COMMON VOIP TERMS

Do Not Disturb (DND) mode in telephony systems marks all lines as busy, directing incoming calls to voicemail, with options for different voicemail greetings and reminders to deactivate DND.

DECT, or Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, is a wireless communication standard allowing a base station connected to a service provider to communicate with cordless handsets.

Firm Order Commitment (FOC) is the confirmed date for transferring a phone number from one carrier to another, marking the end of the porting process.

Group Paging (GP) broadcasts a user's voice through multiple speakerphones, functioning like a basic public address system.

Internet Protocol (IP) is the foundational method for data transfer between computers, outlining data encoding, storage, transmission, and acknowledgement. It breaks data into packets (like mailing separate pages of a book) and assigns IP addresses to network devices...

Direct Inward Dialing (DID) in VoIP allows external direct calling to specific lines. In the U.S., DIDs are essential for assigning unique e911 addresses, crucial for accurately directing emergency services.

Expected Wait Time (EWT) in VoIP is a predictive metric used in call centers to estimate the waiting time for callers. While not always precise, it provides valuable insights for managing call center operations.

HD Voice refers to VoIP calls using high-definition codecs, like G.722, providing clearer audio quality, often limited to VoIP-to-VoIP or Wi-Fi calls on mobile carriers.

Hosted VoIP is a business telephony model where the service provider manages equipment and call routing, encompassing hosted and cloud PBX services.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) in VoIP is an automated system guiding callers via voice or keypad inputs, often integrated with APIs for enhanced functionality and user interaction.

Long-Distance Calling involves multiple switching centers and traditionally incurs charges, though many VoIP and mobile providers now offer inclusive long-distance services.

An Internet Carrier manages infrastructure for phone and internet services, connecting customers to service providers and supporting the translation of digital VoIP calls to other formats.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) connect users to the internet and are responsible for the necessary infrastructure like cables. They offer high-speed services and support for connectivity issues.

Average Speed of Answer (ASA) in VoIP quantifies the average wait time for callers in a queue. It's essential for maintaining service level agreements and understanding customer experience in call centers.

Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) in VoIP denotes companies offering phone services, classified based on their establishment date with varying regulatory frameworks for older (ILECs) and newer (CLECs) entities.

A Session Border Controller (SBC) is crucial for SIP-based VoIP security, offering call management, interoperability, and voice quality optimization. Despite leveraging IP, SBCs protect against security threats and enhance call quality with advanced traffic management.

A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is a legal document for transferring phone numbers between carriers, containing necessary information for successful number porting.

Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) refers to long-established phone service providers, governed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which mandates infrastructure sharing to foster competition.

An Auto Attendant (AA) is an automated call directing system that uses dial pad inputs to route calls to specific numbers or extensions.

Average Handle Time (AHT) in VoIP call centers measures the average duration agents spend on calls. It's a critical metric for staffing and efficiency planning in customer support centers.

Agent Availability measures the percentage of time an agent is marked 'Available' in a call queue, useful for monitoring call distribution and agent activity.

Customer Service Record (CSR) details legal ownership of a phone number, including authorized signers and service addresses, and is protected by the FCC to ensure customer rights in number porting.

Choppy Audio in telecommunication occurs when speech is broken up, sometimes missing words, often due to packet loss or bandwidth limitations.

Circular Call Routing rotates agents in the call distribution list, ensuring equitable distribution of calls among agents.

Caller ID Name (CNAM) in VoIP displays the caller's name, varying across service providers. It requires database synchronization among providers for accuracy and consistency.