Even experts need occasional help with telecom terms. We have combined glossaries from several sources to simplify finding the definitions you need.
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Facilities
Cables, poles, conduit, microwave, or carrier equipment, central office distributing
frames, central office switching equipment, computers (both hardware and software),
business machines, etc., used by a service provider to provide telecommunications services.
Facilities-Based Carriers
CLECs that own their
own facilities. These facilities may be collocated
in a telecommunications service provider's office. NOTE: CLECs may also lease
facilities from service providers.
Facilities Management
Refers to the agreement between a wholesale customer and a telecommunications
service provider to have the provider manage internal company facilities
for the customer. NOTE: Facilities management does not involve transfer of facilities
ownership to the service provider.
Fast Ethernet
A 100-Mbps technology based on the 10BASE-T Ethernet
CSMA/CDNetwork access method for operating local area networks (LAN).
Fast Packet Services
Refers to the following high-speed data offerings: Frame Relay Service,
Switched
Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) and FDDI
Network Services. Fast packet applications include real-time inventory control,
credit verification, gathering marketing data, and sending or receiving customer
information.
Fast Packet Switching
A generic term for improved packet-switching
technologies such as frame relay and cell relay. Fast-packet techniques feature
less functionality than traditional X.25
packet-switching; however, they provide higher speeds and lower processing costs.
The following are feature groups for Fast Packet Switching:
FCC
See Federal Communications Commission.
FDDI
See Fiber Distributed Data Interface.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
A federal government agency authorized by the Communications Act of 1934 to
regulate interstate and international telecommunications originating in the
United States. The FCC plays a role in implementing the Telecommunications
Act of 1996.
Feature Group
In tariffs for switched access services, denotes a specific and uniform type and quality of local exchange access available to inter-exchange carriers and other types of telecommunications companies.
Feature Service Availability Inquiry
A Verizon Wholesale Local pre-order transaction that provides information about the availability of Verizon's products and services in a particular serving central office.
Learn more.
Federal Communications Commission
A U. S. federal government agency authorized by the Communications Act of 1934 to regulate interstate and international telecommunications originating in the United States; instrumental in implementing the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Federal Universal Service Fund (FUSF)
Surcharge instituted in July 2000 as a mechanism to recover Universal Service funding obligations as set forth in the FCC's Universal Service Order, CC Docket No. 96-45.
Fiber Availability
A Verizon Wholesale Local pre-order transaction that provides a CLEC with the facility environment serving the end user. This transaction enables the user to check the Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) availability after receiving an exact-match Address Validation.
Learn more.
Fiber Availability Inquiry
A Verizon Wholesale Local pre-order transaction that provides a CLEC with the facility environment serving the end user. This transaction enables the user to check the Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) availability after receiving an exact-match Address Validation.
Learn more.
Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI)
An ANSI-defined
standard specifying a 100 Mbps token-passing network using fiber-optic cable.
Uses a dual-ring architecture to provide redundancy.
Fiber Distribution Frame (FDF)
Termination point in a central office where
fiber optic cable is available to the switch.
Fiber Link Around the Globe (FLAG)
An undersea fiber optic system. Using two fiber
pairs, each operating at 5G bps, FLAG provides capacity along its route for
120,000 digital circuits operating at 64K bps.
Fiber-Meet
An interconnection architecture method whereby the incumbent
local exchange carrier physically interconnects its network via an optical
fiber interface (as opposed to an electrical interface) to the telecommunications
network of a CLEC at
any mutually agreed upon location.
Fiber Optics
Communications technology that uses thin filaments of glass or other transparent
materials. Fiber optic technology offers extremely high transmission speeds,
allowing for data-intensive services such as video on demand.
Fiber Optic Services (FIOS)
Verizon fiber-optic services offered over the fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network; Verizon retail service known as FiOS.
Fiber to the Building (FTTB)
Fiber optic access to end user
residence for telephone, video and other multimedia services, where
several users share the same fiber termination. FTTB access typically terminates
in a basement from which access to multiple end users is implemented through
an in-building Digital Home Network (DHN).
Fiber to the Curb (FTTC)
Fiber optic distribution of telephony, telecommunications,
and multimedia and media services such as cable TV to a point outside the customer
premise.
Fiber to the Home (FTTH)
Fiber optic access to the end
user residence for telephony, video and other multimedia services where
each home has a direct fiber connection.
Fiber to the Premise (FTTP)
Fiber optic distribution of telephony, telecommunications, and multimedia and media services such as cable TV to a point outside the customer premise.
Field Identifier (FID)
Two to four characters that are used on service orders to convey specific instructions;
for example, certain Field Identifiers are used in telephone service provider billing
systems to generate non-recurring charges.
Field Technician
The Verizon employee responsible for installation, repair and maintenance of
the outside Verizon network.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
A file sharing protocol used as follows:
FiOS
See Fiber Optic Services.
Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) Notice
The notice issued in response to a firm order Access
Service Request (ASR). An FOC signifies Verizon's good faith effort to provide
the access service ordered.
First Point of Switching
The first telephone service provider location at which switching
occurs on the terminating path of a call originating from the customer premises
to the terminating end office. Also, the last telephone service provider location at
which switching occurs. Also known as an Entry Switch.
FLAG
See Fiber Link Around the Globe.
Flat Rate
A method of pricing a service. Flat rate offers a fixed monthly charge to a
residential subscriber for unlimited local calls. In some states, a consumer
may have a choice between flat rate and measured service.
Flexible Automatic Number Identification (Flexible ANI)
An optional feature or Basic Service
Element (BSE) that provides additional values for the information indicator digits
available with the ANI feature on originating calls; these additional digits
identify the type of line that is originating the call for billing, screening
and routing purposes.
FOC
See Firm Order Confirmation Notice (FOC).
Footprint
The area in which a specific transmission can be received. Some footprints,
such as those of satellite or cell systems, cover as much as one-third of the
earth.
Forecast
A projection of requirements used for planning facilities.
Forecasting Overview
Verizon, with input from CLECs, has developed a comprehensive and mutually beneficial forecasting process for our Wholesale customers. This process provides a structured format to submit semi-annual forecasts for Resale, UNE, Collocation and Trunks. Learn more.
Foreign Exchange (FX) Service
Provides telephone service from a central office
that is "foreign" to the local calling area. Typically used when a
telephone presence is required in a location where no personnel are located.
Frame
A logical grouping of information sent as a link-layer unit over a transmission
medium. The terms, packet, datagram, segment and message are also used to describe
logical information groupings at various layers of the OSI
Reference Model, and in various technology circles.
Frame Relay
High-performance interface or packet-switched
networks. Considered more efficient than X.25 (which
it is expected to replace). Frame relay technology can handle "bursty"
communications that have rapidly changing bandwidth
requirements.
Frame Switch
A device, similar to a bridge, which forwards frames
based on the frame's Layer 2 address (OSI
Reference Model). Frame switches are generally of two basic forms: cut-through
switch (for on-the-fly switching),
or store and forward switching. LAN switches such as Ethernet,
token ring, and FDDI
switches are all examples of frame switches.
FTTB
See Fiber to the Building.
FTTC
See Fiber to the Curb.
FTTH
See Fiber to the Home.
FTTP
See Fiber to the Premises.
FUSF
See Federal Universal Service Fund.
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