Glossary of the Top Telecom Terms

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Our world continues to become more interconnected than ever due to the innovative advancements in telecommunications. All types of industries are collaborating to deliver disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and smart homes – making it crucial for those beyond the telecom space to understand this high-tech terminology. Each of our lives are influenced by our ability to connect with others, whether you work in finance, recruiting, manufacturing, healthcare, or even agriculture. Something as simple as Wi-Fi is a tool delivered by the telecom industry that we all need to do our jobs, no matter the field. According to market analysis, the telecom industry is predicted to grow 5.4% annually between 2021 and 2028. That’s a faster growth rate than the automotive, construction, insurance, and agriculture industries! No wonder it’s been hard to keep up with the ever-changing telecom terms.

To shed some light on this industry jargon and bring you up to speed on some recent advancements, Blue Signal created a glossary of the most common and useful telecom terms. These telecom terms will help you better understand what goes into keeping us all connected – and possibly provide some knowledge to help you stand out with a future client or employer. Read on to learn about 5G, VPNs, TCP/IP, and more. For the full list of 80+ telecom terms, click the link below to download our guide.

Top 20 Telecom Terms:

  1. 3G/4G/5G: Third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation wireless capabilities that allow for faster and broader access to information and services via mobile devices.
  2. Bandwidth: The range of frequencies in a communication channel. Analog communications measure bandwidth in Hertz, whereas digital communications use bits per second (bps).
  3. Broadband: A high-capacity transmission technique that allows for the communication of a large amount of information over a wide range of frequencies.
  4. Carrier: Vendor of transmission services operating under terms defined by the FCC as a common carrier. Owns a transmission medium and rents, leases, or sells portions for a set tariff to the public via shared circuits. (AT&T, Sprint, MCI, Ameritech, etc.)
  5. Fiber Optic Cable: Glass strands used to transmit light signals for cell phone and Internet connections. These cables allow for connection speeds 10 to 100 times faster than copper wire.
  6. Firewall: A barrier device placed between two separate networks. A firewall can be implemented in a single router that filters out unwanted packets or it can use a variety of technologies in a combination of routers and hosts. Today, many firewalls combine filtering functionality with Network Address Translations (NAT) functions.
  7. Gateway: A network element that performs conversions between different coding and transmission formats. The gateway does this by having many types of commonly used transmission equipment and/or circuits from different carriers to provide a means of interconnection.
  8. Local Area Network (LAN): A group of computer and peripheral devices that are connected in a limited area such as a school, laboratory, home, or office building.
  9. Network: Any connection of two or more computers that enables them to communicate. Networks may include transmission devices, servers, cables, routers, and satellites. The phone network is the total infrastructure for transmitting phone messages.
  10. Open Network Architecture (ONA): The overall design of a carrier's basic network facilities and services to permit all users of the basic network, including enhanced service providers, to interconnect to basic network functions on an unbundled and "equal access" basis.
  11. Private Branch Exchange (PBX): A private telephone exchange that serves a particular organization or business and has connections to the public telephone network. Newer PBXs have features that allow for data and video communications as well as voice.
  12. Radio Frequency (RF): A measurement representing the oscillation rate of electromagnetic radiation spectrum, or electromagnetic radio waves, from frequencies ranging from 300 GHz to as low as 9 kHz. With the use of antennas and transmitters, an RF field can be used for various types of wireless broadcasting and communications.
  13. Router: A device or setup that finds the best route between any two networks, even if there are several networks to traverse. Like bridges, remote sites can be connected using routers over dedicated or switched lines to create WANs.
  14. Small Cell: An umbrella term used to describe a miniature radio access point (AP) or wireless network base station with a low radio frequency (RF) power output, footprint, and range. They enhance cellular network coverage and capacity in areas where use demands are the highest.
  15. Switch: A mechanical or solid-state device that opens and closes circuits, changes operating parameters, or selects paths for circuits on a space or time division basis.
  16. Telecommunications: Communicating over a distance. Use of wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic channels to transmit and receive signals for voice, data, and video communications.
  17. Transmission Control Protocol/Internetworking Protocol (TCP/IP): A protocol developed to allow dissimilar devices to communicate across many kinds of networks.
  18. Virtual Private Network (VPN): VPN modules create closed secure tunnels for communication between two firewalled LANs. VPN technology is a common approach used today for providing secure communications over IP networks.
  19. Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Telephone services provided over broadband Internet connections rather than traditional phone networks.
  20. Wide Area Network (WAN): An important computer network that is spread across a large geographical area. WAN network systems could be a connection of a LAN that connects with other LANs using telephone lines and radio waves.
Blue Signal's Glossary of Common Telecom Terms

As this global tech trend advances, the telecom industry will continue to be involved in all things that keep us connected. Impacting all different types of industries, it’s more important now than ever to stay up to speed on what these telecom terms mean.

