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Glossary of electronic communication and postal services
Cable Chute
Closed wrapping with a moveable lid, with one or more compartments, visibly mounted, for the protection of the insulated conductors or cables which are installed or removed by a process which does not include threading.Cable Distribution Network
Telecommunications infrastructures used essentially for broadcasting. These carry out the transmission or retransmission of non-permanent images and sounds through coaxial cable, fibre optic or another equivalent physical means, to one or several points of reception, with or without addressing and with or without the encoding of information.Cable Distribution Network Operator
Company authorised to install and develop a cable distribution network. The activity of a cable distribution network operator involves the installation and provision of the corresponding infrastructure for the transmission and retransmission of information, including the encoded and/or non-encoded distribution of their own radio and television broadcasts and that of third parties. Their activity also involves the supply of addressed services and data transmission services, as well as the provision of transmission capacity to third parties.Cable entry box
Compartment, normally in concrete, which serves for the passage of cables from the public telecommunications networks and which communicates through conduits or tubes with the space where the building’s distribution frames are stored.Cable Entry Tubes
In the case of aerial entry, these are the tubes for the intake of the connection cables in the ETS (Higher Telecommunications Space) or ETI (Lower Telecommunications Space). In the case of subterranean entry, they are the tubes which make the connection between the cable entry box and the Building’s Telecommunications Cabinet.Cable ''head-end''
Control centre of a cable television network, which receives signals (for example, of satellite channels), processes them, and supplies them into the cable distribution network.Cable Network
Set of interconnected telecommunications cables and accessory devices (of connection, distribution and terminals).Cabled Dwelling
With respect to cable television, refers to a dwelling with access to the cable television network available at its entrance, thereby enabling the connection by cable for access to the cable television service.Cabling
Set of telecommunication cables and respective connection devices which in their entirety make up a system.Cabling systems or Cabling
Cabling is a set of telecommunications cables and the respective connection devices which in their whole make up a system.Call Duration Tone
An automatic system which provides a caller with an audible signal at determined intervals during the length of a telephone call.Call Waiting
Function which puts the caller to a busy number on hold while signalling to the person being called that another caller is waiting on the line.Call-by-Call Selection
On the spot choice of the supplier of a fixed telephone service through which a determined telephone call is to be made. It implies the dialling of an initial code which gives access to the desired provider. This code is ''10xy'', in which ''xy'' identifies the provider.Calling card
Service which allows calls made from a telephone to be billed to another telephone account or credit card.CATV - Community Antenna Television
Community Antenna Television - the term originally used to describe television distribution to households through coaxial cables. Today the term is applied to cable television in a generic way.CD - Compact Disc
Optically read Disc used to store information in a digital format, which can be read by an optical mechanism, such as a laser.CD ROM - Compact Disc Read Only Memory
Compact disc with read only memory and a capacity of about 660 Mbytes. Reading is optical.CDMA - Code Division Multiple Access
System providing multiple access to a determined resource, used, for example, in the digital transmission of 3G mobile communication systems. It allows simultaneous access, without interference, by a large number of users over a single band of frequencies, through the allocation of different user codes to each user.Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Central processing unit of any digital computer, responsible for the execution of programme instructions.Centrex
Service provided through the telephonic network, as an alternative to switching equipment residing on the customer premise.Certificate of Compliance
Document which certifies a product or service's compliance with rules and other applicable technical specifications.Certifying Entity
In the scope of telecommunication infrastructures in buildings (ITED) this means the party authorised, pursuant to the respective legislation, to issue compliance certificates for the installation of the infrastructure in buildings, as well as its supervision. With respect to electronic documents and digital signature it means the authorised entity or party who creates or supplies means for the creation of keys, issues certificates of signature, ensures the respective publicity and supplies other services related to digital signatures.Chatline
Service which allows more than two people, generally unknown to each other, to hold a simultaneous conversation between themselves.Chip
Term which describes a miniscule plate of semi-conductive material, coated in substances on which the components and electronic conductors form integrated circuits.Chronological Validation
A statement of assurance on the part of the certifying entity as to the date and hour of the creation, sending or receiving of an electronic document.Churn
Term describing the rate at which subscribers switch from a provider's services or products, used, for example, by operators of terrestrial mobile communications to measure switching between operators by subscribers.Cipher, encipher or ciphering (common encryption)
Describes the process where, in accordance with a determined algorithm, a determined flow of information is made unintelligible to anyone who is not in possession of the appropriate key, being changed in such a way that it may only be accessed by authorised users, possessing the appropriate deciphering devices and the algorithm.Circuit Switching
Switching technique in which communication between extremities is established through one circuit at a time, keeping each circuit totally reserved for this purpose during the period of communication.Client's Private Network
Set of cables, equipment and other materials which are exclusively the property of the client.Closed User Group
In telecommunications, this is the restricted group of users of a determined service.Coaxial Cable
Cable made up of a central copper wire, surrounded by a shield of braided copper wire, which is separated from the central wire by an insulating material separated by a material isolator (dielectric). This type of cable is suitable for carrying electrical signals with higher frequencies than those supported by a simple metallic wire. With a transmission capacity higher than that of an isolated conductor, it is often used, for example, to carry televised images between the external reception antenna and the television set.Coaxial Distribution Frame
Device which allows the signal received at its entrance to be divided by its exits.Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)
System providing multiple access to a determined resource, used, for example, in the digital transmission of 3G mobile communication systems. It allows simultaneous access, without interference, by a large number of users over a single band of frequencies, through the allocation of different user codes to each user.Collective Cable Network
Cable network to serve more than one subscriber. Upstream it is limited by the entry cable (which connects the main distribution frame of the building or private block of the subscriber) and downstream by the primary derivation device for exclusive use of subscriber.Collective Derivation
Set of boxes and tubes or conduits normally placed horizontally which connect on each floor to the telecom riser, where it exists, or to the individual networks, or even to the cable entrance.Collective Tubing Network
Tubing network to serve several clients. Upstream it is limited by the entrance of cables, and downstream from the primary box (of blocks) for exclusive use of each subscriber.Collocation
The provision of physical space and technical facilities necessary to reasonably accommodate and connect the relevant equipment of a third party. Said third party must be duly authorised in terms of Directive 97/13/CE or skilled to provide communications services under the cover of national legislation and eligible for the purpose of unbundled access to the local loop.Communication
Connection through a transmission channel between two or more parties, which enables the emission/reception of information, in accordance with a series of predefined rules, and the knowledge of the entities involved. Communication can be one directional or bidirectional, according to whether the process is in one-way or two-way.Compression
Process of reducing the space occupied by a determined quantity of information for transmission or storage, through for example, the elimination of redundancies.Computer
Electronic equipment which receives and processes information mathematically, in accordance with a set of predefined commands, in order to present the results.Concentration Nodes
These can be switching or processing nodes. The entire device or system which routes or processes information which originates in or is destined for the subscriber's system.Concentrator
Equipment connecting several telephones, through their respective assigning pairs, in order to connect them to a switching exchange, making use of a smaller number of circuits (concentrating several assigning pairs onto a smaller number of circuits).Conditional Access
Measure or technical mechanism through which access to a protected service in an intelligible form is given to a previously authorised individual. As a general rule, systems of conditional access are used with pay television through encryption, but other methods may also be used to prevent unauthorised access.Conditional Access Device
Equipment or computer programme conceived or adapted with the aim of allowing access to a protected service in an intelligible form.Conditional Access System
Any technical measure and/or arrangement whereby access to a protected radio or television broadcasting service in intelligible form is made conditional upon subscription or other form of prior individual authorisation.Conditions of Open Network Offer
Set of conditions governing open and efficient access to public telecommunications networks and to public telecommunications services, as well as their use.Conduit Network
Set of subterranean conduits and manholes providing for the installation, replacement and maintenance of subterranean cables.Confidentiality
Obligation of providers of fixed telephone services to keep a phone number and/or address confidential, not including them in telephone directories, nor divulging them through corresponding information services. This is provided at the express indication of the subscriber and without any additional cost.Confidentiality
Obligation of fixed telephone service providers to take the necessary precautions to guarantee the confidentiality of communications made through this service, in accordance with current legislation. It is the obligation of employees of fixed telephone service providers not to reveal the content of conversations or other information referring to the users which they come to have knowledge of, either accidentally or in the course of performing their job functions.Congestion
Situation preventing the establishment of a connection through a branch of telecommunications network, as a result of inaccessibility to one or several resources, which are otherwise normally available. May occur, for example, as a result of an excess of information in transit over the network.Connection Point
Point in the building's telecommunication infrastructure which has the purpose of establishing a connection between the this infrastructure and a cable from the public telecommunications network.Construction Hollow
Space existing in a structure or elements of construction of a building and accessible only in certain area. Cable chimney.Content
Information which makes up a web page. Good content is a key factor in the success of attracting users to a web site, maintaining their interest and encouraging future visits.Convergence
The Green Paper on the Convergence of the Telecommunications, defines convergence as the ability of different network platforms to carry essentially similar kinds of services, or the coming together of consumer devices such as the telephone, television and personal computer.Copper Line (or metallic)
Main means of transmission on telephone networks to connect telephones or other customer devices to the operator's switches. Copper lines make relatively small bandwidth available, and as such have limited capacity to transport broadband services, such as video, except when combined with activating technology, such as ADSL.Country Code
Combination of 1, 2 or 3 digits, which make up the prefix of phone numbers from a determined country in accordance with the global numbering plan.CPU - Central Processing Unit
Central processing unit of any digital computer, responsible for the execution of programme instructions.Cryptography
Process which protects information from unauthorised access by making it indecipherable through the use of secret codes.Customer Derivation Device
Passive device which makes the transitions between the individual copper pair cable network and the collective cable network or the operator’s network, through connection and distribution devices adapted to the respective Level of Quality.Customer distribution frame
This is a passive terminal device, from which radio and television broadcasting of types A, B and CATV are distributed to the sockets.Customer Premises Equipment
Abbreviation: CPE. Clients' equipment which is in their premises/residence, which is not part of the public telecommunications network to which it is directly or indirectly connected.« Back
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