Glossary

A

AC

Alternating Current. An electric current that reverses direction in a circuit at regular intervals. It is the form in which electric power is delivered to homes and businesses.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - the broadband technology used to deliver standard copper broadband products. It is designed to be able to run over long copper cable lengths, sacrificing speed for distance, allowing wider data coverage with fewer DSLAMs across the network.

ALK

Access Level Key. An address match from our Address Matching Dialogue Service.

AM

Address Matching (Dialogue Service). An upfront service for communications providers to search and match addresses against addresses that we recognise.

ANFP

Access Network Frequency Plan - also known as the bandplan, this is a UK wide standard that all telephony equipment must adhere to. It specifies and manages the electrical signals that can be sent over the copper network so that the noise from the services running over the network doesn’t cause the services of one end user to be disrupted by the services of another end user. In September 2011, the NICC (the industry body responsible for the ANFP) agreed a change to the ANFP which, when fully rolled out, will make GEA over FTTC downstream speeds faster by using the electrical frequencies differently.

AOMP

Advanced Order Management Process. A process to improve customer satisfaction. It provides design and planning on a project during an account team's early discussions with a customer, usually when the project is still at the negotiation stage.

AoT

Advice of Transfer - a letter generated by the gaining and losing CPs of a WLR or MPF circuit to notify the end user that a change is happening to the voice service. This is a consumer protection mechanism so that Communication Providers do not place migration orders without the end user’s consent.

Appt

Appointment. A fixed and mutual time for one of our engineers to visit a customer's site to complete work.

Assurance

Communications providers follow policies and processes to ensure that services offered over networks meet a pre-defined service quality level.

B

B2B

Business to Business. Trading between businesses. Also used to describe systems interconnection and interfacing requirements between our systems and a communications provider's order and fault systems. This lets communications providers place orders and progress faults from their own systems.

BAU

Business as Usual. Normal or core activities.

BES

Backhaul Extension Services. A high speed, permanently connected, point-to-point data circuit that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. It provides a secure link between a communications provider's network and the exchange (BT Locate, Net locate or Co-location space).

BNS

Backhaul Network Services. Backhaul Network Services (BNS) is a solution for communications providers who want to backhaul data from a number of outlying Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) or mobile Base Station Controller sites to their own network.

BPM

Business Process Models. Process diagrams that show the main process steps.

BTL

Bulk Transport Link. Part of the Ethernet Services portfolio. It offers a cost-effective, high capacity and resilient way of delivering multiple circuits from one of our handover points to a remote site (i.e. one that is not located within a telephone exchange).

C

C&NF

Calling & Network Features. Additional functionality that can be enabled on a line. This can include services such as call diversion, messaging, and ring back.

C2M

Concept to Market. A process of creating and delivering new or improved products or processes. The C2M process begins at the trigger event and goes through to product or process development, marketing, launch and into handover, through to business as usual.

CA

(1) Customer Apparatus, or (2) Customer Access. (1) Customer equipment such the likes of PBX, phones, routers etc (2) Openreach engineer site access when visiting a customer's sites.

CCCB

Customer Controlled Call Barring. Lets your customers bar certain types of outbound calls and/or all inbound calls.

CCCD

Customer Controlled Call Diversion. Lets your customers divert their calls to another number anywhere in the UK as well as to mobile and international numbers.

CCD

Customer Committed Date (also known as Committed Delivery Date). The agreed date when an access order will be activated or installed.

CDD

Contractual Delivery Date. The agreed date when we will install the BT Central or BT Central Plus.

CDR

Call Data Records. The record produced by network switches to track call type, time, duration, facilities used, originator, destination, etc. These are often taken off a network exchange or switch for separate processing, e.g. for customer billing.

CLI

Calling Line Identity (also known as Caller ID, caller identification, CID, Calling Number identification, or CNID). A telephone service that transmits a caller's number to the receiving telephone equipment during the ringing signal, or when the call is being set up, but before the call is answered.

CL

Care Level - As in Service Harmonisation Care Levels. Four care levels currently exist; GEA over FTTC is set by default to Care Level 2; CL4 offers the fastest repair time.

CMC

Customer Management Centre. A service and solution centre developed for the customers and customer facing units. CMC handles product or service related faults, complaints, issues and problems.

CNI

Ceased Number Intercept (now Caller Redirect). If a customer ceases service and takes up service elsewhere, or has a line renumbered, Caller Redirect can be used to refer callers to the new number, if requested by the customer.

CPA

Called Party Answer. A replacement product to support equipment that previously used the Meter Pulse Facility. It indicates to equipment that the person called has answered. Using equipment that can detect the signal and analyse the digits called, the customer can determine when charging has started for all directly dialled chargeable calls on our network and certain calls terminating on other networks.

CPE

Customer Premises Equipment. Communications equipment on the customer's premises, which includes the terminal, equipment and/or inside wiring that is connected to a carrier's communication channel(s) at the interconnection point.

CPSG

Carrier Pre Select Gateway. The European Union regulatory project which lets customers choose to have certain call types carried by another network operator.

CPSO

Carrier Pre Select Operator. Companies that offer carrier pre-selection.

CPS

Carrier Pre Select. The process where a customer can choose to have some of their calls automatically routed across a different telephone company's networking without needing to enter a special code of having special equipment. It lets them choose an 'indirect' carrier without the need for 'smart boxes' or least cost routing software.

CP

Communications Provider (also known as Service Provider). A service provider is an entity that provides services to other entities. Usually this refers to a business that provides subscription or web service to other businesses or individuals. Examples of these services include internet access, mobile phone operator, and web application hosting. The term is more often applied to communication services than to other kinds of service industry.

CRD

Customer Required Date. The date on the customer requirement form when a customer needs the service to be activated or installed.

CRF

Customer Requirement Form. The first step in order/service fulfilment, used to capture order details.

CRM

Customer Relationship Management - the common name for the set of systems a company uses to manage the lines/products/services purchased by their customers. In Openreach, we call our CRM system the Equivalence Management Platform (EMP).

CR

Caller Redirect. Used to transfer callers to a customer’s new number if they cancel their service and take up service elsewhere.

CSS

Customer Services System. Our computing system.

CUPID

Communications Provider ID. A unique reference number to identify and track business for each communications provider.

CWSS

Copper Wideband Serving Section.

CoA

Change of Address. A service that lets customers change their mailing address if they move from one address to another. They will need a cease order at the old premises and a provision order at the new premises.

Connectivity Services (now Ethernet Services)

A suite of products offering highly efficient and competitively priced network transport solutions, available to all communications providers. Connectivity Services includes Ethernet Backhaul Direct (EBD), Bulk Transport Link (BTL) and Ethernet Access Direct (EAD).

D

DACS

Digital Access Carrier System (also known as 0+2 Pair gain system). Modern ISDN technology based digital systems, made up of two normal subscriber lines over one copper pair.

DASS

Digital Access Signalling System. Our original ISDN30 offering used this as a signalling standard.

DC

Direct Current. Current that moves in a single direction in a steady flow.

DDI

Direct Dialling In. A facility that lets callers dial direct into a firm's PABX extensions as if they were normal public telephone numbers. Most of our offices have DDI facilities.

DLM

Dynamic Line Management - this is a system that monitors each line in real time based on a set of rules within a defined policy to change the parameters of the line to achieve the best balance of speed and line stability. There are currently three policies which have different rules for managing the lines, Speed, Standard and Stable.

DMSU

Digital Main Switching Unit. These are the original long-distance exchanges. They are System X switches with the capacity to handle 30,000 simultaneous calls each. Every DMSU is connected to all the other DMSUs. This involves a much smaller number of links than would be required to link together the Digital Local Exchange.

DNA

Disputed No Access. A dispute whereby Openreach considers a booked appointment has resulted in No Access, but with the customer believing that the engineer did not visit the site within the appointment slot.

DN

Directory Number. A customer's telephone number which can be listed in the phonebook or can be made ex directory.

DPNSS

Digital Private Network Signalling System. A network protocol used on digital trunk lines for connecting two PABX. It supports a defined set of inter-networking facilities.

