Glossary

Access - The facility-based service arrangements that provide connections between on-net or off-net locations and their associated points of connection with the transport service providers (such points of connection with the transport service providers are called Points of Presence [POPs]).

Access Adaptation Function (AAF) - An AAF is an FTS2001 Bridge access service function that along with a Transport De-multiplexing (TD) service function provides for contractor-managed integration of multiple access channels within individual dedicated access circuits. An AAF service function will also integrate a lower payload data rate/bandwidth access channel within a higher rate access circuit. Though both the AAF and TD service functions inter-operate to provide a form of Access Service Integration, the AAF function is associated with the Service Delivery Point (SDP) side of an access circuit and the TD is associated with the POP side of an access circuit.

An AAF is always required (except where provided by the Government), first, where multiple, ordered User-to-Network Interface (UNI)-associated access channels are carried over the same ordered access circuit, e.g., 18 DS0-equivalent UNI-associated access channels carried over a T1 dedicated access circuit, or, second, where the sole ordered UNI-associated access channel is carried over an ordered 56/64 kilobits per second (kb/s) DS0 access circuit. Where the Government chooses to implement its own AAF functionality by connecting appropriate government-furnished equipment (1) to the access circuit UNI at the SDP side of the contractor-provided access circuit or (2) to Government-provided access connected at the POP's Local Access to Network Interface (LANI), the contractor provides the necessary cooperative access service integration functions at the POP side of the access requirement to fully implement access service integration. An AAF is not required where the payload data rate/bandwidth of the ordered UNI matches the payload data rate/bandwidth of the access circuit.

Access Channel - An Access Channel carries a discrete unit of an FTS2001 Bridge service type between a POP and an SDP. It is the discrete payload data rate/bandwidth within a dedicated Access Circuit that is required to serve the payload data rate/bandwidth of an ordered UNI at an SDP. An access channel's payload data rate/bandwidth may be equal to or less than the payload data rate/bandwidth of its associated access circuit. The simultaneous provision of multiple UNI-associated access channels within the same dedicated access circuit is one form of "access service integration." Where the SDP is located at the LANI of the POP, services are carried between the POP and the SDP over access channels only. An access channel is not a priceable service component.

Access Circuit - An Access Circuit is a dedicated facility, varying by type (e.g., analog, digital signal, or synchronous optical network) and by bandwidth (e.g., 4 kilohertz [kHz] or 56/64 kb/s), that is used to carry service(s) between an SDP and its POP. Service(s) are carried within an access circuit on one or more discrete UNI-associated Access Channels. An access circuit is not required where the SDP is located at the LANI of the POP; where the SDP is located at the LANI of the POP, services are carried between the POP and the SDP over access channels.

Access Control - The process of limiting access to the resources of a system only to authorized personnel, programs, processes, or other systems (in a network). Synonymous with controlled access and limited access.

Access Service Integration - The provision of multiple access channel integration within individual dedicated access circuits or the integration of a lower payload data rate/bandwidth access channel within a higher rate access circuit. Access service integration is implemented by the contractor using one or both of two FTS2001 Bridge service functions, the AAF and the TD service function. Where the Government chooses to implement its own AAF functionality at, or connected to, the SDP, the contractor provides the necessary cooperative access service integration functions (i.e., a TD) at the POP side of the access requirement to permit full implementation of access service integration.

Access Type - The categorization of facilities used to provide access.

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Accounting Control Transaction Number - A specific number assigned to each contract award winner authorizing the invoicing of services.

Ad Hoc Reporting - The generation of reports at sporadic intervals with varying contents and purposes.

Additional Offerings - Non-mandatory items that may be proposed by the offer or with its proposal or by the contractor at any time after award. Additional offerings comprise the following:

• Specific optional features, interfaces or equipment
• Emerging Services
• Local Services as defined in the Metropolitan Area Acquisition (MAA) program acquisitions (e.g., local transport and local loop)
• Other items not listed above, including but not limited to, new services and additions, enhancements, improvements and extensions to the services, features, functions and other requirements of this contract

Agency - An organizational entity of the Federal Government. Also used in this document to refer to all authorized users.

Agency Billing Code - The Agency Billing code is used for accounts at agencies with centralized billing. It has four alphanumeric characters and is assigned by the Government. It is the first field in the Agency Hierarchy Code. An agency may have more than one Agency Billing Code.

Agency Billing Identification (ID) - An Agency Billing ID, is used for accounts with direct billing. It has four alphanumeric characters and is assigned by the Government. It is the first field in the Agency Hierarchy Code. An agency may have more than one Agency Billing ID.

Agency Bureau Code - For FTS2000, this field was four numeric characters, not alphanumeric characters. This definition is included for historical clarification and to assist in transition from FTS2000 to FTS Bridge.

Agency Designated Agency Representative (DAR) Administrator - A Government individual identified by the agency who has been authorized by his/her agency to designate DARs.

Agency Designated Hierarchy Code - An Agency Designated Hierarchy Code is four alphanumeric characters and identifies one organizational level for which ordering and billing data is to be aggregated. These are assigned by the agency to guarantee that proper debits, credits and accounting collection functions occur at the specified hierarchical levels. A maximum of six Agency Designated Hierarchy Codes can be used in the Agency Hierarchy Code.

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Agency Hierarchy Code - The Agency Hierarchy Code designates the agency to which services are to be invoiced and the level within the agency where these costs are grouped. The Agency Hierarchy Code contains either the Agency Billing Code or the Agency Billing ID and up to six sets of Agency Designated Hierarchy Codes. For Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the Agency Hierarchy Code can not exceed 28 characters.

For centralized billed accounts, the Agency Hierarchy Code contains the Agency Billing Code and up to six sets of Agency Designated Hierarchy Codes.

For direct billed accounts, the Agency Hierarchy Code contains the Agency Billing ID and up to as many sets of Agency Designated Hierarchy Codes as will fit in 28 characters.

Alphanumeric - Consisting of any of the 26 upper case alphabetic letters (A through Z) and 10 numerals only (0 through 9).

AMA - Automatic Message Accounting

The automatic collection, recording and processing of information relating to calls for billing purposes.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) - The standard code used for information interchange among data processing systems, data communications systems, and associated equipment in the United States. The ASCII character set contains 128 characters. This includes upper and lower case alphabetic characters, numbers, and special characters including a space and punctuation marks.

Amplifier - Any electronic component that boosts the strength or amplitude of a signal.

Amplitude Modulation - A method of modulating a communications channel in which the electromagnetic field strength is made to vary in a manner that conveys the desired signal. In the most obvious example, an ordinary analog telephone line, such as a local loop, employs a transducer to cause a direct electric current to vary in amperage as the sound pressure generated by an audible signal varies.

Ampere - The conventional unit used to measure the amount of electrical flow. one ampere of current is generated by a voltage drop of volt across a resistance of one ohm. One ampere equals approximately 6.3 X 10¹⁸ electrons per second. The fundamental relationship between voltage, resistance and current in a steady-state circuit is expressed as:

Voltage = Resistance (Ohms) X Current (Amperes)

Amplifier - An (electronic) device that increases the strength or power of a signal.

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Amplitude - The maximum deviation of the electric and/or magnetic field strength of an electromagnetic signal from some reference level, which may be zero (but usually is not in telecommunications applications).

Analog - Any system of measurement that uses one physical quantity as an analog for another. Analog measurements are inherently imprecise. For example, if one says "My cat weights 7 pounds," we can be sure that the statement is incorrect. No cat (or any other object) weights exactly seven pounds. There are an infinite number of possible weights between 6.99999 pounds and 7.00001 pounds, and the probability that a given cat would exactly 7.0000..... pounds is precisely zero.

