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Cult of the Dead Cow 028
_______________________________________________________________________________
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_ _ _ _
((___)) ((___))
[ x x ] cDc communications [ x x ]
\ / presents... \ /
(` ') (` ')
(U) (U)
Frankie's Yellow Pages ... Volume II
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yet another file from the Cow's Information Series,
the Yellow Pages are a testament to the fun-filled
world created by those zany Bell technicians. Herein,
the serious phreak will find a complete encyclopedia
of Bell System terms, abbreviations, and acronyms...
>> A CULT Publication by High Priest and Scribe, Franken Gibe <<
-cDc- Cult of the Dead Cow Dissemination Council -cDc-
_______________________________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cable Fill The percentage of pairs in a cable sheath actually
~~~~~~~~~~ assigned and used.
Cable Vault An area, generally on the lower level of the telco,
~~~~~~~~~~~ where cables enter the building.
Call Forwarding
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of those amazing custom calling services. When call forwarding is
activated by a customer, all calls to that line are automatically routed
to another line designated during activation. [C.F. is ESS's answer to
the diverter]
Call Store
~~~~~~~~~~
The equipment unit of an Electronic Switching System that provides temporary
memory storage of information pertaining to call processing & maintenance.
Call Waiting
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The custom calling service adored by millions that provides a tone burst
to a customer on an established call when a second call has been directed
to that line. The notification tone is heard only by the called customer,
whereas the incoming caller hears regular ringing. The customer can place
the existing call on hold, connect to the calling party, and then repeat
the procedure to reestablish the original connection. This operation can
be done ad nauseum. [See File on the Call Waiting Tap...available to some]
CAMA See Centralized Automatic Message Accounting
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CAMA-ONI See CAMA- Operator Number Identification
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carried Load
~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) The load you tote around on the Big Date, and try to control [eew!]
(2) The average number of calls that are in progress. The unit, one call,
is called...shucks, y'know this...an Erlang.
Carrier System
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A system for transmitting one or more channels of information by processing
and converting to a form suitable for the transmission medium used by the
system [got that?]. Many information channels can be carried by one broad-
band carrier system. Common types of carrier systems are frequency-division,
in which each info. channel occupies an assigned portion of the frequency
spectrum, and time-division, in which each info. channel uses the trans-
mission medium for periodic assigned time intervals.
Carterfone Decision
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The MONUMENTAL decision made by the FCC in 1968 to the effect that telco
customers should be allowed to connect their own equipment (i.e.
DATA MODEMS) to the public telenetwork provided that this interconnection
not adversely affect the telco's operations or the utility of the tele-
phone system to others. Prior to this wonderful decision, only telco
provided equipment could be hooked up to the network. Let's take a
few moments to thank the Modem Deity for Equal Access.
CCH See Connections per Circuit Hour
~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CCIS See [yawn] Common Channel Interoffice Signaling
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CCITT See Intl. Telephone & Telegraph Consultative Committee
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CCS See Hundred Call Seconds
~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CCSA See Common-Control Switching Arrangement
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CDO See Community Dial Office
~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Central Office (CO)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) An Overrated Bulletin Board System.
(2) A switching system that connects lines to lines and lines to trunks. The
term is more often used to refer to the telco building itself in which
a switching system is located and to include other equipment (such as
transmission system terminals) that may be located in such a building.
Central Office Code
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A 3-digit identification number under which up to 10k station codes are
subgrouped. Exchange area boundaries are associated with the CO code which
accordingly has billing significance. Note that SEVERAL CO codes may be
served by a single CO. Also called NNX code...the prefix...the exchange.
Central Office Work Order
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An order for work to be done in the operating company to make or change
equipment assignments for switching system line or trunk access.
Centralized Automatic Message Accounting (CAMA)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Phantom Phreak's Phavorite...) A process using centrally located
equipment, including a switchboard or a traffic service position,
associated with a tandem or toll switching office, for automatically
recording billing data for customer-dialed extra-charge calls originating
from several local central offices. A tape record is processed at an
electronic data processing center.
Centralized Automatic Message Accounting- Operator Number Identification
(CAMA-ONI) Operator
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An operator located at a position that is connected temporarily on a
customer-dialed station-to-station call. The operator secures the calling
number from the customer and keys the number into the centralized
automatic message accounting equipment.