Whether you’re trying to stay relevant in your current field, or are looking to break into a new career path, Blue Signal has the resources to help. Our recruiters are specialized in their industries and understand the importance of knowledge-share across these diverse fields. Reach out today to learn more about how you can stand out in your industry and reach your career goals.

The Ultimate Test: CBRS

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With the development of 5G and the rapidly expanding IoT industry, operators will need more spectrum to keep up with high demand. To solve this problem, the FCC has developed the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) to alleviate the shortage of frequencies available for wireless communication services. With consumer mobile data consumption growing at a rate of 57% annually, bandwidth requirements are increasing at a level carriers are struggling to keep up with. Innovating tiered spectrum, CBRS will allow an alternative to carrier services, Wi-Fi, and LPWANs – with several benefits.

The Federal Communications Commission has sought to meet the demand for broader wireless bandwidth through the reassignment of some bands. The CBRS band is the 3.55 – 3.65 GHz reallocated from the military spectrum to permit commercial use.

In order to keep it operable for its original purpose as well as public use, the FCC has assigned bands to give priority access to higher-tier users. In this case, Incumbent Systems – or Incumbents – are the highest tier. This includes the military and government users, who were the preexisting users. The PALs – or Priority Access/Licensed users – is a level any company, person, or entity can achieve through an auction process, with limitations on how many can be obtained. Finally, there is GAA, or General Authorized Access, which is the lowest tier. This can be understood as operating just as the 3.65 band is today, where users do not have ranking over others and must cooperate.  

CBRS will make private LTE networks feasible.

Not only will CBRS improve LTE services from service providers, it will also enable enterprises to build their own private LTE networks. Rather than relying on Wi-Fi or a wireless carrier, companies now can create a secure private LTE network to run corporate specific applications. This ultimately would lower operational costs and ease some complexity when building custom applications. Ideally, it will make traffic exclusive and therefore run at a higher speed with a more localized influx.

For example, Nokia, Qualcomm, and Alphabet Access (parent of Google) have created a private LTE network at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the hopes of giving fans a 360-degree virtual reality view into the cars in real time. CBRS will allow the Speedway to use its own network for the VR view, and other communications by its occupants rather than operate on the public network in Las Vegas – which is surely collecting a larger traffic. The private LTE will run faster, and more focused – rather than get mixed up in the other wireless communication taking place around it. All thanks to CBRS.


The VR experience would look something like this – giving viewers a view into the cars in real time while watching the actual race from their seats.

Providing alternatives for IoT connectivity and LPWANs.

Private LTE networks, made possible by CBRS, can also serve as an IoT connectivity solution. Internet of things devices could connect to private LTE networks in an enterprise – enhancing industrial IoT, commercial IoT, and more. This could reduce downtime and expand the bandwidth of operations, so they don’t have to compete for priority – the possibilities are astonishing. CBRS could compete with wireless carriers and Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN).

CBRS outshines Wi-Fi in this way – by being further reaching. Traditionally, LPWANs and carriers were the only source for network that wasn’t localized like in Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi gained popularity due to its economic and technical accessibility. It offered the first of its kind private networks and is easy deployment. However, Wi-Fi still requires several access points to cover an area well – and has no hand-off capabilities. CBRS LTE networks are expected to reach this same level of accessibility and affordability, but also extend beyond a mile in reach and require fewer small cell base points. CBRS backers say the economics of this technology are much better than those of distributed antenna systems and they contend the speed and consistency of service will be much better than Wi-Fi. Needless to say, the future is bright for CBRS.

CBRS is changing the way network is owned and operated.

To curb the competition, major carriers are buying into CBRS in the hopes of maintaining their subscription base. Carriers, cable companies, and enterprises are looking to get into wireless through cellular-based service extensions, according to Network World. The 3.5 GHz band would extend coverage and capacity of pre-existing LTE services, working indoors and outdoors. Also, it would lower the costs of entry for non-traditional wireless carriers, and potentially increase coverage in rural areas.

Where wireless carriers are concerned, CBRS means unbridled expansion. Historically, they were having to share the band with Wi-Fi. Now, they have the option to reduce complexity by using LTE that will provide a network that should be better than Wi-Fi. Large carriers are looking to use the band to densify LTE networks through small cell in urban areas.

As for cable operators, CBRS could mean more spectrum holdings. They could deploy LTE networks and become Mobile Virtual Network Operators, or MVNOs.

This could also mean big changes for the marketplace in 5G. Industry experts speculate that the sharing system will pave the way for 5G throughout the US and bring harmony in coordination globally. If successful, the CBRS model of effective and fair spectrum could be repeated by regulators in their own markets – whether LTE or 5G or whatever comes next!