Analog Signal - An electrical signal that varies in a continuous manner over time, such as voice or music. Analog signal may be contrasted with a digital signal which can assume only discrete values. Signals generated by a data set can be analog or digital.

ANI - Automatic Number Identification

Originating Number: The number associated with the telephone station(s) from which switched calls are originated (or terminated).

Billing number: A software feature associated with Feature Group D (and optional on Feature Group B) circuits.

ANI provides the originating local telephone number of the calling party. This information is transmitted as part of the digit stream in the signaling protocol, and included in the Call Detail Record for billing purposes. ANI may also be used to refer to any phone number. It is also used to support Caller Id features

ANSI - American National Standards Institute

A United States-based organization which develops standards and defines interfaces for telecommunications.

Analog Data - (1) Data represented by a physical quantity that is considered to be continuously variable and whose magnitude is made directly proportional to the data or to a suitable function of the data. (2) The representation of digital data using an analog signaling medium such as analog tone modulation of a radio frequency carrier. (3) Data that is transmitted over an analog transmission medium (e.g., voice grade channel using an analog modem.)

Architecture -Architecture is the balancing of the considerations of form, function, economy, and time to determine the characteristics of a solution to a client's problem(s) and/or need(s). Architectures exist at various levels. For example, in communications systems, there are network architectures, systems architectures, control architectures, physical design architectures, maintenance architectures, hardware and software architectures, etc.

Area of Service - (AOS) [or Alternative Operator Service]

The geographical area supported by a communication service. For 800 numbers, if AOS is "CC", it is using Complex Call routing.

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Asynchronous - A method of transmitting data in which each transmitted character is preceded by a start bit and followed by a stop bit, thus permitting the interval between characters to vary. Two or more signals sources from independent clocks, therefore having different frequency & phase relations.

A form of concurrent input and output communication transmission with no timing relationship between the two signals. Slower-speed asynchronous transmission requires start and stop bits to avoid a dependency on timing clocks (10 bits to send on 8-bit byte). (Contrast with Synchronous)

ATM - Asynchronous Transfer Mode is a packet-switched, broadband network architecture that is expected to become an established standard by late 1990s. It forms the core of a broadband ISDN (BISDN) architecture, which extends the digital transmission capabilities defined by ISDN to allow data, voice, and multimedia transmissions on the same lines. It is also known as cell relay, to distinguish it from frame relay.

ATM is a real-time architecture that will be able to provide very high bandwidths as needed. The initial implementations will operate at 155.52 megabits per second (Mbps), then at 622.08 Mbps. Speeds up to 2.488 gigabits per seconds (Gbps) are planned and have been demonstrated.

Attenuation - A loss of signal strength in a lightwave, electrical or radio signal usually related to the distance the signal must travel (e.g. fiber optic transmission must be regenerated approx. every 30 miles). Fiber optic attenuation is caused by transparency of the fiber, bending the fiber at too small of a radius, nicks in the fiber, splices, poor fiber terminals, FOTs, etc. (See EDOA), Electrical attenuation is caused by the resistance of the conductor, poor (corroded) connections, poor shielding, induction, RFI, etc. Radio signal attenuation may be due to atmospheric conditions, sun spots, antenna design / positioning, obstacles, etc.

Audit Trail - A record of system activities that is sufficient to enable the reconstruction, reviewing, and examination of the sequence of environments and activities surrounding or leading to an operation, a procedure, or an event in a transaction from its inception to final results.

Authentication - Verification of the identity of a user, device, or other entity in a computer system, often as a prerequisite to allowing access to resources in a system.

Authorization Code - An assigned code that is dialed or verbally given by the user or passed to an operator to gain access to presubscribed FTS2001 Bridge contractor provided services and features.

Authorized User - An organization that is authorized to use the FTS2001 Bridge contract, including all Federal agencies and, as authorized by law or regulation, state, local, and tribal Governments; authorized Federal contractors; agency sponsored universities and laboratories; and other organizations listed in General Services Administration (GSA) ADM 4800.2.

Automatic Identification of Outward Dialing - The automatic identification of the calling station number based on EIA RS464/464-1 standard. (See Automatic Number Identification.)

Automatic Number Identification (ANI) - A service feature in which the directory number or equipment number of a calling station is automatically obtained. Note: ANI is used in message accounting. (1037C)

Availability - The ratio of the total time a functional unit is capable of being used by an end user during a given interval to the length of the interval during which the functional unit was to be available for use; e.g., if the unit is capable of being used for 100 hours in a week, the availability is 100/168 if the unit was expected to be available the full week. Note: The conditions determining operability must be specified. Operability refers to the state of a service when it is considered functional and can be used for its intended purpose.

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B Channel - The International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT) designation for a clear channel, 64 kb/s service capability provided to a subscriber under the Integrated Services Digital Network offering. Note: The B channel, also called the bearer channel, is intended for transport of user information, as opposed to signaling information.

Bandwidth - The difference, in hertz (Hz), between the highest and lowest frequencies of a transmission channel. Also used to identify the amount of data that can be sent through a given transmission channel.

Baseband - The original band of frequencies produced by a transducer, such as a microphone, telegraph key, or other signal-initiating device, prior to initial modulation. Note 1: In transmission systems, the baseband signal is usually used to modulate a carrier. Note 2: Demodulation recreates the baseband signal. Note 3: Baseband describes the signal state prior to modulation, prior to multiplexing, following demultiplexing, and following demodulation. Note 4: Baseband frequencies are usually characterized by being much lower in frequency than the frequencies that result when the baseband signal is used to modulate a carrier or subcarrier. In facsimile, the frequency of signal equal in width to that between zero frequency and the maximum keying frequency.

Basic Rate Interface (BRI) - An Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) multipurpose user's interface standard that denotes the capability of simultaneous voice and data services provided over 2B+D channels, two clear 64 kb/s channels and one clear 16 kb/s channel access arrangement to each subscriber's location as defined by International Telecommunications Union/Telecommunications Service Sector (ITU-TSS) I.412.

Batch Service Request - Multiple requests for service in which individual service requests have been aggregated into a composite file that is forwarded via electronic file transfer to the contractor.

Baudot Code - A name commonly, but incorrectly, given to the start-stop asynchronous International Alphabet No. 2, which is used by most Telecommunications Device for the Deaf/Teletypewriter (TDD/TTY) equipment.

Bell Operating Company (BOC) - One of the 22 operating telephone companies that were divested from the AT&T Company under the terms of the 1982 antitrust suit settlement agreement. Note: Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company and Southern New England Bell Telephone Company are not included.

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Best Commercial Practice - That method(s), process(es), procedure(s), system(s), and/or usage that is commonly implemented in the business world and that is generally agreed to have produced the most satisfactory or desirable result(s) on a consistent basis.

Bill - See Invoice.

Billing - Refers to the processes that produce an invoice or a bill.

Billing Support Data - Information substantiating all charges on an invoice.

Binary Digit (bit) - The smallest unit of data a computer can process, representing either high or low, yes or no, or 1 or 0.

Bit Error Ratio (BER) - The number of erroneous bits divided by the total number of bits transmitted, received, or processed over some stipulated period. Note 1: Examples of bit error ratio are: (a) transmission BER, i.e., the number of erroneous bits received divided by the total number of bits transmitted; and (b) information BER, i.e., the number of erroneous decoded (Corrected) bits divided by the total number of decoded (corrected) bits. Note 2: The BER is usually expressed as a number and a power of 10; e.g., 2.5 erroneous bits out of 100,000 bits transmitted would be a BER of 2.5 in 10⁵ or 2.5 x 10^-5.

