((___)) ((___)) [ x x ] cDc communications, inc. [ x x ] \ / presents... \ / (` ') (` ') (U) (U) Frankie's YELLOW PAGES ... Volume I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The third file from the Cow's Information Series (C.I.S.), FYPs is a testament to the fun-filled world created by those zany Bell technicians... Herein, the serious phreak will find a complete encyclopedia of Bell System terms and acronyms. Courtesy of High Priest and Scribe, F. Gibe >> A CULT Publication .. 1987 << -cDc- CULT OF THE DEAD COW -cDc- _______________________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABD See Average Business Day ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Access Arrangement ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another name for a protective connecting arrangement. Access ar- rangement is normally used in reference to the interconnection of customer-provided data modems or automatic calling units in which data access arrangement (DAA) service includes the provision of a DAA with appropriate loop conditioning (including adjustments for loop loss) to meet data requirements. Got that? ACD See Automatic Call Distributor ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ACH See Attempts per Circuit per Hour ~~~ ...also See Abbreviation for CB Achievement Test. Actual Work Time (AWT) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The average time an operator requires to handle a call. This corresponds to the expected value (mean value) of the holding time distribution used in the ol' Erlang C model. Bob the Cow enjoys the Erlang C model. Very much, in fact. Moo. Adaptive Transversal Equalizer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A transversal filter that automatically adjusts its characteristics to compensate for linear distortion. Adaptive equalizers are par- ticularly important in data modems where their use has permitted voiceband data rates to be increased from about 3000 bits/per/sec to about 10,000 bps. This ain't no run-of-the-mill transversal filter, let me assure you. Address ~~~~~~~ (1) Where fascist pig postal people deliver their letters. (2) A sequence of #'s that identifies the phone to which a call is directed. An address is usually 7 to 10 digits, depending on whether the destination is in- or outside the NPA where the call originated. Also called a Destination Code (or, far more technically, a p-h-o-n-e n-u-m-b-e-r). (3) Digital info. (a combo. of bits) that identifies a location in a storage device or equipment unit (ie, a computer, etc.). Address Signals ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Signals used to convey call destination info., such as telephone station codes, c.o. codes, and area codes. Some forms of address signals are called pulses; dial pulses, MF pulses, etc. Administration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In operating companies, dial or network administration is a number of related functions with the aim of ensuring the overall provision of service by a switching system. This includes assignment of lines and trunks to switching terminals, collection of traffic data, analysis of troubles and customer gripes, and requests for additions and modifications to switching systems. AFT See Analog Facility Terminal ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AIC See Automatic Intercept Center ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AIS See Automatic Intercept System ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alerting (Alerting Signal) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a signal sent to a customer, PBX, or switch to indicate an incoming call. A common form is the signal that rings a bell in your average telephone, usually arousing the customer from sleep, the shower, the climax of Pudenda-Around-the-Globe, etc. All-Number Calling (ANC) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The system of telephone numbering that uses all numbers and replaces the 2-letter plus 5-number (2L + 5N) numbering plan. ANC offers more usable combo's of numbers than the old 2L+5N numbering plan and has just about become nationally standard. Alternate Routing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A way to selectively distribute traffic over a number of routes which ultimately lead to the same destination. Sometimes called Call Detouring. AM ~~ Amplitude Modulation; that is, when an EM wave is transmitted (such as radio waves), that wave is given an "identity" by modulating its amplitude (i.e., its 'heigth', in very rough terms). AMA See Automatic Message Accounting ~~~ ...also See American Medical Association American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A 7-bit code for providing as many as 128 different characters. An eighth bit can be added as a parity check to detect data errors. Analog Facility Terminal (AFT) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A voice-frequency facility terminal that performs signaling and transmission functions and includes analog channel banks. It interfaces between an analog carrier system and a switching system, a metallic facility, a digital facility terminal, or another analog facility terminal. Analog Signal ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A signal that varies in a continuous manner, such as voice or music. An analog signal may be contrasted with a digital signal which represents only distinct states. The signal put out by a data set has both analog and digital characteristics. ANC See All-Number Calling ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ANI See (gasp!) Automatic Number Identification ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Answer Delay ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just what you think it is: the time from the beginning of a phone's ringing to the moment the receiving end answers. Answer delay patterns are one of the traffic indicators your friendly non-ess CO looks at when trying to nab boxers (since boxing, from the CO's frame of reference, is just a longer-than-normal, unsuccessful answer delay). Area Transfer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The process of assigning a group of customers to a new wire center. ASCII See American Standard Code for Info. Interchange ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Attempts per Circuit per Hour (ACH) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An indication of calling pressure. See also CCH. Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A system for automatically providing even distribution of incoming calls to operator or attendant positions; calls are served in the order of arrival and are routed to positions in the order of their availability for handling the call. Automatic Intercept Center (AIC) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A centrally located set of equipment that is a part of an Automatic Intercept System and provides arrangements, having stored program control, whereby the caller is automatically advised, by means of either recorded or electronically assembled announcements, of the situation that prevents completion of connection to the called number. Automatic Intercept System (AIS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A type of Traffic Service System consisting of one or more automatic intercept centers and a centralized intercept bureau for handling intercept calls. Automatic Message Accounting (AMA) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The automatic (the key word IS automatic...) collection, recording, and processing of info. relating to calls for billing purposes. Automatic Number Identification (ANI) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The automatic identification of a calling station, usually for automatic message accounting (and thus, in the end, for billing). ANI, to you neophytes, is one of the scourges of ess. It's the magic that makes using Bell Calling Cards unwise...et cetera. Automatic Ringdown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A technique for supervision alerting on a nondial trunk in which the application of a 2-second burst of ringing at the originating end results in a supervisory signal at the terminating manual PBX. See Ringdown. Automatic Voice Network (AUTOVON) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A private voiceband nerwork serving the Dept. of Defense. AUTOVON uses automatic switching and handles both voice and data traffic. It is worldwide; the continental U.S. portion is known as CONUS AUTOVON. AUTOVON See Automatic Voice Network, above. ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Average Business Day (ABD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Refers to the average of the parameter in question over the business days during the period considered; for example, busy- hour traffic, phreak traffic, etc. Business days include Mondays through Fridays but exclude holidays (in case you were curious). AWT See Actual Work Time ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Balance ~~~~~~~ (1) To distribute traffic over the line terminals at a CO as uniformly as possible. Without load balancing, a portion of the switching equipment may become overloaded even though the total capacity of the system has not been exceeded. (2) To adjust the impedance of circuits and balance networks to achieve specified return loss objectives at junctions of 2- wire and 4-wire circuits. Balance Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An adjustable impedance used to terminate one port of a hybrid such that the hybrid characteristics approach the ideal when used to provide 2 to 4-wire conversion. Baseband ~~~~~~~~ The frequency band occupied by one or more info. signals that either modulate a carrier or are transmitted at baseband freq. over a suitable medium. Baud ~~~~ A unit of digital signaling rate. The signaling rate in bauds is equal to the reciprocal of the length in seconds of the signal element when all signal elements have equal length. If sig. elements are not of equal length, as in "stop-start" character asynchronous operation, the signaling rate in bauds is expressed as the reciprocal of the length of the shortest signal element. The information rate in bits per second may be greater than the baud rate because one signal element can represent more than one bit. So, okay? BCS See Business Communications Systems ~~~ See Business Customer Services Bell System Practice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A document in a comprehensive series prepared to spread detailed technical info. and operating methods within the Bell System. Certain series of BSPs cover manufacturing, installation, computer crime/prevention (ha!), and equipment performance requirements; these things are mainly of interest to Western Electric. Other series are instructions for engineering, operation, and maintenance, and repair of the telephone 'plant'; these are mainly of interest to operating companies. Other BSPs are prepared for the instruction and training of telephone company personnel (the Being a Bitch BSP for TSOs, etc.). Most BSPs are edited by Western Electric. Bell Labs prepares certain BSPs and is responsible for the accuracy of technical content of all BSPs. AT&T authorizes the preparation and release of all Bell System Practices. Bell System Repair Specification (BSRS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Bell System document that specifies detailed repair procedures for apparatus- and equipment-coded units. These docs. are not for standard field maintenance purposes, but rather for detailed major repairs usually performed at a Western Electric serv. center. Binder Group ~~~~~~~~~~~~ A group of cable pairs within a cable sheath that are twisted and bound together during cable construction. Bipolar Group ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A digital signal technique that uses either a positive or negative excursion (always alternating) for one state, and ground for the other state. BIS See Business Info. Systems ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BISCUS/FACS ~~~~~~~~~~~ See Business Info. System Customer Services/Facility Assignment and Control System (gasp...) Bit ~~~ (1) An abbreviation of binary digit. A bit can be one of the two binary characters, 1 or 0. (2) Perfect indicative of 'byte'. HAHAHAHA. Ahem. (3) A unit of info. One bit of info. is sufficient to specify one of two equally likely possibilities. Bits per Second (b/s) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Digital info. rate expressed as the number of binary info. units transmitted per second. See Symbol. If a channel produces errors, the info. rate (as defined by Shannon) will be lower than the figure noted above, but this lower figure is rarely used. Typically, a data channel is described as having a stated bit rate and a stated expected error rate. Blocking ~~~~~~~~ The inability of the calling party to be connected to the called party because either a) all suitable trunk paths are busy or b) a path between a given inlet and any suitable free outlet of the switching network of a switching system is unavailable. Bridged Tap ~~~~~~~~~~~ A cable pair connected in parallel with a customer loop. The connection (tap) may occur at the CO or at some point along a cable route. BSP See Bell System Practice ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BSRS See Bell System Repair Specification ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BTE See Business Terminal Equipment ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Buried Service Wire ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A buried wire pair connecting the customer's premises to a pair in the distribution cable. Above many BSWs will be a warning sign, put in place by Mother Bell, to insure the safety of those in the general public who plan to dig around said wires. Hmm... Business Communications Systems (BCS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Systems, such as key telephones, pbx's, automatic call distrib- utors, and telephone answering systems, that are used to fill the communication needs of business customers and the discerning phreak. Because BCS has become a term used by other companies, the term is being replaced by Customer Switching Systems (CSS). Business Customer Services (BCS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This term refers to a class of services generally used by business customers, including pbx service, key tele. service, automatic call distribution service, and tele. answering service. Business Information Systems (BIS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A collection of computer-based systems for performing voluminous business and administrative operations associated with the provision of telephone service by operating companies. Just ask mom about this one...she'll know. Business Information System Customer Services-Facility Assignment and Control System (BISCUS/FACS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One of the BIS's developed at Bell Kitchens. BISCUS/FACS is used to assign cable facilities, cable terminations, telephone numbers, and CO line equipment to service orders. Business Office ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The part of the telephone company that a customer contacts regarding requests for service, subsequent changes in service, questions relating to billing, questions regarding Bell's liability for customers' coronaries caused from billing, and requests from phreaks disguised as Palestineans for an official Bell CO Tour. Yeah. Business Service ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Telecom. service used in a business environment, i.e., jungle. Business Terminal Equipment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Refers to the terminal equipment used by business customers including teletype machines, data sets, key telephone systems, pbx's, etc. Busy Hour ~~~~~~~~~ That hour during which the portion of the telephone network in question carries the most traffic. Traffic peaks caused by holidays or special events are not considered. Switching systems and trunk groups are normally sized for the busy hour load. Busy Hour, Bouncing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The highest load may not occur at the same hour on all days, need- less to say. If the highest load is selected for each day without regard to the hour in which it occurs, the average of these loads is said to occur in the bouncing busy hour. Traffic measurements are usually made over the five working days of each week. Busy Hour, Fixed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Okay, this is the last busy hour def. Bear with me. This stuff is great for social engineering. Really. Anyway, you never know.) When the hourly loads are averaged across days for each hour of the day, the max. of these averages defines the fixed busy hour, also called the time consistent busy hour. Traffic measurements are usu- ally made over the five working days of each week. Busy Tone ~~~~~~~~~ An audible signal indicating a call can't be completed because the called line is busy. The tone is applied 60 times per minute. Cable Fill The percentage of pairs in a cable sheath actually ~~~~~~~~~~ assigned and used. Cable Vault An area, generally on the lower level of the telco, ~~~~~~~~~~~ where cables enter the building. Call Forwarding ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One of those amazing custom calling services. When call forwarding is activated by a customer, all calls to that line are automatically routed to another line designated during activation. [C.F. is ESS's answer to the diverter] Call Store ~~~~~~~~~~ The equipment unit of an Electronic Switching System that provides temporary memory storage of information pertaining to call processing & maintenance. Call Waiting ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The custom calling service adored by millions that provides a tone burst to a customer on an established call when a second call has been directed to that line. The notification tone is heard only by the called customer, whereas the incoming caller hears regular ringing. The customer can place the existing call on hold, connect to the calling party, and then repeat the procedure to reestablish the original connection. This operation can be done ad nauseum. [See File on the Call Waiting Tap...available to some] CAMA See Centralized Automatic Message Accounting ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CAMA-ONI See CAMA- Operator Number Identification ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carried Load ~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1) The load you tote around on the Big Date, and try to control [eew!] (2) The average number of calls that are in progress. The unit, one call, is called...shucks, y'know this...an Erlang. Carrier System ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A system for transmitting one or more channels of information by processing and converting to a form suitable for the transmission medium used by the system [got that?]. Many information channels can be carried by one broad- band carrier system. Common types of carrier systems are frequency-division, in which each info. channel occupies an assigned portion of the frequency spectrum, and time-division, in which each info. channel uses the trans- mission medium for periodic assigned time intervals. Carterfone Decision ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The MONUMENTAL decision made by the FCC in 1968 to the effect that telco customers should be allowed to connect their own equipment (i.e. DATA MODEMS) to the public telenetwork provided that this interconnection not adversely affect the telco's operations or the utility of the tele- phone system to others. Prior to this wonderful decision, only telco provided equipment could be hooked up to the network. Let's take a few moments to thank the Modem Deity for Equal Access. CCH See Connections per Circuit Hour ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CCIS See [yawn] Common Channel Interoffice Signaling ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CCITT See Intl. Telephone & Telegraph Consultative Committee ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CCS See Hundred Call Seconds ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CCSA See Common-Control Switching Arrangement ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CDO See Community Dial Office ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Central Office (CO) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1) An Overrated Bulletin Board System. (2) A switching system that connects lines to lines and lines to trunks. The term is more often used to refer to the telco building itself in which a switching system is located and to include other equipment (such as transmission system terminals) that may be located in such a building. Central Office Code ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A 3-digit identification number under which up to 10k station codes are subgrouped. Exchange area boundaries are associated with the CO code which accordingly has billing significance. Note that SEVERAL CO codes may be served by a single CO. Also called NNX code...the prefix...the exchange. Central Office Work Order ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An order for work to be done in the operating company to make or change equipment assignments for switching system line or trunk access. Centralized Automatic Message Accounting (CAMA) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Phantom Phreak's Phavorite...) A process using centrally located equipment, including a switchboard or a traffic service position, associated with a tandem or toll switching office, for automatically recording billing data for customer-dialed extra-charge calls originating from several local central offices. A tape record is processed at an electronic data processing center. Centralized Automatic Message Accounting- Operator Number Identification (CAMA-ONI) Operator ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An operator located at a position that is connected temporarily on a customer-dialed station-to-station call. The operator secures the calling number from the customer and keys the number into the centralized automatic message accounting equipment. Centralized Intercept Bureau (CIB) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That type of bureau that is part of an Automatic Intercept System and is associated with one or more automatic intercept centers. It provides facilities whereby operators situated at auxiliary service positions furnish assistance to calling customers whose calls have been intercepted and who require help beyond that furnished by the auto. intercept center. Centrex ~~~~~~~ A service for customers with many stations that permits station-to-station dialing, one listed directory # for the customer, direct inward dialing to a particular station, and station identification on outgoing calls. The switching functions are performed in a central office. Channel ~~~~~~~ A transmission path between two points. The term channel may refer to a one-way path or, when paths in the two directions of transmission are always associated, to a 2-way path. It is usually the smallest subdivision of a transmission system by means of which a single type of communication service is provided, i.e., a voice channel, teletypewriter, or data channel. Channel Bank ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Channel terminal equipment used for combining (multiplexing) channels on a frequency-division or time-division basis. Voice channels are combined into 12- or 24-channel groups. Channel Busy Tone ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An audible signal indicating that a call cannot be completed because of trunk or switching system blocking. The tone is applied 120 times per minute. Also called fast busy or (the ever-popular reorder) tone. CIB See Centralized Intercept Bureau ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Circuit ~~~~~~~ (1) A communication path between two or more points. (2) A network of circuit elements, such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, semiconductors, etc., that performs a specific function. (3) A closed path through which current can flow. (4) A term no 'philter' would ever dream of asking. Circuit Order ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The document used to transmit engineering design of a public telephone network trunk or special-service circuit to the department that implements the design. (Good Social Engineering term...) CLASS See Custom Local Area Signaling Service ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Class 5 Office ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A local central office that serves as the network entry point for station loops and certain special-service lines. Also called an end office. Other offices, classes 1,2,3, and 4, are toll offices in the telenetwork. CO See Central Office ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Code ~~~~ (1) Any of a wide variety of schemes for representing info. such as a color color code for values resistors, Morse code for telegraphy, and a ZIP code for a mail address. (2) A system of rules for representing information by digital signals such as teletypewriter code. See ASCII (Vol. I). (3) A numbering system for telephone addresses. See Central Office Code, Station Code, and Number Plan Area. (4) A set of standard abbreviations for equipment and facility names. See Common Language Code. (5) A set of rules for representing the amplitude of a signal sample by digital signals. See Pulse Code Modulation. (6) The least impressive achievement or possession of the common phreak. See also Codezz, Kodezz, K0dezz, etc. Coded Ringing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A form of semiselective ringing. The customer is required to identify his own code by the number of rings and/or their duration. A variation of coded ringing is one of the CLASS services. Coherent ~~~~~~~~ (1) Something the CULT is not very often. (2) Refers to a fixed phase relationship that provides certain advantages in signal detection. Coherent Modulation System ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (For the SERIOUS amongst you)...A modulation system that requires a carrier, either transmitted or locally derived and having the same frequency and phase as that associated with the received signal, for recovering the original modulating signal. Coherent Phase-Shift Keying (CPSK) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Modulation techniques for transmitting digital info. in which that info. is conveyed by selecting discrete phase changes of the carrier relative to a reference. See Coherent Modulation System or a physicist near you. Coin-First Service ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin telephone service in which an initial rate deposit is required to obtain a dial tone. Coin-first service is being replaced by dial-tone- first, an improved service requiring additional functions in the station and in the switching system. (Thus the BIOC concept that areas with coin-first fortress phones are served by older switches.) Coin Relay ~~~~~~~~~~ A relay in a coin telephone that collects or returns the coins under the control of the central office. This relay is activated by CO tones, and in areas that do not use out-of-band signaling, Red Box tones can mean free calls by activating this relay. Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is as precise a definition as I could find. I remember on Phreak Klass 2600 (in 806), the arguments used to rage as to what CCIS is and how it negates or prevents boxing. Sigh. I'll go into all that here, since CCIS is one of the Top Five most-likely Philter Questions. CCIS is a signaling system, developed for use between stored program switching systems (i.e., ESS et alia), in which all of the signaling info. for a group of trunks (i.e., operator or 'blue box' MF tones, Green and Red tones) is transmitted over a dedicated high-speed data link, rather than on a per-trunk basis (i.e. inband signaling, whereby tones were actually 'shuttled' on your voice trunk). CCIS can reduce call setup time and save money (yeah!) compared with individual trunk signaling. That is the definition. Now, you may wonder what the difference is between out-of-band signaling and CCIS. Alright, though some will say that they're the same, that's not quite so. CCIS is out-of-band, but out-of-band is not always CCIS. Got that? That is to say, out-of-band is the generic label of signaling that occurs outside the voiceband. This method usually places signaling at frequencies beyond the voice frequencies, but not necessarily on a dedicated-trunk (CCIS). Thus, per-trunk signaling COULD be out-of-band. CCIS, on the other hand, devotes a separate trunk to signaling data. Thus, all such signaling is carried over a trunk separate from the voice trunk. This is out-of- band in a sense, then. The following is a letter I wrote to 2600 Mag. and their response. It's not too explicit, but it may help clarify a touch. Dear 2600: In the course of two years of telecom, I've read countless Gfiles which describe the (virtual) spectrum of 'boxes'. Yet few files give a clear explanation as to why boxing is impossible in many electronic switching offices. Would you mind explaining CCIS, and just how this 'prevents' boxing? Thanks. Reply: "Put quite simply, it's impossible to blue box in an electronic switching office under CCIS because the equivalent of the blue box tones that a phreak would send are transmitted over a completely different line. Since you don't have access to these lines, blue boxing no longer works. This is ALSO called out-of-band signaling." Common Control ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An automatic arrangement in which items of control equipment in a switching system are shared; they are associated with a given call only during the periods required to accomplish the control functions. All Bell System Crossbar and ESS systems have common control. This is in contrast to the individual relays of Strowger switching. Common-Control Switching Arrangement (CCSA) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An arrangement in which switching for a private network is provided by one or more common-control switching systems. The switching systems may be shared by several private networks and also may be shared with the public telephone network. Common Language Code ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Codes used to ensure uniform abbreviation of equipment and facility names, places, place names, etc. (Be nice to get ahold of a summary...anyone?) Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Created by authorization of Congress in the Communications Satellite Act of 1962. This private corporation (NOT any agency of the U.S. Government, though subject to governmental regulation) was created primarily to provide for the establishment, operation, and management of a commercial communications satellite system. COMSAT presently acts as manager for INTELSAT and also represents the U.S. in INTELSAT. Community Dial Office (CDO) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A small automatic switching system that serves a separate exchange area having its own numbering plan and ordinarily having no operating or maintenance force located in its own building; operation is handled and maintenance is directed from a conveniently located and beautifully landscaped point referred to as an operator office. Compandor ~~~~~~~~~ An abbreviation for compressor-expandor. A device used to compress the range of talker volumes at the input to a carrier system (in particular, to increase low-level talker volumes) and to expand the received volumes at the output of the carrier system (to provide complementary function and to make the transmission system transparent). This technique improves the signal-to-noise ratio for low-level talkers and provides a substancially reduced received noise level during the so-called quiet intervals. A miracle, really. Compandor Mistracking ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If this shows up on a philter, leave me mail. Mistracking refers to the failure of the expandor-characteristic of a compandor to complement exactly the compressor-characteristics, thereby causing signal distortion. COMSAT See Communications Satellite Corporation ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Concentration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (1) Applies to a switching network (or portion thereof) that has more inputs than outputs. (2) In a traffic network, combining calls arriving on many lines or trunks to transmit them more efficiently in a trunk group. (3) Locating as much equipment as possible at a given place to achieve economies in such things as building costs, maintenance, etc. (4) Something VERY difficult to maintain when reading tech. manuals. Connecting Arrangement ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The implementation for connecting arrangement service. A connecting arrangement consists of an interconnecting unit, a Technical Reference, and a tariff offering. Connecting Arrangement Service ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A service providing electrical connection to the public telenetwork of customer-provided equipment. This service, whish is usually denoted by a uniform service order code (USOC), is offered by tariff and is implemented with an interconnecting unit and a Technical Reference. (Great SE term!) Connection ~~~~~~~~~~ (1) A point where a junction of two or more conductors is made. (2) Generally, a telfo connection is a 2-way voiceband circuit completed between two points by means of one or more switching systems. It contains two loops and may contain one or more trunks. Connections per Circuit Hour (CCH) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An indication of holding time of calls. Under normal circumstances, ACH= CCH which is about equal to 6 in busy hour for trunk groups excluding high-usage groups. Connector ~~~~~~~~~ In Step-by-Step switching systems, a 2-motion electromechanical switch that operates on the last two digits of the telephone number to connect from a selector to any one of 100 customer loops. The connector performs the following functions: o Tests for busy o If busy, returns busy tone o If idle, rings the called party and returns ringback tone to calling line o Provides a supervisory signal indicating that answer has occurred and trips ringing o Provides talking battery to the calling line on intraoffice calls and to the called line o Disconnects when the customer hangs up Construction Program ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A detailed plan of placement, removal, and rearrangement of facilities to modernize and expand the capacity of the facilities network. Conversion (Converting) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In signaling, the substitution of one, two, or three digits for received digits for the purpose of directing the call through the next office. Coordinate Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A switching network consisting of incoming and outgoing talking paths arranged at right angles to each other with fine-motion or electronic switching elements at intersections. CORNET Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A private telephone network serving Western Electric and Bell Laboratories; CORNET is a contraction of corporate network. This network uses common- control switching arrangements (CCSA). Country Code ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The 1-, 2-, or 3-digit number that, in the world numbering plan, identifies each country or integrated numbering plan in the world. The initial digit is always the world-zone number. Any subsequent digits in the code further define the designated geographic area (normally identifying a specific country). On an international call, the country code is dialed before the national number. Coupler ~~~~~~~ An alternate name for an interconnecting unit. CPSK See Coherent Phase-Shift Keying ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crossbar Switch ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The basic element of any Crossbar System. A crossbar switch is a relay mechanism consisting of 10 horizontal paths and 10 or 20 vertical paths. Any horizontal path can be connected to any vertical path by means of magnets. A 2-stage operation is used to close any crosspoint. First, a selecting magnet shifts all selecting fingers in a horizontal row, then a holding magnet shifts a vertical actuating card to close the selected contacts. Crosspoint Array ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An arrangement of switching elements used in some switching networks, characterized by incoming and outgoing talking paths arranged at right angles to each other, with switching elements at intersections. Crosstalk ~~~~~~~~~ Undesired power coupled into a communications circuit from other communi- cations circuits. Telephone crosstalk may be either intelligible (& thus VERY amusing) or unintelligible (& thus VERY annoying). CTRAP See Customer Trouble Report Analysis Plan ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Custom Calling Services ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A group of four keen services provided by ESS to business and residence customers: 3-way calling, speed calling, call waiting, and call forwarding. Custom Local Area Signaling Service (CLASS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ultimate calling service. CLASS is one of the Bell Network's futuristic services meant to prop-up profits and presumably make the customers' lives a little better. This service includes such features as call-blocking and filtering, coded/priority ringing, and customer-accessible ANI on incoming callings. CLASS is but one facet of the ultimate telco network, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). Customer-Premises Equipment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Equipment normally installed on the customer's premises, such as telephone sets, key telephones, PBX's, etc. Customer Trouble Report Analysis Plan (CTRAP) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A plan that provides manual and mechanized procedures for recording troubles reported by customers and analyzing the reports to obtain statistical data regarding customer service.  Press [Return] to Continue: