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- [A] -
Access Electronic connection to a telecommunications network. The ability
of a user to enter the network.
Access Charge Cost associated with connecting to a network. Local Exchange
Carriers (LECs) collect access charges from both customers and long distance companies.
Access Line The circuit that connects the calling party’s location
with a switching center.
Area Code A three-digit code to signal the electronic equipment that
the call is long distance or local call.
Area Code Relief There are two kinds of area code relief. These are
Geographic Splits and Overlays. A Geographic Split divides one area code into two
or more area codes. An Overlay creates a new are code to lay over the existing area
codes.
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Base Rate The non-discounted "per minute" charge for Measured Service.
Basic Service Telecommunication service within a customer’s local calling
area. Basic service includes the customer’s local calling plan, dial tone line,
touch tone, and directory assistance calls allowed without an additional charge.
Charges for basic service also include the Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act
(911) fee, the Pennsylvania Relay surcharge, the Federal Universal Service Fund
surcharge, the Local Number Portability surcharge and federal and state taxes, and
a fee for having a non-published listing, if you choose to have a non-published
number.
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Call A completed switched communication between two stations on a network.
A "calling party", "calling station" or "caller" originates a call. The destination
or termination of a call is the "called party," "called station(s)", or destination
node on the network.
Call Duration The period of time that begins with destination off hook
and ends when the call is terminated.
Central Office A telephone company facility where customer’s
lines are joined to equipment that connects a customer to other customers in that
central office or other central offices within the state, nation, and world. Under
the current practice, this refers to the three-digit identification number under
which up to 10,000 station numbers are subgrouped.
CLEC Competitive Local Exchange Carrier. A new entrant
into a market where there is already an incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) providing
local phone service.
Common Carrier Term used to describe a telephone company.
Conservation Consideration given to the efficient and effective use
of a finite numbering resource in order to minimize the cost and need to expand
its availability in the introduction of new services, capabilities and features.
Contamination Occurs when at least one telephone number within thousands-block
of telephone numbers is not available for assignment to end users or customers.
Contaminated Number An unavailable number within a 1K Block, at the
time the 1K Block is donated to the Pooling Administrator.
Cramming A practice in which customers are billed for enhanced features
such as voice mail, caller-ID and call-waiting that they have not ordered.
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Deregulation Removal or relaxation of regulations or controls governing a
business or service operation such as utilities.
Dial Around Long distance services that requre consumers to dial a
long-distance provider's access code (or "10-10" number) before dialing a long-distance
number to bypass the consumer's chosen long-distance carrier in order to get a better
rate.
Donation The term "donation" refers to the process by which carriers
are required to contribute telephone numbers to a thousands-block Number Pool.
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- [E] -
End-User A user of telecommunication services.
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- [F] -
FCC The Federal Communications Commission has the authority to regulate
all interstate communications originating in the United States. The FCC is run by
a five member board appointed by the President.
Formal Complaint A written dispute or disagreement about a utility
problem filed by a consumer with the Public Utility Commission. A formal complaint
is assigned to an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) who holds hearings to develop a
record. After the hearings, the judge issues a decision. (See informal complaint.)
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- [G] -
Geographic Split Divides one Area Code into any number of new area
codes.
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- [H] -
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- [I] -
Informal Complaint A dispute or disagreement about a utility
problem filed by a consumer with the Public Utility Commission’s Bureau of
Consumer Services (BCS). A BCS investigator reviews the informal complaint and provides
the customer with a response to their dispute. Most responses are in the form of
a decision that the customer or company can appeal. If an informal complaint is
appealed, it becomes a formal complaint. (See Formal Complaint.)
IntraLATA Telecommunications services that originate and end in the
same Local Access and Transport Area. Some "local" phone companies’ LATAs
are very large and provide the equivalent of long distance service.
InterLATA Telecommunications services that originate in one and terminate
in another Local Access and Transport Area (LATA).
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Jeopardy A jeopardy condition exists when the forecasted and/or actual
demand for NXX code resources will exceed the known supply during the planning and
implementation interval for relief.
- [K] -
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- [L] -
Landline Traditional wired phone service.
LATA Local Access and Transport Area.
LEC Local Exchange Carrier - the local or regional telephone company
that owns and operates lines to customer locations and Class 5 Central Office Switches.
LNP Local Number Portability - the ability to port telephone numbers
without changing telephone numbers.
LNP Port The process of moving a telephone number from one service
provider to another service provider using LRN-LNP technology.
LRN Location Routing Number - a 10-digit number, in the format NPA-NXX-XXXX.
The first 6 digits of the LRN identify the switch.
LSP Local Service Provider - a company that provides basic local telephone
service.
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- [M] -
MSA Metropolitan Statistical Area refers to the geographic areas
designated by the Bureau of Census that are widely recognized as indications of
metropolitan character.
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- [N] -
NANC North American Numbering Council - the FCC advisory board that
is tasked to advise on all issues relevant to the North American Numbering Plan
(NANP). The council includes members from every sector of the telecom industry
as well as members representing NANP member countries, states and consumers.