Blind Transfer - In this mode of voice call transfer, the called party dials the number of the third party (i.e., transferred-to party) and hangs up (i.e., completes call transfer) without waiting for an answer of the transferred-to party.

Blocking - Denying access to, or use of, a facility, system, or component.

Browser - Client software which moves documents from Web sites on the World Wide Web (WWW) or intranets to a computer for viewing, processing or storage.

Bulk Service Request - Multiple requests for the same service with the same features via a single service request.

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Bulletin Board - Generally refers to a system that includes a personal computer, modems, one or more plain old telephone service lines and software for data communications and management of bulletin board documents. A Web browser is not used to access a bulletin board.

Business Day - Any Monday through Friday that is not a Federal holiday.

Busy Hour - The 60-minute period during which the traffic load of a given 24-hour period is at maximum.

Byte (B) - A sequence of eight adjacent binary digits usually treated as a unit.

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Call - Any demand to set up a connection. A unit of traffic measurement.

Caller, Calling Party, Call Originator - A person, program, or equipment that originates a call.

Call Detail Records (CDRs) - CDR contain the various detailed recorded data regarding each call and are part of the invoice.

Call Type - Indication of the type of call transaction as identified on the call detail record. Examples of Packet Switched Service (PSS) call types include: 30 bits per second (b/s) dial-up data (DU3); 1,200 b/s dial-up data (DUl2); or 9,600 b/s digital data (DI96).

Centralized Billing - The process by which the contractor combines the invoice data for multiple agencies or sub-agencies into a single invoice delivered to GSA.

Central Office - This term is usually used to refer to a local switching system that connects lines and trunks. Sometimes it is used to refer to a telephone company building in which switching system and telephone equipment are installed.

Centrex - Centralized Telephone Regional Exchange - A widespread telephone company switching service that uses (typically digital) central office switching equipment to which customers connect via individual extensions access lines. Telephone features typically supplied include direct inward dialing (DID), direct distance dialing (DOD), and attendant consoles. Centrex utilizes a LEC Centrex system as a "platform" to provide local service business lines and calling features.

Centrex^® - A service offered by the BOCs which provides, from the telephone company central office, functions and features comparable to those provided by a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) or a Private Automatic Branch Exchange. As used in this document may refer to comparable service offered by non-Bell Local Exchange Companies (e.g, GTE).

Certification - The establishment that training requirements have been satisfied by examination, testing, on-the-job performance, or another comparable technique.

Channel - A connection between initiating and terminating nodes of a circuit. A single path provided from a transmission medium by physical separation (e.g., multipair cable) electrical separation (e.g., frequency- or time-division multiplexing), or optical separation (wave-division multiplexing). A single unidirectional or bidirectional path for transmitting or receiving, or both, of electrical or electromagnetic signals. A path along which signals can be sent; e.g., data channel, output channel.

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Circuit - The complete transmission path between two terminals over which one-way or two-way communication may be provided. A circuit may provide one or more channels.

Circuit Grooming - The practice of efficiently using both incoming and outgoing facilities by cross-connection and multiplexing of lower rate signals (or channels) into higher rate aggregated signals, and vice versa. Consolidation and segregation of voice and data or service types, as appropriate, are included in this practice. The objective is to minimize the cost to the Government of both access and transport.

Circuit-Switching - A method of communicating in which a dedicated communications path is established between two devices through one or more switching nodes. Unlike packet-switching, digital data is sent as a continuous stream of bits. data rates is guaranteed, and delay is essentially limited to propagation time.

Class of Service (COS) - A designation assigned to describe the service treatment and privileges given to a particular terminal or, if an authorization code is used, to the user of that code.

Classmark - A designator used to describe the service feature privileges, restrictions, and circuit characteristics for lines or trunks that access a switch. Note: Examples of classmarks include precedence level, conference privilege, security level, and zone restriction. Synonym: class-of-service mark.

Clear Channel - In networking, a signal path that provides its full bandwidth for a user's service. Note: No control or signaling is performed on this path. (e.g., 64 kb/s clear channel.)

Codec - An assembly consisting of an encoder and a decoder in the same equipment.

Commercially Available - As applied to a telecommunications service in a geographic area, that service, or service related feature, that is, for a consideration, currently legally provided by one or more entities who are generally considered to be providers of telecommunications service(s) to one or more other entities, independent from the service provider, for their own legal commercial business purposes.

Commercially Interoperable Services - A commercially available telecommunications service offering is considered to be commercially interoperable when any subscriber on that commercially available telecommunication service can establish end-to-end connectivity with a majority of subscribers on similar, but independent, commercially available telecommunication services within the same country.

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Common Language Location Identifier (CLLI) - An eleven character location identification that complies with American National Standard Institute (ANSI) standard T1.201-1987.

Communications Assistant (CA) - The Federal Relay Service operator who acts as an intermediary between the hearing/speech impaired Federal Relay Service user (who uses a TDD/TTY or personal computer) and a hearing Federal Relay Service user (who uses a standard telephone device).

Compatibility - A property of systems that allows the exchange of necessary information directly and in usable form. Note: This implies use of identical or compatible protocols.

Complex Price Quote - Involves complex service solutions requiring coordinated effort between the Government and the contractor to develop technical, scheduling, and costing alternatives. The contractor provides the Government a service price quote describing the technical details, price, and proposed schedule information regarding implementation of the proposed service solution.

Compliance Appraisal - As used in this Request for Proposal (RFP), the process of determining the offeror's level of compliance with the requirements of this RFP.

Confidentiality - The concept of holding sensitive data in confidence, limited to an appropriate set of individuals or organizations.

Conformance Appraisal - As used in the RFP, the process of verifying that the offeror's proposal conforms to the proposal preparation instructions in this RFP.

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Connection - A call, session, or virtual communications link provided via switched service types or the use of the fixed transmission media of dedicated facility-based service types.

Consolidated Invoice - An invoice containing charges for multiple services (e.g., voice, data, cellular, paging).

Continental United States - The 48 continental states plus the District of Columbia.

Contractor's Liaison Representative - An individual assigned by the contractor to work with the Program Management Office (PMO) to coordinate contractor activities within the FTS2001 Bridge contract.

Contractor's Service Representative - An individual assigned by the contractor to work with an agency to coordinate contractor activities within the FTS2001 Bridge contract.

Customer Network Management (CNM) Function - Provides an interface between users and the contractor's administrative and operational data, allowing users on-line access to "read" and download user's data while ensuring the service providers maintain information security and control.

Customer Service Authorization Circuit Number - A reference number designated by GSA which in many cases corresponds to the commercial circuit number. All customer service authorization circuits are unique, eliminating confusion and duplication in circuit numbering. These numbers are used for circuit identification and circuit payment processes.

Customer Service Office (CSO) - An organization to be established by the contractor to provide direct, day-to-day customer service.

Cutover - The physical changing of circuits or lines at a telecommunications location after completion of service installations by a contractor.

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D Channel - In ISDN, the 16 kb/s segment of a 144 kb/s, full-duplex subscriber service channel that is subdivided into 2B+D channels, i.e., into two 64 kb/s clear channels and one 16 kb/s channel for the ISDN basic rate. Note 1: The D channel is usually used for out-of-band signaling. The two 64 kb/s clear channels are used for subscriber voice and data services. Note 2: The D channel specifications are addressed in the CCITT Recommendation for the ISDN. Note 3: The D channel may be 64 kb/s for the primary rate ISDN service.

Data - Representation of facts, concepts, or instructions in a formalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by humans or by automatic means.

