Devoli Connectivity 101: Telco jargon demystified

Ever found yourself wondering 'what does all that jargon mean?' when you've been talking to someone in telecommunications?

Never fear. Check out our Connectivity Acronyms 101 below and find clarity.

802.1ad

A form of double tagging or nested VLAN tagging. For CHORUS VDSL2 this is used to identify individual users within a DSLAM VLAN.

802.1p

Provides traffic class expediting and dynamic multicast filtering. Essentially, it provides a mechanism for tagging Ethernet Frames so that the network knows what Class of Service to apply to that frame.

802.1q

Is an IEEE 802 standard that defines the mechanism that allows multiple bridged networks to transparently share the same physical network link without leakage of information between networks. It includes tags to identify separate virtual LANs (VLAN) so individual Ethernet Frames can be associated with a particular bridged network.

Access rate

The Access Rate is a logical maximum upstream and downstream speed that a Bitstream 3 or Bitstream 3a Service Template can achieve (i.e. ∑CIR + ∑EIR ≤ Access Rate)

Access Seeker

A retailer of telecommunications services who seeks to access the services of the incumbent on a wholesale basis.

Access Tail

The logical point to point connection between the MC device at the end user site and the service provider facing port on the EAS node.

Access zone classification

e.g. CBD, Metro, Urban, C, D, E

ACS

Auto-Configuration Server - refers to the platform that is used to remotely configure devices on the network.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, also generally known as a form of copper broadband. A data communications technology that enables fast data transmission over copper telephone-grade lines.

ADSL2

Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line 2. Newer ADSL (Broadband) technology giving speeds up to 20 Mbps. Also see VDSL.

Analogue

A continuous signal that bears and transmits information.

APC

Approved Port Change. An order to change the date of an in-flight port

Autonomous System (Number)/ Application Server

ASAM

ATM Subscriber Access Multiplexer. Is a telephone central office multiplexer that supports SDL ports over a wide range of network interfaces. An ASAM sends and receives subscriber data (often Internet services) over existing copper telephone.

ASID

Access Service Identifier. An identifying number assigned to a service, usually an internet service.

ASNAPOI

The customer’s nearest available point of interconnect that is located at a POI site and is the point at which you are interconnected with Chorus’ Network.

ATA

Analogue Telephone Adapter. Is a device that adapts a digital voice signal to analogue.

ATA Voice Service

PSDN service over UFB (as per the ATA Voice Service Description)

ATM (1)

Asymmetric Transfer Mode. Used for transmission of data on both LANs & WANs

ATM (2)

Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A transfer mode in which the information is organised into cells. It is asynchronous in the sense that the recurrence of cells containing information from an individual user is not necessarily periodic.

Automated pre-qualification

The automated delivery of information on the availability of services at a given address.

Backhaul step

The pricing step for delivering the Tail Extension service between Coverage Areas.

Baseband

The baseband product is a technology neutral voice input service that will be bundled with a broadband product but can be provided on a standalone basis should a customer not require a broadband connection.

BAU

Business As Usual. Ordering a normal service via a day to day process.

BHL

Backhaul Handover Link

Bitstream

Transmission of character stream (i.e. a Data Stream)

BUBA

Basic Unbundled Bitstream Access. Rarely used broadband over copper twisted pairs, typically only used in rural areas.

Build cost

Cost for the LFC to build the co-location footprint requested.

Build time

Time for the LFC to build the co-location footprint requested measured from the time the

Quote is accepted.

CDMA

Code Division Multiple Access – a US developed mobile phone standard. Originally second generation but upgraded to deliver third generation services to compatible handsets.

CDR

Call Detail Records - the list of calls to and from a number, trunk or account which are used for troubleshooting and call billing.

CFA

Call Forwarding Always - refers to redirection of all calls to that number

CFB

Call Forwarding Busy - refers to the redirection of a voice call if the line is on a call.

CFH

Crown Fibre Holdings Limited (CFH), established to manage the Government’s $1.5 billion investment in Ultra-Fast Broadband infrastructure.