DP

Distribution Point. A point within a network where the cable or fibre terminates. This provides a point of entry for engineers to terminate or test the network. Typically these points are located on telegraph poles.

DSLAM

Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer. A network device, located in the telephone exchanges of the service providers, that connects multiple customer Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs) to a high-speed internet backbone line using multiplexing techniques. This means telephone lines can make faster connections to the Internet.

DSO

Directors Services Office. Provides communications providers at director and senior management levels with direct access to a team that will handle any serious critical issues that need urgent assistance.

DS

Dialogue Service. Lets communications providers know what services are available to them. For example, the appointing dialogue service provides an upfront service to list available appointments, reserve appointments and get appointments details.

DTMF

Dual Tone Multi Frequency. Used for telecommunication signalling over analogue telephone lines in the voice-frequency band between telephone handsets and other communications devices and the switching centre.

DUNS ID

Dun & Bradstreet (Universal Numbering Scheme) Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering Scheme assigns a nine-digit code to identify unique businesses' separate and distinct operations.

E

EAD

Ethernet Backhaul Direct. Offers permanently connected, point-to-point high speed data circuits that provide a secure and un-contended backhaul service for communications providers.

ECC

Excess Construction Charges. Additional charges to normal connection charges, where extra infrastructure is provided to give new or extended service at a customer's site or other requested location.

EMP

Equivalence Management Platform. The strategic system designed to handle the majority of transactions for Equivalence of Inputs products.

EM

Early Morning (appointment). Between 07:00-08:00.

EOI

Equivalence of Input. A vital element of the undertakings we made to Ofcom and the industry in 2005. Undertakings are legal promises we have to keep.

ETA

Estimated Time of Arrival. The time when our engineer will arrive at a customer's site.

ETSI

European Telecommunications Standards Institute. An independent, non-profit, standardisation organization in the telecommunications industry in Europe with worldwide projection. ETSI has been successful in standardising the Low Power Radio, Short Range Device, GSM cell phone system and the TETRA professional mobile radio system.

EU

End User. The final consumer of a product; the intended recipient or user.

EV

Evening (appointment). 18:00 up to 21.00 as required.

eMLC

Enhanced Managed Line Checker - sometimes called the Line Checker, or the Availability Checker, eMLC is a dialogue service which allows you to input a search parameter, like an end user's directory (phone) number to obtain relevant details about the services available on that line/bearer. eMLC can be accessed through the Openreach portal, or via a raw XML data feed which can be integrated into a CP's own management platforms.

F

FA

Flexible Appointment. Provides communications providers and their end users with the choice of additional order and fault chargeable appointments outside our standard morning and evening appointment times.

FNF

Fault Not Found. A diagnostic term used when we've carried out tests to prove a fault but we do not find one.

FTTC

Fibre to the Cabinet - the term for the supply of data services over a fibre optic cable running between the local exchange and the local street cabinet, then using existing copper cable to deliver the data to the end user’s premises. In FTTC, the device which translates the data into a signal that can be carried over copper wire, the DSLAM, sits in a local street cabinet, rather than in the local exchange.

FTTP

Fibre to the Premises - the term for the supply of data services over a fibre optic cable running between the local exchange and the end user's premises. This technology completely replaces the need for copper cabling within the Openreach network.

FTTx

Fibre to the (Cabinet - FTTC, Premises - FTTP, etc). Any broadband network architecture that uses optical fibre to replace all or part of the usual metal local loop used for last mile telecommunications.

FVA

Fibre Voice Access - the next generation voice service, enabling telephone calls to be run over fibre optic cable, rather than copper wires, between the end user's premises and the local exchange. This product is currently in trial and available over FTTP lines only.

Faults

An abnormal condition or defect at the component, equipment, or sub-system level that may lead to a failure.

Fulfilment

The processes of dealing with service or order requests.

G

GDPO

General Development Permitted Order.

GEA

Generic Ethernet Access – the term given for physical, base connectivity through the Openreach network over which a Communications Provider can deliver IP layer services, such as access to the Internet.

GNP

Geographic Number Portability. For number porting and exporting, this lets a customer keep their number when taking on a new exchange line from another operator.

GUI

Graphical User Interface. A pictorial 'front end' program to simplify the operation of systems.

H

HDF

Handover Distribution Frame. Used to terminate the cable from the exchange and to make the pairs available to the operator.

HDSL

High Speed Digital Subscriber Line (also known as High-speed Digital Subscriber Loop). A copper delivered service on Copper Wideband Serving Section (CWSS). It is subject to reach limitations and is used primarily to provide 2 Mbit service to singleton sites.

HIPs

High Impact Provision service. A process offered during the current service situation to offer improved provision appointment availability.

HTT

Hold to Term - this is the charge that we will levy if a GEA over FTTC line is cancelled within its first 12 months of service. We do not "re-set" the Hold to Term period if the product bandwidth variant on a line is modified, but it is reset if the line is migrated from one CP to a new CP.

I

IACB

Indirect Access Call Barring. A network-based feature that rejects any outgoing call attempts by end users keying indirect access codes. This lets communications providers control the routing of their end users' calls to ensure that they receive the revenue for these calls on their lines. IACB can be activated on WLR3 lines. It is optional and can be ordered on a per exchange line basis by the communications provider.

ICB

Inbound Call Barring. Lets you bar all incoming calls on your telecom system.

IDD

International Direct Dialling (used to be ISD). International Direct Dialling (IDD) is an international telephone call dialled by the caller rather than going via an operator.

IMT

Incident Management Team. A team that deals with incidents raised by our customers.

IRC

Incomplete Reason Code.

ISDN

Integrated Services Digital Network. A digital network that lets a whole host of services be carried together on the same circuits. Considered an extension of the public switched telephone network, the key similarity is that it lets any two compatible pieces of connected equipment talk to each other. ISDN can carry any form of data, such as voice, video and computer files.

J

JRO

Jumper Recovery Order. Our new order type with the introduction of flexible cease as a part of EMP R900. It can be raised as Bulk JRO or Singleton JRO to remove the Left in Jumpers (LIJs) from the Main Distribution Frame (MDF).

K

KCID

Keeping Customers Informed Delay (messages). A type of message that tells communications providers about the reason for delayed orders that we have accepted.

KCI

Keeping Customers Informed (messages). A type of message that updates communications providers on the status of orders that we have accepted and trouble reports that we submit.

KSU

Keep System Updated.

L

L2C

Lead To Cash (provisioning). The lead to cash process goes from initial contact, to sale, to service delivery, to payment collection.

LAD

Line Plant Availability Date. The date when all work (by contractors and us) will be completed and the customer will be able to use the service.

LIJs

Left in Jumper(s). A process in which a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) line pair is only switched off in software, and remembered, so that software can switch on again when required. The jumper wire pair at the Main Distribution Frame (MDF) is left in place, instead of having to be removed.

LLF

Loss Link Forwarding. A notification with the information about ends of a multi-segment link if service is lost in one of the segments.

LLUO

Local Loop Unbundling Operator.

LLU

Local Loop Unbundling. Lets communications providers offer the full range of voice and broadband services, without having to route through our main network.

LORN

Linked Order Reference Number. Used to link the two orders together in our computer systems to switch broadband and telephone services over on the same day.

LPA

Line Plant Availability. Communications providers can use this dialogue service to see how many working lines and stopped lines are available to serve a particular address.

M

MAC

Migration Authorisation Code. A number given to a broadband customer so they can move from one communications provider to another.

MBN

Main Billing Number. Account number for the telephony services.

MBORC

Matters Beyond Our Reasonable Control. Situations out of our control that stop us from meeting timescales for provision and repair.

MCB

Main Circuit Breaker. Controls the live power from energizing circuits in an electrical panel.

MCPN

Managed Customer Private Network. Targeted mainly at customers who have their own networks in place.

MCR

Monthly Caller Redirect. A database service where the caller receives a message advising them that the number has changed and asks them to redial using the new number, which is given.