Data Circuit Terminating Equipment - In a data station, the equipment that provides signal conversion, coding, and other functions at the network end of the line between the data terminal equipment and the line, and that may be a separate or an integral part of the data terminal equipment or of the intermediate equipment.

Data Encryption Standard - A cryptographic algorithm for the protection of unclassified computer data, issued as Federal Information Processing Standard Publication 46-1. Note: The Data Encryption Standard, which was promulgated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology is intended for public and Government use.

Data Integrity - The property that data meets a predefined level of quality or acceptability.

Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) - Equipment that converts user information into data signals for transmission, or reconverts the received data signals into user information.

Dedicated Access - A type of access in which a communications channel is assigned to specific users for an extended period of time. Dedicated access service is generally billed on a monthly basis.

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Dedicated Service Types - The access and transport service types generally based on the use of fixed transmission media and generally billed on a monthly recurring basis.

Dedicated Transmission Service (DTS) - The service category covering provision of private-line transmission of voice or data using end-to-end transmission media.

Delay - The interval of time between transmission and reception of a signal.

Department of Defense Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria - A document published by the National Computer Security Center containing a uniform set of basic requirements and evaluation classes for assessing degrees of assurance in the effectiveness of hardware and software security controls built into systems. These criteria are intended for use in the design and evaluation of systems that will process and/or store sensitive or classified data. This document is Government Standard Department of Defense (DOD) 5200.28-Standard and is frequently referred to as The Criteria or The Orange Book.

Designated Agency Representative (DAR) - An individual authorized to represent an agency and to submit service requests, thereby obligating agency funds.

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Dial Back-Up Connections - An alternate method of connection to a service provider's system using dialed digits over a switched network to establish the connection.

Digital Data - Data represented by discrete values or conditions, as opposed to analog data.

Digital Signature - A quantity associated with a message or file, e.g., a message digest encrypted with a private key, that only someone with access to a person's private key could have generated, but that can be verified through access and use of the associated public key.

Direct Billing - A billing arrangement whereby an agency or sub-agency receives an individual invoice directly from the contractor.

Domestic - Within the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and American Somoa.

Dual-Tone Multifrequency Signaling - A telephone signaling method employing standard set combinations of two specific voice band frequencies, one from a group of four low frequencies and the other from a group of four relatively high frequencies.

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E&M Signaling - In telephony, an arrangement that uses separate leads, called respectively the "E" lead and "M" lead, for signaling and supervisory purposes.

Echo - A wave that has been reflected or otherwise returned with sufficient magnitude and delay to be perceived.

EDI Hierarchy Code - The Agency Hierarchy Code of 28 alphanumeric characters plus two alphanumeric characters which are reserved for future use (see Agency Hierarchy Code).

Electronic Access - The capability to access information via on-line access (dedicated or dial-up), electronic mail, and facsimile.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) - The exchange of routine business transactions in a computer-processable format, covering such traditional applications as inquiries, planning, purchasing, acknowledgments, pricing, order status, scheduling, test results, shipping and receiving, invoices, payments, and financial reporting. A form and format of EDI is defined by the ANSI X12 family of standards. Third parties provide EDI services that allow organizations with different equipment to inter-operate.

Electronic Stapling - The process of combining individual invoices into a single invoice (with or without commonality of presentation format)

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Encrypt - To convert plain text into an unintelligible form by means of a crypto system.

Emerging Services (ES) - Telecommunication services currently not commercially available in many locations but which are expected to become widely commercially available as the commercial infrastructure supporting them evolves and their technical standards become generally acknowledged and accepted by industry.

End-to-End - Telecommunications service from the originating user's terminal to the destination user's terminal. As applied in this document, this term refers to Service Delivery Point (SDP) to SDP service.

End-to-End Diversity - End-to-end diversity means two or more separated routes for DTS circuits from one SDP to another SDP. The diverse routes must not share any common communications facilities or offices (e.g., CO, POP), including common building entrance. Except for cable crossovers, the diverse routes must maintain (starting at 100 feet from the SDP or associated POP) a minimum separation of 30 feet throughout all diverse routes. However, for cable crossovers, the diverse routes must maintain a minimum vertical separation of two feet with cables encased (separately) in steel or concrete.

Envelope - In the context of message handling systems, as used in this document, envelope is an object that carries addressing information, and attributes (e.g., date, time, priority and subject) required for transporting the message.

Expedited Service Order - A service order whose due date represents a reduction in the service order processing interval below the standard service order interval.

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Feature Group D - Also referred to as "equal access." Feature Group D provides trunk-side Local Access and Transport Area (LATA) access, affording call supervision to an interexchange carrier, a uniform access code (10XXX), optional calling-party identification, recording of access-charge billing details, and presubscription to a customer-specified interexchange carrier as defined in paragraphs 12.20 through 12.77, Section 6 of the "BOC Notes on the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Networks" (SR-TSV-2275) Issue I, April 1986.

Features - Features are a separately priced integral capability of, or an additional enhancement to, a basic service.

Federal Relay Service - A Federal Government-provided service that acts as an intermediary between hearing individuals and individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities.

Federal Technology Service (FTS) - The Government organization responsible for planning, developing, establishing and managing the FTS program to meet Federal requirements for common-user local and long-distance telecommunications services government-wide (Federal Telecommunications Service prior to October 1997).

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) - A Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) service that supports bidirectional transfer of binary and ASCII files without loss of data between local and remote computers on the Internet. The FTP command set allows a user to log onto a remote server over the network, list file directories and copy files.

Firewall - A system that manages a boundary between two networks to control access between the networks. A firewall as a single point of entry to an organization's intranet from the Internet provides a method for the security official to limit public access to data on an organization's intranet while allowing users on the intranet to access the WWW.

Form - Form is a consideration of size, shape and structure; for example, hardware/software implementation, languages, operating systems, databases, interfaces to existing products

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Frame Relay - (FR) Frame Relay provides fast packet-switching by leaving various checking and monitoring to higher-level protocols. Frame relay has a high throughput and low delays. It is also efficient, making maximum use of available bandwidth. Frame relay can have a bandwidth as high as 2 megabits per second (Mbps). In contrast, X.25, which also uses packet-switching, is much slower, because the X.25 protocol will ask for data to be retransmitted if packets are lost.

FTP - (File Transfer Protocol)

Function - Function is a consideration of behaviors, performance, and value characteristics; for example, processing calls, supporting maintenance, collections billing information, satisfying a market condition, meeting reliability criteria, meeting performance and capacity requirements.

Foreign Exchange - (FX) Special line arrangement whereby calls placed into the switched telephone network from a customer location enter the network through a central office other than the one normally serving the customer location.

Full-Duplex - A mode of operation in which simultaneous communication in both directions may occur between two terminals. Contrast with half duplex or simplex operation in which communications occur in only one direction at a time.

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Gateway - In a communication network, one of the network nodes equipped for interfacing with a network using different protocols. Note 1: A gateway may contain devices such as protocol translators, impedance matching devices, rate converters, fault isolation, or signal translators as necessary to provide system interoperability. It also requires that mutually acceptable administrative procedures be established between the two networks. Note 2: A protocol translation/mapping gateway inter-connects networks with different network protocol technologies by performing the required protocol conversions.

Government Management Center (GMC) - The physical Government office facility (building and infrastructure) within which the PMO resides

Grade of Service (GOS) - A term associated with telecommunications service indicating the probability of a call being blocked during a call attempt during the busy hour, expressed as a decimal fraction.

Ground Start - A supervisory signal from a terminal to a switch in which one side of the line is temporarily grounded.

GSA Management Service (GMS) Fees - Charges levied by GSA to each agency or sub-agency for their utilization of FTS2001 Bridge services.