NANP The North American Numbering Plan - a numbering architecture in
which every station in the NANP Area is identified by a unique ten-digit address
consisting of a three-digit NPA code, a three digit central office code of the form
NXX, and a four-digit line number of the form XXXX.
NANPA The North American Numbering Plan Administrator assigns NXX codes
in each area code on a first come first served basis.
NANP Area Consists of the United States, Canada and the Caribbean countries.
NPA Numbering plan area or area code.
Non-Basic Service Non-basic services are “optional” services and include
such features as Call Waiting, Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Maintenance Agreements
for Inside Wiring, etc. Some optional features may not be available in your area,
or they may not be compatible with certain telephone equipment. Optional features
may be included in “Bundled” packages offered by the local service providers that
provide telephone service in the area where you live.
Number Portability Describe the capability of individuals, businesses
and organizations to retain their existing telephone number(s) and the same quality
of service when switching to a new local service provider.
Number Conservation Measures The FCC established a process for reclaiming
NXX codes from carriers who have failed to activate them with in 6 months of their
availability for assignment to customers.
Number Steering Committee Pennsylvania's PUC will establish a committee
to monitor the progress of the pool and to resolve issues that may arise during
implementation of the pooling.
NXX In a seven-digit local phone number, the first three digits identify
the specific telephone company central office, which serves that number. These digits
are referred to as the NXX where N can be any number from 2 to 9 and X can be any
number.
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OCN Operating Company Number - the OCN is a numeric field identifying
the Local Service Provider (LSP) that has been assigned the NXX.
Operator Service Provider (OSP) A common carrier that provides services
from public phones, including payphones and those in hotels/motels.
OSS Operations Support System refers to software that processes telecommunications
information and supports and manages fundamental day-to-day operations of a telecommunications
provider. Customer billing and order processing, service activation, data collection
and network fault monitoring are all examples of functions implemented via an OSS.
An OSS is not considered a network element or part of the network (switches, fiber
optics) itself.
Overlay A form of area code relief. An overlay creates a new area code
to lay over the existing area codes. An overlay can be an expanded overlay or a
separate overlay in form.
Overlay, Expanded An expanded overlay creates one area code covering
all the older area codes.
Overlay, Separate A separate overlay puts one area code in area and
one area code in another.
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Pooling Administrator (PA) The FCC will select a national Pooling Administrator
who will administer the pooling of area codes nationally.
Ported Number A directory number in a Portable NPA-NXX that resides
on a switch other than the switch to which it is assigned.
Public Input Hearings Meetings where consumers can give input to the PUC.
Sworn or unsworn testimony to the PUC judge and to the utility, consumer advocate
and PUC staff. The PUC conducts hearings in the service area of the utility that
requested the rate increase. Sometimes consumers can point out problems with the
quality of the utility’s service, management, or policies which could affect
the outcome of a case.
Public Utility Code The law which sets the powers and duties of the PA Public
Utility Commission. It also sets many of the guidelines the PUC uses for utilities'
rates and service standards.
Public Utility Commission (PUC) The state regulatory agency that provides
oversight, policy guidance and direction to electric, natural gas, telecommunications,
water, sewer, and motor carrier vehicles public utilities.
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- [R] -
Rate Area A rate area denotes a geographic area used to distinguish
rate boundaries.
Rate Center (RC) Uniquely defined point from which mileage measurements
are determined to rate message telephone service through the application of interstate
and intrastate tariffs.
Regulation A rule or law established by the federal or state government which
sets procedures that a utility must follow.
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- [S] -
Service Portability Allows an end-user to retain the same directory
number when changing services.
Service Provider Refers to a telecommunications carrier, other entity
that receives numbering resources from NANPA, a pooling administrator or a telecommunications
carrier for the purpose of providing or establishing telecommunications service.
Service Provider Portability Allows end-user to retain the same directory
number when changing service providers.
Switch A device that routes a call by selecting the paths or circuits
to be used for transmission of information and establishing a connection.
Switching Process of routing communications traffic from a sender to
the correct receiver.
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- [T] -
Tariff The document filed by a carrier describing their services and
the payments to be charged for such services.
Terms of Service Content of the agreement between a customer and a supplier.
Title 52 The section of the Pennsylvania Code that governs utilities.
Toll Service Telecommunications service beyond a customer’s local calling
area. There are two distinct types of toll service: (1) Local or Regional Toll Service
which covers short distance calls made to locations outside your local calling area
but within the region where you live; and (2) Long Distance Toll Service which handles
calls made to locations beyond the region where you live. Toll service charges on
your bill might also include any charges for any collect calls you accepted during
the recent billing period.
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- [U] -
Unbundling The access provided by local exchange carriers (LECs) so
that other service providers can buy or lease portions of its network elements,
such as interconnection loops, to subscribers.
Universal Service The financial mechanism which helps compensate telephone
companies or other communications entities for providing access to telecommunications
services at reasonable and affordable rates throughout the country. Companies,
not consumers, are required by law to contribute to this fund. The law does
not prohibit companies from passing this charge on to customers.
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- [V] -
Vacant Number A non-working number.
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- [W] -
- [X] -
- [Y] -
- [Z] -
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