CBRS is the ultimate test to the shared spectrum theorem. If it proves to be more efficient and accessible as promised, it could mean huge changes to the way the market approaches 5G, LTE, and whatever may come next.

2018: The Year of User-Friendly Enterprise DAS

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A recent industry survey by Coleman Parkes found that properties with excellent in-building wireless coverage technology were worth 28% more than properties with poor indoor coverage. The demand for reliable in-building wireless continues to grow. Many older buildings are constructed from materials that block cell signals and create pain points for building tenants. Even buildings with cellular coverage often lack capacity for today’s normal mobile usage. However, building owners have been reluctant to upgrade because of the perception that a DAS infrastructure investment is too costly. This year, that is changing. High-quality DAS solutions are becoming available for mid-sized businesses.inbuilding wireless

Wireless companies are competing heavily for businesses in the “middleprise” sector: venues between 50,000 and 500,000 square feet. While DAS is the default coverage solution for big venues like stadiums, airports, and large enterprises, a full-scale DAS is not usually cost-effective for midsize venues like hotels, malls, and hospitals. They are big enough to need an in-building coverage solution to boost the indoor signal, because poor coverage affects employee performance, productivity, and even the rent that the building owner can charge. However, traditional DAS solutions are often too large and expensive for these venues. WiFi coverage alone is not enough to deal with high data volume, and VoWiFi is not reliable enough for mission-critical telecommunications.

These midsize enterprises sometimes balk at pulling the trigger on a major DAS installation because of price or complexity. Since many companies have a BYOD policy, their connectivity solution needs to support bandwidth-intensive, multi-operator, multi-band functionality. At the same time, it needs to be cost-effective, secure, easy to manage, and somewhat future-proof.

 

Multi-operator Small Cells

Middleprise businesses have traditionally avoided small cells because of their limitation to a single carrier. Installing separate small cells for each carrier looks bulky and is unappealing from a design perspective. At this year’s Mobile World Congress, Baicells introduced their NeutralCell product, a multi-operator small cell technology that promises to eliminate this obstacle.

Shared infrastructure models are gaining traction fast. Today’s mobile user expects uninterrupted coverage, no dropped calls, high bandwidth, and high data speeds. However, MNOs cannot build their networks into every single building. Since building owners often have their own ideas about how much space they want to dedicate to network equipment, NeutralCell, SUMO, and similar emerging technologies will bridge this gap so that midsize venues can improve in-building coverage for all carriers for a competitive price.

Active Passive DAS

Signal Boosters & Passive DAS

One hybrid option that many enterprises will likely opt for in 2018 is a signal booster. While most people are familiar with indoor residential signal boosters, signal boosters in a passive DAS context are new to many enterprise owners. This option works very well for building managers who are struggling with poor indoor cell service, dropped calls, or inconsistent coverage. Passive DAS is a large-scale but simple signal booster that quickly improves coverage without complicated management.

The market often uses the term “DAS” to describe an active DAS system. But a DAS is by definition a distributed antenna system, and therefore both active and passive systems qualify as true DAS. Active DAS transmits signals through fiber cables and can boost and amplify signals as needed. Passive DAS transmits uses a leaky feeder communication system consisting of a coaxial cable that functions like an antenna, with “leaks” all along the length of the cable to allow radio signals to enter the cable along its length.

Since passive DAS costs about six times less than an active DAS system, many smaller enterprises choose it over the top-of-the-line solutions. In addition to the lower price, many enterprises prefer the shorter installation time of passive DAS (1 to 2 weeks). An active DAS can take 6 to 18 months to design and install.

 

5G and IoT-Friendly Network Design

The long-awaited 5G network infrastructure is starting to be switched on in parts of Europe, with America soon to follow. While the carriers themselves will be handling the physical wireless infrastructure 5G, many owners of large and midsize venues are considering timing their upgrades to coincide with new network technology and faster speeds.

Additionally, the number of IoT devices has ballooned to almost 9 billion devices worldwide, and is expected to hit between 10 and 15 billion devices by the end of 2018. The IoT landscape is a very strong incentive for building owners to consider DAS systems. Just 15 years ago, the vast majority of office equipment consisted of hard-linked computers, but today’s workplace depends on BYOD, consumer smart devices of all kinds, and IoT/M2M business equipment. This extra traffic puts pressure on the network. Additionally, middleprise building owners have a huge range of IoT devices customized to make their lives easier: smart utility meters, IoT-based security, smart traffic sensors, and more. The cost savings of smart building technology alone is sometimes big enough to offset the cost of a DAS or small cell solution.

 

Future Outlook

The most interesting aspect of the industry space outlook is the shifting relationship between enterprise customers and MNOs. It used to be that enterprise customers were completely dependent on the MNO to build network infrastructure to improve their connectivity and capacity. This model is still true for the individual cell phone user. But enterprise customers are experiencing such heavy demand pressure that they are no longer waiting around for the MNOs to expand the network equipment to meet their needs.