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Half-Duplex - That mode of operation in which communication between two terminals occurs in either direction but in only one direction at a time. Contrast with duplex or simplex operation. Note: Half-duplex operation may occur on half-duplex circuits or on duplex circuits, but it may not occur on simplex circuits.

Hardcopy - Used in this document in reference to paper copies of an offeror's proposal, etc.; also, anything printed on paper.

Hertz - "Hertz" A term having nothing to do with rental cars, but being synonymous with the earlier "cycles per second." Thus, a 3000 Hz electromagnetic wave consists of magnetic and electric fields that oscillate three thousand times per second. names in honor of Heinrich Hertz, who was not the first to demonstrate the existence of electromagnetic radiation.

kHz "KiloHertz" Thousands of Hertz or thousands of cycles per second

MHz "MegaHertz" Millions of Hertz or millions of cycles per second.

gHz "GigaHertz" Billions of Hertz or billions of cycles per second.

Hearing Carry Over - A feature offered in a relay service that allows a person who is speech impaired and has hearing capabilities to listen to the other end user and in reply utilize the relay operator/CA who speaks the text as typed by the person with the speech impairment. The relay operator/CA does not type any conversation.

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) - Authoring software language used on the Internet and for creating WWW pages. HTML is essentially text with embedded HTML commands identified by angle brackets and known as HTML tags.

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) - The communications protocol used by a Web Browser to connect to Web servers on the Internet.

HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) - The protocol for accessing a secure Web server. The use of HTTPS in the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) directs the message to a secure port address instead of the default Web port address of 80.

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Identification - The process that enables recognition of an entity by a system, generally by the use of unique machine-readable user names.

Implementation - The process of planning for and adding new services to existing or new locations provisioned as part of the contractor's network. New service can mean: (1) Provisioning of services which already are implemented elsewhere in the network to new SDPs (or expansion of service at existing SDPs). (2) Provisioning of a service offering which has not been implemented before (i.e., a new or enhanced service under the contract).

Inbound - A switched connection made from a non-domestic location to a domestic location.

Information Exchange Guide (IEG) - A document providing process descriptions, forms, and formats to facilitate electronic exchange of information.

Integrated Services Digital Network - A network that provides end-to-end digital connectivity to support a wide range of services, including voice and non-voice services, to which users have access by a limited set of standard multi-purpose user network interfaces, as defined in the ITU-TSS I series. See basic rate interface and primary rate interface.

Integration Group - Access channel or group of access channels carried within a single access circuit that is providing Access Service Integration.

Interconnection - The linking together of interoperable systems.

Interexchange Carrier (IEC) - A communications common carrier that provides telecommunications services between Local Access and Transport Area (LATA) or between exchanges within the same LATA.

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Interface - (1) In a system, a shared boundary, that is, the boundary between two subsystems or two devices. (2) A shared boundary between two functional units, defined by specific attributes, such as functional characteristics, common physical interconnection characteristics, and signal characteristics. (3) A point of communication between two or more processes, persons, or other physical entities. (4) A point of interconnection between user terminal equipment and commercial communications facilities. (5) To interconnect two or more entities at a common point or shared boundary.

[The] Internet - A worldwide interconnection of individual networks operated by Government, industry, academia, and private parties. Note: The Internet originally served to interconnect laboratories engaged in Government research, and has now been expanded to serve millions of users and a multitude of purposes.

Internet Protocol (IP) - A DOD standard protocol designed for use in interconnected systems of packet-switched computer communication networks. Note: The internet protocol provides for transmitting blocks of data called datagrams from sources to destinations, where sources and destinations are hosts identified by fixed-length addresses. The internet protocol also provides for fragmentation and reassembly of long datagrams, if necessary, for transmission through small packet networks.

Internetworking - The process of interconnecting a number of individual networks to provide a path from a terminal or a host on one network to a terminal or a host on another network. The networks involved may be of the same type, or they may be of different types. However, each network is distinct, with its own addresses, internal protocols, access methods, and administration.

Interoperability - The ability of systems to provide services to and accept services from other systems and to cause services from different systems to operate effectively together so as to achieve the throughput and service quality (i.e., required grade-of-service, transmission quality, and feature capability) that is agreed to be acceptable. The condition achieved among telecommunication systems when information or services can be exchanged directly and satisfactorily between them and/or their users. Interface devices or gateways may be placed between equipments or systems in order to achieve interoperability.

Invoice - A request for payment consisting of 1) total charges for services delivered and the amounts due and payable, and 2) billing support data.

Invoicing - The process of preparing and forwarding a list of charges to the Government for services rendered by the contractor.

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Legacy Network - Existing Government network not associated with either of the two Federal Telecommunications System 2000 (FTS2000) networks.

Local Access and Transport Area - Under the terms of the Modification of Final Judgment, the geographical area within which a divested BOC is permitted to offer exchange telecommunications and exchange access services.

Local Access to Network Interface - The specification of the physical, electrical, and signaling/protocol interface at the transport carrier's POP for interconnection of the access circuit to the transport segment.

Local Area Network (LAN) - A data communications system that (a) lies within a limited spatial area, (b) has a specific user group, (c) has a specific topology, and (d) is not a public switched telecommunications network, but may be connected to one. 1: LANs are usually restricted to relatively small areas, such as rooms, building, ships, and aircraft. 2: An interconnection of LANs within a limited geographical area, such as a military base, is commonly referred to as a campus area network. An interconnection of LANs over a city-wide geographical area is commonly called a metropolitan area network. An interconnection of LANs over large geographical areas, such as nationwide, is commonly called a wide area network. 3: LANs are not subject to public telecommunications regulations.

Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) - A telecommunications service corporation authorized to provide local exchange telecommunications service within a defined service area by appropriate State and, as applicable, local Government authority - also known as the "local telephone company." The infusion of competition in to the local exchange market has engendered the acronyms, Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) to represent the former monopoly-situated carrier, and Competitive or Certified Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) to represent the newer carrier(s) authorized to compete for business with the ILEC in the ILEC's defined service area.

Line - An optical transmission line. The T1/Bellcore terminology, "line" refers to a transmission medium, together with the associated high speed equipment required to provide the means of transporting information between two consecutive network elements, one of which originates the line signal and the other terminates the line signal. A circuit carrying direct current between a central office and a customer's terminal. A line is the most common type of loop. In carrier systems, the portion of a transmission system that extends between two terminal locations

Also used to indicate the side of a piece of central office equipment that connects to or toward the outside plant; the other side of the equipment is called the drop side.

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Local Loop - A local loop is channel between a customer's home or business and the local telephone exchange, or central office. The most common form of loop, is a pair of wires, is also called a line.

Local Exchange Routing Guide (LERG) - A Bellcore publication that relates Numbering Plan Area (NPA)/NXX to the Vertical and Horizontal (V&H) and CLLI Code of the associated wire center.

Local Government Contact (LGC) - An individual who has been identified by an agency to interface with the contractor at a specific location.

Location - A physical space, such as a building or a room. A physical point where the FTS2001 Bridge contractor delivers service to a user.

Locator Service Numbers - Numbers for Government or tribal locations where direct information for Government or tribal agencies is available.

Loop Start - A supervisory signal given by a telephone or other telecommunications device after the loop path to the central office or other switching system is completed.

Loss - The amount of electrical attenuation in a circuit, or the power consumed in a circuit component.

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Management Information Base - A collection of management information

Mandatory - Those services, features, or equipment which the offeror must propose. Any service, feature or equipment proposed must be priced.

Mandatory Feature - A feature to be provided by the contractor at least in limited areas and extended to other geographic areas at the same time that the contractor makes them commercially available in those areas.

