SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)
05 Jun 2006
A protocol that provides telephony services similar to H.323, but is less complex and uses less resources.
Switch
05 Jun 2006
In networks, a device that filters and forwards packets between LAN segments. Switches operate at the data link layer (layer 2) and sometimes the network layer (layer 3) of the OSI Reference Model and therefore support any packet protocol. LANs that use switches to join segments are called switched LANs or, in the case of Ethernet networks, switched Ethernet LANs.
TAPI (Telephony API)
05 Jun 2006
A programming interface that allows Windows client applications to access voice services on a server.
TCP
05 Jun 2006
Transmission Control Protocol. The transport layer protocol developed for the ARPAnet which comprises layers 4 and 5 of the OSI model. TCP controls sequential data exchange in TCP/IP for remotely hosts in a peer-to-peer network.
Trunking
05 Jun 2006
Trunking means that several connections in a network may be established simultaneously, and that setup of connections proceeds automatically using the channels available at the time in question. In this way many users may share a few connections, and if the number of connections is increased, the capacity of the network is increased more than proportionally. This means that an optimal trunking effect is obtained in very large networks.
Upstream
05 Jun 2006
A transmission from an end user to a server.
Voice Messaging / Voicemail
05 Jun 2006
An application of store and forward wherein telephone access to private messages are retrieved by users for playback. Imagine a shared tenant answering machine that handles multiple telephone lines and can record incoming messages for hundreds of people simultaneously. Imagine the intended parties being able to retrieve these messages over the phone with simple touch-tone commands. Imagine full security, so no one can pick up anyone else's messages without a special, private access code. That's voice messaging. Voice messaging systems take many forms. There are CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) versions and Service Bureau or Telco versions. The basic idea is the non real-time sending and receiving of private messages. Some systems support the broadcast of messages to multiple recipients. Some provide message waiting notification via pager, message waiting light or "outdial" telephone calls.
Web-Enabled Call Center
05 Jun 2006
Any call center whose "callers" can establish a traditional of Internet-Based phone call with an agent initiated via Web Browsing Interaction. Imagine this: You cruise to a Web Page and see a product you'd like to buy. You click on a button that says "speak to a live agent". A form pops-up and you're prompted to enter your phone number. A few moments later your phone rings. It's an agent from the call center associated with the Web Page you just visited.