CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)
CDMA is a channel access method used by different radio communication technologies- one way to understand CDMA is to think of a party where everyone is talking at the same time. Lots of confusion, right? CDMA assigns different codes to each group of users, so other groups hear just noise– and tune out.
CLEC – Competitive Local Exchange Carrier
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 opened the door to competition for local phone service. This act mandated that the Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILEC) such as Verizon, Bell South, or SBC provide the necessary interfaces so that CLECs could provide seamless local service. For example, MegaPath is a CLEC.
CPE (Customer Provided Equipment)
Telephone equipment (key systems, PBXs, answering machines, etc.) which live on the customer’s premises.
CSP (Communication Service Provider)
An umbrella term used to describe both traditional providers of communication services (ie: telecom) and alternate providers such as cable TV companies and other over-the-top providers.
CSR – Customer Service Record
A copy of how your telephone records appear in your local carriers’ database. It contains information items and charges such as: type of service, federal access charge, number portability charge, calling blocks on the line, 911 charge, etc. It is the “snapshot” of your entire service for each line.
Carrier
A company that is authorized by regulatory agencies to operate a telecommunications system. Examples include AT&T, Alltell, and Verizon.
Central Office (CO)
In almost every neighborhood there is a windowless building that houses the switching equipment that connects your telephone to your neighbor’s telephone or routes your call to another central office for long distance calls. This building is called the central office. The central office has switching equipment that can switch calls locally or to long-distance carrier phone offices.
Cloud
Collection of technologies through which businesses or consumers pay to use software that lives in another company’s data center. The benefit is that server capacity can increase or decrease in response to customer demand, freeing companies from having to invest as much in hardware and ultimately saving them money.
This relates to telecommunications because the information in the cloud is accessed through broadband connections. Cloud computing is driving large volumes of new traffic across telecom networks and making businesses increasingly reliant on telecom services.
A report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project explains further.
A wide variety of players is rushing to exploit these business opportunities in the new evolving Cloud ecosystem. Over-the-top (OTT) providers (for example, Google and Amazon), system integrators, pure Cloud providers and many others seem eager to grab a slice of the Cloud pie. Also, Communications Service Providers (CSPs) have recognized Cloud as a source of new revenues. A number of them have made offering Cloud-based services to clients an integral part of their business strategies.
Collective Bargaining
A negotiation between an employer and a trade union.
Connectivity
In telecommunication and computing in general, a connection is the successful completion of necessary arrangements so that two or more parties (for example, people or programs) can communicate at a long distance. Connectivity can be tied to both hardware and software.
Convergence
The tendency for different technological systems to evolve towards performing similar tasks. A great example of this is smartphones. Not only can you make calls, you can also use them as a personal computer to surf the web, send text messages and monitor your home security system.
Credit
A value that is assigned to a class and/or degree that is often related to how often the course meets, how much content is covered, and the number of student outcomes.