Mapping - In EDI mapping refers to a defined process to translate a company's proprietary data layout to an interoperable EDI format.

Megabyte - 1,000,000 bytes.

Meet-Me Conference - Allows stations to be connected in a conference by dialing one access code at a particular time.

Migration - The process of planning for and transferring services from existing non-FTS2000/Legacy networks to the contractor's network.

Modem - Acronym for Modulator-Demodulator. A device that modulates and demodulates signals. Note: Modems are primarily used for converting digital signals into quasi-analog signals for transmission over analog communication channels and for reconverting the quasi-analog signals into digital signals.

Multimedia - Pertaining to the processing and integrated presentation of information in more than one form, e.g., video, voice, music, data.

Multiplexing - The combining of two or more information channels onto a common transmission medium. Note: In electrical communication, the two basic forms of multiplexing are time-division multiplexing (TDM) and frequency-division multiplexing (FDM). In optical communications, the analog of FDM is referred to as wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM).

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National Agency Check - The computerized search of the National Crime Information Center computer network of various Government (state, local, Federal, and tribal) agencies.

National Information Infrastructure (NII) - A concept embodying the seamless interconnection of all public telecommunications and information technology resources within the country. A seamless web of interconnected, interoperable information networks, computers, databases and consumer electronics that will eventually link homes, workplaces and public institutions together. The objective is to equip the Government to be more accessible to and to better serve its citizens.

National Security and Emergency Preparedness Requirements (NS/EP) - As used in this document, features that maintain a state of readiness or respond to and manage an event or crisis (local, national, or international), which causes or could cause injury or harm to the population, damage to or loss of property, or degrade or threaten the national security and emergency preparedness posture of the U.S.

National Telecommunications Management Structure (NTMS) - NTMS is a principal Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) supported functions for providing network management during national emergency.

National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) Standard - The North American standard (525-line interlaced raster-scanned video) for the generation, transmission, and reception of television signals.

NetCap - Verizon Business database system that defines the Government's network features. Information entered into NetCap includes feature changes and updates, monitoring and reporting functions, and customer-based data management.

Network - An interconnection of three or more communicating entities and (usually) one or more nodes. A combination of passive or active electronic components that serves a given purpose.

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Network - A system of interrelated elements that are interconnected in a dedicated or switched linkage to provide local or remote communication (of voice, video, data, etc.) and to facilitate the exchange of information between end users with common interests.

Telecommunications Network has the following definitions:

The facilities network is the aggregate of transmission systems, trunks, switching circuits, software and station equipment; it supports a large number of traffic networks.

A traffic network is an arrangement of channels, such as loops, lines and trunks, associated switching arrangements, and station equipment, designed to handle a specific body of traffic. A traffic network is a subset of the facilities network.

An electrical/electronic circuit, usually packaged as a single piece of apparatus or on a printed circuit pack.

The switching stages and associated interconnections of switching system are collectively called the switching network.

A private-line network is one constructed under a special arrangement between the service provider and the user (usually a large business or government agency)

Network Audio Conference - A feature that allows a call to be established among three or more stations in such a manner that each of the stations are able to carry on a communication with all the other stations.

Network Entry Point - A system that receives ANSI X12 Electronic Data Interchange transactions and transfers them to Value Added Networks. An Network Entry Point can provide services such as archival, date and time stamp, file transfer, and access to other networks such as the Internet.

Network User Identification - An X.25 feature which enables an X.25 dial-up user to identify his/her account and associated X.3 parameters.

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New or Improved Service - An addition or enhancement that adds a new service or feature, or improves an existing service or feature under this contract. The Government intends that new or improved services, will be implemented in this contract as the Government's requirements evolve and/or as such services or features become available.

Node - Center for the interconnection of two or more branches of a telecommunications network.

Non-Domestic - The worldwide countries and locations other than those defined herein as domestic.

Normal Traffic Load - The offered load to the network during the normal business day busy hour.

North American Numbering Plan (NANP) - A numbering plan which allows all stations conforming to the 10-digit dialing pattern of the Public Switched Network (PSN) to be accessed. The pattern is of the form NPA-NXX-XXXX where NPA=(Area Code); N = 2-9; P = 0-9; A = 0-9; and X = 0-9. The NANP is a subset of and consistent in format with the ITU/TSS ISDN E.164 Uniform numbering and addressing plan used worldwide.

NPA - Numbering Plan Area: A specific geographical area identified by a unique NPA code. The boundaries of an NPA code are normally within a state, providence, or subdivision of another country within the North American Numbering Plan.

NPA Code - A unique 3-digit code in the N 0/1 X series that identifies a Numbering Plan Area (NPA). An NPA code is the first three digits of the 10-digit destination number for all inter-NPA calls within the North American Numbering Plan Area. Currently, when new NPA codes are established they are in the NXX format.

NXX - Numbering Exchange A code normally used as a central office code. It is also used an NPA code or a special NPA code.

Number Administrator - The contractor selected by the Government to administer the FTS2001 Bridge Number Administration function.

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Off-Net Call - A call between two or more stations, at least one of which is a presubscribed user or service delivery point (usually a PBX or Centrex) and at least one of which is not.

On-Line - Electronic availability on demand from a computer-based system without mounting removable media such as magnetic tape or disks.

On-Net Call - A call between two or more on-net locations.

On-Net Location - A location that is presubscribed to services provided by the FTS2001 Bridge contractor(s). On-net locations may be implemented using either dedicated, switched, integrated, or internetworked access.

On-net Voice Services - The Verizon Business Verizon Business^SM commercial virtual switched voice and data network. On-net voice services supports all switched transport requirements with a wide range of speeds and access methods. Voice, data, video, and images can use the same access facilities to improve cost economies. On-net voice services uses existing CPE.

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) - A logical structure for network operations standardized within the International Organization for Standardization; a seven-layer network architecture being used to define network protocol standards to enable any OSI-compliant computer or device to communicate effectively with any other OSI-compliant computer or device.

Operational Capability Demonstration (OCD) - A demonstration which shows the capability of an offeror or contractor to provide a service offering before a contract is awarded or modified.

Optional - Those service, features, or equipment which offerors may propose but are not required to propose. Any service feature or equipment proposed must be priced.

Optional Feature - A feature that is not mandatory but may be offered at the option of the offeror.

OCIS - On-Line Customer Information System : Switch Order Entry System (must have # to be Verizon Business customer)

Outage - A telecommunication service condition wherein a user is deprived of service due to a malfunction of the contractor's communication system.

Outbound - A switched connection made from a domestic location to a non-domestic location.

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Packet - In data communication, a grouping of a sequence of binary digits, including data and control signals, that is transmitted and switched as a composite whole. The data, control signals, and possibly error control information, are arranged in a specific format. The packet can be of either fixed or variable length.

Packet Mode - An operational mode where user information is transported using packet switching.

Packet Switched Network - A network designed to carry data in the form of packets. The packet format, internal to the network, may require conversion at a gateway.

Packet Switched Service (PSS) - A system in which messages are broken down into smaller units called packets, which are then individually addressed and routed through the network.

Password - A word, character, or combination of characters that permits access to otherwise inaccessible data, information, or facilities. Also referred to in this document as an authorization code.

Payload - In a set of data, such as a data field, block, or stream, being processed or transported, the part that represents user information and user overhead information, and may include user-requested additional information, such as network management and accounting information. Note: The payload does not include system overhead information for the processing or transportation system.

pedi - Protocol for EDI message content type (specified in X.435 recommendations of ITU).

