Glossary

General Terms related to AAISP

21CN: 21st Century Network.
ALG: Application Layer Gateway - typically software in a router to try to help with VoIP calls, often needing to be disabled
Bonding: Bonding more than one broadband line.
BT: British Telecom
BTOR: British Telecom Openreach
BTW: BT Wholesale
CDR: Call Detail Records - Call logs
CIDR: Classless inter-domain routing. The /24 (IPv4) and /32 (IPv6)
Circuit ID: The ID for the line when talking to carriers. i.e. BBEU or FTTC
CLI: Caller Line Identification (re telephony)
CLI: Command Line Interface
Copper Pair: ADSL and VDSL lines ‘piggy back’ off of the copper pair. This is the ‘phone line’ - two copper wires twisted together.
CQM: Constant Quality Monitoring - the name given to the monitoring graphs used on the control pages and FireBricks. Customers and staff can view these graphs in near real time and historical graphs. It’s updated every 100 seconds. Sends an LCP echo every second (a bit like a PING).
DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Makes sure your computer has the IP address and other network config when you’re online.
DNS: Domain Name System/Server. Translates domain name to an IP address to have an internet location.
Domain: Text/written address of an IP address. DNS translates this to an IP address to be understood by a computer.
Download/Upload: Receiving data over the internet/Sending data to another system over the internet.
DS: Delegation signer (The record used to identify the DNSSEC signing key of a delegated zone)
EMI: Electro-magnetic interference. Disturbance from electronic sources. Can also be from sun, northern lights and thunderstorms.
Ethernet: Cable to connect device directly to the router – gives much quicker and more accurate speeds.
Firebrick: The FireBrick is a router, bonding box and traffic shaper. It can act as a SIP PBX, VPN tunnel endpoint and concentrator. Most commonly it is used as a general purpose network appliance in office environments, but many small ISPs/ITSPs also use them in core network situations.
Gigaset: Model of VOIP handset sold by AAISP.
Hostname: Used in association with domain name. E.g. support.aa.net.uk.
IDN: Internationalised Domain Name
IP: Internet Protocol
IPv4: IPv4 is the most widely used version of the Internet Protocol. It defines IP addresses in a 32-bit format, which looks like 123.123.123.123. IPv4 allows 4,294,967,296 addresses to be used (2^32).
IPv6: IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, which increases the number of possible addresses by an exponential amount. They are typically written in this format: hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh

Each "hhhh" section consists of a four-digit hexadecimal number, which means each digit can be from 0 to 9 and from A to F. IPv6 allows for over 340,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 IP addresses.

ISP: Internet service provider.
LAN: Local Area Network.
Latency: The delay in transmitting data/processing data, sending a packet and seeing how long it takes to return. e.g. a PING from terminal.
LCP: Link Control Protocol
Legacy IP: IPv4.
LNS: A bridge between carrier and ISP. E.g. BT and AAISP.
Logs/Notes: Where we log information and history in regards to the circuit or service.
Loop Fault: The two wires that makeup the line are in contact with each other and are causing a loop.
MRU: Maximum Receive Unit
MSO: Major Service Outage - some sort of fault that will be affecting lots of customers - should be on https://aastatus.net.uk
MTU: Maximum Transmission Unit. The size of packets that can be received. If a computer has a lower MTU than it’s data recipient, it will resend again using smaller packets.
Nameserver: Servers that hold information on a regustered domain. E.g. primary-dns.co.uk (main)/secondary-dns.co.uk (backup).
Open DNS: A company that has DNS for anyone. E.g. Can set up parental advisory blocks for children’s usage.
OR: Openreach
OSI: Opens systems interconnection model. Explains functions of computing systems communications.
Packet loss: Bits of information split into ‘packets’ to send from one IP address to another, in order to find the fastest route. Packets aren’t formed properly when a link is full, causing packet loss.
PEIN: Prolonged electrical impulse noise. Random bursts. SNR spikes, BIT errors.
Port: All data transmitted over the internet is sent and received using a specific set of commands, also known as a protocol. Each protocol is assigned a specific port number. For example, all website data transferred over HTTP uses port 80. Data sent over HTTPS uses port 443.
PPP: Point to point protocol. Enables communication and data transfer between two points (nodes). PPPoE – way to connect to internet using DSL modem. Uses TCP, UDP or IP to transfer data over internet.
PSTN: Public switched telephone network. Circuit telephone network. Uses underground copper wires. AAISP do not use copper lines as traditional ‘phone line’. FTTP does not use PSTN as it is solely fibre optic cables.
Quota: ‘Data allowance’.
REIN: Repetitive electrical impulse noise. Can cause broadband line to perform below it’s expected performance. Can cause frequent loss of ADSL signal from the exchange.
RFI: Radio frequency interference. Can be picked up by nearby wireless devices.
RIPE: The Réseaux IP Européens Network - the organisation in Europe who manage IP addresses.
Server: Computer that provides data to other computers. Serves data to LAN and WAN. Different servers run software specific to the purpose of the server.
SFI: Special faults investigation. Engineer visit. If no fault found then £160 fee will be charged. Must make sure all appropriate tests have been ran first.
SHINE: Single high level impulse noise event. A single brief burst of noise. Will show as a single sharp spike on CQM graphs. Can cause the line to drop enough to cause a re-sync.
SIM: Subscriber identity module
SIP: Session initiation protocol.

SIP – Sets up phone call. RTP – Real-time transport. These two protocols run VOIP.