CFNA

Call Forwarding No Answer - refers to the redirection of a voice call if it is not answered after a predefined number of seconds/ rings.

CIR

Committed Information Rate - meaning the rate of data transfer committed by the LFC to be provided as a minimum to end users.

Circuit ID Insertion

Sets the preference on the order for how the circuit identifier (ASID) is presented by the LFC on the circuit. Has the following options:
Off – ASID will not be inserted in any frames;
ON - ASID will be inserted into the Remote Station ID (PPPoE) and DHCPv4 Option 82 Remote ID Field (DHCP Option 82)
Default value = ON

CLNE

Customer Located Network Equipment. Terminal Located In or around a customer’s site.

Central Office: The termination point for the Local Fibre Company's (LFC) Network. The Central Office is where the OLTs and/or MUXs (as applicable) are installed. Central Offices are expected to connect to at least several thousand End User premises.

Co-location service

Space and associated services such as power, cooling, access, lighting etc. at the CO.

COCL

Customer Out Card Left. Technician has left a call back card for the customer.

Colo

Colocation. Customers equipment in Chorus exchange (fibre or copper) or roadside cabinet.

Colocation Build

The build work required by the LFC to provide the colocation footprint requested by the Service Provider.

ComCom

Commerce Commission.

Connect Primary

UFB terminology for activating a new (primary) UFB service on an unused port of the ONT.

CoS

Class of Service. A 3 bit field within a layer two Ethernet frame header when using IEEE 802.1Q. It specifies a priority value of between 0 and 7 that can be used by Quality of Service disciplines to differentiate traffic.
CoS is a way of managing traffic in a network by grouping similar types of traffic (for example, e-mail, streaming video, voice, large document file transfer) together and treating each type as a class with its own level of service priority. Unlike Quality of Service (QoS) traffic management, CoS technologies do not guarantee level of service in terms of bandwidth and delivery time; they just advise the network as to what type of traffic is being carried and thus how that network should treat the traffic.

CPA

Collaboration Protocol Agreement

CPE

Customer Premises Equipment, such as routers or wireless modems.

CSE

Customer Service Experience. When used in the context of a Chorus fibre install this refers to a technician callout. If you select CSE you're requesting a technician to attend the address for the install.

Copper/Customer/Circuit Terminal. Terminal Located In or around a customer’s site.

CTA

Customer To Advise. Job is waiting for an update from the customer.

CVID

Customer associated VLAN ID (inner-tag) number associated with the End User customer site access. Part of the IEEE 802.1ad standard.

Call waiting

Dark Fibre

Optical fibre physical infrastructure without any active equipment attached. Dark, as it has no source of light inherent in the network design.

Data Handover Connection

Refers to the LFC network handover that an access service enters the Devoli Network

DDI /DID

Direct Dial In - refers to the phone number that a person would dial to reach the SIP/ VoIP service.

Devoli ID

Refers to the unique Devoli order identifier for a broadband order. Useful to quote this if you are talking to our provisioning team about an order.

DHCP

Dynamic host configuration protocol. A protocol used by clients to obtain various parameters, such as IP addresses, needed to operate on an IP network.

DSL

Digital subscriber line – method of transmitting high speed data and voice simultaneously over a copper phone line.

DSLAM

Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer. A device that connects many digital subscriber lines to a network by multiplexing the DSL traffic onto one or more network trunk lines.

E164 or E.164

E.164 is the international telephone numbering format that ensures each device on the PSTN has globally unique number. This number allows phone calls and text messages can be correctly routed to individual phones in different countries. E.g. for Devoli, 64 9 222 0000.

EAN

Ethernet Access Node. Ethernet connection point on a piece of equipment.

EAS

Ethernet Aggregation Switch. A switch that enables multiple Ethernet connections to be combined.

EIR

Effective Information Rate

Ethernet

Described by the IEEE 802.3 standards, "Ethernet" is a particular style of data traffic management and formatting for Layer 2 Services, and is increasingly being established as the dominant Layer 2 Service technology throughout the world.