Phase Alternation by Line - A television signal standard (625 lines, 50 Hz, 220 V primary power) used in the United Kingdom, much of the rest of western Europe, several South American countries, some Middle East and Asian countries, several African countries, Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific island countries.

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Point of Presence (POP) - The physical location defined by a provider of FTS2001 Bridge transport services where transport services and access services are interconnected and where such interconnections are identified and managed for operational and billing purposes in the provision of FTS2001 Bridge service. A POP is the demarcation point between access services and transport services.

Post-Dialing Delay - The interval between the end of dialing and the receipt of acknowledgment of the call setup/establishment (e.g., ring back signal for voice services).

POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service

A whimsical acronym used to in the telephone industry to designate basic voice-grade switched telephone service. Modern wags have suggested "PANS" as meaning "Pretty Amazing New Services"

Preset Conference - A feature that allows designated users to establish a conference by dialing a single number.

Price Engine - A software system developed and provided to support the preparation and evaluation of cost proposals.

Primary Rate Interface (PRI) - An ISDN interface standard (a) that is designated in North America as having a 23B+D channels, (b) in which all circuit-switched B channels operate at 64 kb/s, and (c) in which the D channel also operates at 64 kb/s. Note: The PRI combination of channels results in a digital signal 1 (T1) interface at the network boundary.

Prime Contract - A contract or contractual action entered into by the U.S. for the purpose of obtaining supplies, materials, equipment, or services of any kind.

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Prime Contractor - A corporation partnership, business association of any kind, trust, joint-stock company, or and individual who has entered into a prime contract with the U.S.

Private Branch Exchange - Telephone switching equipment conforming to the EIA standards RS-464 and RS-464-1, published in December 1977 and August 1982, and meeting Federal Communications Commission (FCC) registration requirements for interconnection to the public switched network.

Program Management Office (PMO) - An office within the FTS organization responsible for management and contract oversight of a telecommunications program. Within the context of this RFP, it refers to the specific PMO responsible for the FTS2001 Bridge program.

Project Identifier - A Project Identifier is a code or number assigned by the contractor or Government and shown by the contractor on a series of service orders to identify each service order that is part of a larger group in progress.

Project Service Request - Multiple requests for service that are associated with a particular project and are related in such a manner that they should be implemented in a coordinated fashion.

Public Key Certificate Administration - The contractor selected by the Government to administer the FTS2001 Bridge Public Key Certificate Administration function.

Public Switched Network (PSN) - Any common carrier network that provides circuit switching among public users, including foreign Postal Telephone and Telegraphs. Note: The term is usually applied to the public switched telephone network, but it could be applied more generally to other switched networks that are available to the public, e.g., packet-switched public data networks.

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Reference Point - Reference point located at the physical interface between TE2 and TA, as it is defined in ITU-TSS I.411 for ISDN.

Read Only - Read only access provides the capability to view file or database information on-line, print the information on a printer, or copy the information to another system. Read only access does not allow the original file or database to be changed or deleted.

Reference Point - In ISDN, a logical point between two, nonoverlapping functional groups. Note: When equipment is placed at a reference point, that reference point is designated an interface.

Rolling Reports - Reports that constantly show a consecutive period of time. For example, if the report is a six month report it would show, in January, July through December. Then in February the report would show august through January, etc.

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S Reference Point - Reference point located at the physical interface between TE1 and NT2, as it is defined on ITU-TSS I.411 for ISDN.

Satellite - (1) A transmission relay device in earth orbit that receives radio frequency signals at one frequency, amplifies them, and then transmits them to the earth at a different frequency. (2) A Government PBX that is not directly connected to the contractor's network. Rather, it receives and originates TS calls via a tandem PBX that resides at a different location. In the network, the satellite PBX uses the same directory number as the tandem switch and shares the tandem switch's operator, in contrast to a tributary location.

Service Configuration Identification (SCID) - A four-digit number that provides the fundamental identification of each individual pricing element. SCIDs defined in Section B include Service Type ID Number, Service Type, Access Type ID Number, UNI Item Number, MRC, MRC Item Number, SIC, SIC Item Number, Feature Item Number, Port Type Item Number, FRS Transport Element Type Number, ATM Transport Element Type Number, Service Element ID Number, AAF Type Item Number, Transport Demultiplexing Type Item Number, Special Charge Item Number, Training Item Number, Item Number, Invoices Per Agency Per Month Range ID Number, Inside Wiring Coordination Pricing Element Number, and Systems Customization Pricing Item Number.

Service Coordinator - An individual identified on a service order to provide liaison and coordination for the completion of a service request or group of service requests.

Service Delivery Point (SDP) - The interface point at which a service is delivered by the contractor to the user. It is defined in terms of location, contractor facilities, interface, and user facilities. The SDP is the interface point for the physical or logical delivery of a service, one of the points at which performance parameters are measured to determine compliance with the contract, and the point used by the contractor to identify the charges for services rendered. Each SDP is defined as the combined physical, electrical, and service interface between the contractor's network on one hand and on the other hand Government on premises equipment, off-premises switching and transmission equipment, and other facilities (such as those provided by Centrex and telephone central offices). The POP of the contractor may be an SDP if the Government acquires access separately.

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Service Delivery Point Base Code - Character places 1 through 10 as assigned by the SDP ID Administrator. Each Service Delivery Point Identification Base Code will uniquely map to a single physical address and building.

Service Delivery Point Identification Code - The Service Delivery Point Identification Code is comprised of all 14 characters. The first eight characters constitute the Location Code. Characters 9 and 10 identify a specific contractor. Characters 11 through 14 are assigned by the contractor.

Service Delivery Point Identification Administrator - The contractor selected by the Government to administer the FTS2001 Bridge Service Delivery Point Identification function.

Service Due Date - The date when the Government expects the service order to be completed and charges to billing become effective.

Service Trial - The use of proposed future enhancements by an agency that takes place for an agreed upon period of time, at agreed upon locations.

Service Types - Subsets of the FTS2001 Bridge service categories used to define requirements and billing elements more precisely, see Table B.1.2-1.

Signaling - The information exchange concerning establishment and control of a connection and management of the network, in contrast to user information transfer.

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Simple Price Quote - Involves standard services, including features, which the Government can order directly from the contract. The contractor provides the Government a quote of the current contract pricing including all recurring and non-recurring charges, expedite charges, if applicable, and service availability internal.

Simplex Operation - That mode of operation in which communication between two points occurs in only one direction at a time. Contrast with half duplex or duplex operation.

Site-Specific Special Construction - The installation or removal of wiring (e.g., wire, cable, coax, fiber) at a specific location for the purpose of establishing or supporting an SDP.

Specification - A document that clearly and accurately describes the essential technical requirements for items, materials, or services, including performance requirements.

Station - A data terminal or voice terminal used to access a service delivery point. See also single-line telephone sets and multi-line key telephone systems.

Sub-Agency - A subsidiary billing entity as defined by the parent agency and identified by an Agency Billing Number assigned by the PMO.

Switched Access - A type of access in which a communications channel is provided to users on a demand basis, via circuit switching and is generally billed on a per call, or per session basis.

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Switched Service Types - The access and transport service types generally based on the use of switched transmission media and generally billed on a unit of time or unit of data basis, per call, session, or virtual communications link. Some Switched Data Service switched service types will use dedicated service-like billing structures for certain virtual circuit arrangements.

Synchronous Transmission - Digital transmission in which the time interval between any two similar significant instants in the overall bit stream is always an integral number of unit intervals. Note: "isochronous" and "anisochronous" are characteristics, while "synchronous" and "asynchronous" are relationships.

Système Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire (SECAM) - A television signal standard (625 lines, 50 Hz, 220 V power) used in France, eastern European countries, the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and some African countries.

