Glossary of Terms
Access Line — Local loop telephone lines providing telephone service to individual residences and businesses.
Access Charges — Fees paid by long distance carriers to local telephone companies for use of local facilities to originate or terminate calls.
ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) — A highly reliable data transmission technology that separates data into packets known as "cells", which are then transported across the public network at high speeds and reassembled at the other end.
Broadband — Bandwidth capable of supporting data transfer at speeds of at least 200 kilobits per second (kbps) in the last mile. Anything less than this is considered "narrowband."
Bundles — Two or more products or services combined into one retail package and typically offered at a discount, providing customers the convenience of one-stop shopping and one bill.
CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier) — A private provider of local telephone service that is not part of a regional Bell operating company (RBOC), but instead competes with BOC local exchange carriers to provide local transmission services.
CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) — Any type of equipment, from telephone handsets to DSL modems to PBXs, that resides at the customer's location.
Current Market Value — The worth of shares of a given stock based on an average of the market prices reported on a specific trading day or days. Normally, this price is different from the purchase price.
CWA (Communications Workers of America) — America's largest union for communications and media workers. The CWA represents most of AT&T Inc.'s bargained-for employees.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) — AT&T Inc.'s broadband technology. Digital subscriber lines carry data at high speeds over standard copper telephone wires. DSL allows voice and data transmission simultaneously.
EDGE (Enhanced Datarate for Global GSM Evolution) — A wireless technology that allows for data rates of up to 170 Kbps, with average speeds ranging between 75 Kbps and 135 Kbps.
FCC (Federal Communications Commission) — The federal agency that regulates telecommunications services.
FCC Triennial Review — An FCC report and order that addresses unbundling obligations of incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), also known as the Baby Bells.
Frame Relay — A technology used to transfer data efficiently and economically without the need for a dedicated circuit. It breaks up the data into packets (frames), which travel separately through the public network and are then reassembled at their destination.
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) — A wireless technology that provides the widest selection of handsets in the industry, with features like color screens and built-in cameras and the latest data services, including multimedia messaging and high-speed packet data.
IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) — Union representing more than 780,000 utility, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroad and government workers. One of the two largest unions representing AT&T Inc.'s bargained-for employees.
IntraLATA — Telecommunications services that originate and terminate in the same Local Access and Transport Area (LATA).
InterLATA — Services, traffic or facilities that originate in one Local Access and Transport Area (LATA), crossing over and terminating in another LATA.
IP Backbone — A long distance network or series of interconnected networks designed to carry enormous amounts of packet-switched data over optical fiber at very high speeds.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) — Considered to be the basis for a "universal network" that can support almost any type of communications device or service, ISDN technology provides an end-to-end digital connection for simultaneous transmission of voice and/or data over multiple multiplexed communication channels.
LATA (Local Access and Transport Area) — One of 196 local geographical areas in the United States within which a local telephone company may offer telecommunications services — local or long distance.
Managed Services — Communications services that large companies outsource to third-party providers such as AT&T Inc. in order to reduce costs, improve quality and redirect their resources to managing their core business.
Medallion Guarantee — A type of signature guarantee specifically used by the securities industry, verifying the authenticity of an signature. Medallions may be obtained from any brokerage firm or commercial bank or credit union that participates in the medallion program.
Packet-switching — Unlike traditional analog communications that utilize dedicated circuits, packet-switching is a digital transmission medium in which data is separated into individual packets — each with its own address — sent across the public network using the most efficient route and reassembled at the other end.
Payment Date — The date for the payment of cash or stock dividend to those who held shares on the record date. The payable date can also refer to the distribution of monies or securities resulting from a spinoff or a stock split.
POPs (Persons of Population) — Used to quantify the number of potential wireless subscribers in a market.
PermierSERV — AT&T Inc.'s comprehensive family of products and services for medium and large businesses.
PUC (Public Utilities Commission) — The generic name for state commissions that regulate telecommunications services.
Record Date — The date on which the books of the corporation are closed and stockholders recorded in their books as of the close of that business day receive dividend payments, stock-split shares, proxies or other benefits declared by the board of directors.
Registered Stockholder — The owner of securities on the official books and records of a company.
Telephony — The science of transmitting voice over a telecommunications network.
Total Connections — AT&T Inc.'s leading consumer bundle, offering local, long distance, wireless and high-speed Internet for one price on one bill.
Uncertificated Shares — Form of registered ownership allowing you to own shares without having physical stock certificates in your possession.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) — The technology used to transmit voice conversations over a data network using Internet Protocol. Data networks may be the Internet or a corporate intranet.
Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) — Wi-Fi technology connects users to the Internet via a wireless broadband connection. With public Wi-Fi "hot spots," users can sit in a restaurant, at an airport or in the park, turn on a laptop and be immediately connected to the Net at high speed.
Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP) — The term used to describe the capability of individuals, businesses and organizations to retain their existing telephone number when switching to a new local service provider.
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For additional information on the above terms, or terms not listed, please e-mail: rgatlin@attnews.us.
