sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Sundance telecom glossary

It seems a lot of newbies post here without knowledge of telecom acronyms . Such as POTS ,BTN , SISO . If you could compile a glossary it maybe very helpfull to the posters . Installer rated members and up should be able to manage this forum without spending to much time . It would be tragedy for all this knowledge to be lost .

That would be nice but without breaking copyright laws that would be a lot of time/work. My suggestion would be for anyone wanting to learn telecom terms pick up a copy of Newtons Telecom Dictionary

I forgot about copyright laws . Thanks Metelcom

However, there are good sites that could have a link to,

Example of one that isn't helpful for a non-industry user: TIA Glossary of Telecom Terms ( search "Registered Jacks")

Search results: telecommunication terms on PDF format

Some are better than others..

Some trouble-related terms that an installer/repairman would find on his/her work orders:

NDT no dial tone
CH can't hear
CBH can't be heard
BDR bell doesn't ring
BRCM bell rings can't meet
SOL static on line
CBDT can't break dial tone
HOOL hears others on line
OHOP only has one phone
HS handset
LD long distance
DTAD dial tone after dialing
ETIR every time it rains
DIY dog in yard
XTALK cross talk
XBOX cross box
O/D out of order
TX transmit(ter)(ing)
RX receive(r)(ing)
HICAP high capacitance
HIRES high resistance
UNBAL unbalanced
MDF main distribution frame
IDF intermediate distribution frame
DLL dial long lines (unit or circuit)
GEN generator
S/C short circuit
OTS open tip side
ORS open ring side
OBS open both sides
CB cross battery (TS, RS, BS, etc)
GRD (TS, RS, BS, etc)
WAK/SDD works at night/sleeps during day


CO terms:

DSLAM Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer
MG motor generator (ringing machine)
MSL motor start lead
DLLR Dial Long Lines Repeater
ISG In Service Group (hunt group)
DTMF Dual Tone Multi-Frequency
DT Dial Tone
BT Busy Tone
TB Tone Busy
RR Reorder
CB Call Block
TOD Time of dial (tone)

PBX terms:

AFB All Finders Busy
LFB Last Finder Busy
ATB All Trunks Busy
LTB Last Trunk Busy
FA Fuse Alarm
CB Call Block
RM Release Magnet
PS Permanent Signal

Key system terms:

A-lead answer lead
H-lead hold lead
B-lead balance lead
L-lead lamp lead
DICM dial intercom
CMB common bell
CA common audible

POTS is plain old telephone service as noted above, and along with this is PANS "pretty amazing new stuff."

MBSWWYPBX "Mus be somfin wrong widge yo PBX" The telco repair clerk's standard reply to a vendor who is attempting to relate a central office-based problem on behalf of a customer, whether or not the customer has a PBX.

Example: (Me) "My customer asked me to tell you that his phone bills are being sent to the wrong mailing address."

"service" rep: "MBSWWYPBX"

BOC Bell operating company
RBOC Regional Bell operating company
ILEC Incumbent local exchange carrier
CLEC Competing local exchange carrier

BSTJ Bell System Technical Journal
BLR Bell Labs Record

IITYWYBMAD

ISDN-I Still Don't Know
RCDD-Real Cool Data Dude
ID10T Error- Error code for Service Work to be charged at twice the going rate
CSDTS-Meeting location for Technicians (Coffee Shop Down The Street)

No Drinking on the Job-Site, Mr. Bloom.

You clever lad, you.

NTF = no trouble found UE = user error PRI = prime rate interface BRI = basic rate interface COT = central office trunk CO = central office . UE was the most common trouble found ,women were the worst offenders for reasons unknown . Then the ole office jerk that proclaims " I will have your job for that " my response was " you could not live on the pay " .

You missed the most important acronym:
CCWT - Came Clear While Testing

Fairpoint (now Consolidated Communications) favorite trouble ticket closing note, NTF a close second.

Hi-Ro: high resistance open. These can be buggers to track down and/or prove to the LEC that's the issue.

Lets not forget COD , customer on drugs .