alarm func-
tions and environmental monitors for an SN.
switch node interface (SNI)
The basic building  block of a switch node. An SNI circuit pack controls the routing of circuit, 
packet, and control messages.
switch node link (SNL)
The hardware that provides a bridge between two or more switch nodes. The SNL consists of the 
two switch node interface (SNI) c ircuit packs residing on the switch nodes and the hardware con-
necting the SNIs. This hardware can include lightwave transc eivers that convert the SNI’s electri-
cal signals to light signals, the copper wire that connects the SNIs to the lightwave transceivers, a 
full-duplex fiber-optic cable, digital signal level-1 (DS1) c onverter circuit cards and DS1 facilities if 
a comp any does not have rights to lay cable, and appropriate connectors.
switch processing element (SPE)
A complex of circuit packs (em processor, memory, disk controller, and bus-interface cards (em 
mounted in a processor-port-network (PPN) c ontrol carrier. The SPE serves as the control element 
for that PPN and, optionally, for one or more expansion port networks (EPNs).
synchronous data transmission
A method of sending  data in which discrete signal elements are sent at a fixed and continuous 
rate and specified times.
system administrator
The person who maintains overall customer res ponsi bility for system administration. Generally, all 
administration functions are performed from the G3 Management Terminal (G3-MT). The switch  
						

							Glossary
GL-28Issue  4  September 1995 
requires a sp e cial login, referred to as the system administrator login, in order to gain ac cess to 
the system administration capabilities.
system printer
An optional printer that may be use d to print scheduled reports via the report scheduler.
system report
Provides historical traffic information for all internally measured splits.
system status report
Provide real-time status information for internally measured splits.
system manager
A person responsible for sp e cifying and administering features and servi ces for a system.
system reload
A process that allows stored data to be written from a tape into the system memory (normally after 
a power outage).
T
T1
A digital transmission standard that in North America carries traffic at the digital signal %level-1 
(DS1) rate of 1.544 Mbps. A T1 facility is divided into 24~channels (DS0s) of 64 ~k b ps information 
numbered from 1~to~ 24. These 24~c hannels, with an overall digital rate of 1.536~Mbps, and an 
8~ kb p s framing and sync hronization channel make up the 1.544~Mbps transmission. When a 
%D-channel is present, it occupies channel 24.
T1 facilities are also used in Japan and some Middle-Eastern countries.
TAC
Trunk Access Code.
tandem switch
A switch within an electronic tandem network (ETN) that provides the logic to determine the best 
route for a network call, possibly modifies the digits outpulsed, and allows or denies certain calls 
to certain users.
tandem through
The switched connection of an incoming trunk to an outgoing trunk without human intervention.
tandem tie-trunk network
A private network that interconnects several customer switching systems by  dial-
TEG
Terminating Extension Group.
terminal
A device that sends and receives data within a system. See also administration terminal.
tie trunk
A telecommunications channel that directly connects two private switching systems.
time-division multiplex (TDM) bus
A bus that is time-shared regularly by preallocating short time slots to each transmitter. In a PBX, 
all port circuits are connected to the TDM bus, permitting any port to send a signal to any other 
p ort. 
						

							Glossary
Issue  4  September 1995GL-29 
time-division multiplexing (TDM)
Multiplexing that divides a transmission channel into su ccessive time slots. See also multiplex-
ing.
time interval
The period of time, either one hour or one-half hour, that BCMS measurements are collected for a 
report(s).
time slice
See time interval.
time slot
A time slot refers to 64 kb p s of d i gital information structured as eight bits every 125 micro-sec-
onds. In the switch, a time slot refers to either a DS0 on a T1 or E1 facility or a 64 kbps unit on the 
TDM  bus or fiber connection between port networks.
time slot sequence integrity
Time slot sequence integrity means that the ‘‘N’’ octets of a wideband call that are transmitted in 
one T1 or E1 frame arrive at the output in the same order that they were introduced.
to control
To control means that an application can invoke Third Party Call Control capabilities using either 
an adjunct-control or a domain-control asso ciation.
to monitor
To monitor means that an application can receive 
Event_Reports on either an active-notification, 
adjunct-control, or a domain-control association.
tone ringer
A device with a sp eaker, used in electronic voice terminals to alert the user.
trunk
A dedicated telecommunications channel between two communications systems or central 
offices (COs).
trunk allocation
The manner in which trunks are selected to form wid e band channels.
trunk data module
A device that provides the interface for connection between off-premises private-line trunk facili-
ties and a G3V2 switch. The trunk data module provides conversion between the RS232C and the 
Digital Communications Protocol (DCP), and can connect to direct distance dialing (DDD) 
modems as the DCP memb er of a modem pool.
trunk group
Telecommunications channels assigned as a group for certain functions that can be used inter-
changeably between two communications systems or central offices (COs).
U
uniform dial plan
A feature that allows a unique 4- or 5-digit number assignment for each terminal in a multiswitch 
configuration su ch as a distributed communications system (DCS) or main-satellite-tributary sys-
tem. 
						

							Glossary
GL-30Issue  4  September 1995 
V
vector directory number (VDN)
An extension that provides access to the Vectoring feature on the switch. Vectoring allows a cus-
tomer to spec ify the treatment of inc oming   calls based on the dialed number.
vector-controlled split
A hunt group or ACD split administered with the ‘‘vector’’ field enabled. Access to such split is 
only possible by dialing a VDN extension. Vector-Controlled Splits cannot be Active Notification 
Domains.
voice terminal
A single-line or multiappearan ce telephone.
W
wide area tele-communications service (WATS)
 A service in the USA that allows calls to a certain area or areas for a flat-rate charge based on 
expected usage.
wideband
A c ircuit-switched call at a data rate greater than 64 kb p s. A c ircuit-switched c all on a single T1 or 
E1 facility with a bandwidth between 128 and 1536 (T1) or 1984 (E1) kb p s in multiples of 64 kbps. 
H0, H11, H12, and N x DS0 calls are all wideband .
wideband access endpoint
The wideband switching capability extends Access Endpoints to include wideband access end-
p oints. A wideband  acc ess endpoint consists of one or more contiguous DS0s on a line-side T1 
or E1 facility and has an extension number. The Administered Connections feature provides call 
control for calls originating from wideband ac cess endpoints.
wink-start tie trunk
A trunk with whic h, after making a connection with a distant switching system for an outgoing call, 
the system waits for a momentary signal (wink) before sending the digits of the called number. 
Similarly, on an incoming call, the system sends the wink signal when read y to receive digits.
work modes (or ACD work modes)
A work mode is one of four states (Auto-In, Manual-In, ACW, AUX-work) that an ACD agent enters 
after logging in. Immediately upon logging in, an agent enters the AUX-work mode. To become 
available to receive ACD calls, the agent enters either the Auto-In or Manual-In work modes. To 
d o work asso ciated  with an ACD c all, at the c onclusion of the c all, an a gent would enter the ACW 
mode. If an agent changes work modes while handling a call, the change becomes effective 
when the agent finishes the call. The system does not recognize the change until the call is com-
p leted .
In order to answer an ACD call, the ACD agent must sp e cify a Work Mode. Generally, two meth-
ods are available for indicating Work Modes: (1) by pressing the appropriate b utton on their voice 
terminal, and (2) by dialing an ac c ess code. The four work modes asso ciated with ACD call han-
d ling are Auto-In, Manual-In, ACW, and AUX-work. An agent can change work modes while han-
d ling  a c all, b ut the system will not recognize the change until the call is completed. It is important 
that the ACD agents always acc urately indicate their correct work mode, otherwise the BCMS 
measurements will not be ac c urate.