ETP

External Terminating Point – an external termination point which is an external box, in which the lead-in cable is connected to the internal building wiring.

ETR

Estimated Time of Repair. Estimated time until services will be restored.

EUBA

Enhanced Unbundled Bitstream Service - a regulated Layer 2 Service in the New Zealand market today.

Exchange

LFC owned or leased building with a floor area of at least 15 square metres and an MDF terminating copper local loop of at least 200 pairs the prime function of which is to provide fixed wire line. LFC services and includes all of owned or leased property on which the building is situated. An exchange is also referred to as a Loop Wire Centre or LWC.

Fixed Wireless (FWA)

"Fixed" in Fixed Wireless means that while the service is wireless, it is for a particular service address/location (rather than mobile). This enables the network operator to ensure the service is reliable and offer more competitive rates on wireless data. In essence 4G fixed wireless broadband is an alternative to VDSL and 5G fixed wireless will be an alternative to fibre.

FRE

Fault Related Event.

FTTB / FTTH / FTTP

Fibre To The Business / Fibre To The Home / Fibre To The Premise - generic terms for any broadband network architecture which deploys optical fibre all the way to the relevant end-user premise. This term is used in context of the NBN network in Australia.

FTTC / FTTN

Fibre To The Cabinet / Fibre To The Node - generic terms for broadband network architecture which deploys optical fibre to terminate in a streets cabinet or nodes up to some distance away from end-user premises, with the final connection to end-user premises typically being provided by legacy copper technology. This term is used in context of the NBN network in Australia.

FWA

Fixed Wireless Access – where the "Fixed" refers to providing service to a particular address/ location (rather than mobile). This enables the network operator to ensure the service is reliable and offer more competitive rates on wireless data. In essence 4G fixed wireless broadband is an alternative to VDSL and 5G fixed wireless will be an alternative to fibre.

G./G.SHDSL

Symmetric DSL Service. Used for HSNS Lite.

Gaining carrier.

GSM

Global System for Mobile communications – now largely defunct, second generation mobile phone standard.

GSP

Gaining service provider. Provider obtaining the service.

HOC

Hand over code: Codes used to identify phone networks

High Priority (traffic)

HSNS

High Speed Network Services - legacy dedicated data service which has now been all but replaced by UFB.

ICMS

Integrated Customer Management System. Chorus’s Internal System.

IMEI

International Mobile Equipment Identity.

Internet Protocol – method that computers use to communicate over the internet.

IPMS

Industry Portability Management System. Number portability system.

ISP

Internet Services Provider.

ITU

International Telecommunication Union.

IVR

Interactive Voice Response. Automated Phone System.

Jack Point. Point in the wall you can plug your equipment into.

Losing carrier. The carrier from which a port is made into a new carrier.

LFC

Local Fibre Company - being an entity in which Crown Fibre Holdings, the Government and a partner will hold shares, and through which the investment of Crown Fibre Holdings and the partner in relation to the Ultra-Fast Broadband initiative will be effected.

LICA

Local Interconnect Calling Area is the historical NZ local calling area for a landline.

LLU

Local Loop Unbundling where Service Providers were given access to last mile copper cabling from the exchange or cabinet.

LMNP

Local and Mobile Number Portability

Location ID

Refers to the suppliers unique identifier for an address e.g. Chorus uses a 9-digit number.

Low Priority (traffic)

LSP

Losing service provider. The provider service is currently with.

LTOK

Line Test OK. Used by on site technicians performing line test.

MBIE

Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment

MDF

Main Distribution Frame. Termination point within the telephone exchange where equipment & local loops are connected with a jumper

MDU

Multi-dwelling unit

MOS

Mean Opinion Score. The Mean Opinion Score (MOS) is a measurement of the voice quality of an interaction. The calculation of MOS uses an industry standard measurement methodology to rank audio quality from 1 (unacceptable) to 5 (excellent).

MPF

Metallic Path Facilities. UCLL or SLU Service.