SIP2SIM: VOIP over a SIM card.
SNOM: Model of VOIP phone sold by AAISP.
Sync Rate: DSL connection rate. The PHYSICAL speed of the connection between your router and local telephone exchange.
TCP/UDP: Transmission control protocol. Determines how to break down packets, sends them and resends when there is errors.
Terminal: Command lines or consoles. Carry out tasks without a graphical user interface.
Throughput: Amount of data going through a single connection per second (speed). Expressed in KB/s, MB/s, GB/s.
TR-069: Protocol for managing network equipment. TR-069 is what configures AAISP’s routers, phones etc.
Traffic: Activity on the network/line.
TTW: TalkTalk Wholesale
Tx Rate: Tx – Download rate.

Rx – Upload rate.

VLAN: Virtual local area network.
VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol
WAN: Wide area network. External.

DSL Related

ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
BRAS: Broadband Remote Access Server (Takes PPP from EU and passes it to ISP by L2TP)
CPE: Customer Premise Equipment (router or modem)
DSL: Digital Subscriber Line. E.g. ADSL, FTTC/VDSL, Gfast.
DSLAM: Digital Subscriber Line Access Modulator
DLM: Dynamic Line Management
FTTC: Fibre to the Cabinet. Fibre optic cables to the cabinet, and then copper to the premises.
FTTP: Fibre to the Premises. Broadband running over fibre optic cables. The data is sent through light lasers. No copper pair is required. Fastest speed.
G-Fast: Addition on the cabinet that gives faster speed. Higher frequencies.
L2TP: A standard system called Layer Two Tunnelling Protocol (L2TP) which allows you (using suitable software or equipment) to connect to us via another Internet access service.
LTS: L2TP tunnel switch - the router on the wholesaler's network (eg TalkTalk) that forwards the LT2TP to the ISP. Also see; L2TP on Juniper's website
TAM: Test Access Module
VDSL: Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line
VP: Virtual Path - a link between an Exchange and the BRAS

BT Fault Terms

AI: Action Item
BBCR: BroadBand Customer Reporting (BT)
BBEU: WBC EUA Service ID (Circuit ID)
CA: Customer Apparatus
CDTA: Conscious Decision To Appoint - force booking an Openreach engineer
CP: Communications Provider
CRD: Customer Required by Date
DP: Distribution Point
ELF: Early Life Failure - A fault soon after an install
EU: End User
FaultReportAdvised C: The result after running a PSTN line test. Usually Y or N, bur C means test Inconclusive/ Not Completed - Fault Report may be raised if CP believes there is a problem on BT network charges may be incurred if the fault is subsequently shown to be off BT network
FTR: Fault Threshold Rate - The speed at which the line is considered at fault
KBD: Knowledge Based Diagnostics
KCI: Keep Customer Informed. SMS or Email informing customers of any line discrepancies.
MBORC: Matters Beyond Our Reasonable Control. Used by BT to indicate that they're suspending normal fix guarantees as some external event has made it impossible to achieve them (e.g. a fire, storms, terror attack).
MFL: Main Fault Location
MPF: Metallic Path Facility
NTE: Network Termination Equipment
NTE5: Network Termination Equipment, 5th version
PONR: Point of No Return - e.g. when an engineer is booked and cannot now be cancelled.
PCP: Primary Cross-connect Point
PEW: Planned Engineering Works
POH: Point of Handover
RA: Rate Adaptive
REIN: Repetitive Electrical Impulse Noise - some sort of interference causing problems with a broadband line - tricky to pinpoint, patience needed in diagnosing these faults.
RWT: Right When Tested
SIN: Supplier Information Note [BT]
SMPF: Shared Metallic Path Facility
SP: Service Provider (e.g. AAISP)
SSFP: Service Specific Front Plate
TPM: Tie Pair Modify - The cable from the MDF (main distribution frame) to the DSLAM port is replaced
TSO: Technology Service and Operations - a department within BT
WAC: Work Allocation Controls (team)
WLR: Wholesale Line Rental

BT Fault Locations

CA: Fault located at Customer Apparatus
CE: Fault located at Customer Equipment. Provides further breakdown of a CA fault
DT: Diagnostic Test required to establish fault
EX: Fault located in Exchange
FU: Fault Located at Frames Unit. Provides further breakdown of an EX fault.
LN: Fault Located in Local Network

Openreach PSTN Fault Types

Terms used to describe a fault type on a PSTN phone line. When reporting a PSTN fault to Openreach one of these terms is used to describe the fault.

BNR: Bell not ringing
BR: Bell ringing continuous
CCS: Call minder problems
CDT: Continuous Dial Tone
CO: Cuts off
DRO: Damage to aerial cables
DRU: Damage outside end user premises
DRW: Damage at the end users site
DRA: Damage Report Apparatus
ESF: Exchange Service Facility
FNT: Faint Transmission
MOD: No other equipment, retried
NDT: No dial tone
NR: Dial tone no answer
NSY: Noisy
NT: No Tone
NU: Number not Obtainable
OHR: Overhearing
OWT: One Way Transmission
PET: Permanently engaged tone
RTP: Ring Trip
UTR: Unable to trip ringing
WNO: Wrong Numbers Obtained
XL: Crossed lines

Email Related

IMAP: Internet Message Access Protocol
POP3: Post Office Protocol, Version 3
SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

Other

IRC: Internet Relay Chat - an online chat room, AAISP have one, see the contact page. You can talk to staff and customers
TCH: Telecity Hex - a datacentre in London run by Equinix AKA HEX, LD8, LOH - A&A have racks there
THN: Telehouse North - a datacentre in London - A&A have racks there