Acronyms
ATM: Asynchronous Transfer Mode (a set of techie rules for passing information on a data network; one of many sets of such rules)
Bandwidth: Represents the amount of data that can be transmitted from one point to another in a given time period (usually a second). This is usually expressed in bits of data per second (bps).
CLEC: Competitive Local Exchange Carrier – Newer, smaller phone companies who compete with ILEC’s
DRM: Digital Rights Management – A way of securing licensed digital files from unauthorized sharing.
FTTC: Fiber to the Curb – Similar to FTTN
FTTH: Fiber to the Home – As it suggests, a fiber optic line is run to each home and business location.
FTTN: Fiber to the Node - Rather than run the fiber optic line all the way to each user’s house, it is run to a “node” or central point in each neighborhood and then copper or wireless is used to go from that point to the individual homes and businesses.
FTTP: Fiber to the Premises which is most often interchangeable with FTTH.
Gigabit: 1000 megabits per second transfer speeds on a network.
GIS: Geographic Information System
GPON: Gigibit PON
HSS: High Speed Switch
IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IETF: Internet Engineering Task Force
IPTV: Internet-based television.
ILEC or LEC: (Incumbent) Local Exchange Carrier - The larger phone companies, Qwest, Verizon, ATT, etc…
OSP: Outside Plant
OTN: Optical Transport Network
PON: Passive optical network – A way to provide multiple drops off of one fiber optic cable.
RADIUS: A way of authenticating valid users to a network.
RFI: Request for Information
RUS: Rural Utilities Service
SBC: Single Board Computer or Session Border Controller
VOD: Video On Demand