MDF

Main Distribution Frame. A point in a telephone exchange where cables from outside can be connected to the exchange equipment.

MEUPAC

Managed End User Pre-Appointment Calling - a managed, chargeable service from Openreach where we will contact end users 2 days before installation to

MEURAS

Managed End User Re-Appointing Service. A WLR3 provision service where our service management team (SMC) contact a communications provider’s customer directly to rearrange an appointment for the provision of a WLR3 line. This lets a communications provider, via the SMC, manage missed and delayed appointments for their customers.

MLA

Multi Line Aux. Lines that are on the same site and have a link between so that a single number is applied to all lines for incoming calls and the calls are routed to any line within the group.

MLC

Manage Line Characteristics. An access services (AS) version of the Broadband Availability Checker.

MLPA

Managed Line Plant Availability (also known as Line Plant Availability DS). A dialogue service that is used for new provides (WLR3-ISDN2e).

MPF

Metallic Path Facility (also known as Meter Pulse Facility). A local loop that is used by one communications provider for broadband and voice services which are carried over their network. The communications provider has full responsibility for the relationship with the customer.

MSN

Multiple Subscriber Number. An ISDN version of Direct Dial In.

MSO

Major Service Outage. A service disruption that affects many customers.

Multicast

A service within the Openreach network for distributing live television broadcasts to many users over broadband at the same time, in real time.

N

NAD

Name & Address Database. The centralised location for contact details and services. It is a component within the Operation Data Management framework.

NAT

Network Addressing Team. Provides address matching assistance to communications providers.

NCP

Network Call Performance. A tool that lets our customers monitor the amount of incoming and outgoing call traffic at their sites. It gives information on the number of incoming and outgoing calls, engaged calls and unanswered calls.

NGA

Next Generation Access (also known as Super Fast Fibre access). Our programme that is dedicated to shaping tomorrow's communications environment. We work with communications providers, the regulator, industry and other stakeholders to ensure that we build a clear picture of an access network that's fit for the future.

NPSC

Number Portability Service Centre. Based in Tunbridge Wells, this is responsible for Number Portability Service Establishment between us and other communications providers, and for progressing requests to port numbers.

NSP

Non Served Premises. These are any premises not classed as served premises, i.e. places where people work and live. We are required under the terms of our licence to provide service to served premises at fixed prices.

NTE5

Network Termination Equipment version 5 - also commonly known as the master socket, this is the copper termination point within the end user's premises and the place where the GEA over FTTC SSFP is installed. The master socket marks the demarcation point between the Openreach network and the end user's home network with respect to voice wiring.

NTE

Network Terminating Equipment. Equipment that is located in the home or office. Examples are set top boxes and LAN.

NTP

Network Terminating Point. The place where the network ends.

NTTP

Network Test & Termination Point. Our last termination point before our customer's equipment.

O

OCB

Outbound Call Barring. This lets you stop your customers from making outbound calls over our network, except to emergency service numbers. You can use this at your discretion to prevent debts increasing if your customers have not paid their bills.

OED

Operational Effective Date - The date when the KCI3 is generated and billing commences. In 99%+ of cases this should be the same as CDD, but there could be times where our systems (or our engineer) is delayed in closing an order and it working its way through the systems to then generate the KCI3 back to the CP, so there could be a difference between CDD and Operational Effective Date.

OFT

Office of Fair Trading. Plays a leading role in promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive.

OHP

Openreach Handover Point. Mainly located in Metro Nodes, which are the breakout point for our Bulk Transport Link and Ethernet Backhaul Direct products.

OID

Obtain Installation Details. A dialogue service run as part of the EMP platform. This lets communications providers conduct a quick check of their customer's installation details, which we hold.

ONBS

Openreach Network Backhaul Service. Offers connectivity between a communications providers' equipment (installed within Co-location, Netlocate or BT Locate at a BT MSAN Site) and their equipment (installed within Co-location, Netlocate or BT Locate at either the nearest BT MSAN Site, BT Metro Node Site or another BT MSAN Site or Metro Node Site which is within a distance of 15 radial kilometres of the first BT MSAN/Metro Site).

