Ict Handbook v3 0

BICSI's ICT
Terminology
Handbook
Version 3.0
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Version 3.0 published 2020
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ISBN (Electronic) 978-1-928886-88-4
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The contents of this publication are subject to revision without notice due to continued progress in
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This publication is not a single source document but a compendium of many sources of ICT
industry-related terminology.
The information contained in this publication includes, but is not limited to, national and
international codes, de jure and de facto standards, and industry-accepted best practice
terminology.
BICSI® recommended best practices are industry established best practices and not
specifically developed by BICSI. When necessary, BICSI will select and recommend widely
used and acceptable methods for the performance of a particular task or process based on
numerous factors, including, but not limited to, widespread field acceptance, manufacturer's
recommended methods, and safety.
WARNING
It is the responsibility of the user of this publication to determine the use of the applicable
safety and health practices (e.g., in the United States, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration [OSHA], National Electrical Code® [NEC®], National Electrical Safety
Code® [NESC®]) associated with ICT installation and design practices. BICSI shall not be
liable to the purchaser or any other entity with respect to any liability, loss, or damage caused
directly or indirectly by application or use of this publication. No project is so important nor
any completion deadline so critical to justify nonconformance to ICT industry standards.
This publication does not address safety issues associated with its use. It is the ICT industry
professional’s responsibility to use established and appropriate safety and health practices and
to determine the applicability of all regulatory issues.
Acknowledgments
BICSI’s Technical Information and Methods (TI&M) Committee serves to coordinate the
information within all of BICSI’s technical publications. BICSI officers, membership, and
Technical Publications & Design staff wish to thank the following dedicated TI&M Subject
Matter Experts (SMEs) who provided the key expertise required for the development of the
ICT Terminology Handbook technical content:
TI&M SMETL: Justin Pine, RCDD; Specified Technologies, Inc.
TI&M Chair: Michael A. Collins, RCDD, RTPM; AT&T
TI&M Vice-Chair: Robert B. Hertling Jr., RCDD, OSP; Parsons

Transportation Group
TI&M Secretary: Philip W. Janeway, RCDD; JDH Contracting
Contributors: Beatriz M. “Betty” Bezos, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD,

ESS, DCDC, CT; Bezos Technologies
Joseph A. Concepcion, RCDD, OSP; Physical
Layer Telecommunications Consulting, LLC
Ray Emplit; Harger Lightning and Grounding
Larry L. Hamlin, RCDD, OSP, CFHP;
Black & Veatch
Philip W. Janeway, RCDD; JDH Contracting
Reece “Jay” Miller, RCDD; ICT Consultant
Mike Patterson, RCDD, PE; Physical Layer
Telecommunications Consulting, LLC
© 2020 BICSI® i ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

The following BICSI Professional Development staff members produced the ICT Terminology Handbook
Version 3.0 at BICSI World Headquarters, Tampa, FL:
Vice President of
Professional Development: Gail Moore-Swaby
Project Manager/
Director of Publications: Clarke W. Hammersley
Lead Technical Editor: Allen Dean
Co-Technical Editor: Jeff Giarrizzo
Senior Publications Designer: John Ditzel
ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 ii © 2020 BICSI®

About BICSI ... Advancing Information and Communications
Technology
BICSI provides information, education, and knowledge assessment for individuals and
companies in the ICT industry. We serve more than 23,000 ICT professionals, including
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These individuals provide the fundamental infrastructure and project management for
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Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, USA, BICSI membership spans nearly 100 countries.
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BICSI is the worldwide preeminent source of information, education, and knowledge
assessment for the constantly evolving ICT industry.
BICSI Mission Statement

BICSI’s mission is to:
• Lead the ICT industry with excellence in publications, education, and
knowledge assessment.
• Advance our members’ ability to deliver the highest quality products and services.
• Provide our members with opportunities for continual improvement and enhanced
professional stature.
© 2020 BICSI® iii ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

BICSI 2020 Board of Directors
President: Todd W. Taylor, RCDD, NTS, OSP
President-Elect: Carol Everett Oliver, RCDD, ESS, DCDC
Secretary: Rick Ciordia, RCDD, DCDC, RTPM, CT, PE
Treasurer: David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, TECH, CT
Global Region Director: Betty Bezos, RCDD, DCDC, ESS, NTS, OSP
Canadian Region Director: Fernando Neto, RCDD
EMEA Region Director: Barry Shambrook, RCDD
U.S. North-Central Region Director: Randal Reusser, TECH, CT
U.S. Northeast Region Director: William Foy, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD, ESS
U.S. South Central Region Director: Mark Reynolds, RCDD
U. S. Southeast Region Director: Lee Renfroe, RCDD, ESS, TECH
U.S. Western Region Director: Pat McMurray, RCDD, NTS, OSP, DCDC, PMP
BICSI Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer: John H. Daniels
ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 iv © 2020 BICSI®

International Credentials
BICSI’s professional registration programs are internationally recognized.

• RCDD® Credential
– Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) credential holders
demonstrate expertise in the design, implementation, integration of telecommunications
and data communications systems, and infrastructure components.
• DCDC Credential
– Data Center Design Consultant (DCDC) credential holders demonstrate knowledge and
ability over multiple facets within data center design, including the planning,
implementing, and making of critical decisions regarding data centers.
• OSP Credential
– Outside Plant (OSP) design credential holders demonstrate proficiency in the ability
to understand and apply a vast collection of OSP technology, including right-of-way,
route design, media selection, cabling hardware, bonding and grounding (earthing), and
electrical protection systems.
• RTPM Credential
– Registered Telecommunications Project Manager (RTPM) credential holders
demonstrate proficiency in a vast collection of telecommunications project management
principles, concepts, tools, and technology.
• BICSI Installer 1; Installer 2, Copper; Installer 2, Optical Fiber; Technician
– BICSI Installers and Technicians are proficient in the latest ICT industry standards and
codes requirements and in various topics, including the pulling, terminating, testing, and
troubleshooting of copper and optical fiber cable using BICSI global best practices as
a guide.
© 2020 BICSI® v ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

Become a BICSI Member!
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BICSI’s website (www.bicsi.org) is a quick way to find a wide variety of detailed BICSI
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Member Discounts
BICSI members receive substantial discounts on quality education—publications, standards,
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Educational Conferences
Each year, BICSI hosts conferences in North America as well as regularly scheduled
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BICSI also offers a variety of other local educational opportunities in the form of region
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ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 vi © 2020 BICSI®

Member Benefits, continued
Technical Publications
Become a member and you will receive substantial discounts on BICSI’s highly acclaimed
publications—long considered the definitive reference source of the industry. BICSI’s
manuals serve as valuable reference and study tools for BICSI courses and exams. BICSI
publications are based on global best practices that follow and, in many cases, exceed the
requirements of recognized international codes, standards, and regulations.
In addition to the ICT Terminology Handbook, our publications include the
Telecommunications Distribution Methods Manual (TDMM), Outside Plant Design Reference
Manual (OSPDRM), Information Technology Systems Installation Methods Manual
(ITSIMM), Telecommunications Project Management Manual (TPMM), BICSI’s Special ICT
Design Considerations, BICSI’s Special ICT Installation Considerations, and Essentials of
Bonding and Grounding.
Our standards include ANSI/BICSI 001, Information and Communication Technology
Systems Design and Implementation Best Practices for Educational Institutions and
Facilities; ANSI/BICSI 002, Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices;
ANSI/BICSI 003, Building Information Modeling (BIM) Practices for Information
Technology Systems; ANSI/BICSI 004, Information Communication Technology Systems
Design and Implementation Best Practices for Healthcare Institutions and Facilities;
ANSI/BICSI 005, Electronic Safety and Security (ESS) System Design and Implementation
Best Practices; ANSI/BICSI 006, Distributed Antenna System (DAS) Design and
Implementation Best Practices; ANSI/BICSI 007, Information Communication Technology
Design and Implementation Practices for Intelligent Buildings and Premises;
ANSI/BICSI 008, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Systems Design and Implementation
Best Practices; ANSI/BICSI 009, Data Center Operations and Maintenance Best Practices;
BICSI G1-17, ICT Outside Plant Construction and Installation: General Practices;
ANSI/BICSI N1, Installation Practices for Telecommunications and ICT Cabling and
Related Cabling Infrastructure, ANSI/BICSI N2, Practices For The Installation of
Telecommunications and ICT Cabling Intended to Support Remote Power Applications;
and ANSI/BICSI N3, Planning and Installation Methods for the Bonding and Grounding of
Telecommunication and ICT Systems and Infrastructure.
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For a complete list of member benefits, visit www.bicsi.org.
© 2020 BICSI® vii ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

BICSI Policy for Numeric Representation of Units
of Measurement
BICSI technical manuals primarily follow the modern metric system, known as
the International System of Units (SI). The SI is intended as a basis for worldwide
standardization of measurement units. With the exception of conduit measurements, units of
measurement in this manual are expressed in general and approximate SI terms, followed by
an equivalent imperial (U.S. customary) unit of measurement in parentheses (see exceptions
listed below):
• In general, approximate (soft) conversions are used in this manual and are denoted with
the approximate symbol (≈) in front of the metric number. Approximate conversions are
considered reasonable and practicable; they are not precise equivalents. In some instances,
equivalents (hard conversions) may be used when it is a:
–– Manufacturer requirement for a product (e.g., conduit sizes).
–– Standard or code requirement.
–– Safety factor.
• In general, approximate SI units of measurement are converted to an imperial unit of
measurement and placed in parentheses. Exception: When the reference material from
which the value is pulled is provided in imperial units only, the imperial unit is the
benchmark.
• For metric conversion guidelines, refer to IEEE/ASTM SI 10, American National Standard
for Metric Practice.
• Trade size is approximated for both metric and non-metric purposes. Example:
≈ 100 millimeters (mm [4 trade size]).
• In some instances (e.g., optical fiber media specifications), the physical dimensions and
operating wavelengths are designated.
ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 viii © 2020 BICSI®

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© 2020 BICSI® ix ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

Glossary BICSI's ICT Terminology Handbook
Glossary Terms
10Base-FL Ethernet at 10 megabits per second (Mb/s) over one pair of optical fiber
cabling to a maximum distance of ≈2000 meters (m [6500 feet (ft)]).
10Base-T Ethernet at 10 megabits per second (Mb/s) over two pairs of

balanced twisted-pair cabling to a maximum distance of
≈100 meters (m [328 feet (ft)]).
10GBase-ER Ethernet at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) over one pair of singlemode optical
fiber cabling to a maximum distance of ≈40 kilometers (km [25 miles (mi)]).
10GBase-LR Ethernet at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) over one pair of

singlemode optical fiber cabling to a maximum distance of
≈25 kilometers (km [15.5 miles (mi)]).
10GBase-LX4 1. Ethernet at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) over one pair of

multimode optical fiber cabling to a maximum distance of
≈300 meters (m [984 feet (ft)]). 2. Ethernet at 10 Gb/s over one pair of
singlemode optical fiber cabling to a maximum distance of
≈10 kilometers (km [6.2 miles (mi)]).
10GBase-SR Ethernet at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) over one pair of multimode optical
fiber cabling to a maximum distance of ≈300 meters (m [984 feet (ft)]).
10GBase-ZR Ethernet at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) over one pair of singlemode optical
fiber cabling to a maximum distance of ≈80 kilometers (km [50 miles (mi)]).
100Base-FX Ethernet at 100 megabits per second (Mb/s) over one pair of
optical fiber cabling to a full-duplex maximum distance of
≈2000 meters (m [6500 feet (ft)]).
1000Base-LX Ethernet at 1000 megabits per second (Mb/s) over two strands of singlemode
optical fiber cabling using a 1310 nanometer (nm) laser source. Maximum
distance of ≈5 kilometers (km [(3.1 miles (mi)]).
1000Base-SX Ethernet at 1000 megabits per second (Mb/s) over multimode optical fiber
cabling using an 850 nanometer (nm) laser source.
110C Connector See insulation displacement connector (IDC).
2N redundancy A system design that provides two complete units, modules, paths, or
systems for every one required for a base system. 2N is also referred to as
dual-path topology. Failure or maintenance of one entire unit, module,
path, or system will not disrupt operations. For smaller fault-tolerant systems
where a single module can accommodate the critical load, the 2N and N + 1
models are synonymous. See redundancy.
© 2020 BICSI® Gl-1 ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

BICSI's ICT Terminology Handbook Glossary
2(N + 1) redundancy A system design that provides two complete (N + 1) units, modules, paths, or
systems. The failure or maintenance of one unit, module, path, or system will
leave a system intact with full redundancy and will not disrupt operations.
See redundancy.
66 connector A type of insulation displacement connector (IDC).
=A
abandoned cable The installed cables and cabling (e.g., connectorized cables) that are not
terminated at both ends at a connector or other equipment and not identified
with a tag for future use.
A-bis The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) interface if the base
station controller (BSC) is not collocated with the base transceiver station
(BTS).
ablative The development of a hard char that resists the erosion of fire and flames; a
characteristic of a firestop when exposed to fire. (TIA)
above finished floor The standard mounting height or vertical distance for a fixture, ceiling,
(AFF) device, or any other object measured from the finished floor surface to the
center line of the object as the measurement point.
above mean sea level The height of the topmost point of the antenna. (FCC)
(AMSL)
absolute filter A filter capable of collecting solid particles greater than a stated micron size.
absorption A phenomenon causing attenuation of wave signals (e.g., electrical,

electromagnetic, optical, acoustic) passing through a medium. It occurs when
gaseous molecules or suspended water particles in the atmosphere absorb the
signal energy and convert it into heat due to molecular resonance.
A-C-rated fire-retardant The plywood treated with a fire-retardant that has a smooth-finished A grade
plywood side that is exposed for the purpose of mounting equipment and a rough-
finished C grade side.
accelerator A chemical agent used to hasten a chemical reaction for setting permanent
bonds on epoxy glues.
acceptance angle The half-angle of an imaginary cone extending from the end of an optical
fiber cable, within which incident light is totally and internally reflected
within the optical fiber core. Light within this cone is coupled into reflected
modes of the optical fiber cable. Light striking the surface of the fiber at an
angle greater that the acceptance angle will not enter the optical fiber cable.
Also known as maximum coupling angle.
ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 Gl-2 © 2020 BICSI®

acceptance plan A facilitating agreement between parties (e.g., contractor and client or client
representative) that defines satisfactory completion of a project task or
complete project. It may include items on which the client’s acceptance is
dependent (e.g., delivery of as-built drawings, test certification).
acceptance test A test or set of tests performed to demonstrate satisfactory completion of a

predetermined task or group of tasks on which acceptance is dependent.
access The process of connecting to a network.
access block A single access switch or group of switches sharing one trunk, uplink, or set
of redundant uplinks to the distribution layer. Generally confined to one
telecommunications room (TR). In a large TR, it is possible to have more
than one access block.
access control The process in which access to the resources of an area or system is limited
to authorized personnel, users, programs, processes, or other systems and
denied to all others.
access control card An identification card with encoded information that, when presented
to a card reader, identifies the cardholder to the access control system (ACS),
allowing that system to determine the cardholder’s entrance and exit rights.
access control list (ACL) The database that keeps track of and controls access to network services
through assigned privileges for users and groups.
access control An identification device assigned to an individual to give that individual

mechanism access rights to an access control system (ACS). See also controlled access.
access control system An interconnected set of controllers managing the entrance and exit of
(ACS) people through secure areas.
access controller See data gathering panel.
access floor A system consisting of completely removable and interchangeable floor

panels that are supported on adjustable pedestals or stringers (or both) to
allow entry to the area beneath. Also called a raised floor. See also pedestal
and stringer.
access group A superset of information, including time zones and secured doors, that
is applied toward cardholders. This information defines the time of day and
doors through which cardholders are granted access.
access layer The point at which local end users are allowed into the network. In the LAN
environment, this connection point is typically a switched Ethernet port that
is assigned to a virtual LAN (VLAN).

access level matrix An access control system (ACS) reference that is specific to each system for
which it is being utilized. The purpose of the document is to provide a
hierarchy of rights and privileges for different user groups and their
associated authorized zones.
access parameter The programmed information that defines the conditions that must be met to
grant access to a secure area.
access point (AP) 1. The point of entry into a secure area. 2. A stand-alone hardware device or
a computer wireless adapter with software that acts as a wireless
communication hub for users of wireless devices to connect with each other
and to bridge those devices to the cabled portion of the network.
access protocol The set of procedures that enables a user to obtain services from a network
(e.g., carrier sense multiple access with collision detection [CSMA/CD]) and
token passing for LANs.
access provider (AP) 1. A company (e.g., telephone company) that provides a circuit path between
a service provider (SP) and the client user. An AP also can be the SP.
2. The operator of any facility that is used to convey telecommunications
signals to and from a client premises. (TIA) See service provider (SP).
accreditation The formal process by which an agency or organization evaluates and

recognizes an institution or program of study as meeting certain
predetermined criteria or standards.
acknowledgment (ACK) A frame used in IEEE 802.11 to confirm that an error-free, data-free frame
has been received.
acrylate A coating applied during the optical fiber cable manufacturing process to
provide physical and environmental protection for the optical fiber cable.
active card A type of access card that is dependent upon a card reader to provide the
power necessary to allow the card to transmit its data.
active circuit Any circuit connected to an energized system.
active equipment The energized equipment used for receiving or transmitting analog or digital
signals (e.g., switches, hubs, routers, private branch exchanges). Also called
a powered device. See also passive equipment.
active multiplex system A multiplexing system in which signaling devices (e.g., transponders) are
employed to transmit status signals of each initiating device or initiating
device circuit within a prescribed time interval. The lack of receipt of such a
signal can be interpreted as a trouble signal.
ad hoc network A peer-to-peer network characterized by communication between nodes

without the need for an infrastructure. Also called independent basic service
set (IBSS).

adapter A device that enables different sizes or types of plugs to mate with one
another or to fit into a telecommunications outlet/connector; the
rearrangement of leads; large optical fiber cables with numerous wires to
fan out into smaller groups of wires; interconnection between optical fiber
cables; and limited voltage or polarity or direct current (dc)
rectification conversion.
adapter; optical fiber A mechanical device designed to align and join two duplex optical fiber
duplex connectors (plugs) to form an optical fiber duplex connection. (TIA)
addendum A document used to provide additional requirements and recommendations

to a published document (e.g., standards, contracts). When published, an
addendum effectively becomes part of the document that it supports.
address 1. A unique identification code assigned to a network device that is used to

associate a message with its source and destination. 2. A unique location in a
computer’s memory or other electronic storage medium.
address resolution A process used to associate network addresses with media access control
(MAC) addresses.
addressable device A system component with discrete identification that can have its status
individually identified or that is used to individually control other functions.
adjacent channel See adjacent channel rejection.

discrimination
adjacent channel The radio frequency interference (RFI) caused by residual energy outside the
interference nominal bandwidth of an adjacent channel signal spilling into the wanted
channel signal on two systems operating in close proximity on side by side
channels.
adjacent channel The ability of a receiver to reject interference caused by a transmitter

rejection operating on an adjacent channel.
administration The methodology defining the documentation requirements of a cabling

system and its containment, the labeling of functional elements, and the
process by which moves, additions, and changes (MACs) are recorded. (ISO)
advanced encryption A National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) secret key
standard (AES) encryption using 128 to 256 bit keys.
adverse condition Any condition occurring in a telecommunications channel that interferes with
the proper transmission or interpretation of status change signals at the
supervising station.
aerial cable Telecommunications cable installed on aerial supporting structures

(e.g., poles, sides of buildings, other structures). (TIA)

aerial entrance An entrance facility where the telecommunications cables providing service
to a building are placed overhead and the entry point is located above the
ground level.
aerial plant The components of aerial infrastructure, including poles, strand, guys,
anchors, cable, and pole line hardware, used to provide telecommunications
services between facilities.
aerial-buried plant A general term for all outside plant (OSP) cable runs made up of both aerial
and direct-buried cables.
agile reader A reader that can read tags operating at different frequencies or using
different methods of communication between the tags and readers.
air bottle A portable compressed air or gas source.
air feeder pipe An underground pipe that parallels cable runs and is used to supply air for
pressurized telecommunications cables.
air handling unit (AHU) A device that monitors and controls the air by volume, temperature, and
humidity before being released into a specified building area. Typically,
an AHU consists of a fan, hot or cold coils, and supply and return ducts and
dampers. The AHU mixes indoor and outdoor air and passes the mixture of
air through the coils.
air-pressure closure A splice closure that uses an applied internal air pressure to prevent water
entry. Internal pressure needs to be greater than external pressure caused by
water pressure or other sources.
air sampling-type An early warning smoke detector that consists of a piping or tubing
detector distribution network that runs from the detector to the areas to be protected.
air terminal A lightning strike termination device that is a point receptor for attachment
of flashes to the lightning protection system. A typical air terminal is formed
from a tube or solid rod. An air terminal also may be known as a
lightning rod.
alarm See alarm indicator.
alarm indicator A device or combination of devices (e.g., bell, lamp, strobe, horn, gong,
buzzer) that responds to a signal from an alarm sensor and indicates a fault or
emergency condition.
alarm service 1. The service required following the receipt of an alarm signal. 2. An
organization that monitors alarm device activity and responds to alarm
signals.

alarm signal Any signal resulting from the activation of an alarm event (e.g., fire alarm).
An alarm signal usually results in automatic activation of visible or audible
notification or signaling appliances. The purpose of an alarm signal is to
indicate that immediate action is needed.
alarm system A combination of compatible initiating devices, control panels, and

indicating appliances designed and installed to produce an alarm signal in a
specifically defined event (e.g., fire, entry, temperature increase).
alarm verification A feature of automatic fire detection and alarm systems to reduce unwanted
feature alarms wherein smoke detectors report alarm conditions for a
minimum period of time, or confirm alarm conditions within a given time
period after being reset, in order to be accepted as a valid alarm
initiation signal.
alert tone An audible attention-getting signal to inform occupants of the pending

transmission of a voice message.
alien crosstalk The unwanted coupling of signals into a balanced twisted-pair in a given
copper cable from one or more balanced twisted-pairs external to the
given cable.
alien far-end crosstalk The unwanted signal coupling from a disturbing pair of a 4-pair channel,
(AFEXT) permanent link, or component to a disturbed pair of another 4-pair channel,
permanent link, or component, measured at the far end.
alien near-end crosstalk The unwanted signal coupling from a disturbing pair of a 4-pair channel,
(ANEXT) permanent link, or component to a disturbed pair of another 4-pair channel,
permanent link, or component, measured at the near end.
all-dielectric self-support A type of aerial optical fiber cable that is nonconductive/non-metallic and
(ADSS) requires no messenger strand for installation.
all-threaded-rod (ATR) The straight section of round rod stock that has threads installed over its
entire length.
alternate entrance A supplementary entrance facility into a building using a different routing to
provide diversity of service and for assurance of service continuity. (TIA)
See also loop diversity.
alternate route A secondary communications path used to reach a destination. See

diverse route.
alternating current (ac) A current flow that alternates periodically (usually sinusoidal) in magnitude
and direction.
alternating current A conductor installed from the equipment grounding busbar inside an
equipment ground electrical panel to a secondary bonding busbar (SBB) or primary
(ACEG) bonding busbar (PBB).

ambient intelligence The presence of a digital environment that is sensitive, adaptive, and
responsive to the presence of people. Ambient intelligence improves
the efficiency and quality of life by creating the desired atmosphere and
functionality via intelligent, personalized interconnected systems
and services.
ambient sound level The level of acoustic noise existing at a given location (e.g., room, area).
Commonly expressed as background noise, ambient sound level is an
objective measurement of audible sound levels in an arbitrary location under
ambient conditions. The measurement is usually expressed in decibels (dB).
The ambient noise level may be measured with a sound level meter and is
defined as the root mean square (rms), A-weighted, sound pressure level
measured over the period of time that any person is present or a 24-hour
period, whichever time period is less.
ambulatory care The examination, diagnosis, treatment, and proper disposition of all
categories of eligible inpatients and outpatients presenting themselves to the
various ambulatory care specialty or subspecialty clinics.
ambulatory care clinic An entity or unit of a medical or dental treatment facility that is organized
and staffed to provide medical treatment in a particular specialty or
subspecialty and holds regular hours in a designated place.
American Institute of An organization that provides resources, continuing education, and

Architects (AIA) networking for architects.
American National A private, nonprofit membership organization focused on meeting the

Standards Institute standards and conformity assessment requirements of its diverse
(ANSI) constituency. It provides a neutral forum for the development of consensus
agreements on issues relevant to voluntary standardization. The United
States (U.S.) representative to the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO), and through the U.S. National Committee, to the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Americans with A United States (U.S.) federal law enacted in 1990 that guarantees equal
Disabilities Act (ADA) civil rights for people with disabilities, ensuring that individuals with
disabilities have access to or may use public entities and government
buildings. These laws affect telecommunications cabling, infrastructure,
design, and installation (e.g., public telephone height, visual and audible
signaling).
Americans with A set of guidelines that defines the specific methods for compliance with the
Disabilities Act Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when undertaking construction
Accessibility Guidelines or alteration of places of public accommodation and commercial facilities in
(ADAAG) the United States. The first guidelines were published in 1991 on the first
anniversary of the enactment of the ADA.
American wire gauge A system used to specify wire size. The greater the wire diameter, the
(AWG) smaller the AWG value.

ampacity The current, in amperes (A), that a conductor can carry continuously under
the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. (NEC®)
ampere (A) A unit of measure of the rate of electron flow or current in an electrical
conductor. In Ohm’s Law, one A is equal to the current produced by one
volt (V) flowing through a resistance of one ohm.
amplifier A device that increases the voltage, current, or power of a signal.
amplitude The maximum absolute value reached by a voltage or current waveform.
Amplitude Modulation The modulation in which the amplitude of a carrier wave is varied in
(AM) accordance with some characteristic of the modulating signal.
analog See analog signal.
analog initiating device An initiating device that transmits a signal indicating varying degrees of
(sensor) condition as contrasted with a conventional initiating device that can indicate
only an on-off condition.
analog input (AI) A device (e.g., temperature sensor) that receives a continuously variable
signal from a source such as a building automation system (BAS) controller.
analog output (AO) A device (e.g., damper actuator) that sends a continuously variable signal to
another device such as a building automation system (BAS) controller.
analog signal A signal in the form of a wave that uses continuous variations of a
physical characteristic over time (e.g., voltage amplitude, frequency) to
transmit information.
anchor A device attached to a piece of equipment or a structure used to fasten other

materials or equipment and securely hold them in place (e.g., in an outside
plant [OSP] environment, a device made up of a single plate or series of flat
plates and combined with a rod having a connecting eye).
anchor rod In an outside plant (OSP) environment, the portion of an anchor assembly
that extends above the anchor plate below ground level to a point above
ground level.
angled physical contact An optical fiber connector that is polished at an angle of 8 to 10 degrees
(APC) to reduce the back-reflection of the signal. Some high-performance
singlemode systems (e.g., high-bandwidth analog video systems, passive
optical networks) require a low level of back-reflection (-55 decibels [dB] or
better) to perform correctly.
annular space The ring of space between a penetrating element such as a cable, conduit, or
other building service and the fire-rated barrier.

annunciator A unit containing one or more indicator lamps, alphanumeric displays, or

other equivalent means in which each indication provides status information
about a circuit, condition, or location.
antenna A conductive structure specifically designed to couple or radiate

electromagnetic energy. In radio frequency (RF) systems, the antenna may be
used to both transmit and receive electromagnetic energy.
antenna array An antenna made up of a number of elements, including an active or driven

(including panel) element, a reflector, and a director. Array antennas may be narrowband or
broadband and are used in all frequency bands.
antenna gain 1. A term used to describe the capability of an antenna to direct signal energy
in a particular direction, thereby increasing the effective range of the antenna
in the given direction at the expense of range in other directions. 2. The
ratio of the power required at the input of a loss-free reference antenna
(usually an isotropic radiator or dipole) to the power supplied to the input of
the given antenna to produce, in a given direction, the same field strength at
the same distance. Antenna gain is usually expressed in decibels relative to
an isotropic radiator (decibel isotropic [dBi]) or half wavelength dipole
reference (dBd).
antipassback A method for providing one card one-way access into and out of a secure
area. It prevents someone from using a card to enter a secure area and then
passing that card back to another to enter that same area. See also interlock.
aperture size 1. The effective capture area of an antenna. The term is commonly used
in connection with microwave horn antennas and waveguides. 2. The
physical size of the opening in a camera lens expressed as f-stops.
apogee The point in its orbit at which a satellite is furthest from the earth. See also
perigee.
apparatus A finished combination of devices (or equipment) intended to be placed on

the market as a single commercial unit.
apparent power The product of the root mean square (rms) of voltage and current. It is the
magnitude of the vector sum of real and reactive power.
application address An address used principally by an operating system to uniquely identify each
software process running on a device.
application layer The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model layer responsible
for providing mechanisms that enable software applications on different
systems to use the services of a network to exchange information. See
Layer 7.

application A set of routines, functions, and protocols that accomplish a specific task
programming interface or interact with a specific software component. An API may come in the
form (API) of a library that includes specifications for routines, data structures, object
classes, and variables.
application software The software used to perform a specific task (e.g., word processing,
spreadsheet analysis, database management).
application specific The type of communications cabling installed to meet the requirements of a
specific system or application cabling
approved The official consent typically denoted by an authority having jurisdiction

(AHJ).
approved ground A grounding (earthing) source approved for use by the authority having
jurisdiction (AHJ).
aramid yarn A material with exceptional tensile strength and coefficient of thermal
expansion near that of glass used in optical fiber cable to provide support and
additional protection of the buffered fiber strands.
arbitration 1. A method of negotiation used in resolving disputes between parties. 2. The

process of determining the order in which devices will gain access to a
resource. (IEEE)
Architectural and A United States (U.S.) federal agency charged with developing minimum
Barriers Compliance guidelines and requirements standards issued under the Americans with
Board (Access Board) Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA).
Established as part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Access Board is
charged with ongoing development and publication of ADA Accessibility
Guidelines.
architectural assemblies Walls, partitions, or other barriers that are not load bearing. (TIA)
architectural drawing A graphical representation of a building, space, or object prepared with

adequate detail to convey design information in a manner to serve as a guide
for construction.
architectural, mechanical, The drawings or blueprints that include architectural, mechanical, electrical,
electrical, structural and structural designs.
(AMES)
architectural structures Walls, floors, floor/ceilings, and roof/ceilings that are load bearing. (TIA)
archive The long-term collection and storage of data, records, or information.
area distribution See campus distribution facility.

facility (ADF)

armoring A method for protecting communication cables against damage (e.g., crush,
impact, rodents). Can be achieved through the use of corrugated steel, fiber-
reinforced polymer rods, steel wire, glass yarns, or other suitable materials
under or over the outer sheath of the cable.
array connector A single ferrule connector that contains multiple optical fibers arranged in a
row or in rows and columns. An array connector may also be known as a
multifiber connector.
array fiber The optical fiber cable with multiple fiber strands formed together by
encasing the fibers into 12-fiber horizontal array units. Array optical fiber
cables offer high-fiber density and are ideal for mass fusion splicing or quick
terminations. Also called a fiber ribbon cable.
asbestos A fibrous silicate mineral substance used in items such as building materials,
gaskets, fireproof safes, bearings, electrical wiring insulations. Asbestosis has
been found to be carcinogenic (cancer causing).
as-built The documentation of measurements, location, and quantities of material

work performed. May be in the form of marked up documents or other work
order forms.
as-built drawing See record drawing.
ASHRAE An international society organized for advancing the arts and sciences of
heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigerating for the public’s
benefit through research, standards writing, continuing education, and
publications.
asset An employee, contractor, or any physical, technological, or

intellectual possession.
astragal A molding attached to a door or set of double doors in order to

prevent drafts.
asymmetric digital A digital service designed to provide high data transfer rates over traditional
subscriber line (ADSL) telephone cable. Asymmetric refers to different speeds for uplink and
downlink traffic. See digital subscriber line (DSL).
asymmetric full-duplex A transmission process that allows transmitting and receiving information at
different rates on the same path.
asynchronous signaling A form of signaling in which each data character is coded as a string of bits.
The bits are separated by start character and stop character bits. The
signaling is not synchronized to a network clock. See isochronous signaling,
synchronous signaling, and synchronous transmission.

asynchronous transfer A high-speed packet switching protocol that uses fixed-length (53-byte)
mode (ATM) packets organized into cells to carry all types of traffic (e.g., voice, data,
still image, audio/video). Fixed-length cells allow cell processing to occur
in the hardware, thereby reducing transit delays. ATM is designed to take
advantage of high-speed transmission media, such as E3, synchronous
optical network (SONET), and T3.
ATM Forum An international organization of manufacturers, service suppliers, and users

of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networking products.
attachment 1. One or more files connected to and sent with an e-mail message. 2. The
connection of one device to another. 3. The physical connection of a
communication, to a pole or in an underground conduit.
attenuation The decrease in magnitude or the power loss of a signal that propagates
between points, expressed in decibels (dB) as the ratio of received signal to
transmitted signal level. See also insertion loss and loss.
attenuation-to-crosstalk The ratio obtained by subtracting insertion loss (i.e., attenuation) from near-
ratio (ACR) end crosstalk (NEXT), measured in decibels (dB). ACR is normally stated at
a given frequency.
attenuation-to-crosstalk The crosstalk measured at the opposite end from which the disturbing signal
ratio, far-end (ACRF) is transmitted normalized by the attenuation contribution of the optical fiber
cable or cabling.
attenuator A device used for reducing the energy magnitude of a wave without
introducing distortion, normally a combination of fixed or adjustable
resistances.
AuC The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) authentication

center database.
audible notification A notification appliance (e.g., bell, horn, speaker) that alerts by the sense
appliance of hearing.
audible signal A sound made by one or more audible notification appliances (e.g., bells,
horns, speakers) in response to the operation of any manual or automatic
electronic device.
audio frequency (AF) The band of frequencies (approximately 20 hertz [Hz] to 20 kilohertz [kHz])
that, when transmitted as acoustic waves, can be heard by the normal
human ear.
audit trail A sequential record that accounts for all the activities of a system, device, or
process. This record allows for the analysis of events over a given time
period.

aught A colloquial term for the arithmetical symbol 0. It is used in the numbering
scheme for conductors larger than 1/0 American wire gauge (AWG)
[8.3 millimeters (mm [0.32 inch (in)])], (e.g., two aught, 2/0 [9.3 mm
(0.36 in)]). The term aught does not apply to conductors sized in thousand
circular mils (MCM [e.g., 250 MCM, 300 MCM]).
authentication A security mechanism that confirms the identity of a user or a process being
implemented.
authority having The building official, electrical inspector, fire marshal, or other individuals or
jurisdiction (AHJ) entities responsible for interpretation and enforcement of local building and
electrical codes.
authorization The process of establishing and enforcing the network activities that are
permitted for a given user or device.
authorization level A security rating that must be met before access to a secure area can be
granted. Different secure areas may have different ratings, requiring a range
of authorization levels.
authorized passage A device that when activated, allows authorized persons to enter or exit
device (authorized monitored and controlled openings without triggering an alarm (e.g., keyed
egress device) switch, card reader, digital code reader).
authorized service A third party cleared to work on a product still under warranty by another
provider (ASP) company without voiding the warranty.
automatic extinguishing A device that responds to abnormal conditions that could affect the proper
system supervisory operation of an automatic sprinkler system or other fire extinguishing system
device or suppression system, including control valves, pressure levels, liquid
agent levels and temperatures, pump power and running, engine temperature
and overspeed, and room temperature.
automatic fire detector A device designed to detect the presence of a fire signature and to initiate
action. Examples include automatic fire detectors that are classified as
automatic fire extinguishing or suppression system operation detector, fire-
gas detector, heat detector, radiant energy-sensing fire detector, and
smoke detector.
automatic gain control A circuit arrangement used to automatically sense variations in the received
(AGC) signal levels and adjust the gain of the receiver amplification stages to
provide a constant output.
autonegotiation A feature that determines link options and optimal settings for a given
(AUTONEG) Ethernet connection. When AUTONEG is enabled, a network interface card
or a switch port can determine the capabilities of the device at the far end of
the link and select the best mode of operation.

autorange An automatic ranging by a test instrument or tool, such as an optical time

domain reflectometer (OTDR) or a laser-based tape measure.
autotest A function used by field test instruments to run all the required tests in a
sequential manner without operator intervention.
auxiliary box A fire alarm box that can be operated only from one or more remote
actuating devices.
auxiliary disconnect 1. An extension of a telecommunications circuit demarcation point from

outlet (ADO) a common owner’s space into a tenant’s individual space. 2. A device usually
located within the tenant or living unit used to terminate the ADO cable or
backbone cable. (TIA)
auxiliary disconnect 1. The cable that extends the demarcation point in a common owner’s
outlet (ADO) cable space to a tenant’s individual space. 2. In residential applications, the
cable from the auxiliary telecommunications disconnects outlet/connector
or the distribution device in a client’s premises to the backbone facility or
the point of demarcation. (TIA)
auxiliary fire alarm A system connected to a municipal fire alarm system for transmitting an
system alarm of fire to the public fire service communications center. Fire alarms
from an auxiliary fire alarm system are received at the public fire service
communications center on the same equipment and by the same methods as
alarms transmitted manually from municipal fire alarm boxes located on
streets. (NFPA)
auxiliary fire alarm An auxiliary system that employs a locally complete arrangement of parts,
system, local energy type initiating devices, relays, power supply, and associated components to
automatically trip a municipal transmitter or master box over electrical
circuits that are electrically isolated from the municipal system circuits.
(NFPA)
auxiliary fire alarm An auxiliary system connected by a municipally controlled individual circuit
system, parallel to the protected property to interconnect the initiating devices at the
telephone system protected premises and the municipal fire alarm switchboard. (NFPA)
auxiliary fire alarm An auxiliary system electrically connected to the public emergency alarm
system, shunt-type reporting system extending a public emergency alarm reporting circuit
auxiliary alarm system to interconnect initiating devices within a protected premises, which, when
operated, opens the public emergency alarm reporting circuit shunted around
the trip coil of the master box or auxiliary box. The master box or auxiliary
box is thereupon energized to start transmission without any assistance from
a local source of power. (NFPA)

availability 1. A measure of a network’s operation (up time) or absence of operating

failure (downtime) during a given period of time. 2. The probability that a
system or component is operating at a specified time. 3. The ratio of the total
time a system or component is functional divided by the length of the time
interval for which availability is being determined.
average ambient sound The root mean square (rms), A-weighted, sound pressure level measured
level over a 24-hour period.
average power (PA) The sustainable or usable portion of electrical energy in an alternating
current. For sinusoidal signal, it is the peak power (PP) multiplied by .707
(e.g., 100 watts [W] of PP is approximately equal to 71 W of PA). See also
power and peak power.
average terrain The average elevation of terrain between ≈3.2 kilometers (km) and ≈16 km
(2 and 10 miles [mi]) from the antenna site. (FCC)
A-weighted decibel See decibel, A-weighted (dBA).

(dBA)
=B
back end equipment The equipment component of a distributed antenna system (DAS) that is
located in an area of coverage and receives and transmits signals to
the headend.
backboard A panel (e.g., wood, metal) used for mounting connecting hardware and
equipment.
backbone A facility (e.g., pathway, cable, conductors, optical fibers) between any of the
following spaces: telecommunications rooms (TRs), telecommunications
enclosures (TEs), common TRs, floor-serving terminals, entrance facilities
(EFs), equipment rooms (ERs), and common ERs.
backbone bonding A telecommunications bonding connection which interconnects

conductor (BBC) telecommunications bonding backbones.
backbone loop diversity A type of loop diversity that assigns circuits among different intrabuilding or
interbuilding backbone communication cables.
backbone network An intermediate data network connecting two or more LANs. See
internetwork.
backbone pathway The portion of the pathway system that permits the placing of main and
high-volume communication cables between the entrance location and all
cross-connect points within a building and between buildings.

backfill The earth placed outside foundation walls or in a communications cable

trenches for filling and grading back to a finished state.
backplane See switch matrix.
backpressure A flow control mechanism used to pause data transmission.
backscatter The scattering of light into a direction opposite to the original direction.
backscatter coefficient The ratio of backscattered light to transmitted light. The backscatter is a fixed
percentage of the transmitted light.
backup A copy of the data stored on a device.
backup path A secondary or alternate channel for signal flow. It typically is used when
there has been a failure of the main (primary) path.
backup power See standby power.
backup storage A redundant storage mechanism that provides the means to recover
from primary storage failure and the corresponding loss of data. See
disaster recovery.
BACnet® broadcast One of the building automation and control network (BACnet)/ management
device internet protocol (IP) broadcast management methods outlined in ISO
16484-5. This (BBMD) standard incorporates all amendments to
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135 since 1995. See also building automation and
control network (BACnet).
BACnet® interoperability The software that simplifies interoperability into common functions that are
building block (BIBB) intuitive to specifiers and owners. May define a
name and set of simple building automation and control network (BACnet)
requirements. See also building automation and control network (BACnet).
BACnet® Testing The BACnet Manufacturer’s Association offers a product testing and listing
Laboratories (BTL) program for building automation products that have building automation and
control network (BACnet) capability. Laboratories that conduct such testing
and listing services are known as the BACnet Testing Laboratories. See also
building automation and control network (BACnet).
BACnet® virtual link A building automation and control network (BACnet)/internet protocol (IP)
layer (BVLL) communication is implemented by defining a new protocol layer called the
BACnet virtual link layer. The BVLL provides the interface between the
BACnet Network layer and the underlying capabilities of a particular
communications subsystem. See building automation and control network
(BACnet).
badge reader See card reader.

badging software The security software that is capable of creating a photo identification badge.
balanced cable See balanced twisted-pair cable.
balanced copper cable See balanced twisted-pair cable.
balanced transmission A transmission method consisting of two conductors, each having an

impedance along its length equal with each other and with ground. This
ensures that the signal in one conductor is equal and opposite to the other
conductor, which reduces interfering noise to and from other nearby
conductors. An example is twisted pair cabling. See also balun and
unbalanced transmission.
balanced twisted-pair A multi-conductor communications cable composed of two or more copper

cable conductors twisted in a manner designed to cancel electrical interference.
See also unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable.
balloon float A helium-filled balloon device used to assist in the verification of line of
sight (LoS) in the design of point-to-point (PTP) radio communications
systems.
balun A device used to convert unbalanced to balanced transmission of one

impedance value to another or one media type to another (e.g., impedance
matching of twisted-pair to coaxial cabling). See also balanced transmission
and unbalanced transmission.
bandwidth A range of frequencies available for signaling expressed in hertz (Hz). It is

used to denote the potential information handling capacity of the medium,
device, or system.
bar code card An access control card with identification information encoded in the bar
code format.
barrel connector A female-to-female adapter used to join two connectorized segments of

optical fiber communications cable together.
barrier A partition, divider, or other separation that provides complete separation

from adjacent compartments.
base station The fixed station part of a mobile radio frequency (RF) network. It could be
operated using a remote control or local control. In the cellular industry, this
also may be called a base transceiver station (BTS).
baseband The bandwidth containing the original basic information of a signal before it
is subject to multiplexing or modulation processes.
baseband signaling A method of signal transmission where the entire bandwidth of the medium
is used to send a single signal.

baseboard pathway A communications cable distribution pathway method in which channels

containing cables run along or within the baseboards located at the bottom of
a wall in a building space or in modular furniture.
basic service set (BSS) A single wireless LAN (WLAN) access point (AP) and its associated clients,
loosely equivalent to a wireless collision domain.
battery backup A secondary energy source using only batteries to temporarily power
devices in the event the primary energy source fails.
baud The rate at which the signal changes from one state to the other.
bay 1. A regular repeated spatial architectural element defined by beams,

columns, or ribs and their support. 2. Floor-standing racks, frames, or
cabinets to house communications cabling, distribution hardware or
equipment.
beacon 1. A device (usually a light) used to mark towers for aircraft avoidance.
2. A frame transmitted by wireless LAN (WLAN) access points (APs) at
regular intervals to let its presence be known to clients within its transmit
range. 3. An automated radio transceiver on a fixed frequency, usually
transmitting a fixed identification code or message.
beacon frame A special token ring frame that is transmitted by a network device when it
detects a ring failure. The device sending the frame is said to be beaconing.
beam clamp A device attached to a beam or other building structure above the ceiling or
under the floor to hold cable supports or equipment.
beam width On an antenna radiation pattern for a particular plane, the angle between the
half-power (3 decibels [dB]) points of the main lobe when referenced to the
peak effective radiated power of the main lobe. Beam width is usually
expressed in degrees.
bearing plate A steel plate placed under one end of a beam, column, or truss at a support
point for load distribution.
bearing wall A wall supporting a load other than its own weight. (TIA)
bel A logarithmic ratio of analog signal strengths, named in honor of telephone

pioneer Alexander Graham Bell. A decibel is one-tenth of a bel.
bell, vibrating A bell that rings continuously as long as operating power is applied.
bend radius The radius of curvature that a media can bend without signal degradation.
For example, communications cabling exceeding the cables’ bend radius,
determined by the cables construction and contents, may cause excess
attenuation due to light leaking from the core in a fiber optic or the
impedance changing in a copper.

bending moment The totality of forces acting perpendicular to a structural element, such as
a tower, beam, or pole, tending to cause the element to bend. Bending
moments on a tower or pole are usually caused by unbalanced tension (load)
in the guy lines. This load can be calculated as the algebraic sum of the
moments about the neutral axis of any cross section of the element.
berm A mound or wall of earth. A narrow shelf, path, or ledge. In outside plant
(OSP) construction, the berm is the stabilized or paved area of a
road shoulder.
bias tee A type of connection used to inject direct current (dc) power into one end of
a coaxial cable, combining it with the alternating current (ac) radio frequency
(RF) signal, and tapping it off at the other end, thereby allowing remote
powered devices to operate without a separate local power source.
biased door contacts A high-security door contact that uses a biasing magnet mounted inside the
reed switch part of the door contact package. The magnet establishes a
minimum threshold level and polarity for the magnetic field required to
activate the switch, thereby reducing false activations.
biconical (biconic) A screw type of optical fiber connector, now obsolete. This connector has
a conical molded-plastic ferrule that fits into a biconical mating adapter when
connected to another connector.
bid form(s) A prepared set of documentation that the bidder will submit to the owner or
contracting agent. (e.g., material pricing, labor pricing, submittals, contract
acknowledgments).
bidders’ conference A meeting conducted by the issuer of a request for quote or request
for proposal to review and address any questions from respondents (bidders)
with regard to the bid documents.
bidding documents The construction documents issued to provide the information needed to bid
on the project.
bidirectional amplifier See signal booster.

(BDA)
bidirectional signaling The signals that pass in opposite directions between two transceivers. In a
twisted-pair cable, this may be on the same or different pairs. Wireless and
optical fiber systems also may operate in a bidirectional manner.
bill of materials (BOM) A list of the quantity and specific types of materials to be used on a project.
This list also should consider miscellaneous hardware (e.g., screws, bolts).
binary A numbering system using a base number of two. Many digital signals may
be described as binary signals. In a binary system, all information is
expressed as patterns of zeros and ones.

binary digit The basic unit of digital information used to indicate the existence of one of
two binary states or conditions (e.g., current flow, no current flow). A digital
pulse representing a one or a zero. Also known as a bit.
binary digital system A system in which the data rate is determined by the baud rate and the
number of bits encoded per baud interval.
binary phase-shift A modulation scheme using phase-shift keying (PSK) between two phase
keying (BPSK) states, normally 180 degrees apart.
binder group A bound collection of balanced twisted-pairs or optical fibers within a cable.
Binder groups are organized into predetermined sequences of conductors or
fibers and distinguished by a unique set of color codes.
biometrics The authentication techniques based on measurable physical characteristics

of individual users (e.g., fingerprints).
bit See binary digit.
bit error rate (BER) The ratio of incorrectly transmitted bits to total transmitted bits. A primary
specification for all transmission systems, it is usually expressed as a power
of 10.
bit rate See bits per second (b/s).
bit stream A series of bits representing the message being transferred between devices.
bits per second (b/s) A unit of measure used to express the data rate of a device, system, or
communications channel. Commonly used rates include kilobit per second
(kb/s), megabit per second (Mb/s), and gigabit per second (Gb/s). See
bit rate.
BIX connector A type of insulation displacement connector (IDC).
blade server A small data server in a modular, circuit board format optimized to minimize
the use of physical space and energy. Numerous blade servers may be
inserted into a blade chassis, sharing common support services such as
power, network connections, and cooling.
blank cell The hollow space of a cellular metal or cellular concrete floor unit without
factory installed fittings. (TIA)
blanking panel A barrier installed in an information technology equipment (ITE) cabinet,

rack, or enclosure for maximizing segregation between hot exhaust air and
cool source air for optimized cooling effectiveness. Also known as filler
panel.

blended floor system A combination of cellular floor units with raceway capability and other floor
units with raceway capability systematically arranged in a modular
pattern. (TIA)
blueprint A reproduction of an architectural plan or technical drawing that provides

details of a construction project or an existing structure or system.
Bluetooth® A low-power, radio frequency (RF), personal area network (PAN) technology
that enables cordless data transfer between Bluetooth-equipped devices at
short range.
BNC A coaxial connector with twist-on bayonet locking coupling.
bolt position switch A miniature switch used on or in a locking device to monitor whether the
locking bolt is in the locked (projected) or unlocked (retracted) position.
bond 1. An electrical connection using a low-resistance path. 2. A written

obligation under seal to guarantee that specific documents are accurate or
that the bonded party will meet specific requirements, in a specific way,
within a specific time period.
bonded channels Two adjacent 20 megahertz (MHz) wireless LAN (WLAN) channels bonded
together to form a 40 MHz-wide channel. This allows more than double the
performance improvement since interchannel reserved frequencies can be
used. IEEE 802.11n defines 40 MHz channels in both 2.4 gigahertz (GHz)
and 5 GHz bands. The 2.4 GHz band can support only one 40 MHz channel.
bonding The effective joining of metallic parts to form an electrically conductive path
that will ensure electrical continuity and the capacity to safely conduct any
current likely to be imposed.
bonding conductor (BC) A conductor used specifically for the purpose of bonding.
bonding conductor for A regional term for telecommunications bonding conductor (TBC).
telecommunications
(BCT)
bonding network (BN) A set of interconnected conductive structures that provides an

electromagnetic shield for electronic systems and personnel.
boring A method to displace earth under the ground without breaking the ground
surface (trenching) or cutting ground surface (e.g., sidewalks, driveways,
parking lots, road surfaces). Normally, as dirt is displaced or removed,
conduit or pipe is inserted.
bounded medium A term used to describe cabling or waveguide. See also unbounded medium.
box battery A battery supplying power for an individual fire alarm box where radio
signals are used for the transmission of box alarms.

branch circuit The conductors between the final overcurrent device protecting the circuit
and the outlet/connectors.
branch conduits The conduits extending from the main conduit system. These systems usually
serve a smaller portion of the facility. Branch conduits usually contain
distribution cables.
branch splice A splice in which one communication cable is spliced to multiple smaller
pair-count cables.
break before make See open transition.
break-glass box A box with a special element that requires breaking in order to operate.
breaking load The tension (load) that causes fracture in a tensile, compression, flexure, or
torsion test. Also called breaking strength.
break-out cable The multifiber or multi-conductor cables where each optical fiber or
conductor pair is further protected by an additional jacket and optional
strength elements.
bridge The hardware used to connect multiple devices or communication cables to a

single appearance of a signal.
bridged tap A connection that enables multiple appearances of the same cable pair at
several distribution points. (TIA)
bridging (architectural) A system of bracing between floor beams to prevent lateral instability.
bridging clip An encased or bare metal clip used to couple copper communication cable
conductors on a connecting block and provide a point of physical
disconnection.
bridle ring A ring that is circular in shape but is open rather than closed. It has a pointed
shaft at its apex that is threaded for installation into wood or rethreaded
devices.
broadband An analog design simultaneously using multiple communication channels

separated by guard bands. Commonly used to describe a high-speed digital
signal associated with backbone or multiplexed transmissions.
broadband signaling The simultaneous transmission of multiple signals over a medium sharing
the entire bandwidth of the medium (e.g., video signals multiplexed into
channels with a bandwidth of 6 megahertz [MHz] each).

broadcast 1. A technique for sending data simultaneously to all devices attached to a

network with a single transmission. 2. A form of multidirectional
telecommunications intended for a large number of users having appropriate
receiving facilities and carried out by radio or by communications cable
networks See also multicast and unicast.
broadcast domain The span of a network as represented by the devices capable of receiving a
Layer 2 frame or Layer 3 datagram addressed to all devices.
broadcast group The group of devices receiving a broadcast transmission.
broadcast storm A series of retransmitted broadcasts caused by uncontrolled duplication of

the original message.
browser The applications software used to access internet-based content.
browser mode A form of remote access where the remote station accesses LAN resources
through an internet-based server on the LAN and obtains access to resources
designed to operate in a browser environment.
bucket lift A personnel lift composed of a large bucket mounted on the end of an
extendable arm in which the user stands inside the bucket.
buffer A temporary storage area in an electronic device used to hold incoming data
until it can be processed.
buffer coating A protective thermoplastic material applied to the acrylate layer of the optical
fiber to protect against environmental hazards. May be more than one layer.
buffer tube A supplemental loose-fitting cover applied over the primary coated optical
fibers at time of installation.
buffering 1. The process of providing a supplemental air supply to pressurized optical

fiber cables during splicing operations. 2. The process of storing data in a
temporary memory area until it can be processed.
building automation and An industry standard protocol for building automation and control networks
control network developed under the auspices of ASHRAE, published as ANSI ASHRAE
(BACnet®) standard 135. BACnet defines a four-layer architecture that includes the
physical, data link, network, and application layers of the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model (ISO 7498).
building automation A control system consisting of hardware (e.g., controllers, optical fiber
system (BAS) cabling, input/output devices) and a software application or suite of software
applications that automate the electrical, mechanical, or other building and
facility subsystems.
building automation A connecting device between a horizontal cable and a coverage area
system (BAS) outlet device. (TIA)

building code The construction requirements that are adjudicated into law by the authority
having jurisdiction (AHJ).
building core A three-dimensional space permeating one or more floors of the building
and used for the extension and distribution of utility services (e.g., elevators,
washrooms, stairwells, mechanical and electrical systems,
telecommunications) throughout the building. (TIA)
building distributor (BD) An international equivalent term for intermediate cross-connect (IC).
building entrance The point where services media leaves its outside plant (OSP) pathway to
enter and leave the building. For example, the building entrance for an
optical fiber cable inside a conduit extending from outside the building is the
point where the cable exits the conduit, regardless of the distance the conduit
travels into the building.
building entrance The cable termination equipment used to terminate outside plant (OSP)
terminal (BET) cables at or near the point of building entry and protect the cable pairs from
lightning and foreign voltage. Sometimes referred to as protected entrance
terminal (PET).
building grounding A network of grounded building components (e.g., metal underground

electrode system piping, metal building frame, concrete-encased electrode, ground ring and
rod, pipe electrodes).
building information The process (and supporting software) of generating and managing building
modeling (BIM) data during its life cycle using three-dimensional, real-time graphical
images with substantial imbedded data about each object. This allows
interactions and conflicts to be automatically highlighted.
building management A system that provides centralized monitoring of two or more

system (BMS) building systems that are typically controlled by a building automation
system (BAS). A building management system (BMS) may also provide
provide control functionality of the individual BAS system.
building module In architecture, an arbitrary unit adopted to regulate the dimensions,

proportions, or construction of the parts of a building. Design modules may
be used to organize the proportioning and dimensioning of plans.
building systems The architectural, mechanical, electrical, and control systems along with
their respective subsystems, equipment, and components.
bull line A rope with limited stretch characteristics used for pulling high pair-count
backbone communications cable.
bullwheel A large wheel used to maintain an arc when feeding large communication
cables into a backbone pathway.

bundle 1. Many individual optical fibers contained within a single jacket or buffer
tube. A group of buffered optical fibers distinguished in some fashion from
another group in the same cable core. 2. Used to indicate time and common
handling of multiple optical fiber cables routed together.
bundled cable An assembly of two or more cables continuously bound together to form a
single unit. (TIA)
bundled fiber A group of buffered optical fibers distinguished in some fashion from other
groups.
buried cable A cable installed under the surface of the ground in such a manner that it
cannot be removed without disturbing the soil. (TIA)
buried marker ball A sealed passive electronic device that activates and transmits when it
receives a locating signal. It comes in several configurations (e.g., ball,
cylinder, disk, surface marker) and is color coded to indicate a particular
utility transmit frequency.
burn-in A test or continuous operation of a component or system before it is put

into use.
burst mode A data transmission mode in which data is sent faster than normal.
bursty A characteristic of digital transmission where the transmission rates have

large variations during short periods of time.
bus topology (physical) A linear networking topology in which each communications device or
network has a single connection to a shared medium that serves as the
communications channel. Also called a point-to-multipoint topology.
bushing An insulating lining for an aperture through which multiple conductors

may pass.
butt set See telephone test set.
butt splice A splice in which optical fiber cables enter the same end cap of the
splice closure.
butt splice connector A splice connector used to join two or more conductors routed from the
same direction.
butterfly detail A maintenance hole (MH) or room diagram that shows all four walls with
detailing of route and splicing locations of optical fiber cable passing through
the MH.
byte A data unit made up of eight bits. Also called an octet.

by-wire (or x-by-wire) A term used to describe control systems that depend on a real-time
telecommunications network to connect different electronic components.
Historically, these control systems relied on mechanical or hydraulic
linkages, and the goal of by-wire is to replace hydraulic/mechanical systems
with electronics.
=C
C drop wire A single-pair self-supporting wire cable used in aerial pathways to extend
telephone circuits from a pole, span, or cable terminal to a subscriber
premises by means of an aerial drop from the distribution backbone. Also
available as a singlemode optical fiber self-supporting aerial drop wire cable.
cabinet, electrical A freestanding and self-supporting enclosure for housing electrical or

electronic equipment. It is usually fitted with doors and/or side panels, which
may or may not be removable. (EIA/ECA-310-E)
cabinet, An enclosure used for terminating telecommunications cables, wiring, and

telecommunications connection devices with a hinged cover, usually mounted in or on the
wall. (TIA)
cable 1. An assembly of one or more insulated conductors or optical fibers within

an enveloping sheath that may be screened or unscreened. 2. The act of
installing communications cable.
cable assembly A cable that has connectors installed on one or both ends. See also jumper
and pigtail.
cable brake See reel brake.
cable dip The aerial cable that is transitioned down a utility pole and placed below
grade, typically occurring at the pole closest to the building. Also called a
pole dip.
cable-end locator kit A set of numbered 8-pin modular plugs that can be identified by the cable
tester. Also called an office locator kit.
cable fill 1. A term used to describe the number of communication cables permitted in
a cabling pathway, calculated as a percentage of the total number of cables
with a given cross-sectional area to a pathway with a given cross-sectional
area. 2. The number of working conductor pairs or optical fibers in a cable.
cable head The end of a cable attached to the pulling device.
cable infrastructure The pulling force that cannot be exceeded on the cable-holding infrastructure
pull tension without affecting the structural integrity of the facility during cable pulling
and installation operations.

cable labeling system A scheme employed when identifying communications cable or its
associated hardware.
cable loss The attenuation of a signal as it passes through a communications cable

medium. Cable loss is normally expressed in decibels (dB) and increases
with frequency.
cable management Within a telecommunications space (e.g., telecommunications room [TR]),

the use of physical structures used to provide horizontal and vertical
pathways for guiding and managing communications cabling infrastructure.
Used throughout horizontal cabling systems, building backbone cabling
systems, and campus cabling systems; physical structures to guide cabling
infrastructure in an engineered and orderly fashion when connecting cabling
to equipment as well as when connecting one set of cabling infrastructure
distributors (e.g., main cross-connect [MC (campus distributor [CD])]) to
another. See also distribution ring (D ring).
cable marker post An aboveground stake or post with an attached sign indicating the existence
of underground facilities in the area and the direction of the cable.
cable matting A protective mat that may be installed into cabling pathways as a form of
protection for high-performance cabling.
cable plant The portion of an information and communications technology (ICT) system
consisting of non-wireless systems, equipment, and materials.
cable rack See cable tray system.
cable reel A spool or cylinder for storing and distributing cable.
cable reel brake See reel brake.
cable run Length of installed media, which may include other components along its
path. (TIA)
cable sheath A covering over the insulated optical fiber strands or copper conductors
forming an assembly of components that may include one or more metallic
members, strength members, and/or jackets. (TIA) See also jacket.
cable support system A combination of conduits, communications cable trays, support hooks, tie
wraps, and any other hardware pieces designed specifically for use in a
cabling installation to keep excess stress off the cables. May provide some
mechanical protection to the cables being supported.
cable terminal A mechanical assembly used to terminate the components (e.g., conductors,
fibers) of a cable.

cable termination 1. The act of applying a connector to the end of a cable for the purpose of
facilitating connection to active or passive transmission equipment. 2. The
act of attaching a connectorless conductor to active or passive transmission
equipment. 3. Hardware applied to the end of a cable for the purpose of
facilitating connection to active or passive transmission equipment.
cable throw A changing of the circuit identity of communication cable pairs by splicing
to pairs of a different identity.
cable tie See tie wrap.
cable tray A support mechanism used to route and support communications and other
cables. Cable trays may be equipped with side walls or barriers to constrain a
cable’s horizontal placement or movement. See also ladder cable tray.
cable tray system A section or assembly of sections and associated fittings forming a
mechanical system used to support communication cables and raceways.
cable tree The apparatus that holds multiple reels of communications cable used for the
controlled distribution of cabling during installation.
cable TV (CATV) A system for TV reception in which signals from distant stations are
picked up by a master antenna and sent by communications cable to the
individual receivers.
cable vault See vault.
cabling A system of telecommunications cables, cords, and connecting hardware that

can support the connection of information technology equipment. (ISO,
CENELEC).
cabling infrastructure The communications cable, connecting hardware, cabling pathways, vaults,
junction/pull boxes, racks, cabinets, enclosures, equipment, patch bays/
blocks, and other infrastructure required to provide physical, electrical, or
optical connectivity within and between buildings of the owner or between
buildings on the owner’s property.
cabling system See cabling.
caching A technique that provides faster access to data by storing a copy of recently
used or likely to be used data in fast, accessible memory.
calibration The task of verifying test equipment against a reference.
campus The buildings and grounds having legal contiguous interconnection. (TIA)
Some examples include premises containing one or more buildings such as a
college, university, industrial park, or military facility. (ISO, CENELEC) See
also plant.

campus area network A network that links LANs located in two or more buildings in close
(CAN) proximity to each other.
campus distribution A telecommunications space in one building that serves that building and
facility (CDF) all other buildings in a designated area or zone. A CDF typically houses
a building distributor (BD) and serves as, or is adjacent to, the entrance
facility (EF) for the building in which it is located, in addition to serving as
a hub for the distribution of backbone cabling to other buildings within the
zone. It also may serve as a telecommunications room (TR) for the floor it
occupies. It may act as an equipment room (ER) for one or more buildings
within the zone. CDFs are generally placed on the lowest floor of a building
to allow the entry of outside plant (OSP) cables without transition splicing
and for grounding (earthing) of cables.
campus distributor (CD) See main cross-connect (MC).
candela (cd) The International System of Units (SI) metric measure for the luminous
intensity or light output of a light or strobe.
capacitance 1. The ability of an electronic component to store electrical energy. 2. The

opposition to a change in voltage.
capacitance unbalance A difference in capacitance between the conductors of two pairs (or between
the conductors and the ground) that are located in close proximity to each
other within a communications cable that can result in the undesirable
transfer ring of an undesired signal, commonly referred to as crosstalk.
capacitive reactance The portion of impedance that opposes a change in voltage due to electric
field coupling.
capping 1. The applying of a closure device to an insert after the floor fitting is
removed. 2. Covering communication cables located within a wall chase.
3. Sealing the end of an optical fiber cable to prevent moisture intrusion prior
to termination.
capstan A component used for pulling or pushing cable. Commonly used with blown
fiber installation systems.
carbon protector or An overvoltage protector that uses closely spaced carbon electrodes
block (granules) for voltage limiting.
card access An access control system (ACS) using encoded cards and card readers to
recognize identification cards and determine whether access may be granted.
card encoder A device used to encode data onto an access card.
cardholder An individual who has been assigned an access control card.

card reader A device that retrieves information stored on an access card or badge and
transmits the information to a controller. Also called a badge reader.
carrier A transmitted signal on which information can be imposed by varying the

signal strength, base frequency, wave phase, or by other means. See also
access provider.
carrier sense multiple The IEEE® 802.11 listen-before-talk protocol.

access with collision
avoidance (CSMA/CA)
carrier sense multiple The protocol for carrier transmission access in Ethernet networks. Defines
access with collision how network devices respond when multiple devices simultaneously attempt
detection (CSMA/CD) to send data over the same medium. CSMA/CD is specified in the IEEE®
802.3 standard.
carrier sensing The monitoring of a communications channel to check if it is free before

transmitting (i.e., to see if any network devices are transmitting).
carrier system A means of conveying a number of channels over a single path by

modulating each channel on a different carrier frequency and demodulating
at the receiving point to restore the signals to their original form.
carrier-to-interference The ratio between the desired carrier signal at the receiver end and the
ratio (C/I) strongest co-channel carrier signal, expressed in decibels (dB).
category A rating that defines the performance of communications cabling

components and systems. A category describes mechanical properties and
transmission characteristics of balanced twisted-pair and optical fiber cabling
and provides a numbered designation. Categories are defined in many
regional standards (e.g., ANSI/TIA, ISO, AS/NZS, JIS).
category 3 The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized by, among

other requirements, a frequency range from 1 to 16 megahertz (MHz).

other requirements, a frequency range from 1 to 20 megahertz (MHz). This
category is no longer recognized in published standards.

other requirements, a frequency range from 1 to 100 megahertz (MHz). The
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) no longer recognizes this
category of cabling. ISO/IEC 11801.Ed.2.0, Generic Cabling for Customer
Premises, does recognize this category of cabling. In ISO/IEC and related
standards, category 5 is the functional equivalent of TIA category 5e cabling.

category 5e The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized by, among

other requirements, a frequency range from 1 to 100 megahertz (MHz). This
category specifies transmission parameters that were not characterized by
TIA category 5 (e.g., power sum near-end crosstalk [PSNEXT], return loss,
equal level far-end crosstalk [ELFEXT], power sum equal level far-end
crosstalk [PSELFEXT]) and features more stringent near-end crosstalk
(NEXT) than TIA category 5.

category 6A The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized by, among

(augmented) other requirements, a frequency range from 1 to 500 megahertz (MHz). The
augmentation from category 6, typically expressed as category 6A, features
extended frequency range and alien crosstalk transmission parameters.

category 7A The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized by, among

(augmented) other requirements, a frequency range from 1 to 1000 megahertz (MHz).
catenary wire See support strand (messenger).
cathodic protection A system to provide a constant low-current flow in equal and opposite
polarity to the existing electrolysis current flow. Used to protect buried
conduit, piping, and cable sheaths from corrosion.
catwalk An elevated walkway provided in some buildings to help workers reach

utility spaces.
cavity wall A wall constructed to provide air space within the wall.
cdma2000 An air interface developed under the Third Generation Partnership Project
Two (3GPP2) that evolved from second generation (2G) mobile telephony
code division multiple access (CDMA) interim standard (IS)-95.
CE marking A Conformité Européene (CE) mark fixed to the product itself or its
packaging, instructions for use, or guarantee certificate. It indicates that the
product complies with all relevant European directives that call for its
application (e.g., electromagnetic compatibility [EMC] directive).

CEBus® Industry A multi-industry organization of companies, incorporated as a nonprofit

Council (CIC) corporation, to develop and enlarge the market for products compliant with
the Consumer Electronics Bus (CEBus) standard or the common application
language as implemented in the home plug and play specification. The
council maintains the value of its certification marks while facilitating
interoperability among products and with multiple transport protocols
through the maintenance of the standard and specification, its application
database, product testing, and conformance certification. See also Consumer
Electronics Bus (CEBus®).
ceiling The upper surface of a space regardless of height. Areas with a suspended
ceiling have two ceilings, one visible from the floor and one above the
suspended ceiling.
ceiling distribution A distribution system that uses the space between a suspended or false
system ceiling and the structural surface above. (TIA)
ceiling height The height from the continuous floor of a room to the continuous ceiling of a
room or space.
ceiling surfaces 1. Beam construction-Ceilings that have solid structural or solid

non-structural members projecting down from the ceiling surface more
than ≈100 millimeters (mm [4 inches (in)]) and spaced more than
≈1 meter (m [3.3 feet (ft)]), center to center. 2. Girder-A support for beams
or joists that runs at right angles to the beams or joists. If the top of the girder
is within ≈100 mm (4 in) of the ceiling, the girder is a factor in determining
the number of detectors and is to be considered a beam. If the top of the
girder is more than ≈100 mm (4 in) from the ceiling, the girder is not a factor
in detector location. 3. Solid joist construction-Ceilings that have solid
structural or solid non-structural members projecting down from the ceiling
surface for a distance of more than ≈100 mm (4 in) and spaced at intervals of
≈1 m (3.3 ft) or less, center to center.
cell 1. The fixed area in which a wireless base station is configured to operate.
2. A single wireless LAN (WLAN) access point (AP) and its associated
clients.
cellular floor A floor distribution method in which cables pass through floor cells
constructed of steel or concrete to provide a ready-made raceway for
distribution of power and telecommunications cables. (TIA)
cellular floor raceway An assembly of hollow, longitudinal units constituting part of a floor and
systematically placed for the distribution of cables. (TIA)
cementitious firestop A firestopping material that is mixed with water and is similar in appearance
to concrete or mortar.

centralized cabling 1. A cabling topology from the work area to a centralized cross-connect
using pull-through cables or an interconnect in the telecommunications room
(TR). 2. In optical fiber cabling systems, it is the same topology described
above, with the addition of a splice method allowed for use. Often used in
passive optical networks.
central member The center component of a cable installed as a strength element.
central office (CO) A common carrier switching center office (also called public exchange) that
is conveniently located in areas to serve subscriber homes and businesses.
It provides telephony services (lines) that are connected on a local loop.
The CO contains switching equipment that can switch calls locally or to
long-distance carrier telephone offices.
central processing unit The part of a computer in which logical operations are performed.
(CPU)
central station A location that remotely monitors activities that occur at a protected facility.
Central stations frequently are identified as a proprietary or non-proprietary
contract.
central station fire The use of a system or group of systems in which the operations of circuits
alarm service and devices at a protected property are signaled to, recorded in, and
supervised from a central station that has competent and experienced
operators who, upon receipt of a signal, take such action as required by
codes, standards, and regulations (e.g., NFPA 72®). Central station service
is controlled and operated by a person, firm, or corporation whose business is
furnishing such contracted services or whose properties are the protected
premises.
certificate of need A document from an oversight organization that grants a health care
(CON) organization permission before making changes. Generally applies only to
facilities or facility-based services.
certification A formal procedure by which an accredited or authorized person or agency

assesses and verifies (and attests in writing by issuing a certificate) the
attributes, characteristics, quality, qualification, or status of individuals or
organizations, goods or services, procedures or processes, or events or
situations in accordance with established requirements or standards.
certification of A formal program of related instruction and testing provided by a recognized

personnel organization or the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
certification test set A test set designed specifically to measure the properties of a circuit to
determine whether the circuit meets certification standards.
change management A term used to describe the process of tracking all network modifications.

change of state A change from the normal operating stance of a system, whether required by
maintenance or a failure, resulting from an automatic or a manual response
to some form of system input or response.
change order A written and signed document issued after the construction agreement has
been signed authorizing additions to, deletions from, or modifications of the
work to be completed or an adjustment in the contract sum or time. (CSI)
Also called job change order.
channel 1. The end-to-end transmission path connecting interfaces of any two pieces
of application-specific equipment. Equipment cords and work area cords
are included in the channel. See also permanent link and transmission
channel. 2. In frequency division multiplexing (FDM), a band in the
frequency spectrum that is assigned to a specific logical connection. 3. In
time division multiplexing (TDM), a time that is assigned to a specific
logical connection. 4. In radio systems, a single talk path or a single mode
for the data stream.
channel bank A multiplexing device that divides a high-speed digital service into multiple,
smaller, fixed-size channels that can be separately accessed. The device also
allows several channels to be linked into larger bundles (often referred to
as Nx64).
channel cable tray A fabricated structure consisting of a one-piece ventilated-bottom or solid-

bottom channel section.
channel service unit A client premises device that physically connects the data terminal
(CSU) equipment to a digital line from the public network service provider (SP).
channel stock A metallic, U-shaped bar with spaced holes often hung in a trapeze
configuration for support of pathway systems (e.g., conduits, cable trays).
characteristic The input impedance of a circuit or a uniform transmission line with a

impedance constant voltage-to-current ratio any point along the line.
chase A space or channel within an architectural barrier (e.g., wall, floor, ceiling)
created for routing raceways, pipes, or ducts. An opening that passes
completely through a barrier is not considered a chase.
chase nipple A metallic bushing used with a locknut and inserted into a hole (typically in a
metal enclosure) to protect communications cabling from abrasion on sharp
edges.
chat A basic text display application that allows two or more users to
communicate in real time over a network. A text message typed by any user
is instantly displayed on the screens of all users. Also called instant
messaging.

checksum A value calculated from the binary content of a message. It is used by the
receiving device to verify that the data has not been altered during its transfer
from source to receiver. See also frame check sequence.
chemical electrode Copper tubes containing a chemical that slowly leaches into the soil,
lowering the soil’s resistance. Also called a chemical ground rod.
chief of service A member of a hospital staff who is elected or appointed to serve as the
medical or administration head of a clinical service.
chip rate The rate of the spreading code factor in code division multiple access
(CDMA).
chipping sequence A specific sequence of bits created by converting each bit in the message
stream. Used in direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) signaling and called
a chipping code.
chromatic dispersion A result of the phenomenon that the velocity of propagation in a medium is
frequency dependent, which causes the frequency components of a pulse to
lose phase coherence as it propagates (e.g., transmitted pulse will spread out
as it propagates).
churn 1. The rate of client attrition (e.g., moving from one service provider [SP]
or system to another). 2. The inventory moving through a distribution
warehouse.
cipher lock A mechanical combination lock that is used in access control to unlock a
knob or level or to actuate a set of contacts.
circuit (ckt [U.S.], 1. The electrical or optical path used for communications between
cct [European]) two devices. 2. Any combination of electrical components and conductors
connected to perform a specific function.
circuit gateway A firewall that permits an inbound or outbound connection to take place
on the basis of authentication and authorization criteria. This type of firewall
does not inspect each datagram—once a device is granted access to the
communications channel, it can send and receive any type of message.
circuit interface A component that interfaces initiating devices, control circuits, or both;
notification appliances, circuits, or both; system control outputs; and other
signaling line circuits to a signaling line circuit.
circuit switching A communications method in which a temporary dedicated communications

path is established between two devices prior to message transfer.

circular mil A measuring unit used to specify the cross-sectional area of conductors,
equal to the area of a circle with a diameter of one mil (one thousandth of
an inch). It is a convenient unit for referring to the area of a wire with a
circular cross section because the area in circular mils can be calculated
without reference to pi. Typically used in thousands of circular mills (kcmil
or MCM). One kcmil is equal to about 0.79 square inches. Used by the
National Electrical Code® (NEC®) and other codes and standards to refer to
large wire sizes.
cladding The outer concentric glass layer that surrounds the optical fiber core and has
a lower index of refraction than the core.
class 1. The level of redundancy present in components, systems, or a data center.

2. A rating defined within ISO/IEC 11801 that provides the minimum
performance required of balanced twisted-pair cabling systems.
class C The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized in a

frequency range from 1 to 16 megahertz (MHz). This term is used to express
the installed cabling system performance.
class D The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized in a frequency

range from 1 to 100 megahertz (MHz). This term is used to express the
installed cabling system performance.
class E The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized in a frequency

class EA The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized in a frequency

class F The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized in a frequency

class FA The balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications characterized in a frequency

classified The act of assigning a level of sensitivity to information (e.g., authorized

personnel only, secret, top secret).
classified locations Locations classified depending on the properties of the flammable gas,
flammable liquid-produced vapors, or combustible liquid-produced,
or combustible dusts or ignitable fibers that may be present, and the
likelihood that a flammable or combustible or ignitable concentration or
quantity is present. (NEMA)

classified materials Flammable gas, flammable liquid-produced vapors, or combustible liquid-

produced vapor, combustible dusts, or ignitable fibers or flyings that may be
present and ignite, burn, or explode in air. (NEMA)
clean agent An electrically nonconducting, volatile, or gaseous fire extinguishant that

does not leave a residue upon evaporation.
clean agent fire A fire extinguishing system using a total flooding clean agent.
suppression
clear to send (CTS) A frame type used as a reply to the request to send (RTS) component when
the medium is available for transmission.
clear zone An area separating an outdoor barrier from buildings or any form of natural
or fabricated concealment.
cleave The process of breaking an optical fiber by a controlled fracture of the glass
to obtain an optical fiber end that is flat, smooth, and perpendicular to the
optical fiber axis.
cleaver A device that square-cuts the ends of optical fibers. See also scribing tool.
client 1. A piece of computer hardware or software that accesses a service made

available by another computer system (e.g., server) by a network connection.
The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client
accesses the service by way of a network. The term applies to programs or
devices that are part of a client-server model. 2. Denotes the party within a
contract who is receiving products and services.
client-server model A form of distributed computing in which a series of interdependent tasks

are processed by two or more computers on a network, allowing client
devices with limited processing capabilities to gain access to the available
resources of one or more servers attached to the network.
client software The additions to a station’s operating system that enable access to
network resources.
clinic A health treatment facility primarily intended and appropriately staffed

and equipped to provide treatment and ambulatory services. A clinic is also
intended to perform certain non-therapeutic activities related to the health of
the personnel served. See also comprehensive health care clinic (CHCC).
clock A signal used to synchronize communications between devices.
closed-circuit TV A private video distribution system typically used for security surveillance
(CCTV) camera purposes in which the signal is transmitted to a limited number of
receivers or monitoring points.

closed loop control A process in computer and electronic systems in which the output is
measured and compared with a standard representing the acceptable range
and any deviation from the standard is fed back into the system in a way that
will reduce the deviation. See also feedback.
closed loop secure A closed or continuous circuit or monitoring loop when a door or monitoring
equipment is secure.
closed transition A change of state or transfer where the electrical circuit connection is
maintained during the transfer. This is also known as make before break.
cloud chamber smoke A principle of using an air sample drawn from the protected area into a high-
detection humidity chamber combined with a lowering of chamber pressure to create
an environment in which the resultant moisture in the air condenses on any
smoke particles present, forming a cloud. The cloud density is measured by
a photoelectric principle. The density signal is processed and used to convey
an alarm condition when it meets preset criteria.
cluster A collection of servers and associated storage devices interconnected using

a dedicated, high-speed network. The collection appears as a single device
to the network. All incoming requests are divided among the servers for
quicker response. See also load balancing.
clustered star Similar to a tree topology, except that there are clusters of devices at the end
of each branch. A clustered star topology is also known as a bus star
topology.
CLX cable A cable with a corrugated aluminum sheath. It is another term for the
National Electrical Code® (NEC®) Type MC cable as defined in NEC
Article 330.
coarse wavelength A method of combining multiple signals of various wavelengths for

division multiplexing transmission along fiber optic communications cables.
(CWDM)
coating See buffer coating.
coaxial cable A cable consisting of a central metallic inner conductor separated from an
enclosing outer conductor by a dielectric material. This material may be
solid, foam, suitable gas, or dry air. The outer conductor comprises a metallic
braid, a foil layer, or a combination of braid and foil.
code A rule or set of rules intended to ensure safety during the installation and use
of materials, components, fixtures, systems, premises, and related subjects.
Codes typically are invoked and enforced through government regulation.
codec A device that can transform analog signals into a digital bit stream (coder)
and digital signals into an analog signal (decoder). A codec also may convert
a digital bit stream from one format or digital medium to another.

coded signals An audible or visual signal conveying discrete information by establishing a

pattern of pulses or flashes.
coefficient of expansion A parameter of a material that describes the rate of its tendency to change
size in relation to temperature.
cognitive radio system A radio system employing technology that allows the system to obtain
knowledge of its operational and geographical environment, established
policies, and its internal state; to dynamically and autonomously adjust its
operational parameters and protocols according to its obtained knowledge in
order to achieve predefined objectives; and to learn from the results obtained.
(ITU-R)
collapsed backbone An internetwork connection contained in one device. Individual networks are
connected to this central device and can communicate with one another.
collar step The steps placed in the collar of a maintenance hole (MH) for ease of entry
or exit.
collision An event on a network indicating that two or more devices have

simultaneously accessed the communications channel.
collision diameter See network diameter.
collision detection The process initiated when two or more network devices on an Ethernet
network attempt to send a message at the same time and their messages
collide. A device stops transmitting when it detects a collision and only
attempts to retransmit after waiting a random period of time.
collision domain A collection of one or more network devices and segments, possibly
connected by a repeater or hub. When a device in a collision domain
transmits a data link layer frame, all other devices in the same collision
domain receive the transmission. Devices and segments separated by bridges,
routers, or switches are said to be in different collision domains.
combination detector A device that either responds to more than one fire phenomenon or employs
more than one operating principle to sense one of these phenomenon. Typical
examples are a combination of a heat detector with a smoke detector or a
combination of rate-of-rise and fixed-temperature heat detector.
combination fire alarm A manually operated box for separately transmitting a fire alarm signal and a
and guard’s tour box distinctive guard patrol tour supervisory signal.
combination system A fire alarm system in which components are used, in whole or in part, in
common with a non-fire signaling system.
combiner A device that has multiple inputs and a single output. Also called a
transmitter combiner.

commissioning The start-up of a system that includes testing and adjusting the systems
to ensure proper functioning and adherence to design criteria.
Commissioning also includes the instruction of building representatives in
the use of building systems. See also recommissioning and
retrocommissioning.
commissioning The qualified person, company, or agency that plans, coordinates, and
authority oversees the entire commissioning process. The commissioning authority
also may be known as the commissioning agent.
commissioning plan The document prepared for each project that describes all aspects of the
commissioning process, including schedules, responsibilities, documentation
requirements, and functional performance test requirements.
commissioning test plan The document that details the pre-functional performance test, functional
performance test, and necessary information for carrying out the testing
process for each system, piece of equipment, or energy efficiency measure.
common bonding The principal means for effecting telecommunications bonding and
network (CBN) grounding (earthing) inside a building. It is the set of metallic components
that are intentionally or incidentally interconnected to form the principal
bonding network (BN) in a building. These components include structural
steel or reinforcing rods, plumbing, alternating current (ac) power conduit,
ac equipment ground (ACEG) conductors, cable trays, racks and cabinets,
and bonding conductors. The CBN always has a mesh topology and is
connected to the grounding electrode system.
common element (CE) A portion of a dock that is publicly accessible to all marina users.
common equipment An enclosed space used for equipment and backbone interconnections for
room more than one tenant in a building or campus.
(telecommunications)
common grounding 1. An electrode in or at a building structure that is used to ground an access

electrode control system (ACS) as well as equipment or conductor enclosures. 2. A
single electrode connected to separate services, feeders, or branch circuits
supplying a building. 3. Two or more grounding electrodes that are bonded
together.
common mode (CM) The closed circuit for the common mode (CM) or ground loop current.
circuit
common mode (CM) The noise that is present between phase and ground or between neutral and
noise ground, but not between each line.
common mode (CM) A symmetrical noise voltage that is coupled into a cabling
voltage channel or link with equal magnitudes and in phase from each conductor
measured at the cable’s point relative to ground potential.

communications channel A circuit or path connecting a transmitter to a receiver.
communications Type CMP communications plenum cable shall be listed as being suitable
plenum (CMP) cable for use in ducts, plenums, and other spaces used for environmental air and
shall also be listed as having adequate fire-resistant and low smoke-
producing characteristics. (NEC®) Cables must pass required tests for fire
and smoke characteristics of wires and cables, NFPA 262, or UL 910.
communications protocol See protocol.
communications riser Type CMR communications riser cable shall be listed as being suitable
(CMR) cable for use in a vertical run in a shaft or from floor to floor and shall also be
listed as having fire-resistant characteristics capable of preventing the
carrying of fire from floor to floor. (NEC®)
compander A device for mitigating the distortion effects of a channel with limited
dynamic range. When a signal with a large dynamic range is sent over a
channel with less dynamic range, the signal’s range is reduced in a specific
way by the transmitter and expanded back to its original dynamic range by
the receiver. A shortened form of compressor/expander.
compartmentation The segregation of components, programs, and information. Provides

isolation and protection from compromise, contamination, or unauthorized
access.
compatibility listed A specific listing process that applies only to two-wire devices (e.g., smoke
detectors) that are designed to operate with certain control equipment.
compatible equipment The equipment that interfaces mechanically or electrically as manufactured

without field modification.
complementary code A single carrier modulation technique used in IEEE 802.11b and IEEE
keying (CCK) 802.11g networks.
completion bond See bond.
component Any part or subassembly of devices used in the construction of a system

(e.g., video surveillance system).
component redundancy A configuration designed into a system to increase the likelihood of

continuous function despite the failure of a component. It is achieved by
designing and deploying a secondary component so that it replaces an
associated primary component when the primary component fails.

composite cable A type of hybrid cable that contains two or more cables of different types of
media and/or transmission classification (e.g., category 6A, OM3) covered
by one overall sheath.
composite conductor A conductor constructed from nontraditional materials (e.g., metallic resins,
graphite).
compound curve A series of two or more circular curves, each with a different radius, all
turning in the same direction.
comprehensive health A facility planned, designed, and constructed to provide comprehensive

care clinic (CHCC) ambulatory care services, to include ambulatory surgery, and with limited
holding bed capability. See also clinic.
compression The coding or modification of data from its original form in order to save
storage space or transmission time.
compressor/ See codec.

decompressor
computer room An architectural space with the primary function of accommodating data
processing equipment.
concentrator A device that combines data from several active inputs into one shared
channel that can be separated after transmission. The concentrator’s output
bandwidth must be greater than the total bandwidth of all simultaneously
active inputs.
concentricity The degree with which the core and cladding of an optical fiber cable, or the
center conductor and shield of a coaxial cable, share the same central axis.
concrete fill A minimal-depth concrete pour to encase single-level underfloor duct. (TIA)
concrete masonry A concrete block, cement block, or foundation block.

unit (CMU)
concrete universal An aboveground environmentally enclosed cabinet. A type of vault.

enclosure (CUE)
concrete-encased An electrode encased in concrete that is in direct contact with the earth. Also
electrode called an Ufer ground.
concurrently A configuration where system components may be removed from service

maintainable and for maintenance or may fail in a manner transparent to the load. There
operable will be some form of state change, and redundancy will be lost while a
component or system is out of commission. This is an essential requirement
for a Class F3 facility.

conductance (G) The measure of the ease with which electrical current flows through a
conductor. Uniformly distributed along the conductor length, conductance
varies as a function of a conductor’s geometry and the dielectric properties
of the materials surrounding the conductor. One of the primary parameters
for transmission lines. The inverse of resistance. The unit of measure is
siemens (S).
conductor A material or media (e.g., solid, liquid, gas) for transmitting electric current,
electromagnetic waves, or light.
conduit 1. A raceway of circular cross section. 2. A structure containing one or more

ducts. (TIA)
conduit, branch Conduits extending from the main conduit system. These systems usually
serve a smaller portion of the facility. Branch conduits usually contain
distribution cables.
conduit elbow The bend in a section of conduit, usually at a specified radius and degree of
turn.
conduit, main The conduit systems used to serve all or a large portion of the facility. These
systems usually contain feeder cables. Also called duct systems.
conduit run The multiple sections of conduit that are joined together with fittings.
conduit shoe A device placed at the open end of a horizontal conduit to prevent
communications cable extending out of the conduit from exceeding its bend
radius.
conduit stub-out See stub-out.
conduit stub-up See stub-up.
conduit, subsidiary The conduits that are used to route communication cables to poles, pedestals,
buildings, and cabinets where transitioning or termination occurs.
conduit system Any combination of ducts, conduits, maintenance holes (MHs), handholes
(duct system) (HHs), and vaults joined to form an integrated whole. (TIA)
condulets A conduit coupling that has a removable side plate to allow access to the
cable for pulling purposes. Most condulets are not permitted for use with
communications cable because the tight 90-degree bends violate the cable’s
bend radius. Sometimes called LBs.
cone A safety marker, typically brightly colored, may be orange or green in color,
that is used to designate a secure off-limits area for non-workers.
conferencing The process of communicating among multiple users simultaneously over a

network in real-time using any combination of text, voice, and video.

confidentiality attack Another term for data theft.
confined space The work space defined by the United States (U.S.) Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) as space a worker can enter and work in but
that has limited or restrictive means of entry or exit and that is not designed
for continuous occupancy (e.g., maintenance holes [MHs], splice pits, crawl
spaces, attics).
congestion A state in which the volume of messages exceeds the designed capacity of a
communications channel or network fabric, resulting in transfer delays or
failures.
connecting hardware A device or combination of devices used to connect communication cables or

cable elements See also termination.
connectivity The patch panels, optical fiber cabling, connectors, and cable management
used to create and maintain electrical and optical circuits.
connector A mechanical device used to provide a means for aligning, attaching, and
achieving continuity between conductors or optical fibers.
connector insertion loss The attenuation associated with the physical attachment of two connectors.
connector, small form An optical fiber duplex connector with a footprint approximating that of an
factor (SFF) 8-position outlet connector typically used with 4-pair balanced twisted- pair
connectors.
consistency check A method of verifying the confidence of a field measurement.
consolidation point (CP) A connection facility within a horizontal cabling subsystem for
interconnection of communication cables extending from building pathways
into furniture pathways or modular wall partitions to the equipment outlet.
construction A written and graphic document prepared or assembled by the architect or

document/drawing (CD) engineer for communicating the design of the project.
construction Employed by the owner to oversee and administer the project.management

and manager
construction ride out See site survey.

(CRO)
consultant A specialist who provides services to the design team that is headed up by an
architect or engineer who is under contract with the client.
Consumer Electronics An open architecture set of specification documents that defines protocols for
Bus (CEBus®) making home products and appliances communicate.
contact A conducting device that makes or breaks a circuit.

contact rating The specifications or load rating of a switch. The ratings are at maximum
voltage or current.
containment 1. The process of dividing a structure into fire zones. Also called
compartmentation. 2. A term used in the United Kingdom to describe cable
raceway products (e.g., wall trunking, basket trunking, galvanized tray
work).
content acceleration The process of loading data accessed frequently by a large number of users
onto devices capable of transferring the data more rapidly than the existing
servers can transfer.
content access The process of providing remote users the means to connect to a network to
obtain specific information.
content filtering The process of restricting the entry or exit of unauthorized or unwanted data
(e.g., e-mail attachments) to and from a network.
contention A network access method in which devices compete for use of the available
communications channel.
contention domain See collision domain.
contiguous property A single-owner or single-user protected premises on a continuous plot of

ground, including any buildings thereon, that is not separated by a public
thoroughfare, transportation right-of-way, property owned or used by others,
or body of water not under the same ownership.
contingency 1. A sum of money, usually a percentage of the estimated construction cost,

held in reserve to pay for unforeseen costs that may arise during a project.
2. An event or condition that might or might not occur (e.g., a manmade or
natural disaster) and trying to provide an action planned and support for
everything that might failed in a communications system.
continuity tests A test that validates whether a material can conduct current or light without
significant interruption or degradation.
continuous duty A device that can operate continuously with no off or rest periods.
continuous tone A feature in most conventional analog radios using subaudible tones to allow
coded squelch system multiple users to communicate on the same frequency (channel) without
(CTCSS) receiving radio traffic from each other and to improve radio operation in high
radio frequency (RF) noise, interference, and congested areas. The feature
transmits a tone between 67 hertz (Hz) and 254 Hz (below human hearing
range) along with the voice traffic. The receiving radio may be programmed
to respond only to signals transmitting the desired tone frequency. See also
privacy code.

continuum of care A way of looking at the level and type of care provided to individuals from
the most acute and intensive to the least acute and intensive. Integrated
health networks of the future will be expected to provide the entire range of
services contained on the continuum.
contract A written document covering the understanding between the client and
the contractor.
contract documents Plans, specifications, and other documents that together set forth the
requirements of the contract and become legally enforceable when the
agreement is signed. Executed agreements between owner and contractor
that become part of the contract when the agreement is signed. (CSI)
contractor The company that performs specific tasks in the construction trade.
control mode 1. A form of remote access where a network administrator uses the remote
station to monitor or modify a specific network device or general network
operations. 2. A specialized form of terminal services also called
remote control.
control module (CM) A unit that provides addressable outputs for signaling devices (e.g., fire alarm
horns, speakers).
control point 1. A physical location on a feeder route located by precise surveying that
is used to measure existing facilities as well as present and future
requirements. These control points are based on design judgment, which
usually involves cable size changes. 2. Any place from which a transmitter’s
functions may be controlled. (FCC)
control unit A system component that monitors inputs and controls outputs through
various types of circuits.
controlled access The process in which access to the resources of an area or system is limited
to authorized personnel, users, programs, processes, or other systems and
denied to all others. See also access control mechanism and security
management.
controlled environment A communications space with humidity, temperature, flood, and wind
controls to provide protected conditions for sensitive electronic equipment.
controller A microprocessor-based circuit board that manages access to a secure area.

The controller receives information that is used to determine through which
doors and at what time cardholders are granted access to secure areas. Based
on that information, the controller locks or unlocks doors, sounds alarms, and
communicates its status to a host computer.
control unit A system component that monitors inputs and controls outputs through
various types of circuits.

conventional radio A method of operation in which one or more radio frequency channels are
system assigned to mobile and base stations but are not employed as a trunked
group. (FCC)
convergence The linking of many systems, which remain independent in operation, to

common information and communications technology (ICT) systems. As
related to electronic safety and security (ESS), convergence involves many
similar and dissimilar systems and facilitates their integration. See
also integration.
converter A device that transfers a signal from one transmission medium type to
another (e.g., from copper to optical fiber) or changes from one signaling
type to another (e.g., from analog to digital).
conveniently accessible Capable of being reached from the floor or the use of a ≈2.4 meter
(m [8 foot (ft)]) stepladder without climbing or crawling under or over
obstacles such as motors, pumps, belt guards, transformers, piping, and
ductwork.
coordinated protection The application of protection engineering across a set of premises systems to
prevent electrical failure of telecommunications cabling and equipment.
core The central, light-carrying part of optical fiber cable through which a light
pulse is transmitted.
core area See building core.
core hitch The weaving of copper conductors or pairs through a pulling eye for pulling
communications cable.
core wall The building structure that runs from the structural floor to the structural
ceiling to separate the core area from the rest of the building.
coronary care unit A medical care unit in which there is appropriate equipment and a
(CCU) concentration of physicians, nurses, and others who have special skills and
experience to provide optimal medical care for critically ill coronary or
cardiac patients.
corrosion area A space that is subject to a high degree or risk of deterioration to the
elements.
countermeasures The procedures, technologies, devices, or organisms (e.g., animals, humans)

used to deter, delay, or detect damage from a threat.
coupled bonding A bonding conductor placed (e.g., strapped) on the outside surface of
conductor (CBC) telecommunications cable to reduce transient noise.

coupler A device for connecting two other devices (e.g., connectorized cables)
together.
coupling 1. A mechanical device used to connect two sections together. 2. The

electromagnetic energy transfer from a disturbing circuit or channel into a
disturbed circuit or channel due to either separated or combined influence of
electric and magnetic fields.
coverage density The number of stations in a wireless network coverage zone.
crawl space A limited access building space that may be used for the placement of
communications cabling.
credential An item or object that possession or knowledge of provides access to a

secure space.
crimp The act of permanently clamping connectors to a conductor or optical fiber

cable.
crimp head The section of a splicing rig that fits over an assembled modular connector
on the splicing head to provide the crimping of the module.
critical distribution A power distribution board that feeds critical loads.

board
critical infrastructure State and local government and non-government entities, including utilities,
industry (CII) railroads, metropolitan transit systems, pipelines, private ambulances, fire
departments, and not-for-profit organizations, that offer emergency road
services, providing private internal radio services that are used to protect
safety of life, health, or property and are not made commercially available to
the public. (FCC)
criticality The relative importance of a function or process as measured by the

consequences of its failure or inability to function.
cross threading A stripping of the thread pattern that can occur during installation when the
thread patterns of a nut and bolt are not properly aligned.
crossbar An electromechanical switching system consisting of rectangular fields of

contact springs operated in coordination by horizontal and vertical members.
Crossbar switches ideally are suited to data switching because of their low-
noise characteristic.
cross-connect A facility enabling the termination of cable elements and their

interconnection or cross-connection. (TIA)
cross-connection A connection scheme between cabling runs, subsystems, and equipment

using patch cords or jumpers that attach to connecting hardware on each end.
(TIA)

cross-coupling See coupling.
crossed pairs An error condition where the physical connection of one or more conductors
in a pair of copper wires is incorrectly made to one or more conductors in
another pair of wires, generally in the same communications cable.
crossover 1. The junction unit at the point of intersection of two cable trays, raceways,
or conduits (pathways) on different planes. (TIA) 2. The junction unit at the
point of intersection of two cable support strands, or cables (aerial pathways)
on different planes.
cross-point matrix A device that takes in a number of closed-circuit TV (CCTV) camera signals
and switches them to selectable outputs for viewing and recording. Typically,
the number of inputs is higher than the number of outputs.
cross-polarization The orientation of two antennas such that their radiated electric fields are
at right angles to each other. This results in a substantial reduction in the
ability of each antenna to receive signals from the other. The amount of
reduction is frequency and distance dependent. See also polarization.
cross-polarization The difference in antenna gain or device response between a signal arriving
discrimination (XPD) on one polarization and one arriving on the opposite polarization (expressed
in decibels [dB]).
crosstalk The unwanted transfer of signal from one or more circuits to other circuits as
a result of electromagnetic interference (EMI).
cryptography The field of study associated with encryption.
culvert A sewer, drain, or channel crossing under a road, embankment, or sidewalk.
curing To prepare for use over a period of time by chemical or physical process.
current (I) The flow of electrons in a conductor, measured in amperes. (TIA)

customer An individual or company that has employed contractors to install their
information and communications technology (ICT) system.
customer premises Buildings, grounds, and appurtenances (belongings) under the control of the
client. (TIA)
customer premises Any equipment related to communications that is located on the client’s
equipment (CPE) premises, as opposed to inside the access provider (AP) or service provider
(SP) network. (TIA)
cut An excavation or the removal of earth.

cutover The process of switching from old network components to new network
components. Used when describing the switch of a piece of equipment
(e.g., computer terminal, telephone) from an existing channel to a newly
installed channel. See also flash cut, hot cut, phased cutover and rolling cut.
cutsheet 1. A listing of communications cable pair assignments used to specify desired

circuit connections in a splice or cross-connect. This listing also can serve
as the as-built of a splice or cross-connect field. 2. A cable documentation
that shows the existing cable plant, new cable plant, and cross-connects that
will be relocated during cutover. 3. A document that provides product
specifications. Typically provided by product manufacturers and may include
product drawings. Also called a specification sheet (spec sheet).
cut-through A switching method in which messages are forwarded as soon as the

destination address is received without error checking. See also modified
cut-through and store-and-forward.
cyclic redundancy An error-detection technique based on polynomial division that adds bits to
check (CRC) a transmitted data stream for the purpose of error detection at the receiver.
See also frame check sequence (FCS).
=D
daisy-chaining The practice of wiring devices in a series, with a cable coming into the
device and another out of the device, as opposed to a bus with a continuous
line and taps.
dark fiber 1. Fiber that is not in use and has no light transmitted. 2. Excess fiber
installed in anticipation of system expansion; may or may not be terminated.
data center A building or portion of a building whose primary function is to house a

computer room and its support areas. (TIA)
data center See power usage effectiveness (PUE).

infrastructure efficiency
(DCIE)
data gathering panel A component of an electronic access control system (ACS) whose primary
function is to consolidate field-mounted peripheral devices and communicate
bidirectionally between the system’s headend software and field-mounted
peripheral devices.
data integrity 1. The assurance that a given data file has not been deleted, modified,
duplicated, or forged without detection. 2. The degree to which a collection
of data is complete, consistent, and accurate. See also integrity attack.

data link layer The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model layer
(Layer 2) responsible for providing reliable data transfer between two net
work entities across a single physical connection or series of bridged
connections.
data link layer address See media access control (MAC) address.
data network See network.
data protection The techniques used to guard the confidentiality and integrity of data.
data rate The rate at which electronically encoded information is transferred between
network devices over a communications channel. Also called throughput or
operating speed. Measured in bits per second (b/s).
data service unit (DSU) A client premises device that frames and channelizes the user’s data for
transmission on the digital network. The unit performs a similar function in
reverse for data coming from the network to the client
premises equipment.
data terminal The term used in the IEEE 802.3 standard to refer to a station
equipment (DTE) (e.g., computer) or port that serves as the data transmission source, data
transmission destination, or both for the purpose of sending or receiving data
over the network.
data transfer rate See data rate.
datagram A self-contained, independent entity of data carrying sufficient information

to be routed from the source to the destination computer without reliance
on earlier exchanges between this source and destination computer and the
transporting network (IETF RFC-1594). Sometimes also called a packet;
the term is generally reserved for packets of an unreliable service that does
not notify the user if delivery fails, while the term packet applies to any
message formatted as a packet. In the official terminology of the Open
Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model, a data unit in Layer 2 (data
link layer) is a frame, in Layer 3 (network layer) it is a packet, and in Layer 4
(transport layer) it is a segment or datagram. See also frame and packet.
DB connector A connector widely used between data equipment, available in a variety of

configurations (e.g., DB15, DB25). The digits (e.g., 15, 25) refer to the
number of pins in the connector. The connector gets its name from its
characteristic D-shaped metal shield. Also called a D-subminiature
connector.
dB(A) Decibels (dB) See decibel, A-weighted (dBA).
dBm Decibel referenced to 1 milliwatt (mW); 0 dBm is equal to 1 mW; –10 dBm
corresponds to 0.1 mW; –20 dBm corresponds to 0.01 mW; –30 dBm cor
responds to 0.001 mW.

dBmV Decibel (dB) referenced to 1 millivolt (mV). Often used in cable TV (CATV)
installations across 75 ohms.
dBrnc Decibels above reference noise (with C-message weighting). Reference noise
is equivalent to a 1004 hertz (Hz) test tone at –90 dBm.
de facto standard An informal standard resulting from popular acceptance of a product

or practice.
dead latch A latch in which the latch bolt is positively held in the projected position by
an auxiliary mechanism. The auxiliary mechanism is typically a small
plunger that lies alongside or near the latch bolt. The latch cannot be
retracted, and the door opened, until the plunger is retracted.
dead zone 1. A space on an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) fiber trace
following a Fresnel reflection in which no measurement can be made.
2. An area where cellular telephones cannot transmit to a nearby cell site.
3. In radio systems using low, medium, and high frequencies (LF, MF, HF),
the region between the furthest distance of the ground wave and the closest
distance of the sky wave, where the transmitted signal cannot be received.
Also called the skip zone or silent zone.
deadbolt A bolt operated manually and non-actuated by springs. When locked, the bolt
cannot be forced back. A deadbolt is operated (projected and retracted) by a
key cylinder or lever handle.
deadend A type of attachment that is used in outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling at the
end of an OSP cable run or when the pull on a corner exceeds ≈15 m (50 ft).
Deadends and corners in pole lines usually require guying to support the
cable or wire facility. See also double deadend.
decibel (dB) A logarithmic unit for measuring the relative voltage, current, or power of a
signal. One tenth of a bel. See also bel.
decibel, A-weighted An expression of the relative loudness of sound as perceived by the human
(dBA) ear. In the A-weighted system, the decibel values of sounds at low
frequencies are reduced compared with unweighted decibels, in which no
correction is made for audio frequency. This correction is made because
the human ear is less sensitive at low audio frequencies (e.g., below
1000 hertz [Hz]) than at high audio frequencies. Most sound level
requirements in fire codes and standards are expressed in dBA units. Also
written as dB(A) and dBa.
dedicated Used only for the specified purpose and no other. For example, in electrical
systems, one overcurrent protective device and one set of conductors serving
a single outlet.
dedicated in-floor See insert.

service fitting

dedicated LAN A network on which a separate communications channel is assigned

exclusively to each device by using switching technologies.
degradation The decline in operational performance.
delay on break A term used to describe a mode of operation relative to timing devices.
The delay begins when the initiate switch is opened (delay break of initiate
switch).
delay on energization A term used to describe when the initiate switch is closed for application of
power to the input.
delay skew The difference in propagation delay between any two balanced twisted-pairs
within the same cable sheath. (TIA) Usually used in reference to the delay
between the balanced twisted-pair with the highest and the lowest signal
propagation delay value.
delay spread In radio systems experiencing multipath, the difference in time of the arrival
at the receiver of the earliest multipath component (often line of
sight [LoS]) and the latest multipath component. Excessive delay spread can
cause intersymbol interference.
delayed egress Panic or fire exit hardware (required by building code) that allows a
15 second delay before opening.
delinquency signal A signal indicating the need for action in connection with the supervision of
guards or system attendants.
delivered audio quality A subjective scale used to measure the quality of sound over a voice
(DAQ) telecommunications system. Often used in specifications for wireless voice
systems. There are seven DAQ levels. The minimum allowable level
specified typically is DAQ 3.
delta The difference between two values, symbolized with a triangle (∆).
delta power system A three-legged non-grounded configuration with one equal potential between
legs.
demand priority An arbitration scheme that provides network access on the basis of the
priority level of the message or sending device.
demarcation point 1. A point where the operational control or ownership changes. (TIA) 2. The
(demarc) point of interface between service providers (SPs) and client facilities.
Also referred to as minimum point of entry (MPOE). See also building
entrance, building entrance terminal, and minimum point of entry (MPOE).
demodulation The recovery of information from a modulated carrier of a signal having

substantially the same characteristics as the original information. See also
discrimination.

demodulator An electronic device that performs demodulation.
demultiplexer (demux) A device that performs demultiplexing.
demultiplexing The process of reconstituting the individual channels from the

composite signal.
depressed clad An optical fiber, usually singlemode, that has double cladding with the outer
cladding having a refractive index ratio between that of the inner cladding
and the core. This reduces macrobending losses and provides lower
dispersion over a wider wavelength range. Also called a dual clad or double
clad.
derived channel A signaling line circuit that uses the local leg of the public switched network
as an active multiplex channel while simultaneously allowing that leg’s use
for normal telephone communications.
design development A design phase that follows a schematic design and is prior to
(DD) construction documents.
design documents The record that details the design intent.
design intent A detailed technical description of the ideas, concepts, and criteria defined by
the building owner to be important.
design specification A written document that defines a goal or set of goals, including specific
performance and design parameters.
designation strip A colored label placed on terminal blocks and used for identification
(e.g., circuits).
design-build construction When an owner contracts with a single entity employed to both design and
build a project.
despread The process of filtering out or shrinking a digitally coded signal to its
original form in direct sequence (pseudo-noise) spread spectrum technology.
detail drawing A detailed graphical representation of a specific area or element of

construction, often not drawn to scale.
detection badge See exposure monitor.
detector A device suitable for connection to a circuit that has a sensor that responds to
a physical stimulus (e.g., heat, smoke).
detector (optical) An optoelectronic transducer that converts light to an electrical signal.
deviation In radio systems, the maximum range that a total signal extends above and
below the carrier frequency.

device An item serving a particular purpose and used to perform one or more tasks.
device (protection) A protector, protector mount, protector unit, or protector module.
device address See media access control (MAC) address.
dialer 1. The software used by remote stations to connect to the network over
communications circuits. Also called remote client software. 2. An electronic
device connected to a communications line that monitors incoming dialed
digits and changes them or adds to them, transparently providing services
that would otherwise require long access codes. For example, a dialer could
provide one commercial carrier for domestic calls and another for
international calls.
die Metallic block or plate with small conical holes through which wire is drawn
or thermoplastic is injected as part of a manufacturing process.
dielectric The nonconducting properties of a non-metallic, insulating material that

resists the passage of electric current. Dielectric examples include the
insulation surrounding a copper conductor and the material between the
center conductor and outer shield of a coaxial cable.
dielectric cable A non-conducting cable (e.g., optical fiber cable with no metallic members).
dielectric constant A unit of relative electric permittivity of an insulator.
dielectric strength A specification of the maximum voltage that an insulation can withstand
without breakdown.
differential mode The differences in attenuation among the various modes in an optical
attenuation fiber cable.
differential mode The ratio of voltage to current on a pair of transmission channels when
impedance one conductor carries a signal in opposite phase to another (e.g., one signal
positive and the other signal negative).
differential mode The symmetrical noise voltage that appears equally and in opposite phase in
voltage each active signal-carrying conductor.
diffraction The bending of radio, sound, or light waves around an object, barrier, or
aperture edge.
digital See digital signal.

digital alarm A system in which signals are transmitted from a digital alarm communicator
communicator system transmitter (DACT) located at the protected premises through the public
(DACS) switched telephone network (PSTN) to a digital alarm communicator
receiver (DACR) so that it may seize the line to which it is connected. The
seizure disconnects any private telephone equipment beyond the DACT’s
point of connection.
digital alarm radio A system component composed of two subcomponents—one that receives
receiver (DARR) and decodes radio signals and another that annunciates the decoded data.
These two subcomponents can co-reside at the central station or be separated
by means of a data transmission channel.
digital alarm radio A system in which signals are transmitted from a digital alarm radio
system (DARS) transmitter (DART) located at a protected premises through a radio channel
to a digital alarm radio receiver (DARR).
digital alarm radio A system component that is connected to or an integral part of a digital alarm
transmitter (DART) communicator transmitter (DACT) that is used to provide an alternate radio
transmission channel.
digital certificate A security tool used to authenticate a message. It ensures the recipient that
the message originated from a source whose identity has been verified by the
issuer of the certificate.
digital coded squelch A digital form of continuous tone coded squelch system (CTCSS).
(DCS)
digital enhanced cordless A standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards

telecommunications Institute (ETSI). DECT defines the radio connection between two points and
(DECT) can be used for remote access to public and private networks. DECT is the
European standard for cordless telephones.
digital input (DI) The input to a device that receives a digital signal from an output device.
digital key A bit sequence used by a security tool to encrypt a message prior to
transmission to keep its contents confidential and restore the encrypted
message when received. See also key.
digital output (DO) The output of a device that sends a digital signal to an input device.
digital signal Information used by digital devices in the form of a sequence of discrete
pulses (e.g., a binary signal with two values used to transmit the two
states [0, 1]).
digital signature A bit sequence used by a security tool to authenticate a message. It ensures
the recipient that the message was not modified after being transmitted by the
sender.

digital subscriber line A family of digital technologies designed to provide high data transfer
(DSL) rates to residential or commercial subscribers over existing (legacy)
telecommunications circuits. See also asymmetric digital subscriber line
(ADSL) and xDSL.
digital video technology An electronic representation of video utilizing digital signals in lieu of
(DVT) analog signals. Digital video can be copied without degradation in quality
whereas analog video will suffer from a reduction in quality with successive
copies.
Dijkstra’s algorithm A mathematical formula for determining the shortest path through a network
of routers for a given packet. Dijkstra’s Shortest Path First (SPF) algorithm
uses distance vectors, time, and cost to determine best routes to travel from
one location to another. The algorithm is used in a network by the link-state
protocols, such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) to map topological
information about its network and neighboring network, to figure best
routing to deliver data from one host to another. It is also used by global
positioning systems (GPSs) to map out locations.
diplexer A passive three-port frequency-dependent device that allows two transmitters

to share a single antenna system (e.g., 150 megahertz [MHz] and 450 MHz).
A type of combiner.
dipole An antenna formed by splitting two wires of a two-wire transmission line

and bending them back to form a single straight line. It is a narrowband
antenna, operating efficiently in only a narrow band of frequencies.
The optimal length of a dipole antenna is one half of the wavelength of the
signal being received or transmitted by the antenna.
dipole array See antenna array.
direct broadcast A service that uses satellites to broadcast multiple channels of TV

satellite (DBS) programming directly to a small dish antennas.
direct attach cable (DAC) A twinax copper cable that directly connects the network ports between
active equipment such as switches or servers.
direct-buried cable A telecommunications cable designed to be installed under the surface of the
earth in direct contact with the soil. (TIA) See also underground cable.
direct connection The act of connecting a cable to client equipment without the use of a
patch panel or terminal block. (TIA)
direct current (dc) Current flow that has a constant direction. The letters dc are also used
generically to refer to any constant waveform or signal (e.g., a battery
voltage of 3 volts direct current [Vdc]).
direct current (dc) loop The resistance throughout two conductors shorted (connected together) at
resistance one end of the cable run.

direct digital control A control loop used in building automation systems (BAS) in which a
(DDC) microprocessor-based controller controls equipment (e.g., air handlers,
chillers, boilers) based on sensor inputs and set-point parameters according
to a sequence of operations.
direct hold magnetic A lock in which an electric magnet is mounted to a doorframe opposite a
lock metal plate. When energized, the lock bonds to the armature and locks the
door.
direct ray In the ray theory analysis of light propagation, the direct ray connects the
source and receiver in a straight line.
direct sequence spread 1. A technique used to structure signal processes using a digital code
spectrum (DSSS) sequence having a chip rate much higher than the information signal bit rate.
Each information bit within a digital signal is transmitted as a pseudorandom
sequence of chips. 2. Using a spreading code, the transmitted signal is spread
over a wide frequency band. The spreading code is reapplied to the
transmitted signal at the receiver to recover the information.
direct sound Sound that travels directly from a speaker to a listener.
direct wave The portion of the wave that travels directly from a transmitting to a
receiving antenna. It is limited to the distance from the transmitter to the
horizon, plus a small distance added by the wave’s attempt to bend with the
surface of the Earth.
direct-attached storage The combination of a high-speed interface and shared disk drives, where the
(DAS) disk drives are connected directly to the servers (internally or externally).
directional antenna An antenna that preferentially sends and receives signals in a

specific direction. See also omnidirectional antenna and unidirectional
antenna.
directional coupler See isolator, radio frequency.
directory A database of the resources available on a network. It typically contains

records for devices, software applications, data files, users, and groups.
disaster recovery The procedures and actions taken to restore network operations after an event
that destroys or disables some or all of the network. See also backup storage.
discrimination 1. The process of selecting the desired signal of the proper input level.
2. In frequency and phase modulation radio systems, the demodulation
process of detecting the change in frequency or phase of an incoming signal
and converting it to an amplitude signal. See also demodulation.
disk mirroring The simultaneous writing of all data to be stored onto two hard disks,
where both hard disks are connected to the same controller card. If one of the
hard disks fails, the other continues to provide storage services.

diskless workstation A computer that depends upon a network server for loading data and
applications. Diskless workstations are configured without a floppy or hard
disk drive, thereby providing additional security.
dispersion 1. The loss of signal resulting from the scattering of light pulses as they
are transmitted through a medium. 2. The widening or spreading out of the
modes in a light pulse as it progresses along an optical fiber. 3. The
characteristics of the sound coverage field of a speaker.
dispersion shifted A singlemode optical fiber that has a nominal zero-dispersion point at a
wavelength of 1550 nanometers (nm).
dispersion unshifted A singlemode optical fiber that has a nominal zero-dispersion point at a
wavelength of 1300 nanometers (nm). Also called conventional or unshifted
optical fiber.
display A visual representation of output data other than printed copy.
dissipation factor The relative power loss in the insulation due to molecular excitement and
subsequent kinetic and thermal energy losses.
distortion An undesired change in the shape of a signal’s waveform.
distributed access An access control system (ACS) in which all control decisions are made at
control the local controllers, independent from a host computer. Local controller
events are uploaded to a host computer periodically for review and storage.
distributed antenna A network of spatially separated antenna nodes connected to a common

system (DAS) source via transport medium that provides wireless service within a
geographic area or structure. (HetNet Forum)
distributed A family of technologies, including sensors, processors, information and

automation (DA) communication networks, and switches, through which a utility can collect,
automate, analyze, and optimize data to improve the operational efficiency of
its distribution power system (NEMA)
distribution cabling See horizontal cabling.
distribution cell The cellular floor sections from which cables emerge into work areas.
distribution duct A raceway of rectangular cross-section placed within or just below the
finished floor and used to extend the wires or cables to a specific work area.
(TIA)
distribution frame A structure with terminations for connecting the cabling of a facility in such
a manner that interconnection or cross-connections may be readily made.
(TIA)

distribution layer A collection of switches between the core and access layer. Distribution
switches may be a switch and external router combination or a multilayer
switch.
distribution panel A wiring board that provides a patch panel function and mounts either in a
rack or on a wall.
distribution ring Wire and cable management ring shaped like the letter D for routing and
(D ring) supporting distribution cables and jumpers/patch cables on a backboard.
See also cable management.
distribution system A bridging engine in access points that is used to connect access points. The
connection can be wired or wireless.
diverse route An alternative routing for cables and services to provide a different pathway
for resilience or security. See also alternate route.
diversity reception A technique used to improve the reception ability of a wireless network
device (e.g., access point [AP], microwave link) by combining or selecting
signals from two or more independent antennas. Used to mitigate the effects
of fading.
divestiture Transferring of title or loss of ownership as a result of government orders,

usually as a result of misdeed or in the interest of avoiding a monopolistic
business environment.
Division 1 A division in the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat™

that standardizes the way information about a non-residential construction
project is organized. Division 1 is subordinate to the general conditions and
supersedes part 1 of each section. (CSI) See also MasterFormat™,
PageFormat™, UniFormat™, and SectionFormat™.
domain A portion of the naming hierarchy tree that refers to general groupings of
networks based on organization type or geography.
donor signal The signal from the originating source that is amplified and distributed
throughout a facility by a distributed antenna system (DAS). The donor
signal may be received by the DAS via either a donor antenna or direct cable
connection to the donor site.
door contact A recessed or surface-mounted peripheral device that provides information

to the monitoring management of the access control systems (ACS), the
status of a door or passageway by the opened or closed position of its
contact.
door held open alarm An alarm generated when a door is held open beyond the designated period
of time programmed in the controller.

door position switch A type of door contact that consists of a switch that is used to monitor
whether a door is in an opened or closed position.
door switch See door position switch.
door-forced alarm An alarm generated when a door is forced open.
dopant An impurity added to a pure substance (usually in minute amounts) to alter

its properties. Typically used during the manufacture of optical fiber cables,
transistors, and integrated circuits.
double deadend In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, if the pull is greater than a 45-degree
angle, two head guys are required. Also referred to as two head guys.
See deadend.
double doorway A single opening that has no intervening wall space or door trim separating
the two doors.
double dwelling unit A building consisting solely of two dwelling units.
double ended A power distribution switchboard with two power source inputs, with an
interposing tiebreaker between the sources, where either input source of
the switchboard can supply 100 percent of the load. The double-ended
system constitutes an N + 1 or 2N system. This type of system may be used
for dual utility systems or a single utility system split into redundant feeds
and may possess the circuit breaker transfer system with the generator.
double-gang box A telecommunications outlet box, typically ≈114 to 140 millimeters

(mm [4.5 to 5.5 inches (in)] wide. The term comes from the electrical trade,
where a double-gang box can hold two duplex outlets or two switches side
by side.
down conductor A conductor that connects air terminals to the ground on the outside of
a structure.
down guy A steel messenger (strand) that connects the suspension strand, span guy, or
other items of aerial plant to an anchor and rod.
downlink 1. Signals transmitted from satellites to ground stations. 2. In demand

priority access method, the communications channel between a repeater and
a connected end node or between a repeater and a lower-level repeater.
download To send information from a host computer to a controller.
downtime The interval during which a functional system is inoperable.
drag line A pull cord or line installed in a cabling pathway for pulling in a stronger
strength rope to pull cables of greater mass and weight into the finished
conduits. See also pull (cord, rope, string, wire) and MuleTape.

drain wire A non-insulated conductor placed in electrical contact with a shield. (TIA)
draw A payment method for a telecommunications project in which the contractor

receives an initial payment on commencement of the contract and makes
periodic withdrawals during the term of the project.
dressing Placing cables into a neat and symmetrical pattern for proper alignment and
positioning for termination.
dressing block Plastic receptacle used to form and hold connectors to allow
wire termination.
drip loop The length of cable, usually on the exterior of a building, placed above the
entry hole of the building, extended to below the entry hole, and looped back
up to the entry hole of the structure. The use of such cable installation will
impede moisture infiltration.
drop and insert A process where a part of the information carried in a transmission signal
passing through the repeater site is demodulated (dropped) to serve local
consumers from the repeater site or information is inserted for further
transmission.
drop cable 1. A branch cable. 2. The cable allowing connection and access to and from
the trunk cable of a network.
drop ceiling See suspended ceiling.
drop wire An aerial cable that connects a serving outdoor terminal to a building
or structure.
dry contact A switch or relay contact that is not connected to other voltage sources.
dry pipe A pipe system that is fixed and installed permanently in place and distributed
throughout an area of a floor or building for the purpose of delivering water
in case of fire. Dry pipes are not normally filled with water until a fire alarm
is activated.
drywall An interior wall construction consisting of gypsum or plasterboard.
D-subminiature See DB connector.

connector
dual control The use of two primary trunk facilities over separate routes or different
methods to control one telecommunications channel.
dual-ring topology A ring topology that allows each device or network to have two connections
to each adjacent device or network.

duct 1. A single enclosed raceway for conductors, wires, or cables. See also
conduit and raceway. 2. An enclosure in which air is moved. Generally part
of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of a
building.
duct plug A fitting capping the end of a duct, or fittings to surround cables within the
duct, designed to provide a gas- and liquid-tight seal.
duct, subsidiary See conduit, subsidiary
ductbank An arrangement of ducts in tiers, for wires or cables. (TIA)
ducted skirting A cable raceway with a removable cover made of either wood, plastic,
or metal, found on the perimeter of walls of a building. May have separate
channels for power and telecommunications. See also raceway.
ductpic Plastic insulated conductor cables designed for placement underground.
duplex See duplex operation.
duplexer A device in the antenna path containing a circulator and filters that allows
a radio to transmit and receive simultaneously with maximum transfer of
power using the same antenna without causing receiver interference.
duplex operation An operating method in which transmission is possible simultaneously

in both directions of a telecommunications channel. In general, duplex
operation and semi-duplex operation require two frequencies in radio
communication; simplex operation may use either one or two frequencies, in
which only one transmitter can be operated at any one time. (ITU)
duty cycle The percentage of on time or operating time a device experiences.
dwelling unit One or more rooms for the permanent use of one or more persons for eating,
living, and sleeping, with provisions for cooking and sanitation. A dwelling
unit includes one- and two-family attached and detached dwellings and
apartments and condominiums but does not include hotel and motel rooms
and guest suites, dormitories, or sleeping rooms in nursing homes.
dynamometer A tool that measures force, moment of force (torque), or power. In

communications, this device is used to control the pulling tension of
a cable.

=E
ear protector A hearing protection device that may resemble ear muffs or fits inside of the
ear; available in passive or active models.
earth current Alternating current (ac) or direct current (dc) that flows in the earth whether
momentary, intermittent, or continuous.
earth curvature (earth The curvature of earth and its effect on line of sight (LoS)
bulge) communications links.
Earth Exploration- A radio communications service between earth stations and one or more
Satellite Service space stations, which may include links between space stations, in which:
(EESS) (1) information relating to the characteristics of the Earth and its natural
phenomena is obtained from active sensors or passive sensors on earth
satellites; (2) similar information is collected from airborne or earth-based
platforms; (3) such information may be distributed to earth stations within
the system concerned; and (4) may include platform interrogation.
(FCC 47 C.F.R. § 2.1(c)).
earth ground An electrical connection to earth obtained by a grounding electrode system.

See also approved ground and ground.
earth potential rise See ground potential rise (GPR).

(EPR)
earth resistance tests The testing of earth electrodes and the measurement of soil resistivity.
earthing Grounding to earth potential.
earthing electrode See grounding electrode.
easement A right acquired by one party to use land belonging to another party for a
specific purpose. See also encroachment.
effective ground Intentional connection to earth through a ground connection or connections

of sufficiently low impedance (whose value is specified in suitable bonding
and grounding [earthing] standards) and having sufficient current-carrying
capacity to prevent the build-up of voltages that may result in undue hazards
to connected equipment or to persons. (NEC®)
effective isotropic The power supplied to an antenna multiplied by the antenna gain in a given
radiated power (EIRP) direction, relative to an isotropic antenna. Measured in decibels (dB). Also
called the equivalent isotropic radiated power.
effective modal The maximum signaling rate for a given distance, commonly measured in
bandwidth (EMB) megahertz over kilometers (Mhz/km).

effective radiated power The power supplied to an antenna multiplied by the antenna gain in a
(ERP) given direction. Measured in decibels (dB). ERP is normally measured with
respect to either a dipole or isotropic antenna, which should always be
specified.
egress A point or means of exit from a building, property or location.
elastomeric A characteristic of a material or substance allowing stretching and flexibility,

resembling rubber or elastic.
elastomeric firestop A flexible firestop material resembling rubber.
electric field A field of force that surrounds all electrically charged particles and objects. It
is expressed in volts per meter (V/m). See also voltage gradient.
electric latch retraction Allows doors equipped with exit devices to be operated in push-pull
(dogged) mode by electrically retracting the latch bolts.
electric lockset An electrified version of a standard lockset that generally comes in two
basic configurations and incorporates an actuating solenoid that locks or
unlocks a lockset, duplicating or replacing the function of a traditional
mechanical key.
electric strike An electrified locking element that replaces a traditional door’s fixed strike
with an electromechanical unit that upon application (fail secure) or removal
(fail-safe) of power, a solenoid electrically activates the keeper, allowing a
lock’s latch bolt to pass.
electrical conductivity A line-type or spot-type sensing element in which resistance varies as a

heat detector function of temperature.
electrical coupling The transfer of energy between two or more electrically conducting
bodies. This energy can be through a direct connection or an indirect
connection (e.g., electromagnetic interference [EMI], radio frequency
interference [RFI]).
electrical distribution An assembly, mounted in or on a wall and accessible primarily from the
panel (EDP) front, consisting of enclosures, buses, and switches to control light, heat,
and power circuits. Similar to an electrical distribution cabinet, except the
panel is mounted to a vertical surface and a cabinet is floor mounted.
electrical drawing A graphical representation of the electrical components of a construction

project (e.g., power distribution, lighting).
electrical metallic Thin-wall metal tubing that does not have threaded ends, which is
tubing (EMT) widely used in electrical distribution systems and as a pathway for
telecommunications cabling.

electrified door release A generic term for electromechanical locking hardware that is released upon
hardware an approval signal.
electromagnetic The ability of equipment to function in a manner that makes them immune to
compatibility (EMC) certain amounts of electromagnetic interference (EMI), while keeping the
interference generated by them within specific limits.
electromagnetic Any electromagnetic occurrence that may degrade the performance of a

disturbance device, unit of equipment, or system. An electromagnetic disturbance may be
noise, an unwanted signal, or a change in the propagation medium.
electromagnetic emission The phenomenon by which electromagnetic energy emanates from a

source. Emissions can be either radiated or conducted when coupled into a
given disturbed circuit. Such emissions may be divided into two categories:
intentionally emitted signals and unintentional emissions.
electromagnetic The electromagnetic fields and signals existing in a propagation medium.

environment
electromagnetic field The energy field radiating from a source and containing both electric and
magnetic field components. An electric field is a field surrounding a charged
object. A magnetic field is the field surrounding any current-carrying
conductor.
electromagnetic field A tester that measures the presence of electromagnetic fields. Used to
tester identify possible electromagnetic interference (EMI) sources and strength.
electromagnetic The ability of a device, equipment, or system to perform without

immunity degradation in the presence of an electromagnetic disturbance. See also
electromagnetic compatibility.
electromagnetic A current flow in communications conductors produced by coupling of a

induction magnetic field (e.g., current in power lines, cable shield, other cable pairs).
electromagnetic Radiated or conducted electromagnetic energy that has an undesirable effect

interference (EMI) on electronic equipment or signal transmissions. (TIA) See also interference.
electromagnetic lock An electric lock that uses an electromagnet to hold a door closed.
electromagnetic pulse A high-intensity electromagnetic field. EMPs can disrupt electronic and
(EMP) electrical systems, sometimes causing permanent damage.
electromagnetic Radiation made up of oscillating electric and magnetic fields.

radiation (EMR)
electromagnetic shield Any structure used to divert, block, or impede the passage of
electromagnetic energy.

electromagnetic The full range of electromagnetic emissions, including all light and
spectrum radio waves.
electromagnetic The inability of a device, equipment, or system to resist an

susceptibility electromagnetic disturbance.
electromagnetic wave A wave produced by the interaction of time-varying electric and

magnetic fields.
electronic access A system composed of computer software and hardware for managing access
control (EAC) to identified spaces through the use of established security levels, issued
credentials, and peripheral electronic hardware, including door contacts,
request to exit (REX) devices, card readers, and electronic locking hardware.
electronic safety and Systems that utilize analog and digital transmission of data in addition to
security system (ESS) mechanical or electrical methods to enhance the safety and security of a
facility.
electronic serial A unique 32-bit serial number permanently stored in the mobile station or
number (ESN) cellular equipment by the manufacturer. The ESN is transmitted during the
authentication process.
electrostatic coupling The induction of electrical charges in electrical conductors that may be the
result of capacitive coupling from the electric field (e.g., nearby power line).
electrostatic discharge Electrical release of electricity generated by the interaction of materials

(ESD) containing some amount of electric charge. ESD happens when these
materials are put in contact with any type of electrical conductor.
elevation drawing A two-dimensional graphical representation of a vertical plane (drawing side

view) showing wall and rack details.
emergency callout A process or procedure used by an organization to quickly obtain the

personnel needed to restore service outages.
emergency power A stand-alone secondary electrical supply source not dependent upon the
primary electrical source. (TIA) Emergency power systems are used to
power life safety systems (e.g., emergency lighting, fire pumps) if primary
power fails.
emergency Formal written plan of action for coordinating the response of a group or
preparedness plan organization in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
emergency responder An implementation of distributed antenna system (DAS) designed for use
radio coverage by first responders or public safety officials. These systems re-transmit fire
systems (ERRCS) and police radio signals from outside of a building to the building’s interior
allowing for continuous communication even within structures whose
construction greatly attenuates outside radio signals.

emergency systems Those systems legally required and classed as emergency by municipal,
state, federal, or other codes or by any governmental agency having
jurisdiction. These systems are intended to automatically supply illumination,
power, or both to designated areas and equipment in the event of failure of
the normal supply or in the event of accident to elements of a system
intended to supply, distribute, and control power and illumination essential
for safety to human life.
emergency voice alarm An audible alarm method that uses spoken messages to alert occupants.
communications Voice communication alarms can be used to convey specific instructions to
occupants during an alarm event. Voice communication systems typically use
recorded messages but can provide manual override and paging capability.
emission See electromagnetic emission.
emulation The technique of modifying a device with hardware or software to make it

operate in the same manner as another device. See also terminal emulation.
encapsulant A permanent or removable filling compound for a splice enclosure to prevent

water intrusion.
encapsulation A process that enables message transfer over dissimilar networks. It is used
when messages initiated by network devices must be transported over an
intermediate network using different protocols. The encapsulation process
places messages into data frames compatible with the intermediate network
without altering the message content. Upon arrival at the destination
network, the reverse process is used to extract the original form of the
message.
encoding See signal encoding.
enclosure A surrounding case or housing used to protect the contained equipment and
prevent personnel from contacting live parts. (IEEE)
encroachment The private use of another person’s right-of-way (R/W) for an indefinite
term, with or without permission, usually involving obstructions (man-made
structures). See also easement.
encroachment permit A legal document (usually issued by a government agency) that gives the
permit holder permission to install and maintain facilities over or under the
property designated by the permit.
encryption 1. A security mechanism that transforms the readable content in a message

into a seemingly random collection of characters, numbers, and symbols
to provide confidentiality. 2. A modification of a bit stream to make it appear
random and to control emissions.
encryption key See digital key.

encumbrance Any lien, claim, or liability attached to the land that affects or limits the title
to property.
end user The ultimate consumer of a delivered good or service.
endcap 1. The endplate of a splice enclosure specifically arranged for the cable(s)
entering and exiting the enclosure. 2. Closure at the end of a cable tray,
raceway, or series of modular furniture units.
end-of-life cycle The end-of-life (EOL) on a product or communications infrastructure

(EOL) depends whether the perspective is that of the manufacturer or the user. From
the manufacturer’s perspective, the product will no longer be available, and
technically supported. From the user’s perspective, it means disposing of the
existing product responsibly, transitioning to a different product and ensuring
that the disruption from the existing to the new product is minimal.
end-of-line device A device used to terminate a supervised circuit.
end-of-line resistor A resistor that permits active monitoring of a two-wire circuit by using
(EOLR) low-level circuit current to detect a short or break.
endothermic Absorbing heat energy.
endplate See endcap.
energy efficiency Any equipment, system, or control strategy installed in a building

measure for the purpose of reducing energy consumption and enhancing
building performance.
energy management A computerized monitoring and control system used to manage and
system (EMS) provide operational efficiency for electrical power, heating, ventilation, and
air-conditioning (HVAC), and lighting control systems.
energy per bit to noise A type of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurement; measured at the input
(Eb/NO) density ratio to the receiver to quantify signal strength. Sometimes called
SNR per bit. The wireless system designer should consult the available
curves of theoretical bit error rates (BER) to determine the best possible ratio
based on the type of modulation.
engine generator A unit that uses a fuel-powered engine to drive a rotary generator to produce
electrical power.
engineered judgment A decision by a professional for a slight variance from standard practices.
engineering judgment In firestopping, a document furnished by a firestop manufacturer’s qualified

technical personnel or in concert with the manufacturer by a knowledgeable
registered professional engineer for nonstandard conditions in which a
firestop system does not exist.

entrance facility (EF) An entrance to a building for both public and private network service cables,
including wireless, mechanical and electrical services, and the entrance
point at the building wall, and continuing to the entrance room or space. See
also building entrance, demarcation point (demarc) and entrance room or
space. Also called a service entrance.
entrance point (EP) The point of emergence for telecommunications cabling through an exterior
wall, a floor, or from a conduit. (TIA)
entrance room or space A space in which the joining of inter or intrabuilding backbone facilities
takes place. (TIA) See also entrance facility (EF).
equal level far-end Crosstalk measured at the opposite end from which the disturbing signal
crosstalk (ELFEXT) is transmitted, normalized by the attenuation contribution of the cable or
cabling.
Equalizer (EQ) An electronic device that compensates for the selective frequency losses of
the cable that feeds into it to provide equalization.
equalizing conductor A conductor for the equalization of different ground (earth) points of a
building to keep them at the same potential (zero volts).
equipment cord A cable assembly used to connect active electronics equipment directly to
other active equipment or to horizontal or backbone cabling Also called a
work area cable.
equipment distribution The computer room space occupied by racks or cabinets.

area (EDA)
equipment grounding The conductor used to connect the noncurrent-carrying metal parts of
conductor equipment, raceways, and other enclosures to the system-grounded
conductor, the grounding electrode conductor, or both at the service
equipment.
equipment rack See rack.
equipment room (ER) 1. An environmentally controlled centralized space for telecommunications

equipment that usually houses a main or intermediate cross-connect. (TIA)
2. An environmentally controlled space for communications and data
processing equipment supporting communications connectivity
infrastructure.
equipotential bonding Properly designed and installed electrical connections putting various
exposed conductive parts and extraneous conductive parts at a substantially
equal potential, especially during normal non-transient conditions. See also
intersystem bonding conductor.

equivalent facilitation The concept of making any object equally accessible or usable to persons
with physical disabilities. In building and construction, equivalent facilitation
is usually achieved with special accessibility features (e.g., ramps, powered
door operators, visual alarm appliances).
equivalent isotropic See effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP).

radiated power (EIRP)
erlang A unit of telecommunications traffic measurement. An erlang represents a

continuous use of one voice path for one hour. In practice, it describes the
total traffic volume during one hour. The peak hour of the day (busy hour)
typically is used.
error Any unwanted change in the original contents of a transmission.
error control A process that verifies that a message is transferred successfully

between devices.
errors and omissions The failure to include or accurately define a requirement in a

(E&O) design document.
Ethernet A networking technology originally based on a logical bus structure and

carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD). Ethernet
standards are formulated by the IEEE 802.3 committee and apply to Open
Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model Layers 1 and 2.
European economic An area composed of the European Union, Iceland, Norway,

area (EEA) and Liechtenstein.
evacuation The withdrawal of occupants from a building.
evacuation signal A distinctive signal intended to be recognized by the occupants as requiring

evacuation of the building.
event An occurrence at a sensor (e.g., locking/unlocking a door, excessive smoke

or heat, status change, equipment malfunction) that generates a message
stored in the system’s controller.
event table Results of some optical time domain reflectometers (OTDRs) for optical
fibers that list each event and its location, loss, and reflectance (if any).
event-based The automated monitoring of systems using a principle based on the fact
monitoring that electronic systems can efficiently and effectively drive operational
response. Event-based monitoring solutions imply a high level of integration
between systems such that events from one subsystem automatically drive
actions from other systems.
exit plan A plan for the emergency evacuation of the premises.

exothermic A chemical change causing the release of heat (e.g., exothermic welding uses
an exothermic chemical reaction releasing a large quantity of heat to weld
two metals together).
exothermic weld A method of permanently bonding two metals together by a controlled heat
reaction, resulting in a molecular bond. (TIA)
expansion joint A joint between adjoining surfaces (e.g., concrete, conduit) arranged to
permit expansion and contraction with changes in temperature.
exposed Capable of being inadvertently touched or approached more closely than a

safe distance by a person or another conductor. It is applied to parts that are
not suitably guarded, isolated, or insulated. (NEC®)
exposed cable See open cable.
exposed facilities Any cable facilities subjected to such effects as lightning, power crosses,
power induction, or differences in ground potential.
exposure monitor A device worn by a worker indicating the level of exposure to a

hazardous substance.
extended service set A collection of access points (APs) that are tied together by a wired
(ESS) backbone in a single collision domain, or by virtual LANs (VLANs), to
allow Layer 2 (data link layer) roaming.
extensible markup A specification developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). XML
language (XML) is a pared-down version of the standard generalized markup language,
designed especially for website documents. It allows designers to create their
own customized tags, enabling the definition, transmission, validation, and
interpretation of data between applications and between organizations. XML
has been widely adopted for use in the integration of computing systems with
automation and control systems as the underlying language behind XML
website services.
extremely high Frequencies in the range of 30 gigahertz (GHz) to 300 GHz.

frequency (EHF)

=F
F connector A 75-ohm radio frequency connector typically used in cable TV and on
entertainment devices for coaxial cable. Used for RG 59/6 and RG 7/11 type
cables to attach drop cables to directional couplers (taps), splitters, end-user
equipment (e.g., TVs) and other devices. An F connector does not have a
center pin. An F connector uses the solid copper center conductor of the
coaxial cable as the center pin to establish the connection.
fabric An interconnection scheme that enables communications between any two

connected devices or networks through a series of interlinked switches.
faceplate A protective (often decorative) outlet plate.
facility 1. A building or room that makes possible some specific activity.

2. Sometimes used to describe outside plant (OSP) cables or pairs to provide
service.
facility code The coded data in access control cards that identifies the location of the
access control system (ACS).
factor of safety (FS) In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, a mathematical factor used in the
calculation of required pole strength for a given transverse load. This factor
varies with the grade of pole construction.
fade margin A design allowance that provides for sufficient system gain or sensitivity
to accommodate expected fading for the purpose of ensuring that the
required quality of service is maintained.
fading The variation in path loss between the transmitter at one station and its
normal receiver at the following station.
fail latched A property of a locking device that upon the loss of power, the device will
latch or remain latched but does not necessarily restrict movement or access
from the secured side.
failover The automatic transfer of control from a primary to a backup system as a

strategy for fault tolerance.
fail-safe A property of a locking device that upon the loss of power, the device will
automatically unlock (open) or remain unlocked (open).
fail-secure A property of a device that upon the loss of power, the device will
automatically lock (close) or remain locked (closed).
failure mode A system state resulting from an unanticipated system outage and typically
an automatic system response to that failure.

fallback The ability of an access point (AP) to lower the data rate as the signal level
from the mobile station drops below the level required to maintain a reliable
connection.
false ceiling See suspended ceiling.
false deadend A clamp or grip item of hardware used to attach to strand in order to
end it at a pole or building attachment for OSP aerial construction.
false event An indication on a test instrument, such as an optical time domain

reflectometer (OTDR), of an event that is not really there. This is sometimes
caused by the improper use of the test set.
family In building information modeling (BIM), a group of elements with a

common set of properties and a related graphical representation. Different
elements belonging to a family may have different values for some or all of
their parameters, but the set of parameters (their names and meanings) is the
same.
fan out The physical preparation of conductors, wire pairs, or fiber optic strands
exiting a jacketed cable, to facilitate placement and termination in a splice or
connecting block.
fanned Separated cable conductors, strands, or pairs.
Faraday cage A metallic enclosure that is designed to prevent the entry or escape of
electromagnetic fields. An ideal Faraday cage consists of an unbroken
perfectly conducting shell. This ideal cannot be achieved in practice but can
be approached.
Faraday’s Law A law stating that an oscillating magnetic flux field will lead to the
generation of an oscillating voltage in a conductive loop placed in that field.
far-end crosstalk A measure of the unwanted signal coupling from a transmitter at the near end
(FEXT) loss into another pair measured at the far end, and relative to the transmitted
signal level. Also called input/output far-end crosstalk loss. (TIA)
Fast Ethernet An IEEE 802.3 Ethernet LAN protocol with a data transfer rate of
100 megabits per second (Mb/s). See also 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Ethernet, and
Gigabit Ethernet.
fastener A screw, bolt, clamp, or nail-like device that is used to secure an item to a
wall, floor, or ceiling.
fault An open, ground, or short condition on any line extending from a control
unit, which could prevent normal operation.

fault management The detection, isolation, and correction of hardware or software conditions
that disrupt network operations.
fault tolerance The ability of a system to continue operations after the failure of one or more
components or communications paths.
fault voltage (current) See foreign voltage (current).
feed horn A device that concentrates radio frequency (RF) energy into a waveguide,
antenna radiator, or antenna reflector. Also called an illuminator.
feedback 1. An unwanted oscillation or tone that quickly increases in loudness. 2. The

return of a portion of a signal in a circuit from output to input or from
one point on a transmission path to a preceding point along this path, usually
for the purpose of self-correcting, self-regulating, or control purposes. See
also closed loop control.
feeder duct See header duct.
femtocell 1. A small, low-power cellular base station, typically designed for use in a
home or small business. Most femtocells have a range of ≈10 meters
(m [33 feet (ft)]). A femtocell allows service providers to extend service
coverage indoors or at the cell edge, especially where access would
otherwise be limited or unavailable. 2. One type of small cell.
ferroresonance The resonance of iron molecules due to the application of a magnetic field
that produces a magnetic flux on the iron structure. This is the principal
operation of transformers.
ferroresonant A device that regulates alternating current (ac) voltages, capable of acting as
transformer a step-up or step-down voltage transformer and as an ac voltage regulator.
ferrule (optical fiber) The alignment sleeve portion of an optical connector used to protect and
align the stripped optical fiber.
ferrule connector (FC) An optical fiber connector with a threaded body which was designed for use
in high-vibration environments. It is commonly used with both singlemode
optical fiber and polarization-maintaining optical fiber cabling. Commonly
referred to as fiber connector. See angled physical contact (APC).
fiber See optical fiber.
fiber connector (FC) The device used to hold and align one or more fibers in interface with
another fiber or fibers (when not referring to the specific type of connector
designated FC).
fiber distributed data A fault-tolerant token-passing network protocol based on single or dual
interface (FDDI) optical fiber rings.

fiber distribution unit An administrative housing used to terminate fiber cables and connectors for
the purpose of interconnections and cross-connection.
fiber fault finder A small handheld visible light source consisting of a light-emitting
diode (LED), lamp, or visible laser. Used to identify fibers, faulty connectors,
fiber breaks, and critical bends. The bad connector (break in the fiber) will
glow from the light source and be visible on many fiber sheath types. Also
called a visual fault locator (VFL).
fiber optic (FO) See optical fiber.
fiber optic cable See optical fiber cable.
fiber optic flashlight See optical fiber flashlight.
fiber span The length of optical fiber cable between poles or maintenance holes (MHs).
fiber strand identifier A clamp-on testing unit for optical fiber that places a micro-bend into the
cable to detect light escaping from the fiber.
fiber to the home (FTTH) A fiber connection from an internet service provider (ISP) connecting
directly to a single residence or apartment.
fiber to the office (FTTO) A de-centralized cabling plant design that carries optical fiber to the outlet/
office space utilizing micro switches to provide connectivity to end devices.
This design can be seen in airports or warehouse spaces where link limits
often exceed 90 meters (m [295 feet (ft)]).
fiber to the X (FTTx) A generic term used to encompass a range of broadband network
architectures using optical fiber to provide all or part of the local loop used
for the last mile telecommunications.
Fibre Channel A technology for transmitting data between computer devices at high data
rates. Fibre Channel is especially suited for connecting computer servers to
shared storage devices and for interconnecting storage controllers and drives.
field of view The area or volume, typically angular or conical in shape, that a sensor or
device can detect an input.
field order (FO) A document that allows the engineer to authorize or order minor variations in
the work when such changes do not involve a change in contract price or
contract time. These orders must be in writing, but do not require an
executed change order or the owner’s signature. (CSI)
fill 1. A sequence of added bits used to meet timing, sizing, or spacing

requirements in and between messages. 2. Use of material (or material used)
to equalize or raise earth topography to a certain elevation.

filled cable A cable that contains water-blocking non-solid material inside the sheath to
prevent the penetration of moisture.
filtering A process that examines all incoming or outgoing traffic for specific
characteristics (e.g., source address, destination address, protocol, virus) and
determines whether to accept, forward, or discard that traffic based on the
established criteria.
fingerprint reader A biometric reader that identifies a person based on the person’s
fingerprint pattern.
fire The rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process

of combustion, releasing a combination of heat, light, and reaction products
specific to the materials undergoing combustion.
fire alarm (FA) A device that detects one or more signs of a fire, typically heat or smoke. The
device then transmits a notification by a loud audible speaker, a circuit
connected to a controller, or both.
fire alarm code A code that specifies when a fire alarm system is required.
fire alarm control A system component that receives and monitors inputs from fire alarm
panel (FACP) unit devices and controls outputs to connected appliances, transmitters, relays and
devices, and other control units.
fire alarm signal A signal initiated by a fire alarm-initiating device (e.g., manual fire alarm
box, automatic fire detector, water flow switch) in which activation is
indicative of the presence of a fire or fire signature.
fire alarm standard A standard that prescribes such requirements as the spacing and placing
requirements of fire detection and alarm equipment. This addresses how a
fire alarm (FA) system is to be installed, tested, inspected, maintained, and
monitored.
fire alarm (FA) system A system or portion of a combination system that consists of components and
circuits arranged to monitor and annunciate the status of fire alarm or
supervisory signal-initiating devices and to initiate the appropriate response
to those signals.
fire alarm/evacuation A device that produces a fire alarm/evacuation tone upon command.
signal tone generator

fire break A fire-rated material, device, or assembly of parts installed along a cable or
within a cable pathway, other than at a cable penetration of a fire-rated
barrier, to prevent the propagation of fire along a cable. Typically, the
material is applied directly to or around the cabling at incremental locations
along the pathway in an effort to stop or significantly slow the advance of
a fire down the length of the cables. Fire breaks are most often used in
locations with large open floor spaces with cable trays carrying power cables
to various pieces of equipment.
fire command center A principal attended or unattended location where the status of the detection,
alarm communications, and control systems is displayed and from which the
systems can be manually controlled.
fire detection The means of detecting the occurrence of heat, smoke, or other particles or
products of combustion.
fire detector See also flame detector, heat detector, smoke detector, spark/ember detector,
other fire detectors, rate compensated heat detector, rate-of-rise pneumatic
tubing heat detector and rate-of-rise detector.
fire detectors-other Devices that detect a phenomenon other than heat, smoke, flame, or gases
produced by a fire.
fire protection The active means of detecting and suppressing fires.
fire rating system See fire resistance rating.
fire resistance A property of a material or rated assembly of materials that can withstand
combustion and delay the passage of flame for some known period of time.
fire resistance rating The time in hours, or fraction thereof, that a material or rated assembly of
materials will withstand the passage of flame and the transmission of heat
when exposed to fire under specified conditions of test and performance
criteria. (TIA)
fire retardant (FR) Any substance added to delay the start of fire ignition or to slow the spread
of flame by the burning material.
fire safety function A fire alarm (FA) system component that directly interfaces with the system
control device that controls the fire safety function.
fire safety functions The building and fire control functions that are intended to increase the
level of life safety for occupants and control the spread of the harmful effects
of fire.
fire shield A fire-rated material, device, or assembly of parts installed between cable
pathways (e.g., between two parallel cable trays or between layers in
vertically stacked trays) to prevent propagation of flames from one pathway
to an adjacent pathway.

fire suppression The means of extinguishing an active fire.
fire warden A building staff member or tenant trained to perform assigned duties in the
event of a fire emergency.
fire zone A contained area completely enclosed by fire-resistant rated walls, floors, and
ceilings.
fire-gas detector A device that detects gases produced by a fire.
fire-rated assembly An architectural barrier assembly designed and installed to contain a fire
within a specified space for the rated amount of time. The barrier includes
both the membrane material (e.g., gypsum, metal, concrete) and the barrier’s
interior (e.g., studs, insulation). The barrier assembly includes the barrier
itself and any architectural openings (e.g., windows or doors and their
frames). See also fire-rated door.
fire-rated door A door assembled of various materials and types of construction used in wall
openings to retard the passage of fire. These doors are rated in hours or
fractions of hours. See also fire-rated assembly.
fireproof A property of a material (e.g., masonry, block, brick, concrete, gypsum

board) that does not support combustion even under accelerated conditions.
No material is entirely fireproof.
firestop A fire-rated material, device, or assembly of parts installed in a penetration in

a fire-rated barrier in accordance with a firestop system or engineering
judgment to prevent the spread of fire, temperature, and gases of combustion.
firestop system A document prepared by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL)

or a firestop manufacturer that specifies a specific firestop and its installation
requirements for a particular fire-rated assembly (e.g., gypsum wall with
wood studs, 2-hour F rating, 1-hour T rating) and penetrating element.
firestopping The process of installing nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL)

listed fire-rated materials into penetrations in fire-rated barriers to reestablish
the fire-resistance rating of the barrier. (TIA)
firewall 1. A continuous barrier used to prevent fire spreading from one fire zone
or area to another. See also fire-rated assembly. 2. One or more security
mechanisms (hardware and software) designed to prevent, detect, suppress,
and contain unauthorized access to a network.
firm An organization that participates in providing or selling goods or services to

other firms or consumers. [BIM]

First Responder An independent authority within the Unied States (U.S.) National
Network Authority Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) established to
(FirstNet) develop a single nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network.
The network is called the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
(NPSBN).
fish tape A tool or device that can be extended from the beginning of a pathway to the
other end to assist in installing a pull line or to pull in a cable.
fixed connector (FC) A type of optical fiber connector identifiable by its round, screw-operated
locking nut. It is usually metal. Because of its ruggedness, it is widely used
in test equipment.
Fixed Service (FS) A radio communications service between specified fixed points. (FCC 47
C.F.R. § 2.1(c))
fixed-temperature A device that responds when its operating element becomes heated to a
detector predetermined level.
flame A body or stream of gaseous material involved in the combustion process of

a fire, which emits radiant energy within wavelength bands specific to the
combustion chemistry of the fuel. In most cases, some portion of the emitted
radiant energy is visible.

flame detector A fire detector that detects the radiant energy emitted by a flame.
flame detector sensitivity The distance along the optical axis of a detector at which the device can
detect a fire of specified size and fuel within a given time frame.
flash cut A process of migrating from an existing system to another where all circuits
are cutover at once. See also cutover.
flashing Pieces of sheet metal (or similar material) used to cover and protect certain
joints and angles.
flat network A network that consists of a single broadcast domain. See also
broadcast domain.
flex Flexible wide-area synchronous protocol.
flexibility The ability of a design to anticipate future changes in space,

communications, power density, or heat rejection, and to respond to these
changes without affecting the mission of the critical information and
communications technology (ICT) functions.
flexible conduit Raceway of circular cross-section that is bendable without the use of tools.

float current The current that is drawn by a battery when it is being kept in a fully charged
state. The float voltage will determine this current. See float voltage.
float voltage The voltage at which a battery is maintained (floated) in order to keep it in a
fully charged state. See float current.
flooding The process used by network switches, bridges, and routers to direct
a message to all outgoing ports, with the exception of the port or interface on
which the traffic was received. Flooding is typically used when the
destination address of the message is not recognized or for multicast and
broadcast message distribution.
floor distributor (FD) The international equivalent term for horizontal cross-connect (HC).
floor plan A scaled diagram or plan of a building floor or other structure shown as if
seen from above.
floor slab 1. That part of a reinforced concrete floor, which is carried on beams below.
(TIA) 2. A concrete mat poured on subgrade serving as a floor rather than as
a structural member.
flow control A mechanism used to regulate the data transfer between devices.
flow switch A device that monitors minor surges in water flow.
flying cross In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, the term used to describe the
intersection of two perpendicular support strands for aerial cable that makes
a 90-degree change in direction.
foil covered unshielded See shielded twisted-pair cable.

twisted-pair cable
(F/UTP)
foil shield A thin plastic and metal laminated tape wrapped around the cable conductors
to act as a shield against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and prevent
emission of electromagnetic energy. See also screen.
foil twisted-pair (FTP) See screened twisted-pair cable.

cable
foldback splicing The process of folding back conductors in a splice for future maintenance or
rearrangements.
footprint The area where a piece of equipment or furniture rests on the floor with its
moving parts in a closed position.
foreign voltage (current) Any unwanted voltage (current) imposed on a system that is not supplied
from within the system itself. Also called fault voltage (current).

form and dress cable The process of lining up cables side-by-side, shaping them into sweeping
arcs, and joining them into loose bundles with tie wrap or other means, to
hold the bundles neatly together.
forming See form and dress cable.
forward packet data The cdma2000 1xEV-DV data channel on the forward link.
channel (F-PDCH)
forwarding The transferring of a message to another network by an internetworking

device. See also filtering.
forwarding logic The set of rules used by an internetworking device to transfer a received
message to another network.
fragment-free switching See modified cut-through.
frame 1. A data unit created at Layer 2 (data link layer) of the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model. It contains the data, control, and
error-checking information necessary to transfer a message from one device
to another on a LAN. See also datagram and packet. 2. A special purpose
equipment mounting structure.
frame check sequence The product of an error-detecting code normally inserted as the final field in
(FCS) a block of transmitted data. See also checksum and cyclic redundancy check
(CRC).
Frame Relay A network protocol designed to transport messages over extended distances
via a mesh network, using virtual circuits and switches. A high-performance
modification of X.25.
frame synchronization A 32-bit post office code standardization advisory group paging code used to
(FS) identify the beginning of each message batch.
framed wall An interior wall construction consisting of plasterboard.
franchise A right-of-way (R/W) granted for placement of outside plant (OSP) facilities
within the domain of public or private property.
free space loss The signal loss that occurs between two antennas in free space, unaffected by
blocking, refraction, diffraction, or absorption.
free space optics (FSO) A low-power laser beam used for outdoor point-to-point high-rate protocol-
independent transmission.
frequency The number of cycles that a periodic signal completes in a given time. If the
unit of time is one second, the frequency is stated in hertz (Hz). One Hz is
equal to one cycle per second.

frequency band A range of communications frequencies.
frequency converter Integrated component assemblies required for converting signals into lower
(or intermediate) or higher frequency ranges for further processing.
frequency-hopping A modulation technique that employs rapid changing of the transmission

spread spectrum (FHSS) frequency in a predetermined, pseudorandom pattern. Communication is
accomplished by synchronizing the transmitter and receiver.
frequency modulation A type of angle modulation of a sinusoidal carrier in which the instantaneous
(FM) frequency of the modulated wave differs from the carrier frequency by an
amount proportional to the instantaneous value of the modulating wave. In
FM, the modulating signal causes the carrier to vary which is controlled by
both the frequency and the amplitude of the modulating wave. FM and Phase
Modulation (PM) are two types of angle modulation.

Fresnel reflection Whenever light traveling in a material encounters a different density
material, some of the light is reflected back to the light source, and the rest
continues. See also reflection.
Fresnel zone One of a (theoretically infinite) number of concentric ellipsoid shaped areas
about the direct path between a transmitter and receiver in an unbounded
transmission medium free of radiation sources. The cross section of the
first (innermost) Fresnel zone is circular. The others are annular (doughnut-
shaped). In radio systems, a good design requires that the first Fresnel
zone in a propagation path be kept as clear as possible of obstacles that could
cause refraction. Some obstruction can be tolerated (preferably 20 percent or
less); the maximum is 40 percent.

frost lift Ground buckling upward as a result of heavy frost.
frost line The deepest level below grade to which frost penetrates in a particular
geographic area. Usually specified in 50-year increments.
full-duplex signaling The transmission of data in opposite directions simultaneously. See also
half-duplex signaling and simplex signaling.
functional design process A network design process where the designer begins by examining the types
of applications and services that are to be supported by the network. Also
called top-down design.
functional performance The full range of checks and tests carried out to determine whether all
test components, subsystems, systems, and interfaces between systems function
in accordance with the design documents.
furcating harness An assembly used to increase the effective outer diameter of strands within
an optical fiber cable to enable connector termination, typically provided in
either 6- or 12-strand configurations. Also called a fan out.

furcation The process of covering a 250 micron coated fiber with a 900 micron buffer
tube to facilitate field connectorization.
furcation tubing Flexible tubes used to increase the effective outer diameter of coated optical
fiber strands (typically from 250 microns to 900 microns) to enable
connector termination and provide physical protection of the coated strands.
furniture system Furniture walls combined with furniture units designed to form a work area
(e.g., cubicle).
furniture wall A component of a furniture system.
fuse An overcurrent protective device with a circuit-opening element that is

severed (open) when heated by the passage of an overcurrent. Fuses are
normally onetime devices; once they are open, they are not reusable.
fuse cable A length of cable that is two gauges smaller than the conductors of the
cable being protected and at least ≈0.6 meters (m [2 feet (ft)]) long. Fuse
cable is inserted in the plant and intended to open on excessive foreign
power currents, thus protecting the station wiring cable or apparatus. Fuse
cable does not protect against lightning currents or sneak currents. Also
called fuse cable link and fuse link.
fuse cable link See fuse cable.
fuse link See fuse cable.
fusing 1. The process of joining fibers together by fusion or melting. 2. The process
of joining materials through a chemical or heating process. This fusing can
occur as an unwanted action that can appear as an open or a short.
fusion splice A permanent joint accomplished by applying localized heat sufficient to fuse
or melt the ends of two optical fibers together, forming a continuous single
fiber.
=G
gain 1. The ratio of output current, voltage, or power relative to input current,
voltage, or power, respectively. Gain is usually expressed in decibels (dB).
If the ratio is less than unity, gain will be negative, in which case there is
a loss between input and output. 2. The ratio of an antenna’s maximum
radiation intensity to that of a radiator in the far field of its main (forward
direction) lobe. (FCC) See also effective radiated power (ERP) and
equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP).
Gantt chart A simple chart that diagrams a project schedule.
gamma rays Electromagnetic frequencies between 30 exahertz (EHz) and 3000 EHz.

gap distance The distance between optical fiber ends.
gas tube protector An overvoltage protector featuring metallic electrodes that discharge in a gas
atmosphere within a glass or ceramic envelope. This type of protector does
not require replacement each time it discharges.
gateway 1. An internetworking service used to connect dissimilar applications running

on different networks with different telecommunication protocols. Gateways
normally operate at one or more of the top four layers of the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model. 2. As it relates specifically to fire
alarm control units, a device that is used in the transmission of serial data
(digital or analog) from the fire alarm control unit to other building system
control units, equipment, or networks and/or from other building system
control units to the fire alarm control unit.
general alarm An alarm signal that is not specific to an individual device or area. General
alarms are signaled throughout an entire building or area and usually result in
the evacuation of occupants.
general conditions Any of a number of standards or code documents published that are
applicable to the project delivery method.
generic content In building information management (BIM), non-manufacturer specific

models (e.g., devices, equipment, fittings) which are suitable for use in BIM
project models.
Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) An IEEE Ethernet LAN protocol with a data transfer rate of 1000 megabits
per second (Mb/s). See also Ethernet, and Fast Ethernet.
gigabit per second (Gb/s) A transmission rate denoting one billion bits per second.
gigahertz (GHz) A unit of frequency denoting one billion cycles per second. See also
hertz (Hz).
global area network A network of different interconnected computer networks that covers an
(GAN) unlimited geographic area.
global unlock An input that, when activated, generates an access control system (ACS)
signal that unlocks doors.
grade 1. The slope of a surface with a vertical rise or fall expressed as a percentage
of the horizontal distance. 2. For a communications circuit, a category
defining the level of the circuit’s capability.
graded-index fiber A multimode optical fiber design in which the refractive index decreases
continuously from the center of the core to the outside of the core. The
purpose is to reduce modal dispersion and thereby increase fiber bandwidth.

gray scale An image in which the value of each pixel is a single sample or a pattern of
dots that is used to represent a particular shade, typically composed of shades
of gray (varying from black at the weakest intensity to white at the
strongest).
grommet A rubber or plastic insulator used to protect a wire passing through an

aperture. See also bushing.
ground A conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, between an

electrical circuit or equipment and the earth, or to some conducting body that
serves in place of earth. (TIA) See also approved ground and earth ground.
ground electrode See grounding electrode.
ground enhancement Any material used to enhance the soil for a low resistance to ground.
material
ground fault An undesirable connection to ground in which the resistance between a

conductor and ground reaches an unacceptably low level.
ground fault circuit A device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to
interrupter (GFCI) de-energize a circuit or portion thereof, within an established period of time,
when a current to ground exceeds the values established for a Class A device.
(NEC®)
ground line In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, the point where the pole enters the
earth.
ground loop Interference in electrical communication links due to the ground at each end
being at different potentials.
ground penetrating A non-destructive method of imaging subsurface ground conditions

radar (GPR) using radar pulses.
ground plane A system of conductors placed beneath an elevated antenna as a near field
reflective point serving as an earth ground.
ground potential The zero reference level used to apply and measure voltages in a system.
ground potential rise A voltage difference between a grounding electrode system and the earth
(GPR) return currents produced by a lightning strike or a power fault current.
ground resistivity The measured direct current resistance of a volume of earth.
ground wave A low frequency (LF), medium frequency (MF), or high frequency (HF)
radio wave that bends along the earth’s surface rather than traveling through
the atmosphere because of different refractive indexes.

ground wire See bonding conductor (BC) and bonding conductor for
telecommunications (BCT).
grounded Connected to earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of

the earth.
grounded conductor A system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded.
grounding The act of providing a ground.
grounding bushing A fitting for attaching a ground wire to a conduit.
grounding conductor A conductor used to connect the grounding electrode to the building’s main
grounding busbar. (TIA)
grounding electrode 1. A conductor, (usually a rod, pipe, plate, or group of conductors), in direct
contact with the earth for the purpose of providing a low-impedance
connection to the earth. (TIA) 2. A device that establishes an electrical
connection to the earth. (NEC®)
grounding electrode The conductor used to connect the grounding electrode to either the
conductor (GEC) equipment grounding conductor, or to the grounded conductor of the circuit
at the service equipment, or at the source of a separately derived system.
(TIA)
grounding electrode One or more grounding electrodes bonded to form a single reliable ground
system for a structure.
grounding equalizer A regional term for backbone bonding conductor (BBC).

(GE)
grounding mat An extensive system of bare conductors, buried below the surface of the
earth, intended to provide a low-resistance connection to earth and to
equalize the potential within the area covered. (TIA)
grounding system A system of hardware and wiring that provides an electrical path from a
specified location to an earth ground point.
grounding terminal A suitable bar, bus, terminal strip, or binding post terminal where grounding
and bonding conductors can be connected.
ground-reflected wave The portion of a wave that reaches a receiving antenna after it has reflected
off the earth’s surface.
groupware A network software application designed to enhance administration

communications (e.g., e-mail, scheduling, coordination, collaboration)
among users in an organization.

grunt sack A bag that is raised and lowered on a rope to provide a means of safely
passing tools and small materials between individuals working in a
construction environment.
GS mark A symbol of safety recognized throughout Germany and European Union

countries. Any electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical product bearing
the GS mark indicates that it was tested and complies with the minimum
requirements of the German Equipment and Product Safety Act.
guaranteed maximum Bidders may be required to state a GMP that is not to be exceeded.
price (GMP) This allows the owner an understanding of the absolute maximum cost of the
project before start of construction.
guard’s tour reporting A device that is manually or automatically initiated to indicate the route
station being followed and the timing of a guard’s tour.
guard’s tour A supervisory signal monitoring the performance of guard patrols.

supervisory signal
guy 1. In utility pole systems, a steel stranded wire used to provide counter
tension to the pole opposite that of the installed cable pull tension to keep
the pole upright. 2. For communications towers, a steel stranded wire used
for support and to resist wind loading.
guy rod end A single, double, or triple eye at the end of a guy rod for the attachment of
the guy wire to the connect point above the ground anchor.
=H
half-duplex channel A communications channel that can transfer signals in either direction, but
not at the same time.
half-duplex signaling A bidirectional signaling method in which data transfer can take place in
either direction, but in only one direction at a time. See also full-duplex
signaling; simplex.
half-tap The attachment of one conductor to another where the through conductor is
not cut until the cutover takes place. This is a hot cut penetration step.
halftone See gray scale.
hand geometry A biometric reader that verifies a person’s identity using the variations in
hand size, finger length, and finger thickness.
hand trace The act of physically hand tracing a cable, patch cord, jumper, or cross-
connect from one known point to another known point to determine its path.

handhole (HH) A structure similar to a small maintenance hole (MH) in which cable can be
pulled, but not large enough for a person to fully enter to perform work. See
also vault.
handoff 1. The process that occurs when a mobile user moves from one cell or zone
(thereby terminating communications) to another cell or zone (thereby
initiating communications) in a wireless network. The handoff is
accomplished without disruption of the exiting connection. 2. The transfer of
control from one cell to another in cellular wireless networks.
handover See handoff.
handshaking A connection-oriented protocol. The process whereby verification is

established before controlled data is sent to a remote system. When
handshaking is successful, the systems establish connection.
hanger A device that is used to hold something in position, usually from a ceiling or
overhead support structure.
hanging load The weight that can be suspended from the underside of the floor or structure
above.
hardened The condition of a facility or piece of equipment with protective features that
enables it to withstand destructive forces (e.g., explosions or natural disasters
for facilities; being dropped or exposed to weather conditions for
equipment).
hard-line trunk A rigid coaxial cable, typically used for backbone cabling. (TIA)
hard-sheath cable A cable or wire contained within a continuous inner or outer metallic
sheath. (TIA)
hardware address See medium access control (MAC) address.
harmonic distortion Disruption of a signal caused by harmonics of the fundamental frequency.

See also harmonics.
harmonics Frequencies in an output signal that are not present in the input signal. See
also harmonic distortion.
hazardous locations See classified locations.
hazardous materials See classified materials.
headend The equipment located at the start of a cable distribution system where the
signals are processed and combined prior to distribution.
header The initial part of a message, typically containing identification, addressing,

and control information.

header duct A raceway of rectangular cross-section placed within the floor to tie
distribution duct(s) or cell(s) to the telecommunications room. (TIA) Also
called feeder duct and trench duct. See also underfloor duct system.
Health Insurance A United States federal law that protects health insurance coverage for
Portability and workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs; establishes
Accountability Act of national standards for electronic health care transactions and addresses the
1996 (HIPAA) security and privacy of health data.
heat alarm A signal sent from a sensor to a controller announcing excessive heat within
the sensor’s range. See also heat detector.
heat coil A device that grounds a conductor when the conductor’s current time limits
are exceeded.
heat detector A fire sensor that detects either abnormally high temperature or rate of
temperature rise, or both.
heat (fire protection) The existence of temperatures significantly above normal

ambient temperatures.
heat map A color-coded representation of predicted received radio frequency (RF)

levels within a specified area. A heat map is prepared by RF system designers
during the initial design preparation to determine the location, strength, and
other parameters of existing RF signals, and how the planned new RF system
will propagate throughout the structure.
heat shrink tubing Rubber (or similar material) tubing that shrinks upon the application of heat.
Used to insulate splices and connectors, or to create weather or
environmental protection for a connection.
height above average The height of the center of the radiating element of the antenna above the
terrain (HAAT) Average Terrain. Refer to FCC regulation 47CFR90.309(a)(4) for the
calculation method. (FCC)
Henry The unit used to measure magnetic inductance of electromagnetic fields.

hermaphroditic A connector that is both male and female.
connector
hertz (Hz) A unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second.
heterodyning The process of generating new frequencies by mixing two or more signals in
a nonlinear device (e.g., vacuum tube, transistor, diode mixer).
heterogeneous network 1. A network connecting computers and other devices with different
operating systems and protocols. 2. A wireless network which provides
service through a wireless LAN (WLAN) and is able to maintain service
when switching to a cellular network. 3. A term referring to the use of
multiple types of wireless access nodes in a wireless network.

hidden node When two or more nodes in a wireless LAN (WLAN) are within
transmission range of the same access point (AP), but not within
transmission range of each other, they are said to be hidden from each other.
hierarchical star An expanded star topology where the center element of a star topology is
topology individually connected to a central point at one level higher. Unlike a tree
topology, elements within a particular hierarchical level may not provide
connectivity to similar elements at the same level (e.g., devices are not linked
in series or daisy-chained).
hierarchical topology A topology that links devices or networks using a series of levels, similar to
an organizational chart.
high band VHF frequencies between 150 megahertz (MHz) and 300 MHz.
high frequency (HF) Frequencies in the range of 3 megahertz (MHz) to 30 MHz.
high-order mode Losses in optical signal level power caused by the attenuation of weakly
transient losses guided high-order modes of multimode optical fiber.
high pair-count cable Cables consisting of multipair conductors formed into binder groups of
25 pairs.
high rate direct sequence A form of wireless signaling similar to DSSS, but employing a more
spread spectrum advanced coding scheme to enable higher data rates.
(HR/DSSS)
high resistance/ A type of impedance grounded neutral system in which a grounding

impedance grounding impedance, usually a resistor, limits the ground-fault current.
system
high-rise building 1. A building having many stories and serviced by elevators. 2. A building
with upper floors higher than fire department aerial ladders, usually ten or
more stories.
high-speed air blown The process of deploying optical fiber strands through a dedicated duct
procedure (HASB) system using high-speed air. Often referred to as blown fiber.
high-speed downlink A third generation (3G) mobile telephony digital cellular standard based
packet access (HSDPA) on the evolution of wideband code division multiple access
(WCDMA) technologies.
home run A cabling pathway or cable installed without a splice or intermediate

termination point between active electronics (e.g., switching, routing, data
processing equipment) in a telecommunications space (e.g., equipment room
[ER], telecommunications room [TR]) and an end user telecommunications
outlet/connector in a work area.

horizontal cabling The part of the cabling system that extends from (and includes) the work
area telecommunications outlet/connector to the horizontal cross-connect
(HC [floor distributor (FD)]) in the telecommunications room (TR).
horizontal connection See horizontal cross-connect (HC)

point (HCP)
horizontal consolidation A segment of horizontal cable between the consolidation point connector
point/telecommunications and the telecommunications outlet/connector. This
cable should be easily outlet cable moved for modular office rearrangement.
horizontal cross-connect A group of connectors (e.g., patch panels, punch-down blocks) that allow
(HC) horizontal, backbone, and equipment cabling to be cross-connected with
patch cords or jumpers. Floor distributor (FD) is the international equivalent
term for horizontal cross-connect.
horizontal directional A method for placing underground facilities that uses a directed horizontal
drilling auger or drill to establish the path, place casings or cables, and minimize
restoration costs associated with plowing or trenching.
horizontal distribution A space in a computer room where a horizontal cross-connect (HC) is

area (HDA) located, and may include LAN switches, storage area network (SAN)
switches, and keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switches for the end equipment
located in the equipment distribution areas.
horizontal HC-CP cable The segment of horizontal cable permanently installed between the
horizontal cross-connect (HC) and the consolidation point (CP) connector.
horizontal pathway See pathway.
horn A device or a component of an appliance that produces an audible signal at a

specified frequency.
host In the internet environment, the term used to describe any network-attached
device that provides application-level services.
host computer The central controlling computer on which access control software runs.
host identification A part of an internet protocol (IP) network address. It identifies a specific
(hostid) device within a broadcast domain. See also network identification (netid).
hot cut A cutover where the active cables are unplugged from the old system and
plugged into the new system. See also cutover.
hot red light See low-intensity laser.
hot spot A temperature reading, taken at the air intake point of equipment mounted in
a rack or cabinet, in excess of the design standard or equipment requirement.

household fire alarm A fire alarm system used in dwelling units. See fire alarm system.
system
hub A network device that provides a centralized point for Ethernet LAN
communications, media connections, and management activities of a
physical star topology cabling system. Hubs route all packets from the
incoming port to all other ports, performing no filtering or routing. Hubs do
not separate collision domains. Also called multiport repeater.
huddle room Small and private meeting space designed for teams of 3–6 people and
equipped with video conferencing and collaboration technologies
human events Man-made incidents, including economic, general strike, terrorism

(e.g., ecological, cyber, nuclear, biological, chemical), sabotage, hostage
situation, civil unrest, enemy attack, arson, mass hysteria, accidental, and
special events.
hunt group A group of associated telephone lines within which an incoming call is
automatically routed to an idle (not busy) telephone line for completion.
hybrid cable A manufactured assembly of two or more cables, of the same or differing
types media, or categories, covered by one overall sheath.
hybrid coupler A component used to combine two wireless frequencies bands into a single
antenna feed or distribution cable. See also diplexer.
hybrid optical fiber cable A cable containing two or more types of optical fiber (e.g., multimode,
singlemode) or optical fiber combined with copper.
hybrid spread spectrum Systems which use combinations of two or more types of direct sequence,
systems frequency hopping, time hopping and pulsed FM modulation in order to
achieve their wide occupied bandwidths. (FCC)
=I
ice load The weight factor calculated from the potential amount of ice that can build
up on outside plant (OSP) structures or antennas and their support structures
from storm conditions.
identifier (ID) An item of information that links a specific element of the

telecommunications infrastructure with its corresponding record. (TIA)
illuminator A device that concentrates radio frequency (RF) energy at the focal point of a
satellite dish. Also called a feed horn.
image rejection The discarding of signal images by a receiver. Such images are produced
due to mixing in the intermediate frequency (IF) section of the receiver,
resulting in desired signals and undesired signal images.

immunity The ability of a device, equipment, or system to perform without degradation

in the presence of an electromagnetic disturbance.
impedance The total opposition (resistance and reactance [capacitance and inductance])
that a circuit, cable, or component offers to the flow of alternating current
(ac) at a given frequency. It is measured in ohms. See also resistance.
impedance match A condition whereby the impedance of a particular circuit, cable, or

component is the same as the impedance of the circuit, cable, or device to
which it is connected.
Importance Factor In structure construction design, a parameter from Design Loads for
Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7) based on the occupancy category.
It is used in calculating flood, wind, snow, seismic, and ice design loads. The
Importance Factor is a multiplier that increases or decreases the base design
loads. See also Occupancy Category.
impulse noise Discrete noise spikes that have random amplitude and spectral content.
incident handling The organizational response to a security or safety-related event.
incidental radiator A device that generates radio frequency (RF) energy during operations
although it has not been intentionally designed to do so (e.g., direct
current [dc] motors, mechanical light switches).
incipient The first of four stages (incipient, visible smoke, flame, heat) of a fire.
Combustion particulates in the incipient stage are low in density and lower
than the level of detection capabilities of conventional smoke detectors.
incipient products of Particles emitted from materials developing inherently high heat but from
combustion which no smoke is yet visible.
independent basic service A group of stations in a wireless LAN (WLAN) that communicate directly
set (IBSS) with each other (without the use of a central access point [AP]). This type of
network is also called an ad hoc network.
index of refraction (IOR) The ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to the velocity of a light in
another medium. Also called refractive index.
index-matching gel Material used in optical fiber connections or splices that has a refractive
index close to that of the fiber core; used to reduce reflections from the
residual air gap.
inductance 1. The property of an electrical force field built around a conductor when
current flows through it. 2. The resistance to change in current.
induction The phenomenon of a voltage, magnetic field, or electrostatic charge being

produced in an object from the source of such fields.

inductive amplifier A test device used to detect a signal placed on a cable for the purpose of
tracing and identification. Also called a wand or probe.
inductive coordination The cooperative effort of telecommunications and power company personnel
in the engineering and application of measures and devices to ensure
compatibility of operation between both systems for noise reduction and
protection.
inductive coupling The transfer of electromagnetic energy from one circuit to another by mutual
inductance.
inductive reactance The portion of impedance that opposes a change in current flow due to
magnetic field coupling.
inductive/reactance- A method of grounding in which the system is grounded through impedance,

grounded power system the principle element of which is inductive reactance.
industrial, scientific, and Radio bands reserved internationally for the use of radio frequency (RF)
medical (ISM) energy for industrial, scientific, and medical purposes other than
telecommunications (e.g., medical diathermy equipment, industrial heating
equipment, magnetic resonance equipment). Even though they are allocated
for non-communications use, these bands have become popular for short
range communications systems (e.g., cordless telephones, Bluetooth devices,
near field communication [NFC] devices, wireless computer networks)
because no license is required to use them.
infection control Policies and procedures followed by medical and dental treatment facilities
program to minimize the risk of infection to patients and staff. Installers and
designers need to take infection control programs into consideration as they
relate to information and communications technology (ICT) systems.
information and The cabling, pathways, rooms and spaces, wireless systems, racks, power,
communications grounding, cooling, and other infrastructure required to support the
technology (ICT) system transportation of voice and data signaling between communication, data
processing, data display of information gathering devices. Formerly known
as a structured cabling system, information transport system, and information
technology system.
information technology The power consumed by ICT to manage, monitor, control, process, store, and
equipment (ITE) route data within the data center, excluding all infrastructure technology
power equipment.
infrared (IR) Electromagnetic radiation (light) with longer wavelengths than those of the
visible light spectrum extending from the nominal edge of the visible red
spectrum. The infrared spectrum is approximately 700 nanometers (nm) to
1 millimeter (mm).
infrared (IR) conversion Allows a cabling installer to visually detect an infrared signal when that
card signal is directed at the card’s phosphorus material.

infrastructure See information and communications technology (ICT) system.

(telecommunications)
ingress 1. An electrical characteristic associated with externally generated noise

induced into a cable. 2. A point of entry for a building or property.
initiating device A system component that originates the transmission of a change-of-state

condition (e.g., smoke detector, manual fire alarm box, supervisory switch).
initiating device circuit A circuit to which automatic or manual initiating devices are connected
(IDC) where the signal received does not identify the individual device operated.
innerduct A non-metallic duct, either circular or fabric mesh, placed within a larger
pathway. (TIA)
inpatient care The examination, diagnosis, treatment, and disposition of inpatients

appropriate to the specialty and/or subspecialty under which the patient is
being cared for as an inpatient in a hospital.
input impedance The ratio of the voltage at the sending end of the line to the current in the
line at the sending ends.
input source transfer The function of and the location in the electrical system where the transfer
occurs between two sources.
inrush (amperes) The current that a device requires during its initial power-up.
insert A fitting installed into an opening into the distribution duct or cell from
which wires or cables emerge.
insert, afterset An insert installed after the installation of the concrete floor slab or other
flooring material. (TIA)
insert, preset An insert installed prior to the installation of the concrete floor stab or other
flooring material. (TIA)
insertion card A card that must be inserted into a card reader to retrieve the information
stored on it.
insertion loss The signal loss resulting from the insertion of a component, or link, or
channel, between a transmitter and receiver (often referred to as attenuation).
(TIA) See also attenuation and loss.
insertion loss deviation The difference between the actual insertion loss as measured on a permanent
link or channel and the insertion loss as determined by adding the component
losses. (TIA)

inside plant (ISP) Infrastructure (telecommunications) systems (e.g., balanced twisted-pair

cabling, optical fiber cabling, coaxial cabling, racks, cabinets, cabling
pathways, information outlets) inside a building. Telecommunications
companies refer to this as inside wire (IW) or intrafacility cabling (IFC).
instant messaging Text-only real-time conferencing. Also called chat.
insulating gap An insulator (e.g., ceramic link) in a down guy that prevents the flow of
currents that may cause electrolytic corrosion. See isolation gap.
insulation The dielectric material that physically separates wires and prevents
conduction between them.
insulation displacement A type of wire terminating connection in which the conductor’s insulation
connector (IDC) jacket is cut by the connector where the insulated wire is inserted, making a
connection to the conductor.
insulation resistance The insulation’s ability to resist the flow of current through it. For inside
conductors, insulation resistance is typically expressed in megohm•kilometer
or megohm•1000 feet.
integrated digital A wireless technology developed by Motorola that provides digital cellular
enhanced network telephone, two-way radio, alphanumeric pager, and data/fax modem services
(iDEN®) in a single network.
integrated services A digital communications facility designed to provide transparent end-to-end

digital network (ISDN) transmission of voice, data, audio/video and still images across the
public switched telephone network (PSTN). Different versions and
configurations exist regionally and internationally.
integration 1. The seamless gathering of similar and dissimilar components into one
system. 2. The concept of using a single network infrastructure for multiple,
otherwise dissimilar, systems (e.g., telecommunications, building
management, security, safety). See also convergence.
integrity attack An unauthorized attempt to modify the contents of one or more files on a
network. See also data integrity.
intelligent device (ID) An addressable device used to monitor and control functions in a building
automation systems (BAS) network.
intelligent field panel See data gathering panel.
intelligibility For voice communications, the capability of being understood by the

intended audience. Intelligibility does not imply the recognition of a
particular voice. It cannot be measured with instrumentation but may be
electronically simulated and measured using an indexing method.

intensive care unit (ICU) A hospital unit in which patients requiring close monitoring and intensive
care are housed for as long as needed. An ICU contains highly technical and
sophisticated monitoring devices and equipment, and the staff in the unit is
educated to give critical care.
intentional radiator A device designed to generate and emit radio frequency (RF) energy during
operations using radiation or induction.
interaccess point A protocol developed by the IEEE® to enable interoperability between

protocol (IAPP) access points (APs) manufactured by different vendors. Adopted as
IEEE 802.11f in 2003.
interbuilding backbone 1. Cable that runs between buildings in a campus environment. 2. Customer-
cable owned outside plant (OSP) cabling.
intercom system A private network, typically using telephone-type or wall-mounted units, to

allow two-way voice communications over a limited area.
interconnection 1. A device for the direct connection of a cable to another cable without
a patch cord or jumper (e.g., pass-through bulkhead). 2. A type of connection
in which single-port equipment connections (e.g., copper and optical fiber
connectors) attach to horizontal or backbone cabling by means of equipment
cords or optical fiber jumpers.
interface 1. A shared boundary. A physical point of demarcation between two devices

or systems where electrical signals, connectors, and timing are defined.
2. The procedures, protocols, and codes that allow two devices to interact for
the purpose of exchanging information.
interference The undesirable signals on a device, equipment, or system. See also

electromagnetic interference (EMI).
interior An area not directly connected to the perimeter walls of a building. For
electronic safety and security (ESS) systems, these areas tend to require
specific sensors because the protection is usually for both spaces and objects
within the spaces.
interlock A system of multiple doors that control interaction. No door can be unlocked
unless all other doors are secure and locked. Also called a mantrap or sally
port.
intermediate care Care rendered to patients whose physiological and psychological status is
such that they require observation and nursing for the presence of real or
potential life-threatening disease or injury. These patients may require
monitoring devices, ventilator support, intravenous (IV) therapy, frequent
suctioning, dressing changes or reinforcements, and ambulation.

intermediate cross- The connection point between a backbone cable that extends from the main
connect (IC) [building cross-connect (MC [campus distributor (CD)] first-level backbone) and the
distributor (BD)] backbone cable from the horizontal cross-connect (HC [floor distributor
(FD)] second-level backbone). Building distributor (BD) is the international
equivalent term for intermediate cross-connect (IC). Formerly called the
intermediate distribution frame (IDF).
intermediate fire alarm A control unit used to provide area fire alarm or area fire supervisory service
unit that, where connected to the proprietary fire alarm system, becomes a part of
that system.
intermediate frequency The frequency resulting from the combination of the received frequency with
(IF) the locally generated frequency (by a local oscillator circuit) equal to their
differences or sum.
intermediate network A network used to connect two or more networks. See internetwork.
intermittent duty A current-carrying coil of wire that acts like a magnet when a current passes
solenoid through it that is designed to be energized for short periods of time.
Continuous operation may damage an intermittent duty solenoid.
internet A worldwide internetwork using transmission control protocol/ internet

protocol (TCP/IP).
internet address A numerical label assigned to each device (e.g., computer, printer)
participating in a computer network that uses the internet protocol (IP) for
communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or
network interface identification and location addressing. The address consists
of either 32-bits (for internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4)) or 128 bits (for
IPv6). An example of each format is: 172.16.254.1 (for IPv4) and
2001:db8:0:1234:0:567:8:1 (for IPv6).
internet of things (IoT) A general/collective term for a system of interrelated computing devices,
mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals, or people that are
provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a
network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer
interaction.
industrial internet of Extension and use of the internet of things (IoT) in industrial sectors and
things (IIoT) applications. The IIoT encompasses industrial applications, including
robotics, medical devices, and software-defined production processes.
internet The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model Layer 3 (network
protocol (IP) layer) protocol most commonly used for internetworking. Required for
communications over the internet.
internet protocol (IP) See internet address.

address

internet protocol A security protocol used for data encryption when communicating over an
security (IPsec) IP-based network.
internet service An entity that provides or sells internet services and/or access to the internet.
provider (ISP)
internetwork The communications system connecting two or more networks. See

backbone network.
internetworking The process of communicating between two or more networks.
interruption A total absence of voltage on one or more conductors for a period of time.

interstitial space A small or narrow space located above or below the occupied space on each
floor. It is used for routing building services (e.g., lighting, heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning [HVAC] power, telecommunications,
plumbing).
intersymbol interference The condition where the pulses of digital signals on a medium spread out to
the point that they begin to blend together, making it difficult or impossible
for the receiver to distinguish individual bits.
intersystem bonding In grounding and bonding systems, a conductor used to bond a room’s
conductor telecommunications bus bar to an intersystem bus bar or termination, usually
elsewhere in the facility, for the purpose of ensuring all connected systems
(e.g., telecommunications, electric power, telephone, cable TV [CATV],
radio, TV) are maintained at a substantially equal potential. See also
equipotential bonding.
Intertek (ETL) A nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL), primarily recognized in

the United States and Canada. The mark uses the initials ETL, a reference to
their legacy name (Electrical Testing Labs). Intertek also uses other marks
(e.g., S, CE, ASTA) for various product testing.
intrabuilding backbone Cable that runs between telecommunications rooms (TRs) inside a building.
cable Can be vertical or horizontal in physical orientation.
intranet A collection of servers, routers, switches, cabling, and other devices designed
to provide content on an internal network to a specified group of users.
intrusion detection The process of detecting and tracking actual or attempted unauthorized
access to a network, a protected device, or a protected physical facility.
intumescent The ability to expand to close gaps or voids in through-penetration openings

when exposed to high temperature conditions.
intumescent firestop A firestopping material that expands under the influence of heat. (TIA)

inverter A device that converts direct current into alternating current (ac).
(Dictionary.com)
invisible That which is not visible or perceptible to the human eye. This is normally a
particle smaller than 40 micrometers (μm) in diameter.
invitation to bid (ITB) See request for bid (RFB).
ion An atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to
the total number of protons, giving the atom or molecule a net positive or
negative electrical charge.
ionization The process of converting matter into ions.
ionization smoke The principle of using a small amount of radioactive material to ionize the
detection air between two differentially charged electrodes to sense the presence of
smoke particles. Smoke particles entering the ionization volume decrease the
conductance of the air by reducing ion mobility. The reduced conductance
signal is processed and used to convey an alarm condition when it meets
preset criteria.
ionosphere A section of the atmosphere that extends from ≈70 kilometers (km
[43.5 miles (mi)]) to ≈500 km (311 mi) in altitude, in which ions and free
electrons exist in sufficient quantities to reflect or refract electromagnetic
waves.
IP address See internet address.
isoceraunic map A geographical map of a wide area with continuous lines connecting points
of equal thunderstorm-day activity. It provides a relative comparison of the
thunderstorm activity in one area to that of another area.
isochronous signaling A signaling method where a set data transfer rate within a communications
channel is guaranteed. Timing or synchronizing information is derived from
the signal carrying the data. See also asynchronous signaling and
synchronous signaling.
isolated bonding A bonding and grounding (earthing) subsystem in which all

network (IBN) associated equipment cabinets, frames, racks, cable trays, pathways, and
supplementary bonding grids designated to be within that IBN are bonded
together at a single point of connection (SPC), which is then bonded to either
the common bonding network (CBN) or another IBN.
isolation A design strategy that mitigates the risk of concurrent damage to some
components in a facility using physical, logical, or system separation.

isolation gap A procedure that isolates the building ground from the outside plant (OSP)
ground by removing the armor shield from the entrance cable for a short
distance and inserting a capacitor to connect from one side of the armor
shield to the other side. This may be accomplished at a splice point or in the
entrance cable sheath itself.
isolation transformer A transformer with its primary and secondary windings physically and
electrically separated to prevent undesired primary circuit voltages or fault
currents from being impressed onto the secondary circuit.
isolator, radio frequency A passive device used to control the propagation of a radio frequency (RF)
signal by allowing the signal to pass in one direction while providing high
isolation to reflected energy in the reverse direction.
isotropic radiator A theoretical model antenna that radiates power with identical and constant
intensity in all directions from a point source. Used as a reference standard to
compare the radiation properties of all other types of antennas.
issuer The person or company that issues a request for quote (RFQ) or request for
proposal (RFP).
=J
jack 1. A common term for telecommunications outlet/connector. See also
modular jack. 2. A female telecommunications outlet/connector that may be
keyed or unkeyed and may have as many as eight to ten contact positions
(with not all positions needing to be equipped with jack contacts). The eight
contact, eight position telecommunications outlet/connector has been
adopted by many industry standards. See also plug.
jack header A raceway similar to a header duct, usually provided in short lengths to
connect a quantity of distribution ducts together. (TIA)
jacket A protective outer layer of a cable. See also cable sheath.
jackstand Device for holding a large cable reel off the floor or ground surface so the
cable can be removed from the reel. Also called a reel dolly.
J-hook A non-continuous supporting device for horizontal cables that is shaped like
the letter “J”. It is attached to the building structure using a beam clamp,
bracket, or other mounting type devices and either a wire or threaded rod.
Horizontal cables are laid in the opening formed by the “J,” to provide
support for the cables.
job change order See change order.

job plan Comprehensive outline of all aspects of a project. It includes all work,
material, labor, operations and scheduling, how and when the work is to be
performed, how each aspect of the work will affect the remaining areas, and
how the work will fit into the general contractor’s construction schedule.
job site The physical location where work is to be performed.
joint random buried Power and telecommunications cables that are placed in a common trench
plant with little or no separation.
J-STD-008 A second generation (2G) narrowband code division multiple access

(CDMA) digital cellular standard for operations in the 1900 megahertz
(MHz) band.
jumper 1. An assembly of twisted pairs without connectors, used to join

telecommunications circuits/links at the cross-connect. (TIA) 2. An optical
fiber cable assembly with connectors installed on both ends. See also cable
assembly and pigtail.
junction box A location in the pathway system that allows transition of pathways and
access to cables. (TIA)
=K
Kellems grip A wire mesh tube fitted over a cable that, when tightened, holds the cable
securely without overly compressing it. There are three general types. One
is used to hold cable in a vertical pathway installation and has a loop eye
on one end to secure the grip to a structural point. The second is used to
provide strain relief for cables exiting an enclosure and has a bushing on
one end for securing to the hole in the enclosure and protecting the cable as it
enters. The third is used for pulling cable and has a pulling loop with a
swivel on one end.
Kerberos A network authentication protocol designed to provide strong authentication

for client and server applications by using secret key cryptography.
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
key 1. See digital key. 2. A button on a manual data entry device, such as a
keyboard. 3. A tab, slot or other shape on a connector to prevent mismating.
4. A device to open or close a mechanical lock.
key service unit (KSU) An electromechanical telephone main control unit where telephones have
multiple buttons permitting the user to manually select outgoing or incoming
central office (CO) phone lines. It is not necessary to select and depress a
numbered key on a telephone keypad for an outgoing line.
key system See key service unit (KSU).

key telephone system See key service unit (KSU).

(KTS)
keyed A jack, outlet, or connector is considered keyed when it requires a specific

orientation in order to prevent mismating.
keying (pole) In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, the process of bolting a horizontal
member (e.g., wood, non-rusting substance) to a pole ≈150 millimeters
(mm [6 inches (in)]) below the ground line to provide a resistance to
torsional forces.
keypad An alphanumeric grid that allows a user to enter a personal

identification code.
k-factor In tropospheric radio propagation, the ratio of the effective earth radius to the
actual earth radius. The typical k-factor is approximately 4:3, but others are
used for various purposes.
kilobits per second (kb/s) A data transmission rate denoting one thousand bits per second (b/s).
kilohertz (kHz) A measurement of frequency equivalent to one thousand cycles per

second (hertz).
kilowatt (kW) A unit of electrical power equal to 1000 watts (W).
kilowatt hour (kWh) A measure of the amount of power consumed over time. The equivalent of
one kilowatt (kW) used steadily for one hour equals one kWh (two kW used
for one-half hour is also one kWh). Utility companies charge for power in
kWh.
knockout A portion of the wall of an enclosure so fashioned that it may be removed

readily by a hammer, screwdriver, and pliers at the time of installation in
order to provide a hole for the attachment of an auxiliary device or raceway,
cable, or fitting. (NEMA)
Krone connector A proprietary type of insulation displacement connector (IDC).
=L
labeling system A methodology which allows unique identifiers to be assigned to all elements
of an ICT infrastructure.
labor list Complete list of all major units of labor to be employed on a project.
ladder cable tray A fabricated structure consisting of two longitudinal side rails connected by
individual transverse members (rungs).

ladder rack See ladder cable tray.
LAN address See media access control (MAC) address.
land mobile service A mobile service between base stations and land mobile stations or between
(LMS) land mobile stations. (FCC)
laser See light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
laser diode An electrical pump semiconductor laser for optical fiber applications.
Usually made from a p-n junction in a semiconductor material. Laser diodes
give higher performance at higher cost than light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Laser diodes are commonly used with singlemode optical fiber.
lashing Attachment of cable to another cable or to a support strand by wrapping thin

steel or dielectric strands around them.
last mile The last leg of a network transport system from the point of presence or local
exchange switch to a home or business.
latency The time it takes for a signal to pass through a device or network (e.g., delay
between the time a switch receives a message on an input port and forwards
it to an output port).
lateral conduit A conduit placed from the sidewall of a maintenance hole (MH) to
the structure.
launch cable A length of optical fiber cable attached to the transmitting end of a path
under test to allow the optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) to
accurately measure the path conditions. An OTDR cannot accurately
measure conditions close to the launch point, as the signal has not yet
stabilized.
lay length The length measured along the axis of a wire or cable required for a
single strand (in stranded wire) or conductor (in cable) to make one complete
turn about the axis of the conductor or cable. In a balanced twisted-pair
cable, the lay length is the distance it takes for the two wires to completely
twist around each other.
lay direction The direction of the progressing spiral twist in a cable while looking along
the axis of the cable away from the observer. The lay direction can be either
left or right.
Layer 1 See physical layer.
Layer 2 See data link layer.
Layer 2 address See media access control (MAC) address.

