Telecommunications glossary

Telecom glossary - C

Calling Card

A telecommunication credit card with an AuthCode for using a long distance carrier when the customer is away from their home or office (ANI).

Carrier

A telecommunications provider which owns switch equipment.

Carrier Identification Code - CIC

A three digit number used with Feature Groups B and D to access a particular IEC's switched services from a local exchange line. One or more CIC codes are assigned to each carrier. (i.e. there may be multiple CICs per ACNA). See Bypass

Casual Calling

Allow any ANI (including undefined ANIs) to access a given carrier. For example, if the originator is calling from a non-coin phone, they may dial 1010555+destination number and have the call routed through WorldCom and billed to the originating phone number.

Casual Customer

Any person or organization that dials any CIC Code. (Not necessary to presubscribe to the carrier.)

Centrex

A service that is functionally similar to a customer-premise PBX, but provided by means of equipment located in a Central Office.

CIC

See Carrier Identification Code (WorldCom = "555")

Class of Service - COS

A special limitation on what numbers can and cannot be called. International, 809, 809 + Canada, 48 contiguous states, etc.

COCOT

Customer Owned Coin Operated Telephone

Coin Phone

A coin-operated pay phone with restricted access to some services (e.g. International calling). Coin phones have subclasses of Public, Semi Public, and Private.

Collect

A call that is paid for by the receiving/destination phone number. Requires approval/authorization of the person being called.

Common Carrier

A carrier that holds itself out as serving the public (or a segment thereof) indifferently (i.e., without regard to the identity of the customer and without undue discrimination). Common carriers may vary rates based on special considerations and may in fact serve only a small fraction of the general public.

Contract

A legally-binding agreement between a vendor and a customer to provide Products, Services or Features in a specified quantity and quality, for a specified price, during a specified period of time.

Contract Tariffs

Services and rates based on contracts negotiated with individual customers, but theoretically available to all customers. AT&T has filed several hundred contract tariffs.

CONUS-CONtiguous United States

The 48 contiguous U.S. states. Used primarily to designate the operating range or authorization of a satellite or radio facility.

Country Code

Two or three digit codes used for International calls outside of the North American Numbering Plan area codes. Dial: 011 + country code + city code + local phone number) (e.g. "011 + 91 + 22 + 123- 4567" 91 = India, 22 = Bombay)

Cutover

The exact date/time that a phone number, circuit, etc. is scheduled to be (or was) moved from one implementation (carrier, etc.) to another. (e.g. moving an 800 number from MCI to WorldCom).

Cut-Through Dialing

"10"+CIC+" #" followed by an AuthCode for IntraLATA calls.