OND

Openreach Network Design. The team who plan new networks and alterations.

OOH

Out Of Hours. The hours from 7.00 pm on weekdays to 8.00 am the following morning, and from 1.00 pm on Saturdays to 8.00 am on the following Monday morning or such other hours as we may agree.

ORT

Operational Readiness Testing (gate). Allows for verification of systems and ensures that the processes and procedures are fit for purpose. This sometimes includes checks done to back-up facilities, procedures for disaster recovery, training for end users, maintenance procedures, and security procedures. It is also known as operational acceptance testing.

OSA/OSEA

Optical Spectrum Access/Optical Spectrum Extended Access. Provides high bandwidth connectivity for customers who need to move very large volumes of data between sites for Wide Area Network (WAN) and Storage Area Network (SAN) applications.

OTD

Order Target Date. The date when we will aim to deliver service.

P

PAF

Postcode & Address File (as supplied by the Royal Mail). The authoritative list of all addresses in the UK.

PATS

Publicly Available Telephone Service. A service available to the public for originating and receiving national and international telephone calls and for providing access to emergency organisations.

PBX

Private Branch Exchange. A telephone exchange that serves a particular business or office.

PCP

Primary Cross-connection Point - this is the local street cabinet in which cables extending out to local distribution points are aggregated and connected to larger copper and fibre optic cables to move the voice and data signals to and from the local exchange. The number of connections managed in a PCP depends on the number of end user premises in an area, but is usually several hundred (200-400) lines.

PE

Product Establishment. A process that communications providers must go through before they can order the WLR3 product.

PIR

Peak Information Rate - this is the actual access line sync speed that a copper bearer is able to support.

PN

Presentation Number. A service that lets your customers specify an alternative telephone number for the calling line identity (CLI) on outgoing calls. When a customer makes a call, the recipient will see the presentation number and not the actual line number on their caller display equipment, or on 1471 caller return service.

POE

Pre Order Enquiry. Communications providers can run pre-order enquiries before placing an order via dialogue services.

PONR

Point Of No Return. The point in our provision process beyond which cancellation is no longer possible. After the PONR, the provision would have to be ceased, if necessary.

POTS

Plain Old Telephony Service (also known as an analogue telephone line). The basic services provided over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

PPU

Pay Per Use. Charges for certain services that we offer, rather than paying a monthly or quarterly rental charge.

PR

Prioritisation Rate - this is the "variable speed limit" that we may apply in the downstream if we experience network congestion that needs to be managed. We momentarily reduce the line speed of any line operating above the PR by discarding traffic above the PR. There are QoS traffic markings that can be implemented in your network to help us prioritise the traffic that we would discard, so more important traffic can continue to get through.

PSID

Product and Service Instance identifier. Can be a customer reference or circuit number reference used for our processes.

PSTN

Public Switched Telephone Network. It was originally a network of fixed-line analogue telephone systems but the switching (or telephone exchange) element of the PSTN is now digital. The mobile telephony networks are considered to be part of the PSTN.

PSU

Power Supply Unit (power supply). A power supply unit is a device that supplies electrical power to a device or group of devices.

PoH

Point of Handover - this is the place in the local exchange where responsibility for the end user's data is transferred between Openreach and the Communication Provider's network.

PoP

Point of Presence. This is usually a city or location where a network can be connected to, often with dial up phone lines. For example, if an internet company says they will soon have a POP in Belgrade, it means that they will soon have a local phone number in Belgrade and/or a place where leased lines can connect to their network.

Q

QCR

Quarterly Caller Redirect. This is a message based at the exchange stating that the number has changed. This does not divert any calls. It can be ordered on a monthly or quarterly basis.

QoS

Quality of Service. This refers to a system of marking and prioritizing traffic to provide a higher quality of service to some traffic at the expense of other traffic. Since QoS mechanisms rely on discarding or delaying lower priority packets they are only useful on network paths which would otherwise be congested.

R

RCF

Remote Call Forwarding. Can be used to divert calls to an alternative number if a customer decides to ceases the service and take up service elsewhere, or has a line renumbered.