 

Learn more about our DAS and small cell recruiting specialties here.

Unified Communications Industry Predictions for 2018

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The unified communications industry has been very fluid over the past few years. Although the industry is maturing, people’s communication habits continue to evolve as social media and personal technology habits shift.

The major challenges of the unified communications industry are also shifting. Customers (and employees) struggle with overflowing inboxes and are less willing to pick up the phone. Cold-calling has lost much of its popularity. Employees want communication platforms that are intuitive and natural. And there are the challenges of drawn-out meetings, technology that doesn’t work, and ROI.

 

Prediction #1: Improved interoperability and security in hybrid platforms

For most companies, it just doesn’t make sense to use a single tenant solution. Not only is it expensive to build a custom platform and host on-premises applications, but companies feel restricted by the big purchase. In an agile market, companies need to be able to change strategies fast. Hybrid solutions have been common for a while, but there will be a more “modular” approach to UCaaS hybrid environments in the future. Unified communications providers will be able to close more deals and keep customer loyalty if they can provide a set of plug-and-play modules that fit their customers’ unique business needs.

Hybrid cloud - unified communications technology

As more and more technology crowds onto our desks and into our devices, interoperability will be even more important. It is mission-critical for unified communications features to function seamlessly in BYOD and hybrid environments.

This interoperability will come with beefed-up security features to protect against data loss, data corruption, and targeted breach attacks. As cybersecurity attacks rise, companies are becoming more open to spending serious money on data security.

 

Prediction #2: Technology that is natural to use — not just user-friendly

Many UCaaS platforms are easy to use, but not all are natural to use. They don’t match the way that people intuitively use other software and technology in their day-to-day life.

Just because features are new or high-tech, doesn’t mean they’re necessary or useful. Recently, a major Unified Communications hardware manufacturer launched a new advertising campaign for videoconferencing hardware to address the problem of low user engagement, which means a high added cost to the business.

Making UC technology low-effort is only half the battle. Tech giants like Facebook and Apple have created the expectation that all software has a sleek, streamlined UI/UX (user interface/experience). Thanks to these companies, a bad user interface is a show-stopper. User experience is a top consideration for UC technology companies, alongside functionality.

 

Prediction #3: Shift from “feature-rich” to “rich features”

Most features on smartphones, TVs, and other electronics never get used. People get used to using their devices a certain way and don’t branch out. The same goes for unified communications technology. Developing new features is expensive and time-consuming. As the UCaaS market continues to heat up, companies will focus on delivering a few high-quality features that users actually want. Cutting down on the overwhelming number of unnecessary features is the next logical step.

There will be a boost in features to support mobile users and telecommuters, who are becoming more common in the workforce. The unified communications industry relies heavily on remote employees, and customers will be loyal to platforms that support this model.

 

Prediction #4: Data-driven decisions that are actually data-driven

Many companies already consider themselves to be “data-driven,” but the quality of data and the subsequent conclusions based on it is often questionable. Engagement tracking and big data analysis are becoming more commonplace, with simpler tools so that companies don’t need to hire a data scientist to get results. These powerful data tracking tools are helping companies make smart decisions more easily, and based on better data and better insights.

 

 

Prediction #5: CPaaS will be a major UC disruptor

CPaaS is “communications platform as a service,” and includes communication apps such as B2C text messaging, human and bot chat platforms, and other real-time communications applications. UC features in this category include instant-messaging apps like Skype, WhatsApp, and Slack, which have exploded in popularity as a response to overflowing email inboxes. IM applications will continue to grow and most likely eventually totally replace intraoffice email.

Technical support is another department likely to pick up on CPaaS fast. Video-enabled IT support, live 24/7 assistance, and real-time chats are an easy, low-cost solution to common IT problems, and they make the IT department’s job easier.

UCaaS - unified communications predictions

Prediction #6: Smart bandwidth usage for UC apps

Not all UC apps are created equal in terms of data usage. Bandwidth-heavy UC applications like video-streaming can seriously slow down a user’s system, or even the whole network. Smart application integrated platforms reduce the load by taking bandwidth away from inactive applications and funnel it towards the ones in use. This improves the efficiency of the entire system and boosts software speeds. In advanced UCaaS software, this can even occur in totally cloud-based applications.

 

Breakdown in communication is one of the top causes for the failure of relationships, so it comes as no surprise that breakdowns in communication in the workplace are one of the top threats to revenue, productivity, and competitiveness. Unified communications is the technology that helps companies to solve communication problems in the workplace. As our ways of communicating evolve, the UCaaS industry will evolve with us.

Need help with your Unified Communications hiring? Contact us here.