Glossary

A publishing and standards-making body responsible for many standards used in LANs, including the 802 series of standards.

A material with good dielectric properties that is used to separate electrical components close to one another, such as cable conductors and circuit components. Having good dielectric properties means that the material is nonconductive to the flow of electrical current. In the case of copper communication cables, good dielectric properties also refer to enhanced signal-transfer properties.

A type of wire termination in which the wire is punched down into a metal holder that cuts into the insulation wire and makes contact with the conductor, thus causing the electrical connection to be made. These connectors are found on 66-blocks, 110-blocks, and telecommunications outlets.

An optical circuit that is used for coupling between optoelectronic devices and providing signal processing functions. It is composed of both active and passive components.

Optical devices that perform two or more functions and are integrated on a single substrate; analogous to integrated electronic circuits.

Similar in concept to integrated optics except that one of the integrated devices on the semiconductor chip is optical and the other electronic.

A telecommunications standard that is used to digitally send voice, data, and video signals over the same lines. This is a network in which a single digital bit stream can carry a great variety of services. For the Internet it serves much better than analog systems on POTS (plain old telephone service), which is limited to 53Kbps. See also basic rate interface and primary rate interface.

Contractor responsible for the integration of a Node B / BTS. Often the responsibility of NSN or Huawei, fulfilled by one of their contractors.

A signal that is transmitted by imposing it on a carrier such as a beam of light to change the amplitude of the carrier.

A hub that performs bridging, routing, or switching functions. Intelligent hubs are found in collapsed backbone environments.

A network that is capable of carrying overhead signaling information and services.

The square of the electric field amplitude of a light wave. Intensity is proportional to irradiance and may be used in place of that term if relative values are considered.

Defined in IEEE 802.3 and implemented over two fiber links, transmit and receive, this medium may be up to 500m and 1 kilometer long depending on the number of repeaters in the network.

A telecommunications cable that is part of the campus subsystem that connects one building to another.

A circuit administration point, other than a cross-connect or an information outlet, that provides capability for routing and rerouting circuits. It does not use patch cords or jumper wires and is typically a jack-and-plug device that is used in smaller distribution arrangements or connects circuits in large cables to those in smaller cables.