_______________________________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _ _ _ _ ((___)) ((___)) [ x x ] cDc communications [ x x ] \ / presents... \ / (` ') (` ') (U) (U) Frankie's Yellow Pages ... Volume II ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yet another file from the Cow's Information Series, the Yellow Pages are 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, abbreviations, and acronyms... >> A CULT Publication by High Priest and Scribe, Franken Gibe << -cDc- Cult of the Dead Cow Dissemination Council -cDc- _______________________________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. _______________________________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's about it for Volume II. The C's are indeed myriad and multitudinous. After you've digested yet another chunck of Telco Tech Info., look for Volume III of the Yellow Pages, coming soon to BBS's everywhere...sorta. _______________________________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (c)1987 cDc communications by Franken Gibe 12/0/87-28 All Rights Worth Not Very Much At All Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253