MTAS

Mobile Termination Access Service - includes mobile-to-mobile termination, fixed-to-mobile termination and termination of SMS messages.

MUC

Multi Unit Complex

MUX

Multiplexor - a general term used to describe a piece of network equipment that terminates many dark fibres in an Active Optical Network (AON) configuration, and is installed in centralised locations within the LFC business.

MVNO

Mobile Virtual Network Operator - an operator that provides mobile phone service but does not have its own licensed frequency allocation of radio spectrum, nor does it have the entire infrastructure required to provide mobile telephone service.

NDT

No Dial Tone

NFF

No Fault Found. The tech couldn’t find a fault in the network.
Tech fills it in to confirm network is within specifications at Chorus Demarcation point and may record electrical findings. There is an associated charge for this from the LFC which we pass on to the Service Provider.

NGA

Next Generation Access. Also known as UFB or Fibre.

NTU

Network Terminating Unit. Device that connects the customers equipment to a carrier’s line.

OFM

Online Fault Management. Chorus Wholesale Fault Ticket Ordering System.

ONT

Optical Network Terminal – a unit provided to terminate its optical fibre lead-in cable.

OOT

Online Ordering & Tracking.

Order ID

Refers to the supplier Order identifier for a broadband order.

OSP/OP

Outside Plant. Service Company Division which works on cabling on the roadside.

P-bit

Priority bit(s) - a data traffic priority value between 0 and 7 set in the 3-bit tag field of the C-VLAN-ID and/or S-VLAN-ID fields (both of these fields can carry P-bit values).

PABX/PBX

Private Automatic Branch Exchange – a business phone system.

POI

Point of Interconnect

POP

Point of Presence in a data centre or exchange

POTS

Plain Old Telephone System - copper phone product delivered into the house via copper cable, used with phones plugged into a jack point rather that over the internet

PPP

Point to Point Protocol is a computer network protocol used to transfer a datagram between two directly connected (point-to-point) computers.

PPPoE

Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet

PVC

Permanent Virtual Circuit. Software-defined logical connection in a network.

QoS

Quality of Service - usually used in reference to the network profile that sets the allowed throughput on the Devoli network to align with LFC access tail.

Radius Username

PPPoE connections are authenticated using a combination of (Radius) Username and password stored in your edge router (connected to the ONT for UFB connections).

For services on our legacy network you can find these in the Radius Username section of the portal.

For connections on the 'NextGen' Devoli Network we can support either DHCP or PPPoE connections, but both are automatically authenticated on our network. DHCP connections use the unique service identifier (ASID) and PPPoE connections via standard usernames "user@devoli.co", any password will work.

RBI

Rural Broadband Initiative. Initiative run by the govt to provide services to rural areas at a reasonable urban price.

RDO

Rostered Day Off.

RFS/ RFSD

Ready For Service. Install Date.

RG/ RGW

Residential Gateway – a mass produced piece of network equipment which sits in the home or office, connects to the Layer 2 Service on one side, and to the End User’s equipment on the other. Often referred to as “the router”.

RNR

Ring No Reply. Rang the phone with no reply.

ROW

Right Of Way.

Relinquish. Termination/Cancellation of Service.

RSP

Retail Service Provider. A service provider that deals directly with the customer.

Short Circuit, sometimes also Service Company.

SDM

Service Delivery Manager.

Service Provider

The organisation that has the relationship with the end customer for support and billing of a service.

SIM

Subscriber Identity Module – commonly known as a SIM card that contains a microchip that stores data that identifies the user.

SLA

Service Level Agreement. Agreement between 2 service providers to deliver a service.

SLU

Sub-Loop Unbundling. SLU, joined with SLES makes a full voice circuit.

SMS

Short Message Service – commonly known as a text messaging, is a service for sending short messages between mobile devices.

SNR

Signal to Noise Ratio. A measure of wanted signal versus unwanted noise on a line.

SOHO

Small Office/Home Office.

SOM

The order number for a phone port.

