Term

Definition

Application Layer Gateway

A router component that theoretically helps with NAT traversal. In reality, phones can traverse NAT, so ALGs should be disabled.

Answering rule

A rule that specifies how to handle calls for a time frame.

Auto-attendant

A feature that transfers calls to the appropriate destination (an extension, voice mail, or recording, for example) without human intervention, by prompting callers to press buttons on their phone keypads.

Call forwarding

A SkySwitch WEB Centrex feature that allows you to forward or redirect incoming calls to an alternate number.

Call queue

A call queue allows you to put callers in a waiting line until a person (a.k.a. agent) is available to help them. While in queued callers will listen to Music on Hold and, depending on the configuration, may have options to leave the queue.

Call screening

Prompts callers to say their name, and then lets you screen the call before accepting it.

Conference bridge

Allows a group of people to participate in the same phone call by dialing in using their own phone.

Dial-by-name directory

An auto attendant feature that allows callers to contact employees by knowing their name. The directory is set up by your company and can include the first or last name of all employees. When the caller specifies the first or last name of a person they are trying to reach, the directory confirms the name and connects the caller to that person automatically.

Dialing permission

Defines the types of calls a user can and cannot make. For example, a dialing permission might prevent a user from dialing international calls.

Direct Inward Dial

A service where each user can have a dedicated phone number to reach them, bypassing the auto-attendant or receptionist.

Do Not Disturb

The ability of the SkySwitch WEB Centrex phone to ignore any incoming calls.

E911

Enhanced 911. A system used in North America that provides emergency service on cellular and Internet voice calls.

Ethernet

A family of networking technologies for LANs.

Extension

A numerical way to dial a user on your system from a phone (e.g., Bob Smith is extension 111).

Handset

A device that a user holds to the ear to hear the audio sound through a phone. Handsets usually include the phone's transmitter (microphone), which is positioned close to the mouth. A handset is also sometimes used to refer to the entire phone.

IP phone

A telephone handset designed for a VoIP phone system. Instead of being connected to traditional phone lines, IP phones have ports to connect to a LAN.

LAN

Local-area network. A group of computers and other devices that share a common communications line. These devices often share a server and are located within a small geographic area.

Log

A file that records events that occur in the SkySwitch WEB Centrex system.

MAC address

Media Access Control address. A unique identifier that is assigned to network interfaces for communications on the physical network.

Mean Opinion Score

A test that used in telephony networks to estimate the human user's view of the quality of the network.

Music on Hold

Music or announcements that callers listen to while on hold.

Network Address Translation

Converts your private LAN IP address to a public IP address, allowing traffic to go out to the Internet and route back to the correct device on your LAN.

Off-net

Off-network calls. Calls that are placed to a network other than your network.

PBX

Private Branch Exchange. Also known as a phone system. A PBX provides an expanded range of voice services such as phone extensions; call forwarding, paging, voicemail for each user.

Server

A computer that is dedicated to a particular purpose. Typically, a server provides information to client computers upon request. For example, a voicemail server manages all voicemail-related functions, and client computers access that server to retrieve or send voicemail.

Simultaneous ring

Allows multiple phones to ring at the same time. For example, you can configure the system so that when someone calls an office number, a desk phone and a mobile phone can ring simultaneously.

SIP

Session Initiation Protocol. The standard protocol for Voice Over IP communications. For example, when making a call from one extension to another on a VoIP phone system, SIP sets up the call and creates the connection between the two extensions.

Softphone

IP telephony software that allows users to send and receive calls from non-dedicated hardware, such as a PC or Smartphone. It is typically used with a headset and microphone.

Time frame

In the SkySwitch WEB Centrex system, a Time frame is configuration that is applied to a specific period of time, such as a holiday. A time frame does not go into effect until you apply it to an answering rule or auto-attendant greeting. When the time frames are applied, the first matching time frame becomes active.

Trunk

A communications channel between two points.

Uniform Resource Locator

The address of a specific site on the Internet. A URL cannot have spaces or certain other characters and uses forward slashes to denote different directories. For example, http://web.mit.edu/.

Voicemail

A feature that allows callers to deliver voice information using an ordinary telephone and allows the system to process those transactions.

Wi-Fi

A popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections.