| ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) : | A standard allowing digital broadband signals and standard telephone service to be transmitted up to 12,000 feet over a twisted copper pair. |
| Broadband : | Transmission rates in excess of 1.544 mega bits per second typically deployed for delivery of high-speed data, video and voice services. |
| Cable Modem : | Electronic transmission device placed on the CATV network, located at end user locations, providing two-way, high speed data service capability, including internet access for subscribers. |
| CATV (Community Antenna TV, commonly called cable television) : | A system for distributing television programming by a cable network rather than by broadcasting electromagnetic radiation. |
| Coaxial Cable : | The most commonly used means of transmitting cable television signals. It consists of a cylindrical outer conductor (shield) surrounding a center conductor held concentrically in place by an insulating material. |
| DLC (Digital Loop Carrier) : | Telecommunications transmission technology which multiplexes multiple individual voice circuits onto copper or fiber cables. |
| DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) : | Generic descriptor covering various versions of DSL services delivered over copper wires. Included are HDSL and ADSL services. |
| Fiber Node : | Refers to the equipment that terminates the fiber cables originating from the host digital terminal. This network element converts the optical signals to their coax electrical, RF equivalents. Synonymous with optical network interface (ONI). |
| Fiber Optics : | The process of transferring infrared and visible light frequencies through a low-loss glass fiber with a transmitting laser or LED and a photo diode receiver. |
| FTTC (Fiber-To-The-Curb) : | In a long distance network consisting of fiber optics, fiber-to-the curb refers to the fiber optics running from the distribution plant to the curb, at which point copper is used for the curb-to-home connection. |
| HDSL (High bit rate Digital Subscriber Line) : | By using sophisticated coding techniques, a large amount of information may be transmitted over copper. The HDSL scheme uses such coding over four copper wires and is primarily intended for high capacity bi-directional business services. |
| Headend : | The primary transmission point in a cable system supplying the hubs and trunk cables. |
| HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) : | A type of distribution plant that utilizes fiber optics to carry service from a CO to the carrier serving area, then coaxial cable within the CSA to or close to the individual residences. |
| ONU (Optical Network Unit) : | The curb mounted electronics device which converts fiber optic signals to electrical for service delivery or copper wires. |
| PCS (Personal Communications Services) : | Any service offered on a personal communications network. These include basic telephone, voice mail, paging and others. Personal communications networks operate in the 1800-2000 mHz range, utilizing low power cells compared to traditional cellular technology. |
| RBOC (Regional Bell Operating Company) : | A term for the seven regional holding companies created when AT&T divested the Bell operating companies. |
| RF (Radio Frequency) : | An electromagnetic wave frequency intermediate between audio frequencies and infrared frequencies used especially in wireless telecommunications and CATV transmission. |