Centralized Intercept Bureau (CIB)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That type of bureau that is part of an Automatic Intercept System and is
associated with one or more automatic intercept centers. It provides
facilities whereby operators situated at auxiliary service positions
furnish assistance to calling customers whose calls have been intercepted
and who require help beyond that furnished by the auto. intercept center.
Centrex
~~~~~~~
A service for customers with many stations that permits station-to-station
dialing, one listed directory # for the customer, direct inward dialing
to a particular station, and station identification on outgoing calls.
The switching functions are performed in a central office.
Channel
~~~~~~~
A transmission path between two points. The term channel may refer to a
one-way path or, when paths in the two directions of transmission are
always associated, to a 2-way path. It is usually the smallest subdivision
of a transmission system by means of which a single type of communication
service is provided, i.e., a voice channel, teletypewriter, or data channel.
Channel Bank
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Channel terminal equipment used for combining (multiplexing) channels on a
frequency-division or time-division basis. Voice channels are combined into
12- or 24-channel groups.
Channel Busy Tone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An audible signal indicating that a call cannot be completed because of
trunk or switching system blocking. The tone is applied 120 times per
minute. Also called fast busy or (the ever-popular reorder) tone.
CIB See Centralized Intercept Bureau
~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Circuit
~~~~~~~
(1) A communication path between two or more points.
(2) A network of circuit elements, such as resistors, inductors, capacitors,
semiconductors, etc., that performs a specific function.
(3) A closed path through which current can flow.
(4) A term no 'philter' would ever dream of asking.
Circuit Order
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The document used to transmit engineering design of a public telephone
network trunk or special-service circuit to the department that
implements the design. (Good Social Engineering term...)
CLASS See Custom Local Area Signaling Service
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Class 5 Office
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A local central office that serves as the network entry point for station
loops and certain special-service lines. Also called an end office. Other
offices, classes 1,2,3, and 4, are toll offices in the telenetwork.
CO See Central Office
~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Code
~~~~
(1) Any of a wide variety of schemes for representing info. such as a color
color code for values resistors, Morse code for telegraphy, and a ZIP
code for a mail address.
(2) A system of rules for representing information by digital signals such
as teletypewriter code. See ASCII (Vol. I).
(3) A numbering system for telephone addresses. See Central Office Code,
Station Code, and Number Plan Area.
(4) A set of standard abbreviations for equipment and facility names. See
Common Language Code.
(5) A set of rules for representing the amplitude of a signal sample by
digital signals. See Pulse Code Modulation.
(6) The least impressive achievement or possession of the common phreak.
See also Codezz, Kodezz, K0dezz, etc.
Coded Ringing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A form of semiselective ringing. The customer is required to identify his
own code by the number of rings and/or their duration. A variation of
coded ringing is one of the CLASS services.
Coherent
~~~~~~~~
(1) Something the CULT is not very often.
(2) Refers to a fixed phase relationship that provides certain advantages
in signal detection.
Coherent Modulation System
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(For the SERIOUS amongst you)...A modulation system that requires a carrier,
either transmitted or locally derived and having the same frequency and
phase as that associated with the received signal, for recovering the
original modulating signal.
Coherent Phase-Shift Keying (CPSK)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Modulation techniques for transmitting digital info. in which that info.
is conveyed by selecting discrete phase changes of the carrier relative
to a reference. See Coherent Modulation System or a physicist near you.
Coin-First Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin telephone service in which an initial rate deposit is required to
obtain a dial tone. Coin-first service is being replaced by dial-tone-
first, an improved service requiring additional functions in the station
and in the switching system. (Thus the BIOC concept that areas with
coin-first fortress phones are served by older switches.)
Coin Relay
~~~~~~~~~~
A relay in a coin telephone that collects or returns the coins under the
control of the central office. This relay is activated by CO tones,
and in areas that do not use out-of-band signaling, Red Box tones can
mean free calls by activating this relay.
Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is as precise a definition as I could find. I remember on Phreak Klass
2600 (in 806), the arguments used to rage as to what CCIS is and how
it negates or prevents boxing. Sigh. I'll go into all that here, since
CCIS is one of the Top Five most-likely Philter Questions.