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T Reference Point - Reference point located at the physical interface between NT2 and NT1, as it is defined in ITU-TSS I.411 for ISDN.

TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

TCP/IP is a suite of several networking protocols, developed for use on the Internet. The suite has proven very popular, and it is also used for most UNIX implementations as well as other platforms.

Telecommunication Services - The communication facilities in a network are made available to the user in the form of defined telecommunication services. The term services describes all the telecommunication means and facilities provided to users by the telecommunication carriers for communication over public and private networks. Examples are the telephony, teletex, telefax, videotex, and data transmission services. The services are characterized by their technical, operational and administrative service attributes.

The teleservices are services for user-to-user and user-to-host communications, including specification of the communication functions of the terminals; these services include telephony, teletex, telefax and videotex.

Conversational services in general provide the means for bi-directional dialog communication with bi-directional, real-time (no store-and-forward) end-to-end information transfer from user-to-user or between user and host (e.g., for data processing).

Message service offer user-to-user communication between individual users via storage units with store-and-forward, mailbox, and/or message handling (e.g., information editing, processing and conversion) functions Example of message services are message handling images, such as voice mail, text mail and fax mail.

The user of retrieval services is able to access information stored information centers and generally provided for public use. This information is sent to the user on demand basis only such as information from libraries with data on stores for books, magazines, etc.

Distribution services with or without user-individual presentation control distribute a stream of information from a central source to an unlimited number of authorized receivers connected to the network. Distribution services without user-individual presentation control are the so-called broadcast services.

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Telecommunications Device for the Deaf/Teletypewriter (TDD/TTY) - A device that permits individuals with speech and/or hearing impairments to make and receive telephone calls without assistance from others. A TDD or TDD-compatible device will be used by the speech/hearing-impaired user community to access the Federal Relay Service. A TDD generally consists of a keyboard, display screen, and a means (via modem or direct connection) to access a telecommunications network. It is recognized that this function can be performed by a computer with software enhancements. The term TTY may also be used in referring to this type of device.

Telecommunications Electric Service Priority (TESP) - Under TESP, electric service is provided to telecommunications transmission/switching/signaling nodes on a priority and/or uninterrupted basis during national emergency.

Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) - The TSP System (National Communications System [NCS]-3-1-2 and NCS-3-1-3) provides a framework for telecommunications services vendors to initiate, restore, or otherwise act on a priority basis to ensure effective NS/EP telecommunications services during national emergency. The TSP System applies to common carriers, to Government, and to private systems that interconnect with commercially provided services or facilities.

Teleconferencing - A conference between persons remote from one another but linked by a telecommunications system. Note: The conference is supported by audio and/or video communication equipment that enables the live exchange of information among remotely located persons and devices.

Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) - A method of deriving two or more apparently simultaneous channels from a given frequency spectrum of a transmission medium connecting two or more points by assigning discrete time intervals in sequence to each of the individual channels. During a given time interval, the entire available frequency spectrum can be used by the channel to which it is assigned. Note: In general, TDM systems use pulse transmission. The multiplexed pulse train may be considered to be the interleaved pulse trains of the individual channels. The individual channel pulses may be modulated either in an analog or a digital manner.

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Trading Partner - An organization, vendor, or supplier, that uses EDI to conduct business. To become a trading partner with the Government, it must first register as a trading partner and must acknowledge a Trading Partner Agreement.

Traffic - The information moved over a communications channel. A quantitative measurement of the total messages and their length, expressed in calls, erlangs, or other units, during a specified period of time.

Traffic Model - A representation of traffic. In this RFP, a model of 10-year traffic to be used in preparation and evaluation of the FTS2001 Bridge cost proposals.

Transition - The process of planning for and transferring services from the existing FTS2000 network to the FTS2001 Bridge contractor's network.

Transport - The facility-based service arrangements that provide service specific connections between the contractor's POPs.

Transport Demultiplexing (TD) - A TD is an FTS2001 Bridge service function that along with either a contractor-provided and -managed AAF or a comparable Government-provided arrangement that provides for contractor-managed multiple access channel integration within individual dedicated access circuits. Though both the AAF service function and the TD service function interoperate to provide a form of Access Service Integration, the AAF function is associated with the SDP side of an access circuit and the TD is associated with the POP side of an access circuit. A TD is required for access service integration where multiple, ordered access channels are integrated within an ordered, contractor-provided dedicated access circuit terminated at a POP or within a Government-furnished access arrangement with appropriate AAF-like functionality connected at the POP's LANI. Although a TD is a service function utilized in the provision of access service integration, it is a component of Transport service.

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Traveling Classmark - A code that accompanies a long distance call and is used by distant systems to determine service feature privileges and restrictions applicable to the call.

Tributary - A PBX that functions like a satellite PBX in that it is not directly connected to the network but must gain access via a tandem switch. Unlike a satellite PBX, however, a tributary has its own FTS2001 Bridge directory number and is attended.

Trunk - A communications path connecting two switching systems (e.g., PBX, tandem switch) used for establishing an end-to-end connection.

Trunk Group - A set of trunks, traffic engineered as a unit, for establishing connections within or between switching systems in which all of the paths are interchangeable except where subgrouping is utilized.

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Uniform Resource Locator (URL) - The Internet addressing scheme that defines the route to a document, file or program.

User - An individual or agency that utilizes FTS2001 Bridge services. See Authorized User.

User-to-Network Interface (UNI) - The specification of the physical, electrical, and signaling/protocol interface at the SDP for a specific information payload bandwidth or data transfer rate for interconnection of user equipment to access segment.

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Value Added Network (VAN) - A network using the communications services of other commercial carriers, together with hardware and software that permit enhanced telecommunication services to be offered.

Value Added Service (VAS) - Application level services, which utilize switched or dedicated transmission service for transport. For Value Added Service (VAS), the SDP will be at the user side of the contractor-provided equipment or software.

Video Teleconferencing Service (VTS) - The transmission of compressed or wideband video signals in support of teleconferencing.

Virtual Circuit - A communication arrangement in which data from a source user may be passed to a destination user over various real circuit configurations during a single period of communication.

Voice Carry Over - A feature offered in a relay service that allows a person who is hearing impaired to speak directly to the other end user. The relay operator/CA types the response back to the person with the hearing impairment. The relay operator/CA does not voice the conversation.

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Web Browser - Client software for connecting to and viewing documents on the WWW. A browser interprets HTML documents and displays them.

Web Browser/Server (WBS) - A Web Browser, a Web Server and their intended interaction. Web Browsers and Servers may communicate over the Internet and/or intranets.

Web Server - A Web site including hardware and software that includes the operating system, Web software, other software and data, or the software that manages Web functions at a Web site.

Web Site - A computer on the Internet or an intranet running a Web Server that responds to HTTP and HTTPS request from Web Browsers.

World Wide Web - An Internet function for sharing of documents with text and graphic content that links documents locally and remotely.

Wire Center - The location of one or more local switching systems; a point at which customer loops converge.

Wireless - A categorization of switched and non-switched service types that generally use radio (e.g., mobile, cellular, packet, or satellite) as their principal transmission medium.

Wireline - A categorization of switched and non-switched service types that generally use metallic cable, optical fiber cable, and point-to-point terrestrial microwave radio as their primary transmission media.

World Zone 1 - That area of the world composed of 18 members (U.S., Canada, Bermuda, and 15 Caribbean countries) that uses the NANP portion of ITU E.164.

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X.25 - The protocols for the physical, data-link, and network layers adopted by the International Organization for Standardization in its open systems interconnection reference model for PSS.

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