Please find below the list of most common Acronyms and definitions used. This list will be updated constantly so make sure to check here when you face a term that you can't identify.
ARPU - Average Revenue Per User: A measure used primarily by telecommunications and networking companies to gauge the revenue generated per user or unit.
AMDOCS - American Depository Receipts Company System: A software and services provider to communications and media companies worldwide.
BSS - Business Support System: The components that a telecommunications service provider uses to run its business operations towards customers.
BSCS - Business Support and Control System: A system used for business support and control in telecommunications.
CSP - Communication Service Provider: A company that provides telecommunications, media, and entertainment services.
CRM - Customer Relationship Management: A technology system that helps manage all of a company's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers.
CXM - Customer Experience Management: The process by which a company tracks and oversees every interaction with a customer to ensure a positive experience.
CDR - Call Detail Record: A data record produced by a telephone exchange containing details of a call that passed through it.
CIBER - Cellular Intercarrier Billing Exchange Roamer: A format for sending telecommunications intercarrier billing data between carriers in North America.
CLM - Customer Lifecycle Management: The management of customer relationships throughout the lifecycle.
DID - Direct Inward Dialing: A service that allows an enterprise to allocate individual phone numbers to each person within its PBX system.
DNIS - Dialed Number Identification Service: A service used by telephone companies to identify the number a caller dialed.
EAI - Enterprise Application Integration: The use of software and computer systems architectural principles to integrate a set of enterprise computer applications.
ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning: Integrated management of main business processes, often in real-time and mediated by software and technology.
ETOM - Enhanced Telecom Operations Map: A business process framework for telecommunications service providers.
FMS - Fraud Management System: Systems designed to detect and prevent fraud in telecommunications.
GGSN - Gateway GPRS Support Node: A main component of the GPRS network that provides mobile users access to a packet data network.
HLR - Home Location Register: A database of permanent subscriber information for a mobile network.
IN - Intelligent Network: A type of network that provides specific technical capabilities or services outside the standard telephony services.
IOT - Inter-Operator Tariff: Charges that one telecommunications operator charges another for using its network.
IPDR - IP Detail Record: Records that provide detailed information about IP-based communications.
IVR - Interactive Voice Response: A technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through voice and DTMF tones input via a keypad.
LNP - Local Number Portability: A feature that allows users to keep their phone numbers when changing from one carrier to another.
LTE - Long-Term Evolution: A standard for wireless broadband communication.
MSC - Mobile Switching Center: A network element in a mobile telephone network that provides circuit-switched calling, mobility management, and GSM services to the mobile phones in its geographic area.
MVNE - Mobile Virtual Network Enabler: A company that provides network infrastructure and related services such as network subsystems, business support systems, and operations support systems to MVNOs.
MVNO - Mobile Virtual Network Operator: A wireless communications services provider that does not own the wireless network infrastructure.
NGN - Next Generation Network: A broad term used to describe key architectural evolutions in telecommunication core and access networks.
NPAC - Number Portability Administration Center: The system that facilitates number portability in the telecommunications industry.
OCS - Online Charging System: A system allowing a communications service provider to charge their customers, in real time, based on service usage.
OSS - Operational Support System: The computer systems used by telecommunications service providers to manage their networks.
PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network: The aggregate of the world's circuit-switched telephone networks.
PBX - Private Branch Exchange: A private telephone network used within a company or organization.
PLMN - Public Land Mobile Network: Any wireless communications system intended for use by terrestrial subscribers in vehicles or on foot.
POI - Point of Interconnect: The physical point at which two or more networks or communication devices build a connection with each other.
RAN - Radio Access Network: Part of a mobile telecommunication system that implements a radio access technology.
RDBMS - Relational Database Management System: A database management system based on the relational model.
Roaming - The ability for a cellular customer to automatically make and receive voice calls, send and receive data, or access other services when traveling outside the geographical coverage area of the home network.
SaaS - Software as a Service: A software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted.
SCCP - Signaling Connection Control Part: A network protocol that provides extended routing, flow control, segmentation, connection-orientation, and error correction facilities in Signaling System 7 telecommunications networks.
SDP - Service Delivery Platform: A set of components that provide a service(s) delivery architecture (such as service creation, session control, and protocols) for a type of service delivered to consumer, whether it be a customer or other system.
SLA - Service Level Agreement: A commitment between a service provider and a client that specifies the level of service expected during its term.
SMSC - Short Message Service Center: A network element in the mobile telephone network that delivers SMS messages.
SNMP - Simple Network Management Protocol: An Internet Standard protocol for collecting and organizing information about managed devices on IP networks.
SOA - Service-Oriented Architecture: A style of software design where services are provided to the other components by application components, through a communication protocol over a network.
SUS - Service Usage Statement: Detailed information on the usage of services provided to a customer.
TAP3 - Transferred Account Procedures Version 3: A GSM standard for the exchange of billing information between mobile carriers.
UCS - Universal Communication Suite: A comprehensive suite of communications services.
USSD - Unstructured Supplementary Service Data: A communications protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to communicate with the mobile network operator's computers.
VAS - Value Added Services: Non-core services beyond the standard voice calls and fax transmissions.
VLR - Visitor Location Register: A database that contains temporary information about subscribers that is needed by the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in order to service visiting subscribers.
VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol: A methodology and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks.
VPN - Virtual Private Network: A service that allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the Internet.
VSS - Very Small Aperture Terminal Satellite System: A small fixed satellite dish used for reliable, secure, and private communications.
WAP - Wireless Application Protocol: A technical standard for accessing information over a mobile wireless network.
WiFi - Wireless Fidelity: A technology for wireless local area networking with devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards.
WiMax - Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access: A family of wireless broadband communication standards.
XML - eXtensible Markup Language: A markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.
XaaS - Anything as a Service: A collective term said to encompass all services and applications that users can access on the Internet instead of having locally or in an enterprise's own data center.
3G - Third Generation: The third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology.
4G - Fourth Generation: The fourth generation of broadband cellular network technology, succeeding 3G.
5G - Fifth Generation: The fifth generation of cellular network technology, offering faster speeds and more reliable internet connections on mobile devices and home networks compared to 4G.
API - Application Programming Interface: A set of functions and procedures allowing the creation of applications that access the features or data of an operating system, application, or other services.
BI - Business Intelligence: Technologies, applications, and practices for the collection, integration, analysis, and presentation of business information.
CC&B - Customer Care and Billing: Systems used by companies to manage the customer care and billing processes.
CSG - Customer Service Group: A division within a company that handles customer service.
DTMF - Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency: The signal to the phone company that you generate when you press an ordinary telephone's touch keys.
EPC - Evolved Packet Core: A framework for providing converged voice and data on a 4G Long-Term Evolution network.
FTTX - Fiber to the x: A generic term for any broadband network architecture using optical fiber to provide all or part of the local loop used for last-mile telecommunications.
IMS - IP Multimedia Subsystem: An architectural framework for delivering IP multimedia services.
KPI - Key Performance Indicator: A type of performance measurement that evaluates the success of an organization or of a particular activity in which it engages.
LTE-A - Long Term Evolution-Advanced: A mobile communication standard and a major enhancement of the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard.
M2M - Machine to Machine: Direct communication between devices using any communications channel, including wired and wireless.
NFC - Near Field Communication: A set of communication protocols that enable two electronic devices to establish communication by bringing them within 4 cm of each other.
OMA - Open Mobile Alliance: A standards body that develops open standards for the mobile phone industry.
OTT - Over-The-Top: Any app or service that provides a product over the Internet and bypasses traditional distribution.
PCC - Policy and Charging Control: Functions that provide policy control and flow-based charging control.
QoS - Quality of Service: The description or measurement of the overall performance of a service, such as a telephony or computer network or a cloud computing service.
RCS - Rich Communication Services: A communication protocol between mobile-telephone carriers and between phone and carrier, aiming at replacing SMS messages with a text-message system that is richer and can transmit in-call multimedia.
SIM - Subscriber Identity Module: A removable smart card for mobile phones.
This comprehensive list should provide a solid foundation for anyone looking to understand the complexities and nuances of the telecommunications industry.
Channel Partner: A company or individual that partners with a manufacturer or producer to market and sell their products, services, or technologies.
Direct Sales: The process where the manufacturer/producer sells their products/services directly to customers without any channel partner.
Indirect Sales: A sales type where the provider uses a sales force/sales channel such as resellers, distributors, retailers, or dealers to sell products or services.
Billing: The process of requesting payment from customers by issuing invoices for goods or services provided.
Billing Cycle: A system that divides partners into groups allowing their bills to be processed over specific durations or frequencies.
Payment & Adjustment: The various aspects involved in making payment and adjusting the account balances.
Dunning: The communication process with customers to collect money owed for goods or services provided.
Business Rule: Detailed guidance on how a strategy can be translated into action, telling an organization what it can do in detail.
Commission: A variable-pay remuneration for services rendered, often used to motivate and reward salespeople or partner accounts.
Payout Scheduler: Defines the dates at which payments are made by one party to another for financial instruments.
Revenue Sharing: The distribution of operating profits or losses among associated financial partner accounts.
Item: Management of tangible products supporting the partner communication infrastructure, charged to the partner.
Charges: Amounts levied on partners for providing services as per the agreement, can be "one-time" or "recurring".
Non-Recurring Charging Pattern: Used for single-time charges without a billing cycle, billed in advance.
Recurring Charging Pattern: Regular charges based on the billing cycle of the item or charge, can be weekly, monthly, etc.
Recurring Charge Limited Charging Pattern: Bills partners only for a specific number of billing cycles, similar to installments.
Access Group: A group granting access to one or more modules or specific parts of modules.
Opportunity: A prospect customer interested in purchasing a specific service, possibly after a site survey.
Order: A raised request in the system to fulfill a customer's service or resource needs.
Product Offer/Plan: A plan with a specific monetary value, subscribed by the end-user, part of the provider's product catalogue.
Quote: A formal statement detailing the estimated cost for a particular service offer.
Resource: Tangible products offered by providers to customers, such as devices or equipment.
Service: An intangible entity essential for the realization of the product, acting as the backbone of the product offering.
Service Account (SA): Holds details of the services subscribed by the customer under the Customer account.
Service Instance Account (SIA): References the Plan/Product Package subscribed by the customer and the billing account for service usage.
APN - Access Point Network: A network gateway that connects mobile devices to other networks, typically the internet.
APS - Atomic Product Specifications: Detailed specifications for the smallest indivisible components of a product.
BPO - Bundle Product Offering: A package of multiple products or services offered as a single combined unit.
BSS - Business Support Systems: Systems used by telecommunications companies to conduct operations towards customers, including billing and customer relations.
CPS - Composite Product Specifications: Detailed specifications for products that are composed of multiple components.
dBRM - Digital Billing and Revenue Management: A digital system for managing billing processes and revenue streams.
dEP - Digital Engagement Platform: A platform that uses digital tools and technology to interact with customers and manage relationships.
dPCC - Digital Policy and Charging Control: A system for managing network policies and charging for digital services.
dWOM - Digital Work Order Management: A system for managing and tracking work orders in a digital format.
ICT - Information and Communications Technology: An umbrella term that includes all technologies for the manipulation and communication of information.
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network: A set of communication standards for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data, and other network services.
MSISDN - Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network: A number uniquely identifying a subscription in a GSM or UMTS mobile network.
OSS - Operations Support Systems: Systems used by telecommunications service providers to manage their networks (such as telephone lines and computer networks).
RnC - Rating and Charging: Processes used to determine charges for telecommunications services and apply them to customer accounts.
SPO - Simple Product Offering: A single, uncomplicated product or service offered to customers.
UPC - Unified Product Catalog: A centralized system for managing all product offers and specifications.
CN - Credit Notes: Documents issued to a buyer by a seller to reduce the amount the buyer owes to the seller under a previous invoice.
BO - Bulk Operation: Large scale operations or processes involving a large volume of data or transactions.
dPCC - Dynamic Policy and Charging Control: A system that allows for real-time network policy control and charging management.
OCS - Online Charging System: A system that allows real-time charging for services as they are consumed.
xDRs - External Data Records: Records generated for billing and monitoring purposes.
SPR - Subscriber Profile Repository: A centralized database for storing subscriber data.
PCC - Policy and Charging Control: A network function that enforces policies and charging rules.
Server Manager - A module within dPCC for configuring server-related settings.
Policy Designer - A module within dPCC for creating and managing policy rules.
Service Policy - Configured rules within dPCC that determine actions for processing requests.
Charging Key - Used by the charging system to determine applicable tariffs.
Sponsor ID - Identifier for a third party organization sponsoring the service.
Monitoring Key - Used for usage monitoring control purposes.
Dynamic PCC Rule - A rule provided to the PCEF through the Gx reference point.
Static PCC Rule - A pre-defined rule provisioned directly to the PCEF.
Charging Mode - Indicates the required charging method for a PCC rule (Online, Offline, Both, None).
App Service Provider Id - Identifier for the third-party organization delivering the service.
Service Emergency Flow Information - Packet flow parameters used to identify service flows.
PCEF - Policy and Charging Enforcement Function: A component that enforces PCC rules.
PCRF - Policy and Charging Rules Function: A component that provides policy rules to PCEF.
Gx Reference Point - Interface between PCRF and PCEF for policy control.
STL - Sterlite Technologies Limited: A company specializing in technology solutions.
CNP - Cloud Native Platform: A platform built to take full advantage of cloud computing models.
DNS - Domain Name System: The system that translates domain names into IP addresses.
ELK - Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana: A stack of tools for managing and visualizing data.
GB - Gigabyte: A unit of digital information storage.
HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol: The foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web.
HTTPS - Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure: The secure version of HTTP.
IP - Internet Protocol: The method by which data is sent from one computer to another on the internet.
LB - Load Balancer: A device that distributes network or application traffic across multiple servers.
LDAP - Lightweight Directory Access Protocol: A protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services.
NTP - Network Time Protocol: A protocol used to synchronize clocks of computer systems over packet-switched, variable-latency data networks.
TCP - Transmission Control Protocol: A core protocol of the Internet Protocol Suite that provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of a stream of data between applications.
URL - Uniform Resource Locator: The address of a resource on the internet.
AP - Account Payable: Money owed by a business to its suppliers shown as a liability on a company's balance sheet.
REST - Restitution, not to be confused with the popular REST API protocol.
Restitution is a legal concept referring to the compensation or repayment required from a person who has caused loss to another. It's a way of restoring the victim to the position they were in before the damage occurred. Think of it as a compensation you get for poor service so the operator compensates you with extra day of subscription for free.
CAL - Component Access Layer: A layer in software architecture that provides access to components or services.
DC - Data Correction: The process of correcting errors in data.
Priyanka Bhotika
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