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure.

Service Provider.

STD

Standard Terms Determination – the terms on which a designated access or specified service must be supplied by access providers to all access seekers 53 requesting the service.

SVID

Service VLAN ID - typically encapsulates a number of Customer VLANs

TCF

New Zealand Telecommunications Forum Inc

TCNZ

Telecom New Zealand (now known as Spark)

TCP

Transport Control Protocol. TCP provides delivery of a stream of octets between programs running on computers connected to a local area network, intranet or the public Internet.

TDR

Telecommunication Dispute Resolution Scheme

TFS

Transfield Services Ltd. Chorus Contracted Service Company.

Throttled

Data throttling is the intentional slowing down of internet speed after the data limit has been reached. The data limit depends on which plan a customer has signed up for.

TLA

Three Letter Acronym 😝

TLC

The Location Code - a Chorus location identifier which can be used to ensure accurate identification of an address for a Chorus service.

TOK

Tested Okay. Tech has tested the line and it’s working.

TR / ATR / SSTR

Truck Rolls / Automated Truck Rolls / Self Service Truck Roll. Truck Roll is when a ticket gets sent to the service company to address a request.

TSO

Telecommunications Service Obligation – an obligation to supply a telecommunications service to groups of end-users who may not otherwise be supplied on a commercial basis or at a price that is considered to be affordable.

Under Action.

UBA

Unbundled Bitstream Access – a regulated service giving wholesale access to DSL full speed broadband service although a commercial variant with a slower speed is also available.

UBS

Unbundled Bitstream Service – a service no longer regulated that gives wholesale access to what was previously Telecom’s DSL broadband service. When regulated, the service had its upstream speed limited to 128 kbps.

UCLL

Unbundled Copper Local Loop – wholesale access to the copper line connecting a phone user to the local exchange.

UDP

User Datagram Protocol. A communications protocol that offers a limited amount of service when messages are exchanged between computers in a network that uses the Internet Protocol.

UFB

Ultra-Fast Broadband – a broadband service which delivers speeds in excess of 25 Mbps.“For the purposes of the NZ Government’s Ultra-Fast Broadband initiative, having access to UFB is taken to mean the availability of broadband services at a minimum speed of 100 Mbps Downstream (from the Internet to the user) and a minimum of 50 Mbps Upstream (from user to the Internet). Source: Crown Fibre website.

UNI

User Network Interface. A demarcation point between the responsibility of the service provider and the responsibility of the subscriber.

UNI Tagging

User Network Interface Tagging refers to the process of adding or removing VLAN tags at the User Network Interface (UNI), which is the demarcation point between a customer's network and a service provider's network. It ensures that traffic is properly classified and handled according to the service provider’s VLAN configuration, typically using 802.1Q (single-tagging) or Q-in-Q (double-tagging) methods.

VCI

Virtual Circuit Identifier. A numeric identifier used to distinguish between different virtual circuits in a connection-oriented circuit-switched telecommunication network.

VDSL

Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line - Higher speed copper connectivity option to ADSL available close to the exchange or cabinet. These services are only offered by Chorus where UFB is not available.

VLAN

Virtual LAN. A single layer-2 network may be partitioned to create multiple distinct broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so that packets can only pass between them via one or more routers.

VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol – a way of sending voice calls over a data connection like a broadband connection.

VPI

Virtual Path Identifier. A data communication identifier that uniquely identifies a network path for an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell packet to reach its destination node.

VRF

Virtual Routing and Forwarding - a network technology that enables traffic segmentation for different customers or services within Devoli's network infrastructure.

WAN

Wide Area Network - a computer network covering a broad area, typically crossing metropolitan, regional, or even national boundaries.

WLAN

Wireless Local Area Network - a wireless computer network that links two or more devices using a wireless distribution method within a limited area such as a home or school.It may provide a connection to the wider internet.

WVS

Chorus product name for Wholesale VDSL2. A type of VDSL product.

Devoli Connectivity 101: Connectivity Jargon Demystified