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Definitions
Plain-language definitions of the telecom, alarm, and connectivity terms that come up in copper retirement and POTS line replacement projects.
20 terms
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Alarm panel supervision
communication path supervision · line supervision
Supervision is the automatic, periodic monitoring of an alarm system's communication path so that a failure is detected and annunciated rather than discovered only when an alarm fails to transmit.
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Analog telephone adapter
ATA · analog terminal adapter
An analog telephone adapter (ATA) is a device that converts between an analog telephone interface and a packet network, presenting FXS ports on one side and IP or cellular transport on the other.
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Battery backup
integrated UPS · backup power
Battery backup is an integrated power source that keeps a replacement appliance and the analog equipment it serves operating during a mains power failure, for a rated period.
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Cellular POTS replacement
wireless POTS replacement · cellular line replacement
Cellular POTS replacement carries analog telephone lines over a mobile network, using an on-site appliance that presents FXS ports locally and transports the traffic over LTE or 5G.
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Copper retirement
copper sunset · network retirement
Copper retirement is the formal process by which a carrier withdraws copper facilities from service, along with the analog services delivered over them, subject to the FCC's notice requirements.
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Dial tone
dialtone
Dial tone is the continuous audio tone a telephone line presents when it is off-hook and ready to accept dialed digits, indicating the line is available.
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DTMF
Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency · touch-tone
DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) is the in-band signaling method that represents each digit as a pair of simultaneous audio tones, used for dialing and for transmitting data between alarm panels and monitoring centers.
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Fax over cellular
cellular fax · analog fax over LTE
Fax over cellular is the transport of analog fax transmissions over a mobile network, using an appliance that presents an FXS port to the fax machine and handles the timing and signaling fax requires.
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Fixed wireless access
FWA · fixed wireless
Fixed wireless access (FWA) uses a mobile network as a fixed location's primary internet connection, in place of a wired circuit.
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FXO
Foreign Exchange Office · FXO port
FXO (Foreign Exchange Office) is the interface that connects to a telephone line and consumes dial tone — the side of the connection that behaves like a telephone.
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FXS
Foreign Exchange Subscriber · FXS port
FXS (Foreign Exchange Subscriber) is the interface that supplies dial tone, loop current, and ring voltage to an analog device — the side of the connection a telephone plugs into.
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Internet failover
WAN failover · cellular failover
Internet failover is the automatic switching of site traffic to a secondary connection — commonly cellular — when the primary circuit fails, so connectivity continues without manual intervention.
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Line seizure
line grab · line seizure module
Line seizure is the ability of an alarm panel to disconnect any other device sharing its telephone line and take exclusive control, so it can transmit an alarm even if someone is mid-call.
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Machine-to-machine communication
M2M · machine to machine
Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication is automated data exchange between devices without human involvement — meters reporting consumption, controllers reporting status, systems accepting remote commands.
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Managed cellular
managed connectivity · managed wireless service
Managed cellular is a service in which the provider supplies not just the connectivity but the provisioning, monitoring, alerting, and support around it, so the customer operates lines rather than managing SIMs and carrier relationships.
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Network modernization
technology transition · IP transition
Network modernization is a carrier's replacement of legacy circuit-switched and copper infrastructure with IP, fiber, and wireless technology, together with the regulatory framework governing that transition.
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POTS
Plain Old Telephone Service · plain ordinary telephone service
POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) is the traditional analog telephone service delivered over a copper pair from a carrier's wire center, providing dial tone, loop current, and in-band signaling.
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POTS line
analog line · copper line
A POTS line is a single analog telephone circuit delivered over a copper pair, identified by its own telephone number and billed individually.
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POTS line replacement
POTS replacement · copper line replacement
POTS line replacement is the migration of an analog copper telephone line to a managed cellular or IP connection using an on-site appliance that presents the same analog interface, so the connected equipment continues to operate unchanged.
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Wire center
central office · CO
A wire center is the carrier facility — commonly called a central office — where copper subscriber loops for a defined geographic serving area terminate and are connected to the wider network.
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