RCS

Reduced Charging Scheme.

RFS

Ready for Service - this is the end of the quarter within which we expect that the cabinet will be delivered. It's important to note that our eMLC lists the date as a specific day, but what this is actually indicating is simply the end of the quarter in which we plan to have the cabinet ready to receive orders. The cabinet may come online earlier than the date listed.

RFT

Right First Time. How often the customer receives an experience that is on-time and free of mistakes. The % right first time is a primary E2E metric used when measuring customer experience.

RID

Retailer ID. Used to identify communication providers when placing order types via our systems.

RO1

Resilience Option 1. Resilience Option 1 (RO1) configuration consists of a single circuit between the same circuit A-end and B-end addresses with two diversely routed fibre paths (i.e. primary and secondary paths) connecting to the Network Terminating Equipment (NTE) at each end.

RO2

Resilience Option 2. Resilience Option 2 (RO2) configuration consists of two standard Ethernet Services circuits delivered using diversely routed fibre between two communications providers, or third party customer sites, depending on the product used. These will form the primary and secondary paths of a resilient circuit pair. If there’s a failure on the primary route, traffic must be manually switched to the secondary routed circuit.

RTCC

Route to Credit Control. When applied to a line, this service automatically connects your customer to your help desk. This service is used when your customer attempts to make outgoing calls (including 1471 calls).

RWT

Right When Tested. Line result RWT defines when a line tests as ok when tested remotely through our systems or by an onsite engineer visit.

S

SAS

Stand Alone Survey. Lets communications providers request a survey independent of placing a provision order.

SDSL

Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (also known as Symmetric Digital Subscriber Loop). Uses a single wire pair to carry a few Mbit/s of data. However, unlike ADSL, upload and download speeds for the user are the same (hence symmetric versus asymmetric).

SFFA

Superfast Fibre Access - the marketing term used to describe Openreach's fibre optic access products

SFI2

Special Fault Investigation 2. A new way for customers to book SFI appointments. It will attempt resolution as opposed to current SFI which is more an investigative product. The two hour time limit will be removed (currently 30 minutes extension beyond this where lift and shift is required) and is based on modular activities which the customer can choose.

SFI

Special Fault Investigation. One of our units that contains fault diagnostics experts. It usually resolves faults raised within our networks that have arisen three or four times in a short period of time.

SFRA

Superfast Remote Assure - a chargeable service intended to enable CPs to request further investigation of a GEA over FTTC line that appears "right when tested" using the standard GEA Service Test. This service is a desk based investigation led by Openreach's Service Management teams.

SFVA

Superfast Visit Assure - a chargeable service intended to enable CPs to request an engineering visit to the end user's premises to investigate and, if possible, rectify issues within the end user's home environment or the local access network when the GEA Service Test reports "right when tested" against the line.

SIM

Simultaneous (as in Simultaneous Provision) - we do our best to link orders at the same address so that they are delivered together to minimise disruption to your end user.

SIN(s)

Supplier Information Notes. Produced to meet our obligations under which relate to the publication of customer interface information. We have agreed with Ofcom that SINs will be used to provide information about our network offerings. This may be the launch of a completely new service, or it may be an announcement of the addition of new features within an existing service. The documents can be found at http://www.sinet.bt.com/

SLA

Service Level Agreement. An agreement between a customer and supplier that defines the range of services to be provided, both in scope and performance standard. A good SLA covers not only what should happen when things go well, but also where to escalate issues if there are problems.

SLG

Service Level Guarantee. Underpins our compensation to customers for failures across a range of products and services.

SMC

Service Management Centre. The face of Openreach where customers can place orders or report problems. The SMC keeps in close contact with customers and makes sure that they get regular updates on the orders or faults that we are handling for them. The SMC also liaises with our field engineers to make sure customers get great service.

SMPF

Shared Metallic Path Facility. A shared line is where the LLU operator's customer wants a DSL type service from them but wants to keep their telephony service with us. Broadly similar to our ADSL service but with the DSLAM belonging to the LLU operator.

SMP

Significant Market Power. In economics, market power is the ability of a firm to alter the market price of a good or service. In perfectly competitive markets, market participants have no market power. A firm with market power can raise prices without losing its customers to competitors. Ofcom has determined some of our products and services as having SMP. These can be also referred to as ‘regulated products’ or products provided on a regulatory basis.

SNDDI

Single Number Direct Dialling In. An individual number DDI range, which means that for incoming calls the network will send, as default, 6 routing digits to the customer equipment so that calls can be directed to the correct channel.

SOR

Statement of Requirements. Written at the outset of a new project to define the project's requirements.

SPG

Service Provider Gateway. A provisioning gateway in a telecoms network.

SRM

Sales & Relationship Manager. A single point of contact for every communications provider so they can request a service from us.

SSFP

Service Specific Front Plate - a component connected to an end user's master socket to filter the data and voice traffic so that the noise they generate on the line does not impact the other services on the line.

T

T2R

Trouble to resolve (repair). Our internal terminology that relates to fault reporting and repair.

TAM

Test Access Matrix. A device to test problems in a DSL and POTS system. It can do a look in and a look out test to determine problems in the system.

TCD

Temporary Call Diversion. Lets communications providers request that calls be diverted on a faulty line, while the fault is in the process of being repaired. It cannot be placed on a line until diagnostic testing has been completed as it would impact on the testing.

TOS

Temporarily Out of Service. Communications providers can apply for this on their customer's line. The customer will hear a 'soft' dial tone and can only call 999. All other incoming, outgoing (including via CPS) and emergency calls will be barred irrespective of the method of dialling.

TPI

Third Party Integrator. Software solutions providers who act as agents on behalf of communications providers to provide them with a business-to-business interface with our systems.

TPON

Telephony over Passive Optical Networks. A technology that we have designed, it is made up of slim fibre optic cable instead of lots of copper wire pairs.

TRC

Time Related Charges. Charges for our engineers’ time spent repairing faults, where this work is not covered under the terms of our service, and for providing or rearranging services or equipment where our standard charges are not available.

TR

Trouble Report (Trouble Ticket). Used to track the detection, reporting, and resolution of a problem.

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V

VDSL

Very high bit rate Digital Subscriber Line - the broadband technology used to deliver the higher speeds associated with FTTC compared to standard copper broadband products which are delivered over ADSL. VDSL is designed to work on shorter lengths of copper cable.

VIC

Virtual Interconnect Circuit. Allows for migration of interconnect routes from the DLE to the NGS.

VLAN

Virtual Local Area Network - a subdivision of the capacity within the network representing the "pipe" provided for a single end user’s data traffic through the Openreach network.

W

WEEE

Waste electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (2002/96/EC): to recycle products using the best possible techniques and, helping to minimise the environmental impact, treat hazardous substances safely and avoid too much landfill.

WEES

Wholesale E2E Ethernet Service. A service that connects an end use's sites.

WES

Wholesale Extension Services. High speed, point-to-point data circuits. Each one offers a secure link between a communications provider's recognised point of presence and their customer's location. WES lets a customer extend their Local Area Network to another location and share applications between those locations in a secure manner, without degradation of service.

WLR2

Wholesale Line Rental 2. The service that we provide to competing communications providers, which lets them, rent our lines to access customer premises and attach their own equipment to those lines inside our switching centres. They can also use their own equipment and pay us to deliver IP packets to their data centres. This service is regulated and monitored by OFCOM.

WLR3

Wholesale Line Rental 3. Offers a range of features that give you greater flexibility and control over the service you offer to your customers. It is not available with previous versions of the product.

WLR

Wholesale Line Rental - the name for Openreach's copper access product, predominantly used for delivering voice services.

WLTO

Working Line Takeover. A request to reuse a working telephone line for a new end user at an existing end user's address. As part of this request, the existing end user's telephone service will be stopped and a telephone service will be provided for the new end user.

X

XML

eXtensible Markup Language. Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form and is the messaging protocol used between our systems and your systems. For more information on our systems’ interfacing standards and XML code examples please see the technical documentation on the Release Documentation product pages.

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