CCIS is a signaling system, developed for use between stored program
switching systems (i.e., ESS et alia), in which all of the signaling info.
for a group of trunks (i.e., operator or 'blue box' MF tones, Green and
Red tones) is transmitted over a dedicated high-speed data link, rather
than on a per-trunk basis (i.e. inband signaling, whereby tones
were actually 'shuttled' on your voice trunk). CCIS can reduce call setup
time and save money (yeah!) compared with individual trunk signaling.
That is the definition. Now, you may wonder what the difference
is between out-of-band signaling and CCIS. Alright, though some will
say that they're the same, that's not quite so. CCIS is out-of-band, but
out-of-band is not always CCIS. Got that? That is to say, out-of-band
is the generic label of signaling that occurs outside the voiceband.
This method usually places signaling at frequencies beyond the voice
frequencies, but not necessarily on a dedicated-trunk (CCIS). Thus,
per-trunk signaling COULD be out-of-band. CCIS, on the other hand,
devotes a separate trunk to signaling data. Thus, all such signaling
is carried over a trunk separate from the voice trunk. This is out-of-
band in a sense, then. The following is a letter I wrote to 2600 Mag. and
their response. It's not too explicit, but it may help clarify a touch.
Dear 2600:
In the course of two years of telecom, I've read countless Gfiles
which describe the (virtual) spectrum of 'boxes'. Yet few files give
a clear explanation as to why boxing is impossible in many electronic
switching offices. Would you mind explaining CCIS, and just how this
'prevents' boxing? Thanks.
Reply: "Put quite simply, it's impossible to blue box in an electronic
switching office under CCIS because the equivalent of the blue box tones
that a phreak would send are transmitted over a completely different line.
Since you don't have access to these lines, blue boxing no longer works.
This is ALSO called out-of-band signaling."
Common Control
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An automatic arrangement in which items of control equipment in a switching
system are shared; they are associated with a given call only during the
periods required to accomplish the control functions. All Bell System
Crossbar and ESS systems have common control. This is in contrast to the
individual relays of Strowger switching.
Common-Control Switching Arrangement (CCSA)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An arrangement in which switching for a private network is provided by one
or more common-control switching systems. The switching systems may be
shared by several private networks and also may be shared with the public
telephone network.
Common Language Code
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Codes used to ensure uniform abbreviation of equipment and facility names,
places, place names, etc. (Be nice to get ahold of a summary...anyone?)
Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Created by authorization of Congress in the Communications Satellite Act
of 1962. This private corporation (NOT any agency of the U.S. Government,
though subject to governmental regulation) was created primarily to
provide for the establishment, operation, and management of a commercial
communications satellite system. COMSAT presently acts as manager for
INTELSAT and also represents the U.S. in INTELSAT.
Community Dial Office (CDO)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A small automatic switching system that serves a separate exchange area
having its own numbering plan and ordinarily having no operating or
maintenance force located in its own building; operation is handled and
maintenance is directed from a conveniently located and beautifully
landscaped point referred to as an operator office.
Compandor
~~~~~~~~~
An abbreviation for compressor-expandor. A device used to compress the
range of talker volumes at the input to a carrier system (in particular,
to increase low-level talker volumes) and to expand the received volumes
at the output of the carrier system (to provide complementary function
and to make the transmission system transparent). This technique improves
the signal-to-noise ratio for low-level talkers and provides a
substancially reduced received noise level during the so-called quiet
intervals. A miracle, really.
Compandor Mistracking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If this shows up on a philter, leave me mail. Mistracking refers to the
failure of the expandor-characteristic of a compandor to complement
exactly the compressor-characteristics, thereby causing signal distortion.
COMSAT See Communications Satellite Corporation
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Concentration
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) Applies to a switching network (or portion thereof) that has more
inputs than outputs.
(2) In a traffic network, combining calls arriving on many lines or trunks
to transmit them more efficiently in a trunk group.
(3) Locating as much equipment as possible at a given place to achieve
economies in such things as building costs, maintenance, etc.
(4) Something VERY difficult to maintain when reading tech. manuals.
Connecting Arrangement
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The implementation for connecting arrangement service. A connecting
arrangement consists of an interconnecting unit, a Technical Reference,
and a tariff offering.
