Glossary

A

Analogue Line - An analogue line is a single copper cable that is run to a user's home or business premise. Via an installed wall socket it enables the connection of telephones, franking machines, PDQ machines, alarm systems or fax machines to the telephone network. As of 2025 analogue lines will no longer work.
ADSL - ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. ADSL is a broadband connection that works through the copper wires of the telephone lines to transfer data from a provider to a premise.

B

Broadband - Broadband is a technology that provides high-speed internet access.

C

Connectivity - Connectivity is the ability to connect to and communicate with other computer systems, software, application programs, electronic devices, or the internet.
Call Recording - A Call Recording application enables a user to record a telephone conversation.

E

Ethernet - Ethernet is a way of connecting computers and other network devices in a physical space. It is often referred to as a local area network (LAN).

F

Facebook Messenger - Facebook Messenger is a free messaging app for iOS and Android smartphones. The application allows users to message people, make voice calls or video calls with people that they have connected with on Facebook.
Full-fibre network - Full fibre network or full fibre broadband is a type of high-speed broadband that uses fibre optic cables to connect the exchange directly to each premises. It is also known as fibre to the premises (FTTP).
Fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) - Fibre cables run from the exchange to the cabinet on your street, which then connects to your home / building via a copper phone line.
Fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) - FTTP means it has fibre-optic cables throughout the entire broadband connection; from the exchange all the way into a user's home or building. It is also known as FTTH (fibre-to-the-home) or FTTB (fibre-to-the-building).

H

Hosted Telephony - Hosted telephony, also referred to as cloud telephony, IP telephony or hosted VoIP is where a phone system is housed in the cloud rather than in an office. A service provider will host and manage the business phone system in a private data centre.

I

IP - IP stands for Internet Protocol. It is the protocol for communications on the internet. It specifies the way information is packetised, addressed, transferred, routed, and received by networked devices.
IP Telephony - IP telephony is another term used for hosted telephony or VoIP. It also refers to the phones used to make a VoIP call other than the VoIP call itself.
ISDN - ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. Each ISDN line lets voice or data traffic travel over its digital connection, allowing users to have concurrent calls or a dedicated internet or fax line and phone line. The ISDN network is being phased out and will be switched off by 2025.
Inbound - An inbound call is one that a user initiates.
IT - IT refers to anything related to computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the Internet, or the people that work with these technologies.

L

Leased Line - A leased line is a private telecommunications circuit between two or more locations. Usually, leased lines are used by businesses to connect geographically distant offices.
Landline - A landline telephone, also known as main line, home phone, fixed-line, is used to describe a phone that uses an analogue line to communicate. Users are switching to mobiles and VoIP more and more making landlines less popular.

M

Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams is a communication platform offering workspace chat, file storage, videoconferencing, and application integration.

N

Nebula - Nebula is the hosted telephony application from Voiceflex. For more information on Nebula please visit the Voiceflex website.

O

P

Phone Line - A phone line, telephone line or telephone circuit is a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system. Telephone lines are used to deliver voice services to a user’s home or business.
PSTN - The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), generally known as the traditional phone network, is the analogue network for all UK residential and business premises. It has been connecting people since the late 19th century, firstly over copper telephone lines and later fibre optic cables, satellites, and undersea cables. All of which are interconnected by switching centres which establish a dedicated connection or circuit between callers.
PSTN switch off - The traditional phone network will be switched off meaning any phone, device or alarm connected to the network will no longer work.

S

SoGEA - Single Order Generic Ethernet Access is a product that enables users to purchase a broadband connection without a phone line (voice service).
SoGEA Voice - SoGEA Voice is a replacement of a phone line enabling users, residential and businesses, to continue to have a voices service after the PSTN and ISDN switch off.
SIP Trunk - SIP Trunks route voice calls over the Internet. They replace ISDN and analogue lines, connecting a businesses phone system to the PSTN via a broadband, Ethernet or private circuit network. For more information on SIP Trunks please visit the Voiceflex website.

V

Voice Service - A voice service is simply a service that enables voice conversations.
VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the technology and method used to deliver voice communication. Calls are made and routed over the Internet as opposed to calls made over an analogue phone using the PSTN. VoIP services can be accessed from a computer with a so-called softphone, from an IP phone, from a smartphone or from a landline phone that is connected to a VoIP adapter.
VoIP Application - A VoIP application allows you to make a VoIP call over a network connection.
Voiceflex - Voiceflex is an award-winning communications service provider to the IT and Communications market. SoGEA Voice is a product of Voiceflex.

W

Whatsapp - A free messaging app for smartphones, Whatsapp allows users to exchange messages, pictures, audio messages, and videos with other users.

Z

Zoom - Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing service users can use to virtually meet with others - either by video or audio-only or both.

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