From our expert team for your convenience, here’s a selection of common technical terms decoded:
Internet of Things (IoT): A network of physical objects that are embedded with technology that can streamline tasks by connecting to other devices and systems over the internet.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Technology that enables you to make voice and video calls using a broadband internet connection instead of a traditional phone line.
The cloud: Unlike a physical data storage solution such as a hard drive, the cloud are invisible servers that are accessed over the internet to view stored personal and business data. The secure cloud server protects sensitive data that is otherwise at risk of being stolen in physical form.
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN): A combination of telephone networks that include telephone lines, switching centres, cellular networks, satellites and cable systems. A PSTN allows users to make traditional landline telephone calls. However, at the end of 2025 the PSTN will be officially switched off to open doors for modern cost-effective services.
Auto Attendant (AA): An Auto Attendant, or Automated Attendant (AA), is a voice menu system that greets callers and offers a number of choices as to where their call can be directed. Callers can select an option using their phone keys in order to route their own call.
Microsoft 365: A subscription-based model that offers users document, spreadsheet, presentation, workbook, networking and email applications to increase productivity both in the office and at home.
Hosted voice: A cloud-based service that replaces a traditional telephone system to provide voice and video connectivity via the internet using VoIP.
Bandwidth: Bandwidth is what dictates the speed at which data can be transmitted within a circuit; the bigger the bandwidth, the faster the data transmission.
Contact Centre: A contact centre is a fully integrated customer-centric communication hub. Agents handle calls with merged with other media sources such as CRM applications.
Contention: Contention is where two or more nodes compete to transmit data at the same time. The contention protocol defines the rate of service in this situation. A network with zero-contention means there is no competition for transmission and the entire bandwidth is solely available for use by the network user.
Denial of Service: Commonly referred to a “DOS Attack” where a malicious third party intends to temporarily or permanently disrupt the services on an endpoint.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL): A Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is used to add broadband with equal bandwidth in both directions to a phone line. The most common DSL line is an ADSL line.
Ethernet: Ethernet is a traditional networking technology commonly used in connecting wired networks such as Local or Wide Area Networks (LAN or WAN).
4G & 5G Networks: Fourth-generation wireless (4G) and Five-generation wireless (5G) are the leading broadband cellular network technology that enables your mobile device to connect to a satellite to send and receive data.
Private Brand Exchange (PBX): A traditional PBX phone system uses landline copper-based telephone lines that enter a business’s premises to connect to a PBX box. That box contains telephony switches that permit calls to be distributed to various phones in an office and those phones to access a limited number of outside lines.
Fibre to the Premises (FTTP): FTTP is technology that delivers seamless internet access to your location by running fibre-optic cables directly from the exchange site into your home or business. Unlike copper wire which disintegrates over time, a fibre cable is stronger and more cost effective.
Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC): FTTC is the most common type of broadband connection employed in homes and businesses. It uses a blend of fibre and copper cables to deliver broadband into the premises via existing copper telephone wires. This makes it cheaper to install and highly accessible throughout the UK.
Single order Generic Ethernet Access (SoGEA): SOGEA is a broadband service which distributes the parallel performance and data levels as FTTC, but it takes the need for the installation of a traditional phone line out of the equation, so it provides a cost-effective alternative to broadband without including an unwanted phone line.
Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL): ADSL is an older type of broadband connection that works through the copper wires of existing phone lines and is mainly used as a cost-effective solution for homes and small businesses that have a low dependency on technology.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a circuit used for digital transmissions of voice, data and other network services. They are utilised over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The common circuits are ISDN2 and ISDN30. Come 2025, the whole ISDN copper network and all associated solutions will no longer be supported.
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