Connecting Arrangement Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A service providing electrical connection to the public telenetwork of
customer-provided equipment. This service, whish is usually denoted by a
uniform service order code (USOC), is offered by tariff and is implemented
with an interconnecting unit and a Technical Reference. (Great SE term!)
Connection
~~~~~~~~~~
(1) A point where a junction of two or more conductors is made.
(2) Generally, a telfo connection is a 2-way voiceband circuit completed
between two points by means of one or more switching systems. It
contains two loops and may contain one or more trunks.
Connections per Circuit Hour (CCH)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An indication of holding time of calls. Under normal circumstances, ACH=
CCH which is about equal to 6 in busy hour for trunk groups excluding
high-usage groups.
Connector
~~~~~~~~~
In Step-by-Step switching systems, a 2-motion electromechanical switch that
operates on the last two digits of the telephone number to connect from a
selector to any one of 100 customer loops. The connector performs the
following functions:
o Tests for busy
o If busy, returns busy tone
o If idle, rings the called party and returns ringback tone to calling line
o Provides a supervisory signal indicating that answer has occurred and
trips ringing
o Provides talking battery to the calling line on intraoffice calls and
to the called line
o Disconnects when the customer hangs up
Construction Program
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A detailed plan of placement, removal, and rearrangement of facilities to
modernize and expand the capacity of the facilities network.
Conversion (Converting)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In signaling, the substitution of one, two, or three digits for received
digits for the purpose of directing the call through the next office.
Coordinate Network
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A switching network consisting of incoming and outgoing talking paths
arranged at right angles to each other with fine-motion or electronic
switching elements at intersections.
CORNET Network
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A private telephone network serving Western Electric and Bell Laboratories;
CORNET is a contraction of corporate network. This network uses common-
control switching arrangements (CCSA).
Country Code
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 1-, 2-, or 3-digit number that, in the world numbering plan, identifies
each country or integrated numbering plan in the world. The initial digit
is always the world-zone number. Any subsequent digits in the code further
define the designated geographic area (normally identifying a specific
country). On an international call, the country code is dialed before
the national number.
Coupler
~~~~~~~
An alternate name for an interconnecting unit.
CPSK See Coherent Phase-Shift Keying
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crossbar Switch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The basic element of any Crossbar System. A crossbar switch is a relay
mechanism consisting of 10 horizontal paths and 10 or 20 vertical paths.
Any horizontal path can be connected to any vertical path by means
of magnets. A 2-stage operation is used to close any crosspoint. First, a
selecting magnet shifts all selecting fingers in a horizontal row, then a
holding magnet shifts a vertical actuating card to close the selected
contacts.
Crosspoint Array
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An arrangement of switching elements used in some switching networks,
characterized by incoming and outgoing talking paths arranged at right
angles to each other, with switching elements at intersections.
Crosstalk
~~~~~~~~~
Undesired power coupled into a communications circuit from other communi-
cations circuits. Telephone crosstalk may be either intelligible (& thus
VERY amusing) or unintelligible (& thus VERY annoying).
CTRAP See Customer Trouble Report Analysis Plan
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Custom Calling Services
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A group of four keen services provided by ESS to business and residence
customers: 3-way calling, speed calling, call waiting, and call forwarding.
Custom Local Area Signaling Service (CLASS)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ultimate calling service. CLASS is one of the Bell Network's futuristic
services meant to prop-up profits and presumably make the customers' lives
a little better. This service includes such features as call-blocking
and filtering, coded/priority ringing, and customer-accessible ANI on
incoming callings. CLASS is but one facet of the ultimate telco network,
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network).
Customer-Premises Equipment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Equipment normally installed on the customer's premises, such as telephone
sets, key telephones, PBX's, etc.
Customer Trouble Report Analysis Plan (CTRAP)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A plan that provides manual and mechanized procedures for recording troubles
reported by customers and analyzing the reports to obtain statistical data
regarding customer service.
_______________________________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's about it for Volume II. The C's are indeed myriad and multitudinous.
After you've digested yet another chunck of Telco Tech Info., look for Volume
III of the Yellow Pages, coming soon to BBS's everywhere...sorta.
_______________________________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(c)1987 cDc communications by Franken Gibe 12/0/87-28
All Rights Worth Not Very Much At All
