Glossary

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10DLC 10DLC is the registration US carriers ask for before a business texting number can send texts.

Auto attendant An auto attendant is the recorded greeting that lets callers press a number to reach the right person.

Business broadband Business broadband is shared internet, often cable or fiber, sold to a business address.

Call queue A call queue holds callers in line until the next free person can pick up.
CCaaS CCaaS is contact-center software in the cloud, for teams that answer a lot of customer calls.
Cloud PBX A cloud PBX is a hosted phone system you reach over the internet from a desk phone or an app.
CPaaS CPaaS is a set of building blocks developers use to add calling or texting to an app.

Dedicated internet access (DIA) Dedicated internet access is a connection that is not shared with the other businesses on your block.
DID number A DID number is a direct phone number that rings a person or a queue, not only the main line.

E911 E911 is the rule that sends your address to emergency dispatch when you call 911 from a business phone.

Fixed wireless internet Fixed wireless internet sends the connection through the air from a tower to a receiver at your building.

Hosted PBX A hosted PBX is a phone system the provider runs for you, so you do not keep the hardware.
Hunt group A hunt group rings a list of phones in order until someone answers.

Internet failover Failover is the backup path that takes over when your main internet line goes down.
IVR IVR is the menu callers hear, and it can collect more choices than a simple auto attendant.

Latency and jitter Latency is delay on a call. Jitter is when that delay keeps changing, which makes voices choppy.
Letter of authorization (LOA) A letter of authorization is the signed note that lets a new provider move your number.

Number porting Number porting is moving your existing business number to a new provider.

PBX A PBX is the system that routes calls inside a business, whether it sits on site or in the cloud.
POTS line A POTS line is a plain old copper phone line, the kind that predates internet calling.
PRI line A PRI line is an older bundle of phone channels that usually arrives on a dedicated circuit.

Service level agreement (SLA) An SLA is the uptime promise in a contract, plus what the provider owes you if they miss it.
Session border controller (SBC) An SBC is the gate that sits between your phone system and the public phone network.
SIP trunk A SIP trunk is the internet path that connects your phone system to the public phone network.
Softphone A softphone is an app that makes business calls from a computer or a cell phone.
Static IP address A static IP address is an internet address that stays the same, which some tools and VPNs need.
STIR/SHAKEN STIR/SHAKEN is the caller-ID check carriers use to cut down on spoofed spam calls.
Symmetrical internet speed Symmetrical speed means your upload is about the same as your download.

UCaaS UCaaS is a phone system that lives on the internet instead of a box in your closet.

VoIP VoIP means voice calls that travel over the internet instead of a traditional phone line.