Layer 3 See network layer.
Layer 4 See transport layer.
Layer 5 See session layer.
Layer 6 See presentation layer.
Layer 7 See application layer.
layering The use of many layers of barriers, other countermeasures, or a mixture of

both, used to provide the maximum level of deterrence and delay.
LC connector/adapter A small form factor (SFF) single fiber, optical fiber connector/adapter used
for the termination of both multimode and singlemode optical fiber cables.
A two-fiber, duplex connector option is also available. The housing
mechanism of the LC connector (simplex and duplex) is a push-pull
type connection.
lead-to-height ratio In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, lead-to-height ratio is equal to the lead
divided by the height of the attachment to a pole (measured in meters or
feet). The lead is the distance from the base of the pole to the anchor. The
height is the point of attachment for the guy. This formula is used to
determine the load on the guy wire supporting the pole.
leaky coaxial (LCX) A colloquial term for radiating cable. See also radiating cable.
lease A contract that grants the lessee (tenant) the right to occupy the property of
the lessor (landlord) for a specified period of time.
light-emitting diode A semiconductor diode that spontaneously emits incoherent light from the
(LED) p-n junction when forward current is applied. It converts information from
electrical to optical form. An LED typically has a large spectral width. LEDs
are commonly used with multimode optical fiber.
leg 1. The portion of the conduit elbow that is straight. 2. A segment of an end-
to-end route or path (e.g., a cable from the work area outlet to the switch is
one leg; from the switch to the router is another leg).
leg facility The portion of a telecommunications channel that connects not more than
one protected premises to a primary or secondary trunk facility. The leg
facility includes the portion of the signal transmission circuit from its point
of connection with a trunk facility to the point where it is terminated within
the protected premises at one or more transponders.
legacy mode A Wi-Fi network that supports legacy 802.11 devices

(e.g., 802.112 a/g clients).

legend A list of symbols and abbreviations on construction documents.
lens antenna An antenna consisting of an electromagnetic lens and a feed antenna which
illuminates it. (IEEE)
level A tool to measure surfaces and sight-lines to ensure they are horizontal or
vertical, as needed.
license 1. An interest in property for a limited time and purpose. 2. To give

permission as well as the document recording that permission.
lien A legal right of a party or claimant, such as a subcontractor, to control the

improved property of another or have it sold for payment of a claim. (CSI)
life safety code A document developed and updated regularly by an organization such as the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA specifies
construction and operational conditions to minimize fire hazards and provide
a system of safety in case of fire.
life safety network The combination of fire alarm and other systems that monitor a premises,
detect events that may adversely affect the safety of occupants, and initiate
one or more actions to alert occupants and other required personnel to the
occurrence of the event, as well as mitigate, suppress, or contain the event to
minimize risk to occupants and personnel.
lifting belt Safety device designed to be worn around the lower torso while lifting heavy
objects to help support the stomach and back muscles while encouraging
proper posture.
light amplification by A device that produces coherent, highly directional light with a narrow range
stimulated emission of of wavelengths. Used in a transmitter to convert information from electrical
radiation (laser) to optical form.
light imaging detection A method of using pulses of light, such as those emitted by a laser, to
and ranging (LiDAR) determine distance or range between two points.
light source In optical fiber testing (used in conjunction with a power meter), the test
equipment unit that normally contains a light-emitting diode (LED) or laser
used to create a light signal for testing signal (light) loss or continuity.
lightning down A metallic conductor running vertically down a building, connecting the
conductor equalizing conductor to the lightning ground terminals. There are typically
several down conductors on each building. The air terminals (lightning rods)
are connected to the equalizing conductor. The equalizing conductor is then
connected to the lightning down conductor.

lightning equalizing A closed metallic loop around the top and bottom of a building that aids in
conductor equalizing the potential of a lightning strike over the entire building and
offers multiple connection points to the ground terminals. On the roof, the
equalizing conductor interfaces the air terminals to the down conductors.
lightning ground A metallic conductor installed in the earth for lightning protection.
terminal
lightning rod See air terminal.
lightweight access point A dynamically configured radio and antenna managed by a

wireless controller.
lightweight access point A protocol that allows control of multiple wireless access points (WAPs).
protocol (LWAPP)
Line A (FCC) An imaginary line within the U.S., approximately paralleling the U.S.-
Canadian border, north of which Commission coordination with the
Canadian authorities in the assignment of frequencies is generally required.
It begins at Aberdeen, Washington, running by great circle arc to the
intersection of 48° N., 120° W., then along parallel 48° N., to the intersection
of 95° W., thence by great circle arc through the southernmost point of
Duluth, Minnesota, thence by great circle arc to 45° N., 85° W., thence
southward along meridian 85° W. to its intersection with parallel 41° N.,
to its intersection with meridian 82° W., thence by great circle arc through
the southernmost point of Bangor, Maine, thence by great circle arc through
the southernmost of Searsport, Maine, at which point it terminates. (FCC)
Line A (ITU) An imaginary line extending from the North Pole along meridian 40° East of
Greenwich to parallel 40° North; thence by great circle arc to the intersection
of meridian 60° East and the Tropic of Cancer; thence along the meridian 60°
East to the South Pole. Per the ITU Radio Regulations for defining three
regions of the world in which to allocate frequencies. (ITU)
Line B (FCC) An imaginary line in Canada, beginning at Tofino, British Columbia, running
by great circle arc to the intersection of 50° N., 125° W., thence along
parallel 50° N., to the intersection of 90° W., thence by great circle arc
to the intersection of 45° N., 79°30′ W., thence by great circle arc through the
northernmost point of Drummondville, Quebec (Lat. 45°52′ N., Long 72°30′
W.), thence by great circle arc to 48°30′ N., 70° W., thence by great circle arc
through the northernmost point of Compbellton, New Brunswick, thence by
great circle are through the northernmost point of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, at
which point it terminates. (FCC)

Line B (ITU) An imaginary line extending from the North Pole along meridian 10° West
of Greenwich to its intersection with parallel 72° North; thence by great
circle arc to the intersection of meridian 50° West and parallel 40° North;
thence by great circle arc to the intersection of meridian 20° West and
parallel 10° South; thence along meridian 20° West to the South Pole. Per the
ITU Radio Regulations for defining three regions of the world in which to
allocate frequencies. (ITU)
Line C (FCC) An imaginary line in Alaska approximately paralleling the border with
Canada, East of which Commission coordination with Canadian authorities
in the assignment of frequencies is generally required. It begins at the
intersection of 70° N., 144° W., thence by great circle arc to the intersection
of 60° N., 143° W., thence by great circle arc so as to include all the Alaskan
Panhandle. (FCC)
Line C (ITU) An imaginary line extending from the North Pole by great circle arc to the
intersection of parallel 65° 30` North with the international boundary in
Bering Strait; thence by great circle arc to the intersection of meridian 165°
East of Greenwich and parallel 50° North; thence by great circle arc to
the intersection of meridian 170° West and parallel 10° North; thence along
parallel 10° North to its intersection with meridian 120° West; thence along
meridian 120° West to the South Pole. Per the ITU Radio Regulations for
defining three regions of the world in which to allocate frequencies. (ITU)
Line D (FCC) An imaginary line in Canada beginning at the intersection of 70° N.,
138° W., thence by great circle arc to the intersection of 61°20′ N., 139° W.
(Burwash Landing), thence by great circle arc to the intersection of
60°45′ N., 135° W., thence by great circle arc to the intersection of 56° N.,
128° W., thence south along 128° meridian to Lat. 55° N., thence by great
circle arc to the intersection of 54° N., 130° W., thence by great circle arc to
Port Clements, thence to the Pacific Ocean where it ends. (FCC)
line cord A telecommunications equipment cord typically using stranded or tinsel

conductor. See also work area cable (cord) and equipment cord.
line of sight (LoS) The imaginary line that connects the observer’s eye with the object the
observer is looking at.
line supervision 1. The electrical supervision of a monitoring loop to detect tampering (a cut
or shorted wire). Line supervision usually requires a terminating element at
the end of the monitoring loop (e.g., resistor, diode). 2. In telephone
systems, the detection of on-hook and off-hook status, allowing dial tone and
ring voltage to be applied as appropriate.
linearity A signal output voltage directly proportional to the signal input voltage.
line-type detector A device in which detection is continuous along a path. Typical examples are
rate-of rise pneumatic tubing detectors, projected beam smoke detectors, and
heat sensitive cable.

linewidth The spread of wavelengths around the central wavelength of an optical signal
source (e.g., laser).
link A transmission path between two points.
link access device (LAD) An internetworking device used to convert LAN signals into a format
suitable for transmission over a wide area internetwork link.
link aggregation A mechanism that combines multiple network communication channels into
a single large channel to allow for increased data transfer rates and
redundancy. Also called trunking and teaming, port aggregation, and port
trunking.
link loss budget In optical and wireless systems, the end-to-end maximum allowable
transmission loss in a single path.
link margin The amount of available signal level (usually in decibels [dB]) between the
normal receive level and the point at which the signal is too weak to be
received.
link reliability A calculation of how much of the time a system is expected to be functional
(expressed in percent or time).
link state algorithm A method of computation used to determine efficient routing in networks,
based on Dijkstra’s algorithm.
linkage In a database, a connection between a record and an identifier or between

records.
Listed One of four product test ratings used in the United States (Listed, Classified,
Recognized, Verified). A product is Listed after it successfully completes a
series of mechanical, electrical, and thermal characteristics tests that simulate
all reasonable, foreseeable hazards. The Listed classification is exclusive to
the product for the specific applications for which it was tested and is not
valid for other applications.
load balancing A mechanism for distributing incoming requests among a collection of

devices or circuits to reduce response times. In a network, load balancing
is used to distribute network traffic/requests across multiple devices to
maximize use of otherwise idle resources. See also cluster.
load bank A device to simulate actual equipment consisting of groups of resistive and/
or reactive elements, fans, and controls. The load bank is an electrical load
that is connected to power distribution unit (PDU) systems, uninterruptible
power supply (UPS) systems, or generators in load test situations.
load point In copper long distance outside plant (OSP), the point at which loading coils
are attached.

loading capacity The maximum number of discrete elements permitted to be used in a

particular configuration.
loading coil A low-resistance, high-inductance coil inserted in a voice copper circuit to

increase its inductance in order to compensate for the buildup of capacitance
in a cable pair.
local A geographic zone large enough to encompass a multi-building campus. See

also metropolitan.
local alarm A visible or audible signaling device located at a monitored door, window,
or other opening. It is used to pinpoint a violation by sounding a distinctive
alarm at an opening and to frighten away a would-be intruder.
local distribution point Connection point in the zone distribution cabling subsystem between a zone
(LDP) distributor and an equipment outlet in CENELEC EN 50173-5 and ISO/IEC
24764. Equivalent to the consolidation point (CP) in a zone distribution area
(ZDA) in ANSI/TIA-942-A.
local exchange carrier A telecommunications company that provides public switched network
(LEC) access service. (TIA) Can be referred to as an incumbent local exchange
carrier (ILEC) and competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC).
local multipoint A fixed wireless technology that operates in the 8 gigahertz (GHz) and
distribution service 27.5 GHz to 29.5 GHz band and offers line-of-sight (LOS) coverage. The
(LMDS) 8 GHz band covers distances from ≈3 kilometers (km [1.9 miles (mi)]) to
≈5 km (3.1 mi) and the 27.5 GHz to 29.5 GHz band covers distances from
≈4.8 km (3 mi) to ≈8 km (5 mi). Both could deliver data and telephony
services to 80,000 clients from a single node.
local station A station that is directly connected to the network over cabling or wireless
media. See also remote station and station.
logging Creating and storing a permanent record of events that can be reviewed,
printed, and analyzed.
logical topology The actual method (e.g., ring, bus, star) by which different nodes in a
network communicate with one another as compared with the physical
connections.
log-periodic dipole A radio antenna system consisting of several driven elements, but not all
array (LPDA) elements in the system are active on a single frequency of operation.
long haul Cabling and telecommunications circuits that span a considerable distance,
well beyond the range of a campus.
longitudinal noise Noise coupled due to electrostatic or electromagnetic fields that induces
longitudinal currents into the disturbed circuit. See also common mode
voltage.

Long Range (LORAN) A global system of multiple land-based stations transmitting signals in the
Navigation 1 – 2 MHz band, used for maritime and aeronautical positioning and
navigation.

long-term care Routine help with everyday activities (e.g., eating, bathing, dressing
necessitated by chronic illness, disability, frailty). Provided to individuals
over an extended period in their homes, in community settings, or nursing
homes. A part of the continuum of care.
LonTalk® (Local A protocol developed by the Echelon Corporation for interoperable control
Operating Network networks using the LonWorks® technology. LonWorks is used for
Talk) processing and communicating signals in distributed control networks
consisting of intelligent devices (e.g., Neuron® chips).
loop 1. In telephone systems, the wire pair that connects the client to the
switching center. This path is called a loop because it is generally two
wires electrically tied together through the client terminal set when the
client goes off hook. 2. The outside plant (OSP) facilities that extend
from a serving main entrance facility or remote site to the exchange
boundary. 3. A communications channel from a switching center or an
individual message distribution point to the user terminal.
loop diversity The placing of alternate facilities to back up the main system in case of
failure. See also alternate entrance.
loop loss The telecommunications circuit signal loss between the telephone
company central office (CO) and the client premises equipment (CPE).
Loop refers to the physical telecommunications circuit loop from a
CO location to the CPE. This loop is effectively the round trip circuit
between the CO and the CPE. Signal loss occurs between the CO and the
CPE as a result of distance between the two points, cabling imperfections,
and resistance of the wire pairs.
loop resistance A measurement of the resistance of both conductors in a pair of conductors

when they are connected in series.
loose tube A type of optical fiber cable construction where one or more fibers are laid
loosely in a protective tube often filled with gel. Also called loose tube fiber.
loss Attenuation of a signal, usually expressed in decibels (dB). See also

attenuation and insertion loss.
loss level A change or sudden spike up from the backscatter that indicates Fresnel
reflections.
loss resolution A setting on an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) to determine the
sensitivity with which the time domain reflectometer (TDR) detects loss
levels, and hence the number of data points reported.

low band VHF Frequencies between 30 megahertz (MHz) and 150 MHz.
low frequency (LF) Frequencies in the range of 30 kilohertz (kHz) to 300 kHz.
low-intensity laser A device that operates in the visible light range and is used to identify
individual fibers that glow red at the point of a fiber break. Also called a hot
red light.
low-power radio Any device that communicates with associated control/receiving equipment
transmitter by low-power radio signals.
low smoke, zero Cables with an LSZH jacket are intended for applications where both low
halogen (LSZH or smoke and low corrosive gases are needed. This requirement is often found
LS0H) in tunnel and rail applications as well as shipboard or airborne applications
or in environments where expensive equipment would be damaged if
exposed to corrosive gases.
low-voltage disconnect A predetermined voltage value for an electromechanical device designed to

(LVD) disconnect a battery from the load.
low-voltage mounting A device that may be inserted in or on a non-fire-rated finished wall

bracket allowing the mounting of a faceplate that may hold telecommunications
outlet/connectors.
luminaire An electric light and its components; an electrical lighting fixture.
lump sum A payment method for a telecommunications project in which the contractor
is paid the full amount upon completion and acceptance of the work.
=M
M13 multiplexer A device that consolidates T-1 and E-1 signals into a T-3 or E-3 circuit. A
cost-effective device for combining independent T-1s, E-1s, or a combination
of the two over the same T-3 or E-3 circuit.
macrobend The optical fiber cable bending due to installation. Such bends will increase
attenuation in optical fiber cable.
macrocell A cell in a mobile telephone network that provides radio coverage served
by a high-power cellular base station. Generally, macrocells provide
coverage larger than a microcell, with a range up to a few tens of kilometers.
The antennas for macrocells are mounted on ground-based masts, rooftops,
and other existing structures at a height that provides a clear view over the
surrounding buildings and terrain. Macrocell base stations have typical
power outputs of tens of watts.
magnetic field strength The magnitude of the magnetic field vector expressed in amperes per meter
(A/m).

magnetic resonance A system that produces images of the body by using a strong magnetic field
imaging (MRI) and computers to show the differences between gray and white matter in the
brain. It also shows other soft-tissue structures that cannot be demonstrated
with X-ray technologies.
magnetic strip card An access control card with a strip of recordable magnetic material on which
data is encoded.
main building ground The designated point to which all grounding systems of the utilities in a
electrode building are connected. The primary building or structural elements that
are in direct physical contact with the earth, such as metal underground water
pipe, metal frame of the building, concrete-encased electrode, ground ring,
rod and pipe electrodes, plate electrodes, and other local metal underground
systems or structures (e.g., piping systems, underground tanks). Used
to establish an electrical current path to earth for electrical and
telecommunications services and infrastructure systems.
main conduit The conduit systems used to serve all or large portion of a facility. These
systems usually contain feeder cables.
main cross-connect The cross-connect normally located in the (main) equipment room for
(MC [campus distributor cross-connection and interconnection of entrance cables, first-level backbone
(CD)]) cables, and equipment cables. Campus distributor is the international
equivalent term for main cross-connect.
main distribution area The space in an equipment room where the main cross-connect is located.
(MDA)
main distribution panel The primary electrical service entrance facility.

(MDP)
main distributor (MD) A distributor used to make connections between the main distribution cabling
subsystem, network access cabling subsystem, and cabling subsystems
specified in ISO/IEC 11801 or EN 50173-1 and active equipment.
Referenced in CENELEC EN 50173-5 and ISO/IEC 24764. Equivalent to
the main cross-connect in ANSI/TIA-942-A.
main electrical The busbar at which electrical service grounding electrode conductors
grounding busbar (GECs) and other bonding and grounding (earthing) conductors are (MEGB)
interconnected to establish the main equipotential location for the building.
main terminal room See main terminal space. (TIA)
main terminal space The location of the cross-connect point of incoming cables from the
telecommunications external network and the premises cabling system.
(TIA)

maintenance hole (MH 1. A vault located in the ground or earth as part of an underground duct
[telecommunications]) system and used to facilitate placing, splicing, and maintenance of cables,
as well as the placing of associated equipment, in which it is expected that
a person will enter to perform work. Formerly called manhole. See also
vault. 2. A hole through which access to an underground or enclosed
structure may be gained.
maintenance mode A system state resulting from an anticipated system outage or routine
maintenance activity and typically a manual system response to that activity.
make before break See closed transition.
makeready The process of preparing an existing aerial pole line for new attachments.
man in the middle An attack on weak or nonexistent authentication mechanisms between two
endpoints. The attacker inserts himself between these endpoints, where he
can view information passing back and forth, which allows him the ability to
modify or inject data going into such a connection.
managed device A device (e.g., hub, computer) having hardware and software features that
allow it to be remotely monitored and configured over a network by a central
computer.
management See network management.
management information A database within the simple network management protocol (SNMP) that
base (MIB) defines objects and attributes to be managed.
Manchester encoding A digital encoding scheme where a voltage transition occurs in the middle
of each binary digit sent. A high-to-low transition represents the binary digit
zero and a low-to-high transition represents the binary digit one.
mandrel 1. A rod or a shaft. 2. A mechanical device sized to fit the inside diameter of
a conduit. Pulled or pushed through a duct, it ensures concentricity of the
structure and frees the structure from debris. 3. A cylindrical object around
which a multimode optical fiber cable is wrapped to cancel high order modes
during testing. Also called a roll bar.
mantrap See interlock.
manual fire alarm box A manually operated device used to initiate an alarm signal.
mass splicing The splicing of factory-made fiber ribbons or field-ribbonized fibers using a
mass fusion splicer.
master box A municipal fire alarm box that also can be operated by remote means.
master code card An access card that grants access and exit at every card reader on the system.

master control unit A control unit that serves the protected premises or portion of the protected
(panel) premises as a local control unit and accepts input from other fire alarm
control units.
master group In large, multipair copper cables, consists of five super groups and is
identified by a manufacturer’s specific binder string. There are 3000 pairs in
a master group. See also super group.
MasterFormat™ Jointly developed by the Construction Specifications Institute and

Construction Specifications Canada; it is an organizational structure
providing numbers and titles for the variety of subject matter specifications
necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a facility. (CSI)
See also PageFormat™, SectionFormat™, and UniFormat™.
matched clad fiber Singlemode optical fiber glass strands with a single homogeneous layer of
dielectric material.
material safety data A legacy term for safety data sheet (SDS).
sheet (MSDS)
materials list A complete list of all materials to be ordered and received for the project.
This includes all capital items and miscellaneous materials.
matrix See switch matrix.
measured tape A calibrated tape used to measure and pull lengths of conduit.
measurement accuracy The possible difference between the measured value and the actual value of
the parameter.
measurement resolution 1. The level of precision with which a particular measurement is made.
2. The setting on the optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) to determine
spacing of data points.
mechanical splicing The joining of two optical fibers through mechanical means to enable a
continuous signal. These spliced connections may be temporary or
permanent.
Mechanical, Ingress, A method of categorizing the cabling and equipment environment. It has
Climatic/Chemical, and three levels called classifications: M1I1C1E1, M2I2C2E2, and M3I3C3E3.
Electromagnetic (MICE) The three classifications correspond to severity levels: 1 is office, 2 is light
industrial, and 3 is industrial. Each increasing severity level is harsher. The
factors included in each category are mechanical (shock, vibration, crush,
and impact), ingress (liquid and particulates), climatic/chemical
(temperature, humidity, contaminates, and solar radiation), and
electromagnetic (electrostatic discharge [ESD], radiated radio frequency
[RF], conducted RF, transients, and magnetic fields).

mechanical room An enclosed space serving the needs of mechanical building systems.
media 1. The wire, coaxial cable, conductors, optical fiber, or open space
(telecommunications) (e.g., wireless) used for the transport of a telecommunications signal. Also
called transmission media. See also bounded medium and unbounded
medium. 2. The material used for the storage of data.
media access control A standardized data link layer address that is required for every device
(MAC) address that connects to a LAN or other network. It is 6 bytes long and represented
as a unique set of 12-digit hexadecimal numbers. It is typically coded onto
the device’s network interface card (NIC). Also called the physical address.
media access control A sublayer of the data link layer (data link control [DLC]) Open Systems
(MAC) layer Interconnection (OSI) standard model. The MAC sublayer acts as an
interface between the logical link control (LLC) sublayer and the network’s
physical layer. The MAC address of each device on a LAN or other network
has a unique identification. See also media access control (MAC) address,
application address, device address, and network address.
media converter See converter.
mediator A person who is trained in dispute resolution, including negotiation

techniques, and is familiar with the art of making a deal. The mediator
is neutral and does not offer legal advice but is actively engaged in the
discussion process, including narrowing down the issues, offering
alternatives, and generally directing the parties toward settling the dispute.
medical center A large hospital that has been so designated and is appropriately staffed and
equipped to provide a broad range of health care services. Serves as a referral
center and conducts, as a minimum, a surgical graduate medical education
program.
medium A material (e.g., magnetic disk) on which data may be stored. See media.
medium frequency (MF) Frequencies in the range of 300 kilohertz (kHz) to 3000 kHz.
medium voltage Any electrical voltage above the normally used value and below
transmission-level system voltages. The usual voltage varies from country
to country. In the United States, medium voltage is considered to be between
1001 volts (V) and 35,000 V, whereas in the European Union (EU) or other
parts of the world, the usual voltage level can be significantly higher.
megabits per second A transmission rate denoting one million bits per second. See also bits per
(Mb/s) second (b/s).
megachips per second A measure of the speed with which encoding elements called chips are
(Mcps) generated in direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) signals. This speed is
also known as the chipping rate. A speed of 1 Mcps is equivalent to
1,000,000 chips per second.

megahertz (MHz) A unit of frequency equal to one million cycles per second. See also
hertz (Hz).
megahertz•kilometer The expression of optical fiber cable bandwidth where half power is realized
(MHz•km) at a specific point in frequency at 1 km (i.e., 160 MHz•km at 850 nanometers
[nm] and 500 MHz•km at 1300 nm).
megaohmmeter 1. An instrument used to measure resistance. 2. A portable instrument used to

measure insulation resistance.
Megger® 1. A device that can be used to measure electrical resistance in a grounding

system. 2. A testing unit used to generate a voltage between cable conductors
to detect current leakage between conductors or conductor to ground.
membrane penetration An opening through only one surface or side of a barrier. (TIA) See also
through penetration and penetration.
mesh grip A device attached to the end of a cable to facilitate pulling the cable. Also
called cable sock.
mesh topology A topology where each device or network is connected to all other devices or
networks by multiple paths.
meshed bonding network A non-isolated bonding network to which all associated cabinets, frames,
(mesh-BN) racks, trays, and pathways are connected by using a bonding grid. This grid
is connected by multiple points to the common bonding network (CBN).
messenger See support strand (messenger).
metadata The data embedded within or associated with a file, record, or directory
that describes information about or related to the file, record, or directory.
This may include but is not limited to color, size, trajectory, locations where
the content is stored, dates, times, application specific information, and
permissions.
metal clad (MC) cable A factory assembly of one or more insulated circuit conductors with or
without optical fiber members enclosed in an armor of interlocking metal
tape or a smooth or corrugated metallic sheath. Referred to as MC cable.
meteorburst Communications by the propagation of radio signals reflected off ionized

communications meteor trails. (FCC)
meteorological-satellite An Earth exploration-satellite service for meteorological purposes. (FCC)

service (MSS)
metes and bounds A description of a parcel of land by reference to the course’s bearings and
distances (usually measured in feet or chains) of the straight lines that form
its boundary, with one of the corners tied to an established point.

metric 1. In routing, a value assigned to a path that is used as the criteria to

choose routes through an internetwork. 2. A standard of measurement
(e.g., metric system). 3. Used by individuals or organizations to encourage
performance improvement, effectiveness, efficiency, and appropriate levels
of internal controls, performance metrics measure an individual or an
organization’s activities and performance.
metropolitan A geographic zone (e.g., city, town, municipal area). See also local.
metropolitan area A communications network that covers an area larger than a LAN and
network (MAN) smaller than a wide area network (WAN). Typically covers an entire
metropolitan area (a large city and its suburbs).
microbend The cable bend associated with the manufacture or construction of optical
fiber cable. May be associated with compression of optical fibers.
microcell One type of small cell in a mobile telephone network served by a low-power
cellular base station, covering a limited area such as a mall, hotel, or
transportation hub. A microcell is usually larger than a picocell, with a range
of usually less than two kilometers (km [1.2 miles (mi)]), though the
distinction is not always clear. Microcells are often deployed temporarily
during sporting events and other occasions in which extra capacity is
known to be needed at a specific location in advance or following a disaster
to assist in recovery. While femtocells and picocells are dependent on
headend equipment or internet connections to link to the cellular network, a
microcell is like a full-size macrocell, just smaller.
micron (µm) A unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter. Commonly used to
express the diameter of optical fiber core and cladding (e.g., 50/125) as
50 µm and 125 µm. Also called a micrometer.
microprocessor-based A controller that uses a microprocessor to perform logic and control

controller functions in a building automation system (BAS) network. Typically controls
or monitors a specified building area through wired devices and resident
software but also has the ability to communicate with other controllers via a
communications bus.
microsegmentation The technique used to divide a network into multiple small networks to
improve performance. Ultimately, each device can have its own dedicated
LAN through an exclusive connection to a switch port.
microwave An electromagnetic wave having a wavelength from ≈300 millimeters

(mm [12 inches (in)]) to ≈1 mm (0.04 in) (1 gigahertz [GHz] to 300 GHz).
Wireless communication systems employing microwave signals generally
require line of sight (LoS) between transmitting and receiving antennas. See
also terrestrial microwave.

microwave flange A style of connector for microwave waveguide that uses screws to hold two
connector mating pieces together.
midspan powering A method to infuse power into a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system between
the end-points of the system.
Mie scattering A phenomenon related to free space optics (FSO) that describes light
scattered by particles the size of the wavelength (e.g., fog).
mil A unit of length equal to ≈0.0254 millimeter (mm [0.001 inch (in)]), used in
measuring the diameter of wires.
millimeter wave An electromagnetic wave having a wavelength from ≈1 millimeter

(mm [0.04 inch (in)]) to ≈0.1 mm (0.004 in) (300 gigahertz [GHz] to
3000 GHz). Millimeter waves exhibit many of the properties usually
associated with waves in the optical regime.
MIMO See Multiple-Input Multiple-Output
minimum point of entry See demarcation point.

(MPOE)
mirroring A technique used to increase the fault tolerance of a system (e.g., dual data
centers, hard drives). A backup device is configured identically to the
primary device and can replace the primary device if it fails. See also disk
mirroring.
mission critical Any operation, activity, process, equipment, or facility that is essential to
continuous operation for reasons of business continuity, personnel safety,
security, or emergency management.
mobile access A form of resource access where a connection to a LAN is made from a
remote station using a temporary telecommunications link.
mobile application part A protocol using the lower level layers of the Signaling System 7 (SS7)
(MAP) protocol stack (e.g., transaction capabilities application part, signaling
connection control part, message transfer part) for communication between
the various registers and other mobile switching centers (MSCs).
mobile assisted handoff A handoff technique involving feedback from the mobile station as part of
(MAHO) the handoff process. The feedback is usually in the form of signal level and
quality measurements on the downlink and signal level measurements from
neighbor cells.
mobile identification Usually the mobile station number assigned to a cellular user.
number (MIN)

mobile internet protocol An IP designed to support the mobility of a user (host).

(IP)
mobile relay station A base station in the mobile service authorized to retransmit automatically on
a mobile service frequency communications which originate on the
transmitting frequency of the mobile station. (FCC) See also mobile repeater
station and repeater.
mobile repeater station A mobile station authorized to retransmit automatically on a mobile service
frequency, communications to or from hand-carried transmitters. (FCC) See
also mobile relay station and repeater.
mobile service A radio communications service between mobile and land stations or
between mobile stations. (FCC)
mobile station (MS) The client terminal in a wireless network.
modal dispersion A characteristic of transmission in an optical fiber that results from different
lengths of the light paths taken by the many modes of light as they travel
down the fiber from source to receiver. Also called modal distortion.
mode 1. Loosely, a possible light path followed by light rays, as in multimode or

singlemode. 2. Strictly, a distribution of electromagnetic energy that satisfies
Maxwell’s equations and boundary conditions in guided wave propagation
(e.g., through a waveguide or optical fiber).
mode field diameter The diameter of one mode of light propagating in a singlemode optical fiber.
(MFD) The MFD replaces core diameter as a practical parameter in singlemode
optical fiber.
modem A device that converts digital signals to analog for transmission over analog
telephone lines and then reconverts analog signals to digital for processing
by digital communication devices. An acronym for modulator/demodulator.
moderate frequency A period of movement due to strong winds (expressed in seconds).

base motion
modification (contract) A document issued after a contract has been awarded that alters, adjusts, or
limits the terms or requirements of the agreement (contract).
modified cut-through A switching technique in which messages are forwarded as soon as the
received frame has been determined not to be a collision fragment (i.e.,
longer than 64 bytes). Also called fragment-free switching. See also cut-
through and store-and-forward.
modular connector See modular jack and modular plug.

modular furniture The groups of walled partitions, desks, or furniture assembled in open spaces
within an office or work area.
modular jack 1. A female telecommunications connector (socket) that may be keyed or

unkeyed and may have six or eight contact positions, but not all the positions
need be equipped with jack contacts. (TIA). 2. A family of connectors
standardized in size, shape, layout, and number of electrical connectors
used for multiple types of telecommunications circuits. Modular connectors
typically have 2, 4, 6, or 8 electrical contacts. A few manufacturers use a 10
contact version for special applications, and some advanced connector
types have 12. Modular connectors are also known by acronyms describing
the number of positions and contacts they have (e.g., 6P4C, 8P8C).
Registered jack acronyms are also commonly used, such as RJ11 (6P2C),
RJ14 (6P4C), or RJ45 (8P8C), although these are colloquial terms. The
8P8C (RJ45) connector is used in Ethernet networks, while the 6P2C (RJ11)
or 6P4C (RJ14) is used for standard analog telephone connections. See also
jack.
modular patch panel See patch panel.

(MPP)
modular plug A male telecommunications connector for cable or cords that may be keyed
or unkeyed and may have six or eight contact positions, but not all the
positions need be equipped with contacts. (TIA)
modular plug terminated A copper cable incorporating a standard RJ45 plug on one end with a RJ45
link (MPTL) jack on the opposing end.
modulation Any of several techniques (e.g., amplitude modulation [AM], frequency

modulation [FM]) used to impress an information bearing signal onto
a carrier signal. For example, a voice conversation is coded into binary bits
(digital information), transmitted, and then decoded at the receiving end.
modulator An electronic device that modulates baseband video, audio, or data signals to
specific carrier frequencies for insertion into the broadband radio frequency
(RF) distribution system.
moment In outside plant (OSP) pole attachments, each transverse load causes a
moment on the pole that tends to move the pole in the direction of the
applied load. The value of that moment (in newton-meters [N*m] or
equivalent pound-force foot [lbf*ft]) is equal to the transverse load (in
newtons [N] or equivalent pounds-force [lbf]) times the distance (in
meters [feet]) from the load point to the point where the moment is being
considered. The moments caused by each of the transverse loads must be
vector-summed together to obtain the total load. A pole with sufficient
resistant moment must be selected to handle the total moment. A shortened
form of the term bending moment. Also called transverse moment.

monolithic pour The single, continuous pouring of a concrete floor or columns of any given
floor of a building structure. (TIA)
monolithic slab The result of a monolithic pour. (TIA)
monopole 1. A resonant antenna that can be thought of as being one arm of a dipole
antenna, with the other arm having been removed. The optimal length of
a monopole antenna is one quarter of the wavelength of the signal being
received or transmitted by the antenna. A monopole antenna is a narrowband
antenna, operating efficiently in only a narrow band of frequencies. See also
dipole. 2. A type of antenna support structure consisting of a single (usually
cylindrical) pole or column, often tapered, being wider at the base than at
the top. Monopoles are typically several feet in diameter at the base. Their
hollow interior is used to route cabling.
motor control center An electrical unit typically located in the main electrical room, primarily
(MCC) used to control mechanical equipment (e.g., motors, pumps, compressors).
MT ferrule A component used in the assembly of an optical fiber connector (e.g., multi-
fiber push-on [MPO]). Commonly referred to as mass termination, multiple
termination, or mechanical transfer.
mud ring See low-voltage mounting bracket.
MuleTape® A flat woven polyester tape used for pulling cable through conduit or
innerduct. It does not cause friction and get caught when pulling lines
through and around corners. The tape is strong (typically rated at
1250 pounds [lb (567 kilograms [kg])] to 2500 lb [1134 kg]), pre-lubricated,
and usually sequentially marked, allowing the installer to know the
remaining distance left in the pull. See also pull (cord, rope, string, wire) and
drag line.
multi-carrier code A multiple access scheme used in orthogonal frequency division

division multiple access multiplexing (OFDM) based communication systems supporting multiple
(MC-CDMA) users at the same time.
multi-N redundancy (xN) A system topology used primarily in fault-tolerant or large-scale systems
where more than two large systems are employed together. See also
redundancy.
multicast A technique for sending data, audio, or voice to a selected group of devices
on a network using a single point of transmission. See also broadcast
and unicast.
multi-dwelling unit A category of dwellings with multiple living spaces in one structure or
(MDU) complex. It includes apartments, townhouses, condominiums, and assisted-
living facilities. These facilities may be under a single roof or consist of
multiple buildings in a residential campus.

multi-dwelling unit The space where backbone, horizontal, and auxiliary disconnect outlet cables
telecommunications terminate to support multiple living units.
room (MDU-TR)
multifiber push-on A compact keyed array connector that is used to terminate 4-72 optical
(MPO) fibers. MPOs are typically used as 12 and 24 fiber array connectors within
high-density and multifiber interconnect applications, such as array trunk
cables and high speed (e.g., 40 G, 100 G) parallel optical multimode links.
multiground neutral A utility power system where the neutral conductor is continuously present
(MGN) system along with the phase conductors. The neutral conductor is connected to earth
periodically along its path, typically four times per ≈1.6 kilometers
(km [1 mile (mi)]).
multimedia An application that communicates to more than one of the human sensory
receptors. (TIA)
multimeter The test equipment that can be set up to perform a variety of electrical
property measurements, usually including resistance, voltage, and current.
multimode fiber (MMF) See multimode optical fiber (MMF).
multimode optical fiber An optical waveguide that allows many bound modes to propagate.
(MMF) Typically used over short distances within buildings or on a campus.
multimode telephone A cellular telephone compatible with a number of air interface technologies.
multipair A cable having more than four pairs. In telecommunications cabling,

commonly available in binder groups that are divisible by 25 pairs
(e.g., 25 pairs, 100 pairs), although smaller multipair groups are available
(e.g., 12 pairs).
multipath fading On a wireless network, the signal loss caused by multipath propagation.
multipath propagation On a wireless network, the arrival of signals from different directions, each
with a different path length.
multiple access 1. In satellite communications, the capability of a communications satellite

having simultaneous access to a number of ground stations. 2. A scheme that
allows users to share the same channel instead of being assigned a unique
frequency.
multiple aperture The separate transmit and receive antennas within a free space optics (FSO)
transceiver.
multiple input multiple A multiplexing technique that uses multiple transmit and receive antennas.
output (MIMO)

multiple prime contract A project management method whereby the owner divides the work among
several contractors and enters into a separate contract with each.
multiple station alarm Two or more single station alarm devices that can be interconnected so that
device actuation of one causes all integral or separate audible alarms to operate; one
single station alarm device having connections to other detectors or to a
manual fire alarm box.
multiple zone wireless A wireless LAN (WLAN) with two or more overlapping zones, each
LAN (WLAN) equipped with an access point (AP).
multiplexing (muxing) The combining of two or more communications channels into a common,
high-capacity channel from which the original signals may be individually
recovered.
multipoint microwave A wireless broadband technology for internet access, also called multi-
distribution system channel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) and wireless cable.
(MMDS)
multi-user A grouping in one location of several telecommunications outlets/

telecommunications connectors. (TIA)
outlet assembly
(MUTOA)
municipal fire alarm See manual fire alarm box.

box (street box)
municipal fire alarm A system of alarm-initiating devices, receiving equipment, and connecting
system circuits (other than a public telephone network) used to transmit alarms from
street locations to the public fire service communications center.
municipal transmitter A transmitter that only can be tripped remotely that is used to send an alarm
to the public fire service communications center.
mushroom 1. A plastic guide in the shape of a mushroom that typically is used

for routing jumpers, cross-connects, and patch cords. 2. A type of push-
button cover, shaped like a mushroom, that provides a large surface for
pushing, making it easier to find and activate the switch.
muster report A report for accounting for occupants within a defined space that is used as a
tool to aid in the verification that all occupants are accounted for.
mutual capacitance The effective capacitance between the two conductors of a pair.

=N
N + 1 redundancy A system design that provides one additional unit, module, path, or system
in addition to the minimum required to satisfy the base requirement. The
failure or maintenance of any single unit, module, or path will not disrupt
operations. For smaller fault-tolerant systems where a single module can
accommodate the critical load, the N + 1 and 2N models are synonymous.
See also redundancy.
N + 2 redundancy A system design that provides two additional units, modules, paths, or
systems in addition to the minimum required to satisfy the base requirement.
The failure or maintenance of any two single units, modules, or paths will
not disrupt operations. See also redundancy.
N type or N connector A medium-size threaded coaxial connector for use with direct current
through 11 gigahertz (GHz) coaxial cables. It features a characteristic 50
ohm impedance structure. N-type connectors have a center pin that must be
installed over the cable’s center conductor.
nanometer (nm) A unit of length equal to one billionth of a meter. The most common unit of
measurement for optical fiber operating wavelengths.
nanosecond (ns) One billionth of a second.
narrowband In business and public safety radio systems, a radio signal, either analog
or digital, that occupies significantly less than the previously typical
25 kilohertz (kHz) of bandwidth. Current Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) regulations require a radio channel’s bandwidth to be no
more than the equivalent of 12.5 kHz.
National Electrical Code® A safety code written and administered by the National Fire Protection
(NEC®) Association (NFPA®).
nationally recognized An organization recognized by the government and industry that tests
testing laboratory products according to their application or purpose. Test results are often used
(NRTL) for insurance underwriting.
natural events Incidents that include drought, fire, avalanche, snow/ice/hail, tsunami,
windstorm/tropical storm, hurricane/typhoon/cyclone, biological, extreme
heat/cold, flood/wind-driven water, earthquake/land shift, volcanic eruption,
tornado, landslide/mudslide, dust/sand storm, and lightning storm.
near-infrared The part of the infrared (IR) spectrum near the visible spectrum, typically
700 nanometers (nm) to 1500 nm or 2000 nm; it is not rigidly defined. Also
called IR-A.
near-end crosstalk The unwanted signal coupling between pairs. It is measured at the end of a
(NEXT) loss cable nearest the point of transmission.

near-field radiation 1. The distribution of the irradiance over an emitting surface (over the cross-
pattern section of an optical waveguide). 2. The propagation pattern of a radio
frequency (RF) wave physically very close to the transmitting antenna,
relative to the wavelength. This pattern is very different from, and much
more complicated than, the far-field radiation pattern usually considered in
RF propagation.
needs assessment An evaluation of the requirements or demands of a user community for the
particular project or technology under consideration.
neonatal intensive care An intensive care unit for high-risk newborn babies (neonates), directed
unit (NICU) by a board-certified pediatrician with subspecialty certification in
neonatal medicine.
network An interconnected system of computers, peripherals, and other equipment

(e.g., servers, controllers) that communicates over a medium and shares
commands, files, and messages.
network access device See network interface card (NIC).
network address A Layer 3 address used to uniquely identify each LAN connected to an
internetwork. See also internet address.
network administration See network management.
network computer (NC) A device similar to a computer with respect to processing power, memory
capacity, and graphics capabilities but lacking any mass storage capabilities.
Also called a thin client.
network diameter The distance between the two data terminal equipment devices farthest apart
in the same collision domain. Also called a collision diameter.
Network Equipment- A set of guidelines for seismic and electromagnetic compatibility protection.
Building System (NEBS) They were developed by Bell Labs and are now controlled by Telcordia
Technologies. There are two NEBS documents: GR-63, NEBS™
Requirements: Physical Protection, which provides for seismic protection,
and GR-1089, Electromagnetic Compatibility and Electrical Safety -
Generic Criteria for Network Telecommunications Equipment, which
provides for electromagnetic and lightning protection. GR-63 is often
specified in project documents for the design and installation of
telecommunications equipment capable of withstanding seismic events.
network identification A part of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Layer 3 address. It
(netid) identifies the LAN broadcast domain. See also host identification (hostid).
network interface (NI) 1. The point of connection between a user terminal and a private or public
network. 2. The point of interconnection between a public switched network
and a privately owned terminal.

network interface card The circuitry in a device that provides the means to connect, via cabling or
(NIC) wireless to a network.
network interface card See media access control (MAC) address.

(NIC) address
network interface The point of connection between networks. (TIA)

device (NID)
network layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) layer responsible for transferring data
in the form of datagrams from one network device to another on an
internetwork. Also called Layer 3.
network management The combination of planning, procedures, hardware, software, and personnel
needed to maintain network operations at maximum efficiency at all times.
network management See network operations center (NOC).

center (NMC)
network operating An integrated collection of software programs designed to control and

system (NOS) coordinate all access to network resources. It enables the sharing of software
applications, peripheral devices, communications services, and user-created
files by authorized network users.
network operations A location from which network administrators manage, control, monitor,
center (NOC) and maintain one or more computer, communications, or satellite
networks. Also called network management center (NMC).
network-attached A form of data storage where shared data is placed on a high-capacity storage
storage (NAS) device with a built-in network interface card (NIC).
newsgroup An internet-based messaging environment in which all messages and replies

are posted for shared viewing.
newsreader The software used to read, compose, and post newsgroup messages.
nibble A data unit made up of 4 bits. Also called a quartet.
node An addressable point on the network with processing abilities (e.g.,

computer, terminal, printer).
noise An unwanted electrical signal on a medium that provides a random or

persistent disturbance that interferes with the clarity or quality of the
expected signal and alters the shape of the signal.
noise reduction The ability of a material or surface to absorb or attentuate sound, measured
coefficient (NRC) in dB

nominal velocity of The coefficient used to determine the speed of transmission along a
propagation (NVP) cable relative to the speed of light in a vacuum, typically expressed as
a percentage. Also called phase velocity and velocity of propagation.
nomograph A chart showing three or more scales across which a straightedge may be
held in order to read off a graphical solution to a three-variable equation.
non-blocking The ability of a device or network to successfully provide a communications

path between all available devices.
non-classified locations Locations that will not contain hazardous (classified) materials in sufficient
quantity to create an explosion. (NEMA)
non-coded signal An audible or visible signal conveying one discrete bit of information.
non-collusion statement A document often required with the submission of a bid certifying that the
bidder has not conferred, conveyed, or otherwise communicated with another
party in an attempt to restrict competition.
non-contiguous property Two or more premises controlled by the same owner or user and separated by
a public thoroughfare, body of water, transportation right-of-way, or property
owned or used by others.
non-fail-safe See fail-secure lock.
non-power-limited fire In the United States, a fire alarm system using 115 volts (V) alternating
alarm (NPLFA) current (ac) power circuits for control rather than reduced voltage.
non-reflective break A break in an optical fiber in such a manner that no light is reflected from the
failure point.
non-repudiation services The network security processes that provide proof that a message was sent
from a specific source, thereby preventing that source from denying having
sent the message.
non-required system A supplementary fire alarm system component or group of components that
is installed at the option of the owner and is not installed due to a building or
fire code requirement.
non-restorable initiating A device in which the sensing element is designed to be destroyed or is

device incapable of returning to its original state in the process of operation.
For example, mechanical heat detectors in fire suppression systems may
be bimetallic or pneumatic. Bimetallic heat detectors have a strip consisting
of two dissimilar metals. When the strip is heated, the metal distorts and
closes a contact. Mechanical heat detectors have a fixed temperature setting,
and once activated, they are not restorable.


non-return-to-zero An encoding scheme in which “1s” are represented by one significant

(NRZ) condition and “0s” are represented by another, with no neutral or rest
condition.
non-zero dispersion A type of optical fiber designed to introduce a small amount of dispersion
shifted without a zero point crossing being in the wavelength division multiplexer
(WDM) passband. With this type of optical fiber, it is possible to eliminate or
at least greatly reduce the degradation due to four-wave mixing, a distortion
mechanism that requires the spectral components to be phase matched along
the optical fiber.
normal mode The steady-state system configuration while under load.
normal power The electrical power provided by the serving utility company and distributed
through the facility electrical system.
notification appliance A fire alarm system component (e.g., bell, horn, speaker, light, text display)
that provides audible, tactile, visible, or any combination of outputs designed
to alert people to danger (e.g., fire alarm).
notification appliance A fire alarm circuit used to connect and operate notification appliances to the
circuit (NAC) fire alarm system.
notification zone An area covered by simultaneously activated notification appliances.
nuisance alarm An alarm caused by mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation,

or lack of proper maintenance or activated by a cause that cannot be
determined.
null 1. An area where the signal strength has a non-detectable magnitude.

2. A data field which contains no entry (i.e., an empty field).
numerical aperture (NA) 1. A number that expresses the light-gathering ability of an optical fiber,
defining the maximum angle to the fiber axis at which light will be accepted
and propagated through the fiber. NA = sin q, where q is the acceptance
angle. 2. Describes the angular spread of light from a central axis, as in
exiting a fiber, emitting from a source or entering a detector.

=O
obscuration The effect of reducing the intensity of a light source by obscuring the source
from detection or vision.
Occupancy Category A parameter in the International Building Code (IBC) for a structure’s design
based on the facility’s intended use and anticipated occupant load (Nature of
Occupancy). A structural engineer uses the categories in calculating flood,
wind, snow, seismic, and ice design loads. There are four categories
represented by a roman numeral (I, II, III, or IV) and ordered from lowest to
highest, where Category I represents a low hazard to human life and
Category IV represents an essential facility. Essential facilities are intended
to remain operational during and after an extreme environmental event, such
as a hurricane or snowstorm. See also Importance Factor.
octet See byte.
off-axis A state of an optical system in which the optical axis of the aperture does not
coincide with the mechanical center of the aperture.
off-hook To make a connection with a switched telephone network in preparation for

dialing a telephone number or providing a contact closure in a ringdown or
alarm circuit. See also on-hook.
offset The degree to which the a communications cable (e.g., elliptical waveguide)
or a conduit, or an object (e.g., cable tray) changes direction.
offset (frequency) The difference between the source and reference frequencies or between
transmit and receive frequencies.
ohm A unit of measure of electrical resistance; one ohm is defined as the

resistance that allows one ampere (A), the unit of electric current, to flow
when one volt (V) is applied.
Ohm’s law The mathematical relationship among electric current, resistance, and
voltage. The voltage in volts (V) is equal to the current in amperes (A)
multiplied by the resistance in ohms.
ohmmeter A device used to measure electrical resistance.
omnidirectional Radiating in all directions for the source signal.
omnidirectional antenna An antenna characterized by a broad coverage zone that radiates signals in
all horizontal directions equally. See also directional antenna and
unidirectional antenna.
on-axis A state of an optical fiber system in which the optical axis of the aperture
coincides with the mechanical center of the aperture.

on-hook To disconnect from a switched telephone network. See also off-hook.
one-call system A system created to protect the underground facilities of members through
communication with any person planning to disturb the earth. This
communication network receives and processes line location requests from
excavators, contractors, builders, designers, the general public, and others
and disseminates this work location information to all members based on
their service agreements.
open An error condition in a cabling link or channel in which a fault occurs in the
continuity of a circuit or conductor.
open area detection The protection of an area (e.g., room, space) with detectors to provide early
(protection) warning of fire.
open cable Cabling that is not run in a raceway as defined by NFPA 70. This refers to
cabling that is open to the space in which the cable has been installed and is
therefore exposed to the environmental conditions associated with that space.
May also be referred to as exposed cable.
open invitation request See request for quotation (RFQ).

for quotation (RFQ)
open office A floor space division provided by furniture, movable partitions, or other
means instead of by building walls. (TIA)
open office cabling The communications cabling that distributes from the horizontal cross-
connect (HC [floor distributor (FD)]) to the open office area using a
consolidation point (CP) or multiuser telecommunications outlet/connector.
Also called zone cabling.
Open Systems A seven-layer network architecture developed by the International

Interconnection (OSI) Organization for Standardization (ISO) that has served as a foundation for
Reference Model the development of many standards for network systems communications.
The seven layers are physical, data link, network, transport, session,
presentation, and application. See also the entries for these seven layers.
open transition A change of state or transfer where the electrical circuit connection is not
maintained during the transfer. This is also known as “break before make.”
operating mode, private An audible or visible signaling only to those persons directly concerned with
the implementation and direction of emergency action initiation and
procedure in the area protected by the fire alarm system.
operating mode, public An audible or visible signaling to occupants or inhabitants of the area
protected by the fire alarm system.
operating room An area of a hospital equipped and staffed to provide facilities and personnel
services for the performance of surgical procedures.

operating system (OS) The system software that controls the execution of all programs and the use
of resources on a device such as a computer. See also network operating
system (NOS).
operations and The day-to-day activities necessary for the building and its systems and
maintenance (O&M) equipment to perform their intended function. (NIBS)
optical fiber A transmission media using a thin filament of glass or plastic use to transport
pulse light signals. Its bandwidth is higher than copper and not subject to
electromagnetic interference (EMI). The optical fiber consists of a central
core (glass or plastic) and an outer cladding.
optical fiber cable A cable assembly made up of one or more strands of glass consisting of a
central core and outer cladding (optical fibers), primary coating (primary
buffer), tube buffers, strength members, and an outer jacket.
optical fiber cladding See cladding.
optical fiber connector A device attached to the end of an optical fiber for the purpose of mating the
fiber to a source, a receiver, or another fiber through an optical adapter.
optical fiber core See core.
optical fiber flashlight A device that generates safe visible light (e.g., light-emitting diode [LED])
for verifying continuity of optical fiber with the naked eye.
optical field of view The area visible through the lens of an optical instrument.
optical power meter The test equipment that measures the strength of a light wave in decibel
(OPM) milliwatt (dBm) over an optical fiber cable. See also light source.
optical time domain An instrument that measures transmission characteristics of optical fiber
reflectometer (OTDR) by measuring the backscatter and reflection of injected light as a function of
time. Used to measure attenuation of optical fiber, splices, and connectors
and locate faults.
optoelectronics The components or circuitry used to perform the necessary conversions

between light-based signaling and electricity-based signaling.
order of magnitude An expression where the upper value is 10 times larger than the lower value.
“or equal” A phrase used to identify a level of quality or features of a specific product
or assembly that can be substituted but must be equivalent to the specified
product in every way. Better phrases are “or as approved” and “or approved
substitute.”
organic light-emitting A type of light emitting diode (LED) that incorporates an organic compound
diode (OLED) as part of its electroluminescent layer.

organization breakdown A hierarchal chart that visually represents people and organizations who are
structure (OBS) stakeholders in a project regardless of their company or organizations. An
OBS should include contact information for each team member.
organizational network See network.
orthogonal frequency A technique whereby a wide frequency band is split into a number of
division multiplexing narrow frequency bands. Data is inverse multiplexed across the subchannels.
(OFDM) OFDM is used in the IEEE® 802.11a and IEEE 802.11g networks.
other fire detectors The devices that detect a phenomenon other than heat, smoke, flame,
or gases produced by a fire. See also fire-gas detector, flame detector, heat
detector, smoke detector, spark/ember detector, radiant energy-sensing fire
detector, rate compensated heat detector, rate-of-rise pneumatic tubing heat
detector, and rate-of-rise detector.
outer protection An outer layer of material composed of armored wire or metallic tape that
covers the sheath of the cable.
outlet box A junction box (J-Box) or housing used to hold telecommunications outlet/
(telecommunications) connectors. (TIA)
outlet cable (OC) A cable placed in a residential unit extending directly between the
telecommunications outlet/connector and the distribution device. (TIA)
outside plant (OSP) 1. Telecommunications infrastructure designed for installation exterior to

buildings and is typically routed into the entrance facility. (TIA)
2. Communications infrastructure outside of the buildings/premises using
underground conduits and vaults, direct-buried cable, aerial plants, and
wireless.
overbuild The outside plant (OSP) facilities placed in conjunction with existing OSP of
a locally owned or competitive company.
overfill The energy around a receive antenna that is lost due to its being outside the
surface where it can be captured.
overfilled launch The condition when the cladding of an optical fiber is completely filled with
light.
overhead guy In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, any pole support strand (guy) that
extends to the top of a pole.
overlashing The practice of lashing a new optical fiber cable over an existing aerial
support strand and/or cable bundle.
overvoltage An increase in the nominal voltage for more than 3600 cycles (one minute).

ownership Any property or building or its contents under legal control by the occupant,
by contract, or by holding of a title or deed.
=P
packet Bits grouped serially in a defined format containing a command or data
message sent over a network. A generic term used to describe a unit of data
at any layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model
protocol stack. See also frame and datagram.
packet assembler/ A device that segments a digital message into X.25 packets for transmission
disassembler (PAD) and reassembles a message from received packets.
packet binary An encoding method proposed for IEEE® 802.11g. Because of the peak
convolutional coding transfer rate of 33 megabits per second (Mb/s), it was rejected in favor of
(PBCC) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). It is still included in
IEEE 802.11g as an option.
packet filter Part of a firewall program that examines each network packet, or datagram,
and uses an access control list to determine if the inbound or outbound
datagram should be discarded (filtered) or allowed to pass through the
firewall.
packet switching A data communications switching and transmission system in which each
packet is transmitted independently between devices through the network
without first establishing a dedicated communications path between the
devices. At the receiving end, the packets are checked for errors, resequenced
as necessary, and combined into an output data stream.
padding down Intentional attenuation of a signal.
PageFormat™ A guide published by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) that

describes the recommended arrangement of text on a specification page;
provides a system for designating articles, paragraphs, and subparagraphs;
and includes guidance for page numbering, margins, and other aspects of
formatting. See also MasterFormat™ , UniFormat™, and SectionFormat™.
(CSI)
paging system A type of public address system that may include the capability of providing
notifications, information, and instructions utilizing visible signals or a lamp
annunciator. Paging systems may also utilize devices allowing
communication between the initiator of the page and the intended recipients.
pair count Indicates how many pairs of wires are in a cable.
pair loading patch cord To raise the power demand (in an electrical circuit), as by adding resistance.
A length of cable with a plug on one or both ends used to join
telecommunications circuits/links at the cross-connect. (TIA)

pair scanner See wire map.
pair twist The uniform twist of an insulated copper pair that helps to reduce the
negative effects of capacitance imbalance and electromagnetic induction.
pairing A connection between two devices using Bluetooth®.
panel antenna A style of radio frequency (RF) antenna constructed in a flat panel shape. A
flat panel antenna is highly directional and usually a phased array antenna.
panelboard (electrical) A single panel or groups of panel units designed for assembly in the form of
a single panel, including buses and automatic over-current devices such
as fuses or molded-case circuit breakers, accessible only from the front. See
also switchboard and switchgear.
panic bar A push bar and latch mechanism that is installed on the secure side of an
opening. When the push pad is pressed, the latch will be released and the
opening will be unsecured.
parabolic antenna A directional antenna often shaped like a dish (concave reflector) used to
produce a parallel beam when the source is placed at its focus (transmission)
or to focus an incoming parallel beam (reception).
parallel telephone A telephone system in which an individually wired circuit is used for each
system fire alarm box.
parity The information needed to recover the data stored on a failed disk drive in a
redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configuration.
parked state Refers to a slave device in Bluetooth®. A parked slave is not active on the
channel but will remain synchronized to the clock of the master.
partitioned LAN See virtual LAN (VLAN).
passive card A type of access card that is dependent on a battery to provide the power
necessary to allow the card to transmit its data.
passive Equipment that does not require electric power. See also active equipment.
equipment
passive hub A hub that does not require electrical power to operate. Such devices
function as simple signal distribution units, where an incoming signal on one
port is directed to another port with no amplification, retiming, or
regeneration. See also hub.
patch antenna Comprises a patch of conductive material fixed above a conductive plane and
separated from the plane by a thin dielectric substrate.

patch cord A length of cable with a plug on one or both ends. (TIA) Patch cords are used
for connections between two passive cross-connect terminations or direct
connection from one active equipment to another active equipment. See also
equipment cord and line cord.
patch cord adjuster A mechanical device to which a patch cord is mated that enables the cord to
be managed within the patch cord field. It permits the bend radius of the
cable to be controlled and allows for periodic readjustment of the length of
the patch cord.
patch panel A connecting hardware system that facilitates cable termination and cabling
administration using patch cords or equipment cords. (TIA)
patching The means of connecting circuits via cords and connectors that can be easily
disconnected and reconnected at another point.
path loss In a communications system, the attenuation undergone by an

electromagnetic wave in transit between a transmitter and a receiver. It may
be caused by many effects such as free-space loss, refraction, reflection,
aperture-medium coupling loss, and absorption.
pathway 1. Physical infrastructure (e.g., conduit, cable tray, raceway) used to facilitate
the placement of information and communications technology (ICT) or
electronic safety and security (ESS) cabling media. 2. A term used within
the United States to denote any method of connecting elements of the fire
alarm system (e.g., electrical, optical, radio frequency [RF]).
pathway barrier A firestopping solution designed to centralize the installation and

penetration plates administration of multiple firewall penetrations.
(PBPP)
payout box A cardboard container with a hole for cable distribution directly from
the box.
peak envelope power The average power supplied to the antenna transmission line by a transmitter
(of a radio transmitter) during one radio frequency (RF) cycle at the crest of the modulation
envelope taken under normal operating conditions. (ITU)
peak output power Maximum allowable output power of a transmission source.
peak power (PP) Maximum electrical energy available in an alternating current (ac). It is a
factor of voltage multiplied by the current (amperage). See also average
power and power.
pedestal 1. In outside plant (OSP) systems, a protective aboveground enclosure used

most commonly to house a splice point or administrative terminal location.
2. In access floor systems, a fixed height or adjustable height structural
element that supports the access floor panel and raises it off the slab to create
an interstitial space for service distribution. See also access floor and stringer.

peer-to-peer LAN A network environment where any station can contribute to or access
network resources. All network devices function as equals.
penalties (contract) Fines levied by a client against a contractor for failure to meet certain
contract requirements (e.g., completing a project by the specified date).
penetration An opening made in a barrier (architectural structure or assembly). There

are two types of penetration: a membrane penetration pierces or interrupts
the outside surface of only one side of a barrier; a through penetration pierces
or interrupts both outside surfaces of a barrier. See also membrane
penetration and through penetration.
penetration seal See firestop.
performance bond A bond that ensures a contractor will use specified methods and procedures
in performing a project.
performance The optimization of individual components and the overall network to

management optimize the time it takes to complete a given task.
performance verification The process of determining the ability of the system to function according to
the design intent.
perigee The point in its orbit at which a satellite is closest to the earth. See also
apogee.
perimeter area The perimeter area is the outermost, first line of defense in any functional
security system. See also perimeter system.
perimeter system A system designed to generate an alarm when the defined perimeter area
is intruded upon. For effective perimeter protection, a combination of sensors
is usually installed and integrated to sense, decide, and act on all attempts at
unauthorized entry to the protected area. It is important that the sensors
specified match the environment to be protected.
period The smallest repetitive interval of a periodic waveform (e.g., time for one
cycle of a sine wave).
peripheral device A unit of external equipment connected to and controlled by a station or

a server.
permanent link 1. The permanently installed portion of horizontal cabling (excludes

cordage). See also channel. 2. A test configuration for a link excluding test
cords and patch cords or equipment cords. (TIA) Previously referred to as
basic link.

permanent link test The transmission path between two mated interfaces of generic cabling,
configuration excluding equipment cords, work area cords, and cross-connections
but including the connecting hardware at each end. (ISO) Previously referred
to as basic link test configuration.
permanent virtual A software-defined logical connection in a switched network in which users

circuit (PVC) define logical connections and required bandwidths between end points while
the switched network technology achieves the defined connections and
manages the traffic. With this type of circuit, the line is always ready, which
eliminates the delay associated with line setup and release.
permanent visual An immediately readable, not easily alterable, print, slash, or punch record of
record (recording) all occurrences of status change.
permeability The property of a magnetizable substance that determines the degree in

which it modifies the magnetic flux in the region occupied by it in a magnetic
field.
permit required See confined space.

confined space (PRCS)
personal area network A network system that covers an area generally associated with an individual
(PAN) workspace (e.g., office, cubicle).
personal fall arrest A system used to arrest an employee in a fall from a walking-working
system (PFAS) surface. It consists of a body harness, anchorage, and connector. The means
of connection may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or a
suitable combination of these. (OSHA)
personal identification A unique numeric code used to identify an individual.

number (PIN)
personal operating See personal area network (PAN).

space (POS)
personal protective Any number of safety apparatuses worn or used by an individual (e.g., hard
equipment (PPE) hat, protective eyewear, gloves, clothing) that shields against possible injury
while performing tasks.
personnel lift A mechanical device for lifting construction personnel when a ladder cannot
be used safely because of the required working height or weight of
equipment.
phase 1. The relationship in time between two waveforms of the same frequency.
2. The relationship in time between two parameters of a single waveform
(e.g., voltage and current).

phase modulation (PM) An angle modulation in which the phase angle of a carrier is caused to depart
from its reference value by an amount proportional to the instantaneous value
of the modulating signal.
phase velocity See nominal velocity of propagation (NVP).
phased array antenna An antenna that can transmit and receive electromagnetic fields at and from
any direction without any mechanical movement. Such antennas usually
support broad bandwidth and carry more information. They have low
visibility and are difficult to detect due to the absence of moving parts.
phased cutover A progression of transferring an old system to a new system. See

also cutover.
phase-shift keying (PSK) In digital transmission, angle modulation in which the phase of the carrier is
discretely varied in relation either to a reference phase or to the phase of the
immediately preceding signal element, in accordance with data being
transmitted.
photoelectric The property of a material to conduct electricity when light is applied to it

(photoelectric effect) where the amount of current can be varied depending on the frequency or
intensity of the applied light.
photoelectric light- The principle of using a light source and a photosensitive sensor onto which
obscuration smoke the principal portion of the source emissions is focused. When smoke
detection particles enter the light path, some of the light is scattered and some is
absorbed, thereby reducing the light reaching the receiving sensor. The light
reduction signal is processed and used to convey an alarm condition when it
meets preset criteria.
photoelectric light- The principle of using a light source and a photosensitive sensor arranged
scattering smoke so that the rays from the light source do not normally fall onto the detection
photosensitive sensor. When smoke particles enter the light path, some of
the light is scattered by reflection and refraction onto the sensor. The light
signal is processed and used to convey an alarm condition when it meets
preset criteria.
photon A fundamental element of light.
photosensitive epilepsy A medical condition presented by seizures due to a reaction from

rapidly flickering light impulses. As a preventive measure, strobe-type
notification appliances can be synchronized so that multiple appliances do
not cause overly rapid and disorienting light pulses.
physical address See media access control (MAC) address.
physical design process A network design process where the network designer begins by assessing
the site where the proposed network is to be implemented. Also called
bottom-up design.

physical layer The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model layer responsible
for the transfer of bit streams over a specific medium. Also called Layer 1.
physical layer Typically, the circuit in a network interface card (NIC) or similar device
interface (PHY) that inserts the signal onto the transmission medium (e.g., cabling system). It
includes the connector configuration, or medium dependent interface (MDI).
physical medium In Ethernet, the part of the physical layer that controls transmission,
attachment (PMA) reception, collision detection, clock detection, and skew alignment.
physical security Measures that deter, detect, delay, mitigate, or notify any attempt to injure,
damage, modify, or remove an asset or person. This includes damage by
accident, fire, environmental elements, crime, vandalism, and industrial
espionage. It can be a simple device or multiple layers of electronic
measures.
physical topology The physical layout of a network as defined by its cabling architecture.
picocell A small cellular base station typically covering a small area, such as in-
building (e.g., offices, shopping malls, train stations, stock exchanges),
and more recently in aircraft. The range of a picocell is typically
≈200 meters (m [656 feet (ft)]) or less. Most picocells are connected to
headend equipment on the premises using in-building cabling. The headend
processes the signals and sends them on into the cellular network. Some
picocells have increased intelligence, giving them the capability required to
connect directly to the internet, without the need for the headend
infrastructure. This form of picocell is sometimes called an access point base
station or enterprise femtocell. One type of small cell.
picofarad One-trillionth of a farad.
piconet A single Bluetooth® wireless personal area network (WPAN) that can
contain a maximum of eight active devices. Each master device and the slave
device, or devices associated with it, form a piconet. It provides a base level
of connectivity to even the simplest of sensing and computing objects. See
also scatternet.
picowatt of noise Psophometrically weighted, 1.0 pWp is equivalent to an 800 hertz (Hz) test
power (pWp) tone at –90 decibels per meter (dBm).
piggybacking See tailgating.
pigtail One or more conductors or fibers with only one end terminated. (TIA) See
also cable assembly and jumper.

PIII-500 A semi-rigid coaxial cable with an aluminum sheath that is typically used as
a trunk cable in a cable TV (CATV) distribution network. This term is
pronounced “P three five hundred.” PIII indicates the type of cable and 500
indicates the cable diameter, which is ≈12.7 millimeters
(mm [0.5 inches (in)]).
pink noise A noise masking system that creates an artificial sound barrier in open office
environments to provide increased privacy by masking conversations.
pinout A wiring scheme for the individual conductors in a telecommunications

connector, jack, or plug.
placarded A means to signify that the fire alarm system of a particular facility is
receiving central station service by a listed central station or listed fire
alarm service—a local company that is part of a systematic follow-up
program under the control of an independent third-party listing organization.
plain old telephone Basic service that supplies standard single-line telephone, telephone lines,
service (POTS) and access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
plant One or more buildings under the same ownership or control on a single
property. See also campus.
Planté cell Invented in 1859 by French physicist Gaston Planté, the lead acid storage
battery uses a liquid electrolyte to generate current. This type of battery
generates hydrogen gas when charging. Because sulfuric acid electrolyte
evaporates to some extent, these batteries must be used in a room that is well
ventilated to the outside and kept away from delicate electronic equipment.
The lead acid/calcium battery is commonly used for uninterruptible power
supply (UPS) backup.
plastic insulated A metallic conductor that is insulated with a plastic material.

conductor (PIC)
plastic optical fiber Optical fiber made of plastic rather than glass. See also optical fiber.
(POF)
plate anchor An anchor composed of a rigid steel or other high-strength metal plate direct-
buried in the ground.
plenum A compartment or chamber to which one or more air ducts are connected and
that forms part of the air distribution system. (TIA)
plenum cable See communications plenum cable.
plenum rated Meeting flammability and smoke requirements for the purpose of fire, life,
and safety as described by the National Electrical Code®.

plug A male telecommunications outlet/connector that may be keyed or unkeyed

and may have up to eight to ten contact positions; not all positions need to be
equipped with contacts. The eight contact, eight position telecommunications
outlet/connector has been adopted by many industry standards. See also jack.
plunger Stopper for the end of a syringe.
pneumatic rate-of-rise A line-type detector consisting of small-diameter tubing, usually copper, that
tubing heat detector is installed on the ceiling or high on the walls throughout the protected area.
The tubing is terminated in a detector unit containing diaphragms and
associated contacts set to actuate at a predetermined pressure. The system is
sealed except for calibrated vents that compensate for normal changes in
temperature.
point of demarcation See demarcation point.
point of entrance See entrance point
point of presence (POP) The physical demarcation or access point (AP) of control and billing at an
interexchange carrier, local exchange carrier (LEC), competitive LEC,
client premises equipment (CPE), or service provider (SP).
point of sale (POS) A location where credit card transactions are performed with the cardholder
present, such as a retail establishment.
point-to-multipoint A connection from one point to several other points. See also point-to-point
(PTP).
point-to-point (PTP) A direct connection established between two specific locations, as between
two buildings or devices. See also point-to-multipoint.
poisoned The introduction and possible absorption of foreign material into the
detection chamber of a fire, smoke, or other sensor causing a condition where
the detecting elements are inhibited, affecting the electrical or catalytic
reaction of the device.
poke-thru Penetrations through the fire-resistive floor structure to permit the installation
of horizontal telecommunications cables. (TIA)
poke-thru system A poke-thru device installed in a penetration through a fire-resistant floor

structure. (TIA)
polar A diagrammatic method that maps a notification appliance output intensity

over an angular plane, typically 180 degrees. A polar diagram can be used to
illustrate notification appliance sound or light output at various locations
relative to the appliance.

polarity 1. The condition of a body or system in which it has opposing physical

properties at different points (e.g., magnetic poles, electrical charge). 2. A
method of positioning optical fibers within duplex and array connectors to
ensure connectivity between transmitter(s) and receiver(s).
polarization The orientation with respect to a given position, force, voltage, or direction.
As with antennas, this is the direction of the radiated electric field in relation
to the surface of the earth. This is generally vertical in mobile radio systems.
pole A column of wood, steel, fiberglass, or other material supporting overhead

cables or antennas.
pole class A rating used to classify outside plant (OSP) pole strengths. See also pole.
polyethylene (PE) Thermoplastic material having excellent electrical properties, such as a low,
stable dielectric constant over all frequencies with very high insulation
resistance. In terms of flexibility, polyethylene can be rated stiff to very hard,
depending on molecular weight and density—low density being the most
flexible and high density, high molecular weight formulation being very
hard. Moisture resistance is rated excellent.
polymer A substance made of many repeating chemical units or molecules. The term
polymer is often used in place of plastic, rubber, or elastomer.
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) A tough, general-purpose, flame-retardant, thermoplastic, water-resistant

insulator used for wire and cable insulation and jackets and for conduit.
port 1. A physical connection point on a device (e.g., hub, switch, patch panel).
2. An identifier of an application process within the transmission control
protocol/ internet protocol (TCP/IP) suite.
port aggregation See link aggregation.
port density The number of modular connections within a space.
port mirroring The process of copying the data passing through one or more ports of a
switch to a network management port for monitoring purposes.
port trunking See link aggregation.
portable operator’s A portable terminal used for maintenance and error detection in building
terminal (POT) automation systems (BAS).
portal An access point (AP) that connects a wireless LAN (WLAN) to another
IEEE® 802 network (e.g., Ethernet, token ring).
positive alarm sequence An automatic sequence that results in an alarm signal, even when manually
delayed for investigation, unless the system is reset.

positive intrinsic Used to convert optical signals to electrical signals in a receiver.

negative (PIN) diode
positive temperature A type of outside plant (OSP) protector installed in a building entrance
coefficient (PTC) terminal (BET). PTC thermistors are ceramic and provide over-current
protector protection against power cross, power induction surges, and lighting surges
that is reversible and self-resetting.
positive temperature A resistor whose resistance increases with temperature.

coefficient (PTC) resistor
Post Office Code A basic signaling pattern used in global paging systems.
Standardization
Advisory Group
(POCSAG)
poststressed concrete A type of reinforced concrete construction in which embedded steel cables
are put under tension after the concrete has cured. See also post-tensioned
concrete, prestressed concrete, and reinforced concrete.
post-tensioned concrete A type of reinforced concrete construction in which the embedded steel
members are first put under tension, the concrete poured and allowed to
harden, and the tension of the steel members released causing compression
of the concrete. (TIA) See also poststressed concrete, reinforced concrete,
and prestressed concrete.
pothole See test hole.
powder-actuated A device used to attach material to concrete or steel that is installed using a
fastener powder-actuated drive tool.
power (P) 1. The rate of transfer or absorption of energy per unit time in a system.
2. The energy required to operate an electrical device (e.g., motor, amplifier,
telephone transmitter). See also average power and peak power.
power arrester A device installed in power systems to limit the line-to-ground surge voltage
due to a power surge or spike.
power distribution unit A floor-, cabinet-, or rack-mounted enclosure for distributing branch circuit
(PDU) electrical power via cabling, either overhead or under an access floor, to
multiple racks, cabinets, or enclosures of information technology equipment
(ITE). A PDU includes one or more distribution panel boards and can
include a transformer, monitoring, and controls. Sometimes called a
computer power center or a power distribution center.
powered device (PD) See active equipment.
power factor The ratio of real power to apparent power shown as a percentage.

power-limited (PL) A reference to secondary power (subcircuit) reduced to 24 volt (V) direct
current (dc) or less for building automation system (BAS) functions.
power-limited fire alarm Fire alarm systems that use low-voltage circuits (less than 24 volt [V]).
(PLFA)
power outlet unit (POU) See power strip.
power over Ethernet A network subsystem that offers the ability for the LAN switching
(PoE) infrastructure to provide power over balanced twisted-pair cabling to an
endpoint device (e.g., access point [AP], camera, telephone set).
power pole See utility column.
power splitter A passive device that accepts an input signal and delivers multiple output
signals with specific phase and amplitude characteristics.
power strip A device mounted onto or within an information technology equipment (ITE)
rack, cabinet, or enclosure or on a backboard, supplied by a single branch
circuit, and containing power receptacles into which multiple information
technology devices can be plugged. A power strip can include metering,
controls, circuit protection, filtering, and surge suppression. Also known in
IEEE 1100 as a power outlet unit (POU). Sometimes called rack- mount
PDU, rack power distribution unit, ITE-PDU, cabinet distribution unit, or
plug strip.
power sum A term used to specify a combination of crosstalk interference signals from
multiple sources.
power sum alien far-end The power sum of the unwanted signal coupling from multiple disturbing
crosstalk (PSAFEXT) pairs of one or more 4-pair channels, permanent links, or components to a
disturbed pair of another 4-pair channel, permanent link, or component,
measured at the far end.
power sum alien near- The power sum of the unwanted signal coupling from multiple disturbing
end crosstalk pairs of one or more 4-pair channels, permanent links, or components to a
(PSANEXT) disturbed pair of another 4-pair channel, permanent link, or component,
measured at the near end.
power sum attenuation- A ratio in decibels (dB), determined by subtracting the attenuation from the
to-crosstalk ratio power sum near-end crosstalk (PSNEXT) loss. PSACR is a
(PSACR) calculated value.
power sum attenuation A computation of the unwanted signal coupling from multiple transmitters
to crosstalk ratio, far-end at the near end into a pair measured at the far end and normalized to the
(PSACRF) received signal level.

to-alien crosstalk ratio at power sum alien far-end crosstalk (PSAFEXT) loss between cables or
far end (PSAACRF) channels in close proximity.
to-alien crosstalk ratio at power sum alien near-end crosstalk (PSANEXT) loss between cables or
end (PSAACRN) channels in close proximity.
power sum equal level A computation of the unwanted signal coupling from multiple transmitters at
far-end crosstalk the near-end into a pair measured at the far-end, and normalized to the
(PSELFEXT) received signal level. (TIA)
power sum near-end A computation of the unwanted signal coupling from multiple transmitters at
crosstalk (PSNEXT) loss the near-end into a pair measured at the near-end. (TIA)
power supply A source of electrical operating power, including the circuits and
terminations connecting it to the dependent system components.
power usage A measure of a data center’s efficiency in terms of its electrical energy use.
effectiveness (PUE) PUE is calculated as total facility energy used divided by information
technology (IT) energy. Units are kilowatt-hours (kWh) and PUE is
measured as an average over a specified period. PUE is the inverse of data
center infrastructure efficiency (DCIE).
precast concrete A concrete member that is cast and cured in other than its final position.
pre-functional test A series of tests for specified equipment or systems, which determine that the
systems are installed correctly, start up, and are prepared for the functional
performance tests. Often these tests are in a checklist format. The pre-
functional test checklists may be completed as part of the normal contractor
startup test.
pre-fusing Machine cleaning of the fiber ends prior to performing a fusion splice.
pre-installation meeting An internal meeting convened by the project manager and including the
telecommunications installation team and appropriate contractors to discuss
all aspects of an upcoming construction project.
premise control unit A device that receives changes of an intrusion detection alarm status from
sensors and transmits an alarm condition to a monitoring station.
premises A building or set of buildings on common property that are occupied by a

single tenant or landlord.
premises cabling A generic term that includes interbuilding, intrabuilding, and horizontal
cabling that is owned by a single tenant or landlord. Refers to the entire
cabling system used for voice, data, video, and power on a user’s premises.

presentation layer The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model layer responsible
for various forms of message conversion, including compression and
encryption. Also called Layer 6.
preset insert See insert, preset.
pre-signal alarm In fire alarm systems, signals or signs delivered to occupants before sending
a general alarm. This type of alarm may be automatically transmitted to a
central fire alarm system after a specified time period.
pressurization The use of pressurized gas or dry air inside cable sheaths to prevent the entry
of moisture.
prestressed concrete Concrete poured into a mold containing tension rods or cable. See also
poststressed concrete, reinforced concrete, and post-tensioned concrete.
prevailing wage rate Labor rates published by state or federal governments that state the minimum
allowable wage that can be paid to a laborer for a particular task, typically on
a publicly funded project. The rates are published for each project and can
vary from county to county and project to project.
pre-wiring 1. Cabling installed before walls are enclosed or finished. Also called rough-
in. 2. Cabling installed in anticipation of future use or need.
primary battery A non-rechargeable battery requiring periodic replacement.

(dry cell)
primary bonding A busbar placed in a convenient and accessible location and bonded, by
busbar (PBB) means of the telecommunications bonding conductor (TBC), to the
building’s service equipment (power) ground.
primary power system The power distributed from an electric generation station usually consisting
of three phased 2200 volts (V), 7200 V, 13,800 V, or higher.
primary protector 1. A device that limits voltage between telecommunications conductors and
ground (usually between 215 volt [V] direct current [dc] to 350 Vdc). 2. A
protective device placed on telecommunications conductors in accordance
with codes and standards (e.g., National Fire Protection Association [NFPA]
70, National Electrical Code [NEC®]).
primary rate interface An integrated services digital network (ISDN) interface standard that
(PRI) consists of twenty-three 64 kilobytes per second (kb/s) B (bera) channels
and one 64 kb/s D (data) channel using a T-1 line or thirty 64 kb/s B channels
and one 64 kb/s D channel using an E-1 channel.
primary side The high-voltage side of an electrical power transformer or the electrical
power service line side of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), power
distribution unit (PDU) transformer, or static switch.

primary trunk facility The part of a transmission channel connecting all leg facilities to a
supervising or subsidiary station.
prime contractor 1. Master contractor on a work site that may be serviced by several
contractors. 2. The one company contractually responsible for providing
central station services to a subscriber. The prime contractor can be either a
listed central station or a listed fire alarm service (a local company).
prioritization A function performed by a network interface card (NIC) that makes it

possible to assign different levels of priority to the requests made by
applications using the NIC on a device. Also called traffic prioritization.
privacy code A term used by some Family Radio Service (FRS) radio manufacturers for
Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS), although there is no real
privacy. Also sometimes called a sub-channel.
private automatic See private branch exchange (PBX).

branch exchange (PABX)
private branch exchange A private telecommunications switching system allowing private local voice
(PBX) (and other voice-related services) switching over a network. (TIA) See also
key service unit (KSU).
private key encryption A security process in which information is encrypted with a key that both the
sender of the information and the receiver possess. The parties involved are
expected to agree on a key in a way that does not compromise the established
security processes. See also public key encryption.
private mode The applications, situations, or incidents where a notification or signaling is

intended to alert and inform only those directly involved with the response
to an emergency, where trained personnel are in place to take additional
measures and actions upon the notification. Such personnel may include
those who are familiar with the operation of the fire alarm system (e.g.,
firefighters, security workers). Private mode visual signaling generally is not
intended to compensate for hearing impairment or high ambient noise
conditions.
private radio signaling A radio system under control of the proprietary supervising station.
privity 1. The doctrine of privity of contract stipulates that only parties to the
contract can sue or be sued in respect of it. 2. The knowledge of something
secret or private.
probe See inductive amplifier.
program evaluation A network chart or logic diagram for project management. Generally used by
review technique the project manager to see how one change in the project affects the
(PERT) chart remaining tasks.

program material The video and audio material that is broadcast over a cable system.
programmable card A card on which data may be encoded.
project log A written log of everything that happens on a project hour-by-hour, day-by-
day, or item-by-item.
project management Planning, organizing, and managing resources to achieve successful

completion of project goals and objectives.
project plan Construction plan reflecting all aspects of the work to be performed using a
priority schedule.
project schedule 1. Chronological order of events that will be accomplished on a project and
in the order that they must occur. 2. A scheduling document including all
activities to take place in a construction project.
projected beam-type A type of photoelectric light obscuration smoke detector wherein the beam
detector spans the protected area.
propagation The motion of waves through or along a medium.
propagation delay The time required for a signal to travel from one end of the transmission path
to the other end. (TIA)
proposal Detailed offer of services and/or resources, usually in exchange for other
services or monies. Also called a quote.
proprietary A characteristic of a technique, technology, or device which is owned and

controlled by a company or other party and is thereby only usable or
adaptable as allowed by that party and not deemed to achieve
interoperability.
proprietary supervising The location to which alarm or supervisory signaling devices on proprietary
station fire alarm systems are connected and where personnel are in attendance at all
times to supervise operation and investigate signals.
proprietary supervising An installation of fire alarm systems that serves contiguous and
station fire alarm system non-contiguous properties, under one ownership, from a proprietary
supervising station located at the protected property, at which trained,
competent personnel are in constant attendance. This includes the proprietary
supervising station; power supplies; signal-initiating devices; initiating
device circuits; signal notification appliances; equipment for the automatic,
permanent visual recording of signals; and equipment for initiating the
operation of emergency building control services.
protected and diversity A wireless system that provides redundancy through the use of two
transmitters, each connected to a separate antenna. See also diversity
reception.

protected premises The physical location protected by one or more electronic safety and security
(ESS) systems.
protected premises A control unit that serves the protected premises or a portion of the protected
(local) control unit premises and indicates the alarm via notification appliances inside the
(panel) protected premises.
protected premises A protected premises system that sounds an alarm at the protected premises
(local) fire alarm system as the result of the manual operation of a fire alarm box or the operation of
protection equipment or systems (e.g., water flowing in a sprinkler system,
discharge of carbon dioxide, detection of smoke or heat).
protected system A wireless system that provides redundancy by using a transmitter

combiner to connect two transceivers to an antenna for redundancy. See also
protected and diversity and unprotected system.
protection, fire See fire protection.
protector A device that prevents damage to lines or equipment by conducting

hazardous high voltages or currents to ground. Most protectors come in
assemblies containing fusible link stubs and the housing and circuitry for
individual protector units.
protector (cable) An outside plant (OSP) protector that limits the voltage between the
conductors and shield of a cable.
protector (ground A wire run from the ground lug on the protector to an approved ground via
conductor) the shortest and straightest route.
protector (open wire) An outside plant (OSP) protector that limits the voltage between open wire
telecommunications conductors and ground.
protector bond A bond of a grounding conductor to a protector.
protector unit A replaceable voltage-shunting device that is inserted on each cable pair in a
protector assembly. The units come in a variety of types based on clamping
voltages and reaction time.
protocol A set of rules and procedures governing the formatting of messages and the
timing of their exchange between devices on a network covering addressing,
transmitting, receiving, and verifying.
protocol data unit (PDU) Information that is exchanged between peer entities on a network. It contains
control information and may optionally contain data.
protocol stack A comprehensive set of specifications that define how network hardware and
software interact at various levels to transfer messages between devices on a
network (e.g., Open Systems Interconnection [OSI] Reference Model).

proton A subatomic particle with a positive electric charge. It is a constituent of all

atomic nuclei.
proximity A method of reading a card without requiring any physical contact between
the card and the reading device.
proximity card A card using proximity technology to store and transmit encoded data.
proxy server A firewall security mechanism that functions as an intermediary device

to represent one side of a connection to the other for a specific application.
Messages and commands intended for the other side are inspected by this
device before being forwarded to prevent unauthorized use of that
application.
psophometrically Noise weighted by a filter the amplitude and frequency characteristic of

weighted noise which corresponds to the sensitivity of the human ear at different
frequencies. The weighting law is given in the definition of the psophometer
in ITU-T Recommendation 0.41 for commercial telephony and in ITU-R
Recommendation 468 for sound programme channels. (International
Electrotechnical Commission)
psychological barrier A device, obstacle, or lack of obstacle that by its presence alone discourages
unauthorized access or penetration.
public address (PA) An electronic sound amplification and distribution system with a
system microphone, amplifier, and loudspeakers used to provide notifications,
information, or instructions within a designated area.
public fire alarm A system of fire alarm initiating devices, receiving equipment, and
reporting system connecting circuits used to transmit alarms from street locations or buildings
to the fire department communications center.
public fire service A building or portion of the building used to house the central operating part
communications center of the fire alarm system; usually the place where the necessary testing,
switching, receiving, transmitting, and power supply devices are located.
public key encryption A security technique in which a user is assigned two related keys. One key is
held privately and the other key is distributed publicly. Anyone wishing
to send a confidential message to the user encrypts it with the user’s public
key. When the message is received, the user decrypts it with the
corresponding private key. See also private key encryption.
public mode The applications, situations, or incidents where a notification or signaling is

intended to alert and provide adequate warning of imminent danger so that
all occupants of a building can safely evacuate the premises. In public mode,
notifications and signaling must therefore be unambiguous, simple, and
easily recognizable by all persons with no knowledge of fire alarm systems
and be able to reach all occupants of the premises.

public opening An opening of request for quotation (RFQ) responses (bids) at which all
respondents may be present. See also request for quotation (RFQ).
public switched An assembly of telecommunications facilities and central office equipment

telephone network operated jointly by authorized common carriers that provides the general
(PSTN) public with the ability to establish telecommunications channels via discrete
dialing codes. Usually accessed by telephones, key telephone systems,
private branch exchange trunks, and data arrangements.
public utilities A regulatory body with jurisdiction over rates, service areas, or other
commission (PUC) aspects of the services and operation of providers of telecommunications
services as vested in the commission or other body authority, to guide
development of telecommunications services.
pull 1. The act of placing cable by pulling. 2. A vectorizing method used to

estimate the required strand size for guying.
pull box (PB) A device to access a closed raceway used to facilitate placing of wire
or cables.
pull (cord, rope, string, A cord, rope, string, wire, or other mechanism placed within a cabling
wire) pathway and used to pull wire and cable through a cabling pathway. See also
drag line and MuleTape.
pull finder In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, the pull on a pole can be calculated
using one of three methods. These include using a pull finder, using a tape
measure, and measuring the included angle created by the three points. To
use a pull finder: 1. Screw the threaded end of the pull finder into a pole.
2. Sight down each sight to the next pole in the line (proposed or existing).
3. Read the pull off the scale.
pull point Location where it is possible to physically access the cables to pull them.
pull strength See pull tension.
pull tension The pulling force that can be applied to a cable. (TIA)
pull wire See drag line and pull cord.
pulling eye A factory-installed device on a length of cable to which a swivel eye and pull
rope are attached.
pulling iron An attachment installed in maintenance holes (MHs) to provide a point of

connection for blocks, sheaves, and other devices used for pulling cable into
the duct system.
pulling sheave A pulley having a grooved rim for retaining a rope or cable.
pulling technique Collectively refers to the methods and materials employed to install cables.

pulse code modulation A technique for representing an analog signal as a string of bits. The
(PCM) analog signal is converted to a bit string by periodically sampling the
amplitude of the analog signal and representing each sample as a binary
number.
pulse frequency A method of representing an analog signal using only digital

modulation (PFM) pulses.

pulse position A form of signal modulation in M which message bits are encoded
modulation (PPM) by transmitting a single pulse in one of possible required time shifts. This is
repeated every T seconds, such that the data rate is M/T bits per second
pulse repetition rate The number of pulses per unit of time.

(PRR)
pulse width modulation A method of digital signal modulation where the width of a pulse associated
(PWM) to a clock frequency corresponds to specific data values. These values are
encoded upon transmission and decoded on receipt.
punch down The process of terminating copper cable conductors on insulation

displacement connection (IDC) terminals by use of a handheld tool.
punch list A short list of tasks that are required to be completed in order to close out a
work order or project.
push brace In OSP systems, pole of an equivalent type to the pole being reinforced, used
to brace pole where guying is not feasible.
=Q
quad cable A 4-conductor non-twisted-pair cable with a red, green, black, and
yellow conductor.
quadrature amplitude A means of encoding digital information over radio, wireline, or optical
modulation (QAM) fiber transmission links. It is a modulation technique that uses variations in
signal amplitude and phase, allowing data encoded symbols to be represented
as a multitude of 2N states, where each state encodes 2N bits (e.g. 2, 4, 8, 16,
32, 64, 128, 256). The encodings most commonly used are QAM-4,
QAM-16, QAM-64, and QAM-256.
quadrature phase-shift Phase-shift keying in which four different phase angles are used. In QPSK,
keying (QPSK) the four angles are usually out of phase by 90 degrees.
qualified Indicates compliance or accordance with specific standards or requirements.
quality control (QC) A strategy for increasing reliability by ensuring that high quality is designed
and implemented in the facility, thus reducing the risk of downtime due to
new installation failures or premature wear.

quality-of-service (QoS) 1. A commitment to performance, based on predefined service parameters.

2. A measure of the level of service provided on a network.
quarter-wave antenna A radio antenna that is one-fourth the size of the wavelength of the
design frequency.
quartet See nibble.
quote See proposal.
=R
raceway Any enclosed channel designed for holding electrical wires or
telecommunications cabling. Raceways include multiple types of conduit
and tubing, as well as other types of channels built into the architectural
materials, such as floor ducts, wireways, and busways. Cable tray is not
considered a type of raceway.
rack Typically a two-post or four-post vertical aluminum or steel support structure

that holds equipment and cabling terminations. Also called a relay rack.
rack and stack The process of installing equipment (e.g., network switches, routers,
servers, patch panels) into otherwise empty racks and cabinets. The process
includes terminating network cabling on the equipment and connecting a
power source, but does not include activating, configuring, or programming
the equipment.
rack bonding busbar A busbar within a cabinet, frame, or rack.

(RBB)
rack bonding conductor A bonding conductor used to connect a rack directly to the
(RBC) primary bonding busbar (PBB) or secondary bonding busbar (SBB). Also
called a telecommunications equipment bonding conductor (TEBC).
rack grounding busbar A busbar that is vertically or horizontally mounted on an rack or cabinet and
(RGB) connected directly to the primary bonding busbar (PBB) or secondary
bonding busbar (SBB) via a rack bonding conductor (RBC). Equipment
within the rack is grounded to the RGB.
rack unit (RU) A unit of measure of vertical space in an rack. One rack unit is equal to
≈45 millimeters (mm [1.75 inches (in)]).
radian An International System of Units (SI) unit of plane angular measure. There
are 2 π (pi) or approximately 6.28318 radians in a complete circle. Thus, one
radian is about 57.296 angular degrees.

radiant energy-sensing A device that detects radiant energy (e.g., ultraviolet, visible, infrared) that is
fire detector emitted as a product of combustion reaction and obeys the laws of optics.
See also flame detector, spark/ember detector, other fire detectors, and rate
compensated heat detectors.
radiating cable A coaxial cable consisting of a solid copper helical outer shield with a
solid copper inner conductor and foam dielectric in between. The helical
outer shield has slots that allow ingress and egress of signals within a limited
range of the cable. Coverage is omnidirectional perpendicular to the cable
run for a cable suspended in space, but some modification of the radiation
pattern results from the structure to which the cable is attached. The main
applications of this cable are indoor and underground coverage in large
buildings, tunnels, perimeter detection systems, and underground mines and
facilities. Also called leaky coax.
radiation pattern A graphical representation of radiation properties of an antenna as a function

envelope (RPE) of space coordinates. RPE is the guaranteed maximum directive gain
(relative to boresight gain) that should be encountered due to side lobes on a
dish antenna.
radio alarm repeater An intrusion detection system (IDS) component that receives radio signals
station receiver (RARSR) and resides at a repeater station that is located at a
remote receiving location.
radio alarm supervising An intrusion detection system (IDS) component that receives data and
station receiver (RASSR) annunciates that data at the supervising station.
radio alarm system An intrusion detection system (IDS) in which signals are transmitted from
(RAS) a radio alarm transmitter (RAT) located at a protected premises through a
radio channel to two or more radio alarm repeater station (RARS) receivers
and that are annunciated by a radio alarm supervising station receiver
(RASSR) located at the central station.
radio alarm transmitter An intrusion detection system (IDS) component at the protected premises
(RAT) that transmits signals indicating a status change of the initiating devices or
groups of devices connected to it.
radio channel A band of frequencies of a width sufficient to allow its use for
radio communications.

radio frequency (RF) The spectrum of electromagnetic frequencies below the infrared (IR)
region, which begins at about 300 gigahertz (GHz [1 millimeter (mm)])
wavelength. As a practical matter, only certain specialized systems use
frequencies below about 30 kilohertz (kHz), such as radio navigation
services, government time radio stations that broadcast time signals to set
radio clocks, and secure military communication. The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) has divided the radio spectrum into
several bands (e.g., high frequency [HF], very high frequency [VHF],
ultrahigh frequency [UHF]). By convention, the spectrum between 3 GHz
and 300 GHz is more commonly known as the microwave band. Other
electromagnetic frequency bands above the radio spectrum include infrared
(IR), visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays.
radio frequency (RF) A term used to describe any process by which an RF signal propagating in
dispersion space is degraded because the various wave components (i.e., frequencies) of
the signal have different propagation velocities. Similar to mode dispersion
in an optical fiber cable.
radio frequency Generic term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify
identification device people or objects.
(RFID)
radio frequency Electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the radio frequency (RF) spectrum.
interference (RFI) The source may be any object (artificial or natural) that carries rapidly
changing electrical currents or generates RF, such as an electrical circuit or
the sun. See also electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and electromagnetic
interference (EMI).
radio frequency A hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) network design in which most of the network
over glass (RFoG) normally using coax is instead provided by a single-fiber passive optical
network (PON).
radio repeater A combination of a radio receiver and a radio transmitter that receives a
weak or low-level signal and retransmits it at a higher power so that the
signal can cover longer distances without degradation. In land mobile radio
(LMR) communications, repeaters are used extensively to relay radio signals
across a wider area. See also mobile relay station, mobile repeater station,
and repeater.
radome A contraction of radar and dome. A structural, weatherproof enclosure

that protects a microwave (e.g., radar) antenna, constructed of materials
that minimally attenuate the electromagnetic signals transmitted or received
by the antenna, appearing nearly transparent to radar or radio waves.
Radomes protect the antenna surfaces from weather or conceal antenna
electronic equipment from public view while protecting nearby personnel
from being accidentally struck by quickly-rotating antennas.

radome loss The sum of the ordinary insertion loss of the antenna signal passing through
the radome wall plus the scattering loss off the radome panel framework
blocking (shadowing) the antenna aperture.
raised floor See access floor.
rake receiver A radio receiver designed to counter the effects of multipath fading so
named because it is reminiscent of the function of a garden rake, with each
finger collecting symbol energy similar to how tines on a rake collect leaves.
Each finger independently decodes a single multipath component; at a
later stage the contribution of all fingers are combined in order to make the
most use of the different transmission characteristics of each transmission
path. This may result in higher signal-to noise ratio in a multipath
environment than in a single path environment.
random spacing An outside plant (OSP) cable installation method where the cable is directly
buried in the same trench with power conductor cables and no deliberate
attempt is made to maintain a separation between the two systems.
rapid spanning tree A network protocol that creates a loop-free topology for ethernet networks
protocol (RSTP) allowing for backup links, often popular in redundant network designs such
as those serving critical systems.
rat A lightweight object (e.g., ball, inflatable bag) that can be sent into a conduit
to aid in installing a pull string.
rate compensated heat A device that is designed to activate at a predetermined temperature in a

detector space regardless of the rate at which the temperature in the space increases.
See also fire-gas detector, flame detector, heat detector, smoke detector,
spark/ember detector, other fire detectors, rate-of-rise detector, and rate-of-
rise pneumatic tubing heat detector.
rate-of-rise detector A type of heat detector that can operate at a lower fire temperature
condition than would be possible if the threshold were fixed. Features two
heat-sensitive thermocouples (thermistors). One thermocouple monitors
heat transferred by convection or radiation. The other responds to ambient
temperature. See also fire-gas detector, flame detector, heat detector, smoke
detector, spark/ember detector, other fire detectors, radiant energy-sensing
fire detector, rate compensated heat detector, and rate-of-rise pneumatic
tubing heat detector.
rate-of-rise pneumatic A line-type detector typically installed on the ceiling or on walls throughout
tubing heat detector the protected area consisting of small diameter tubing and a detector unit
containing diaphragms and associated contacts set to actuate at a
predetermined pressure. The system is sealed except for calibrated vents that
compensate for changes in ambient temperature. See also fire-gas detector,
flame detector, heat detector, smoke detector, spark/ember detector, other fire
detectors, rate compensated heat detector and rate-of-rise detector.

rayleigh scattering The scattering of light or other electromagnetic radiation by particles much
smaller than the wavelength of the light. It can occur when light travels
through transparent material (e.g., optical fiber glass strands). The oscillating
electric field of a light wave acts on the charges within a particle, causing
them to move at the same frequency. The particle becomes a small radiating
dipole whose radiation we see as scattered light. In optical fiber cabling, this
scattering results in signal attenuation.
reactive power In alternating current (ac) circuits, a measure of the rate at which a circuit
uses energy while passing through the purely reactive portion of the load.
The portion of power flow that, averaged over a complete cycle of the ac
waveform, results in no net transfer of energy to the load. Expressed in
volt-amps reactive (VAR).
reader A device that receives an identification code from a card.
reader collision When the signal from one reader interferes with the signal from another
reader where coverage overlaps.
real power In alternating current (ac) circuits, a measure of the rate at which a circuit
uses energy while passing through the purely resistive portion of the load.
The portion of power flow that, averaged over a complete cycle of the ac
waveform, results in net transfer of energy in one direction to the load.
Expressed in watts (W).
real-time The recording, processing, storage, transmission, and or viewing of a

message created by an activity as it occurs.
reboot The process of shutting down and restarting a device or group of devices.
receive sensitivity See sensitivity.
receiver An electronic device that detects, demodulates, and amplifies transmitted

signals.
receiver, optical An optoelectronic circuit that converts an optical signal to an electrical serial
logic signal. It contains a photodetector, amplifier, discriminator, and pulse-
shaping electronics.
reciprocity A fundamental property of antennas that the electrical characteristics

(e.g., gain, radiation pattern, impedance, bandwidth, resonant frequency,
polarization) are the same whether the antenna is transmitting or receiving.
recognized One of four product test ratings used in the United States (Listed, Classified,
Recognized, Verified). A product is Recognized after it is tested for use
as a component in a Listed package and passes. These component products
are tested for electrical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics. The
Recognized classification is a more general-purpose approval than Listed
because it allows a product to be certified for a category of equipment uses.

recommissioning Commissioning of existing facilities following significant modifications,

upgrades, or expansions to previously commissioned sites. See also
commissioning and retrocommissioning.
record The permanent documentation of installed telecommunications infrastructure

obtained from as-builts. This collection of detailed information is related to
specific elements of the infrastructure and is contained in a database. See
record drawing (as built).
record drawing (as built) A plan that graphically documents and illustrates the installed
telecommunications infrastructure, including devices, appliances, cabling
sequences, cabling methods, connections of components, cabling pathways,
and telecommunications spaces in a building or portion thereof. (TIA)
record of completion A document that acknowledges the completion of installation, and readiness
for operation of the equipment, with representation by the property owner,
system installer, system supplier, service organization, and the authority
having jurisdiction (AHJ).
recording media Any device or component to which digital multimedia content (DMC) is
written, stored, and can be retrieved.
rectifier An apparatus that converts alternating current (ac) to direct current (dc).
recycle time The time needed to reset and reinstate the timing function and remain within
the specified timing tolerances. Recycle time is generally specified during
timing or after timing.
red iron Structural steel assembly commonly primer painted with zinc oxide paint.
redirector See shell.
redundancy Providing secondary components that either become instantly operational

or are continuously operational so that the failure of a primary component
will not result in mission failure. See also N + 1 redundancy, N + 2
redundancy, 2N redundancy, 2(N + 1) redundancy, and Multi-N redundancy
(xN).
redundant array of A technology that makes it possible to group together multiple hard disk
independent disks drives and allow them to function as a single storage unit. Different (RAID)
configurations (levels) of RAID provide varying amounts of redundancy and
performance.
reel brake A device used to control the rate of removal of a cable from a cable reel.
Also known as a cable brake.
reel dolly See jack stand.

reflection The abrupt change in direction of a wave front (e.g., wireless signal, light
signal) at the interface between two dissimilar media such that the incident
wave front returns into the medium from which it originated. In wireless
transmission, radio frequency (RF) waves can be strongly reflected off the
surface of a lake, the side of a large building, or off walls inside a building.
In optical fiber transmission, see Fresnel reflection.
reflection coefficient The ratio of the amplitude of the reflected wave and the amplitude of the
incident wave. (Glossary of Telecommunications Terms)
reflective break The reflection at an optical fiber cable break caused by the abrupt change in
the index of refraction. See Fresnel reflection.
reflector In a radio frequency (RF) antenna, one or more conducting elements or

surfaces that reflect incident radiant energy. A reflector may consist of a large
surface, as in a dish antenna, or a linear element, as in a Yagi antenna.
refraction The change of direction experienced by a wave of radiated energy when

passing from one medium to another having a different dielectric constant or
index of refraction.
refractive index See index of refraction.
Registered A certification awarded by BICSI to individuals who, by meeting

Communications specified criteria, have demonstrated their expertise in the design,
Distribution Designer integration, and implementation of telecommunications (voice, data, video,
(RCDD®) audio, and other low-voltage control) technology systems and their related
infrastructure components.
registered jack (RJ) The FCC Part 68 registration program for jacks.
regulation An authoritative rule that controls or governs behavior leading to uniformity.
reinforced concrete A type of construction in which steel (reinforcement) and concrete are
combined, with the steel resisting tension and the concrete resisting
compression. (TIA) See also prestressed concrete, post-tensioned concrete,
and poststressed concrete.
reinforcing bar A steel bar or rod used in concrete construction to provide additional
strength. Also called rebar. See also reinforced concrete.
relay rack See rack.
reliability The probability that a component or system will perform as intended over a
given time period.

remote alarm A visible or audible signaling device used to signal a sensor activation at
locations removed from the central control station or monitored openings.
For example, a remote alarm may be placed on a roof, in a stair tower, or in a
guard station outside a building.
remote authentication An authentication, authorization, and accounting service used to verify

dial-in user service identities prior to granting access to network resources. This client/server
(RADIUS) protocol and software enables remote access servers to communicate with a
central server to authenticate dial-in users and authorize their access to the
requested system or service. See also controlled access.
remote client software The software that makes it possible for a remote station to function in the
same manner as a local station. See also dialer.
remote control A form of remote access in which the remote station connects to a network-
attached station and controls its operation.
remote power panel A power distribution cabinet downstream from a power distribution unit
(RPP) (PDU) or uninterruptible power supply (UPS), typically containing circuits
and breakers, without a transformer, located near the load.
remote station A station that connects to a network over a telecommunications circuit.

See also local station, and station.
remote supervising A system installed to transmit alarm, supervisory, and trouble signals from
station fire alarm system one or more protected premises to a remote location where appropriate action
is taken.
repeater A device that repeats and regenerates a signal. A repeater receives a signal
from one source, reads it, generates a completely new signal identical to the
original, and transmits it to the next destination. Repeaters can be separate
devices to boost long-haul or wireless transmissions, or can be incorporated
into other devices such as switches and routers.
repeater station The location of the equipment needed to relay signals between supervising
stations, subsidiary stations, and protected premises.
request for bid (RFB) A type of procurement document and process used to select the best
qualified response for goods, services, and materials. The selection process
need not be exclusively price driven. Respondents may be evaluated on
technical qualifications and other factors. Typically used when requirements
are well defined and when a relatively large number of bidders is expected
and/or negotiations are not anticipated. Also called invitation to bid (ITB).
See also request for proposal (RFP) and request for quotation (RFQ).
request for information A type of document or process, generated by either an owner, owners agent,
(RFI) or contractor, to obtain information or to clarify the capabilities of various
products, services, processes or requirements.

request for interest (RFI) A type of solicitation document generated by the owner or owners agent,
containing enough information to indicate scope of project and provides
contact information to receive full request for qualifications document.
Typically the first public document issued for a project.
request for See request for information.

interpretation (RFI)
request for proposal A type of procurement document and process used to solicit proposals from
(RFP) qualified respondents of products or services. The selection process need not
be exclusively price driven. Respondents may be prequalified and evaluated
on technical qualifications and other factors. Typically used for less finalized
project designs or when fewer bidders are involved and the final terms will
be negotiated. See also request for bid (RFB) and request for quotation
(RFQ).
request for qualifications A type of documentation generated by owners or owners agent used to solicit
(RFQ) information pertaining to personnel, specialized equipment, qualifications,
skills, experience, special training, certification or licensing, financial
stability and history of claims and disputes of respondents. Used for selection
of professional and trades services (e.g., architects, engineers, general
contractors, subcontractors).
request for quotation A type of procurement document or process used to solicit prices from
(RFQ) prospective providers of products or services. The RFQ response is not as
highly detailed as a request for bid (RFB) or request for proposal (RFP), as
it may not include financial, contractual, or respondent qualification
information. Receiving competitive pricing is typically the primary objective
of an RFQ. See also request for bid (RFB) and request for proposal (RFP).
request to exit (REX) A signal that informs the controller that someone has requested an exit from
signal a secure area.
request to send (RTS) A frame type used to request permission to transmit. The response is a clear
to send (CTS) signal if the wireless medium is available for transmission.
requester See shell.
rescue, alarm, confine, An acronym that is commonly used by staff of a healthcare

extinguish (RACE) facility to remember their responsibilities in the event of a fire.
reset A control function that attempts to return a system or device to its normal,
non-alarm state.
resilient packet ring A technology implemented using a dual-ring topology with data transfer
(RPR) taking place at all times using both rings. In the event of a fault on one ring,
all traffic is transferred to the second ring.

resistance A measure of opposition a material offers to the flow of direct current.

Measured in ohms. See also impedance.
resistance unbalance The difference in resistance, expressed in ohms, between the conductors of
a pair. It may also be expressed in terms of percentage, by the ratio of
unbalance in ohms between the highest and lowest conductor resistance.
resistive load In electrical circuits, a load that it totally resistive (i.e., it has no reactive
components). This happens when the voltage and current are in phase.
resistively grounded A method of grounding in which the system is grounded through impedance,
power system the principle element of which is resistance.
resistivity Resistance per unit of measure. The measure can be by length (e.g., 100
ohms per meter) or volume (e.g., 500 ohms per cubic meter).
respondent A person or company that submits a proposal in response to a request for bid
(RFB), request for proposal (RFP), request for quotation (RFQ) or similar
document.
response due date The date by which a response to a request for quotation (RFQ), request for
proposal (RFP), or request for information (RFI) must be received in order to
be valid.
restorable initiating A device in which the sensing element is not ordinarily destroyed in the
device process of operation, whose restoration can be manual or automatic. An
example is a circuit breaker (which normally can be reset) versus a fuse
(which cannot).
retainage A percentage of a total contract that is withheld from a contractor until the
entire scope of work is completed.
retrocommissioning Commissioning of existing facilities that were not commissioned when

constructed. See also commissioning and recommissioning.
retrofit 1. To furnish a device, system, or structure with new parts or equipment not
originally installed. 2. The installation of a structured cabling system into a
pre-existing structure (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial).
return loss A ratio, expressed in decibels (dB), of the power of the outgoing signal to the
power of the reflected signal. (TIA) When the termination (load) impedance
does not match (equal) the value of the characteristic impedance of the
transmission line, some of the signal energy is reflected back toward the
source and is not delivered to the load. This signal loss contributes to the
insertion loss of the transmission path and is called return loss.
return on investment The ratio of money gained or lost on an investment relative to the amount of
(ROI) money invested.

return to zero (RZ) A digital code having two information states in which the signal returns to a
zero state during a portion of the bit period.
reverberant sound Sound that is reflected from a surface (e.g., wall, floor) to the listener.
reverse firewall A firewall implemented in a reverse configuration to monitor and control

outgoing internet protocol (IP) traffic.
reverse proxy See website acceleration.
reversed pair A condition in which the conductors in a wire pair are terminated in the
wrong sequence (i.e., tip connects to ring and ring connects to tip).
Revit® A building information management (BIM) modeling software package for

architects, engineers, and contractors to design a building and its components
in 3D.
ribbon cable An assembly of several conductors or optical fibers laid side by side in a
geometric plane and fastened together.
ribbon fiber See array fiber.
rigging System of ropes and/or pulleys used to move material and equipment.
right-of-way (R/W) A route across public or private lands over (or under) which
telecommunications facilities can be legally installed and maintained.
ring laser gyroscope A gyroscope consisting of a body rotating around an axle called a gyro
wheel. It is used in inertial navigation units on board satellite launch
vehicles, allowing them to place the satellites very near their final orbits.
ring network See ring topology.
ring topology A physical or logical network topology in which devices (e.g., nodes) are
connected in an unbroken circular configuration in a point-to-point serial
manner. Each node receives and retransmits the signal to the next node. Also
called a ring network.
ringing tool A device used to remove cable sheaths.
rise time 1. The period of time it takes a transmitter to change from a low power state
(logical 0) to a high power state (logical 1). Transmitters may have
bandwidth limitations because of rise time. 2. The time required for a
transient spike (e.g., lightning) or a rapidly rising periodic waveform
(e.g., sawtooth, square wave) to change from its minimum level to its
maximum level.

riser 1. Vertical sections of cable (e.g., changing from underground or direct-

buried plant to aerial plant or from one floor of a building to another). 2. The
space used for cable access between floors. See backbone.
riser closet See telecommunications room (TR).
risk A vulnerability to or potential for loss from a threat or event.
risk management The process of identifying risks and developing the strategy and tactics
needed to eliminate, mitigate, or manage them.
RJ45 (Registered Jack A specific configuration of modular jack and modular plug.
type 45)
roadbed The graded portion of a roadway upon which the base course, surface course,
shoulders, and median are constructed.
roaming 1. In cellular technology (mobile telephony technology), the use of a

wireless telephone outside a specified tariffed geographic area defined by the
service provider (SP), which usually is called the home area. Outside of the
home area, additional charges usually apply. 2. In wireless LAN (WLAN)
technology, this refers to the ability to move seamlessly between the wireless
cells from adjacent access points (APs) while remaining connected to the
network. See also soft handoff.
rodding Pushing or pulling a mandrel or duct brush through a conduit, using poles or
rods that join together to determine if the pathway is clear and can be used to
install a pull string.
roll bar See mandrel.
rolling cut Cutover where the cross-connects are relocated one pair after another.
See also cutover.
rough-in See pre-wiring.
route loop diversity A type of loop diversity that assigns telecommunications circuits along
entirely different cabling paths to a building.
router An internetworking device that operates at Layer 3 (network layer) of the

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model, used to direct
datagrams from one network to another.
router table A database containing information on the routes a datagram can take through
an internetwork.

rule of percentage In a retrofit installation, if a substantial percentage of the cabling is replaced,

it may be necessary to bring a percentage of the installation or the entire
installation up to the current code requirements. Check with the local
authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to determine if the rule of percentage
exists for the area. The AHJ may determine the percentage of existing
cabling that is permitted to remain when substantial retrofit cabling
installation takes place.
runner A person other than the required number of operators on duty at central,
supervising, or runner station (or otherwise in contact with these stations)
available for prompt dispatching, when necessary, to the protected premises.
runner service A service provided by a runner at the protected premises, including resetting
and silencing of all equipment transmitting fire alarm or supervisory signals
to an off-premises location. See also runner.
=S
S mark A European safety mark valid throughout the European Union. Products
bearing the S mark demonstrate compliance with legal European electrical
safety requirements via third-party testing.
saddle 1. A device for establishing the position of the raceway or raceways within
the concrete relative to the screed line and for maintaining the spacing
between the raceways. (TIA) 2. A supporting device for horizontal cable
made of flexible cloth, vinyl, or plastic in a sling- or U-shape and attached
to the building structure. Horizontal cables are laid across the fabric to
provide support for the cables. An alternative to J-hooks.
safety committee Committee composed of employees, management, and other staff members
whose purpose is to oversee safety practice.
safety data A document prepared by the manufacturer describing all known chemical,
sheet (SDS) radiological, and other hazards of a specific product. Formerly called
material safety data sheet (MSDS).
safety margin 1. Power loss value (in decibels [dB]) used to assure optical fiber cable
performance criteria will be satisfied over the life of the network. Includes
expected losses in source power, splice losses, and wear and tear of
connectors and adapters. See also link loss budget. 2. The margin required in
order to ensure safety.
safety plan A plan prepared by a company and put in place before beginning any work
operation, covering all safety issues likely to arise on a particular work site.

sag 1. A decrease in nominal root mean square (rms) voltage or current lasting
0.5 cycles up to one minute. 2. The difference in height between an aerial
cable mounting and the height of the cable above the surface at its lowest
point between supports.
sally port See interlock.
Sarbanes-Oxley Act A United States (U.S.) federal law that set new or enhanced standards for
of 2002 all U.S. public company boards, management, and public accounting firms.
The law imposes numerous recordkeeping and accounting requirements
in response to a number of major corporate and accounting scandals. One
consequence of the law is a substantial increase in the costs associated with
electronic recordkeeping, data processing, and network traffic to support the
reports and records required by the law.
satellite room See telecommunications room (TR).
satellite trunk A circuit or path connecting a satellite to its central or proprietary

supervising station.
S-band The frequency spectrum used for land-based microwave and some mobile
satellite communications. The S-band uplink band is 5.855-6.055 gigahertz
(GHz) and the downlink band is 2.535-2.655 GHz.
scaffold A temporary structure for holding workers and materials during the erection,
repair, or decoration of a building. (dictionary.com)
scalability An existing system’s capability of growing to meet the client’s needs

over time. Most legacy systems are not scalable, resulting in obsolescence of
components or entire systems and requiring regular software and hardware
replacements.
scale-dependent A graphical depiction of an item having a plotted size that is dependent on

the scale of the drawing in which it appears (i.e., being drawn to scale).
scale-independent A graphical depiction of an item having a plotted size that is always the
same, regardless of the scale of the drawing in which it appears. For
example, a triangular symbol for a faceplate, which always appears
≈4.8 millimeters (mm [0.19 inches (in)]) on a side, regardless of the scale of
the drawing.
scan A non-intrusive analysis technique that identifies the open ports found on
each live network device and collects the associated port banners found as
each port is scanned. Each port banner is compared against a table of rules to
identify the network device, its operating system, and all potential
vulnerabilities.

scanner 1. The equipment located at the telephone company headend cabling center
that monitors each local leg and relays status changes to the alarm center.
Processors and associated equipment also might be included. 2. A device
that verifies cabling segments for wiring pair scheme compliance
(e.g., opens, shorts, crossed, reversed, and split pairs). The device may also
measure cabling length and cabling performance. 3. A radio receiver
designed to jump quickly and continuously among a range of frequencies,
pausing when a signal is detected to allow the user to stop the scan process.
This allows the user to monitor a large number of frequencies for traffic.
scattering In optical fiber cabling, the deflection of light from the path it would follow
if the refractive index were uniform or gradually graded. Caused primarily
by micro-defects, impurities, and molecular structure in the fiber. See also
Rayleigh scattering and Mie scattering.
scatternet A network of two or more piconets in a common area, where each piconet
contains at least one Bluetooth® device that is part of two or more piconets.
See also piconet.
schematic design A design phase that follows preliminary planning and scope development
and occurs prior to design development. This phase typically takes the design
to about 30 percent.
schematic diagram A structural or procedural diagram used in association with

telecommunications and electrical systems.
scintillation In free space optics (FSO), the temporal and special variations in light
intensities caused by differences of refractive index along the propagation
path due to slight temperature variations among different air pockets.
scissor lift A personnel lift composed of a working platform mounted on a large scissor
jack.
scope of work (SoW) A document that provides detailed statements and descriptions of the work
content for the project requirements.
screen A thin metallic wrapping (e.g., aluminum foil) used to isolate cable pairs
from interference. See also foil shield.
screened twisted-pair A balanced twisted-pair cable with an overall screen (shield) surrounding all
(ScTP) cable of the pairs, possibly with a drain wire. The entire assembly is covered with
an insulating sheath (cable jacket). This type of shielding protects against
electromagnetic interference (EMI) from entering or exiting the cable. One
type of ScTP is called foil twisted-pair (FTP) cable and uses foil shielding
instead of a braided screen.

screened/foil twisted-pair A balanced twisted-pair cable with one or more pairs of individual foil-
(S/FTP) cable screened balanced twisted-pairs having an overall braid-screen shield and
may contain a drain wire. The entire assembly is covered with an insulating
sheath (cable jacket). This type of shielding protects against electromagnetic
interference (EMI) from entering or exiting the cable and also protects
neighboring pairs from crosstalk. This cable construction is common in ISO
class F/category 7 and higher cabling.
scribing tool 1. A device used to remove cable sheaths. 2. A device used to remove excess
bare fiber during optical fiber connector termination. Also called a cleaver.
scripting The process of determining which configuration tasks can be performed

unattended and then automating the process.
sealant A material that has the adhesive and cohesive properties to form a seal.
secondary bonding A common point of connection for telecommunications system and

busbar (SBB) equipment bonding to ground, and located in the distributor room.
secondary operation Radio communications which may not cause interference to operations
authorized on a primary basis and which are not protected from interference
from those primary operations. (FCC)
secondary side The low-voltage side of the electrical power service transformer or the load
side of the uninterruptible power supply (UPS), power distribution unit
(PDU) transformer, or static switch.
secondary test After acceptance testing, additional tests that are conducted to diagnose a
problem or verify the cabling to additional requirements.
secondary trunk facility The part of a transmission channel connecting two or more, but fewer than
all, leg facilities to a primary trunk facility.
secondary voltage A voltage protector installed in series with the indoor telecommunications
(supplemental/auxiliary) cable between the primary protector and the equipment. The secondary
protector protector provides overcurrent protection that will safely fuse at currents less
than the current-carrying capacity of the device that it is intended to protect.
secret key encryption See private key encryption.
section throw Splicing of a new section of cable at both ends into existing cable plant.
sectional drawing A drawing as if a vertical cut was made through the materials indicating
relationships, connections, and transitions.
SectionFormat™ A format controlled by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)

that provides a uniform approach to organizing specifications text
contained in a project manual by establishing a structure consisting of three
primary parts. See also MasterFormat™, UniFormat™, and PageFormat™.

secured side The area or side of an opening that is locked and requires a key card or other
means to enter.
security (network) The protection against unauthorized activities, generally requiring a

combination of access controls, data integrity, and transaction confidentially.
security and access Equipment associated with systems used to monitor and control devices
control (SAC) (e.g., card readers, door alarms, video surveillance).
security management The protection of all network and data processing resources, including
physical devices, operating systems, applications software, organizational
data, and network operations. See also controlled access.
security plan The set of principles, rules, and practices that are used to implement security
in an organization.
security quandary The total safety and security for an individual would require complete
isolation from their environment and from other people while maintaining
basic life support. The total security for an object or asset would require that
it be completely isolated from access, essentially removing its availability for
those who need to use it. Rarely does totally isolating a person or asset seem
sensible. Providing safety and security is a balancing act between access and
isolation.
segment 1. An electrically continuous network created within a switch. 2. A single

collision domain within a network consisting of multiple collision domains.
segmentation The process of dividing a large collision domain into multiple smaller
collision domains to improve overall network performance.
seismic snubber Mechanical devices, anchored to the building structure and placed around
vibration isolated equipment, intended to limit motion by containing the
supported equipment. Snubbers are designed for use in locations subject to
earthquakes, high winds, or other external forces that could displace
resiliently supported equipment.
sensitivity In an electronic device (e.g., telecommunications system receiver, detection

device, positive intrinsic negative diode), the minimum input signal required
to produce a specified output signal having a specified signal-to-noise ratio,
or other specified criteria. The signal input may be expressed as power
in decibel milliwatt (dBm) or as field strength in microvolts per meter
(µV/m), with input network impedance stipulated.

separately derived A premises wiring system whose power is derived from a source of electric
system energy or equipment other than a service. Such systems have no direct
connection from circuit conductors of one system to circuit conductors
of another system, other than connections through the earth, metal
enclosures, metallic raceways, or equipment grounding conductors.
Examples include: generators, batteries, converter windings, transformers,
and solar photo-voltaic systems.
serial port profile (SPP) A set of data that defines the steps required to make an emulated serial port
connection in a Bluetooth® connection.
Series 6 coaxial cable A cable with a center conductor measuring approximately 18 AWG
[1.0 mm (0.039 in)]. It supports similar applications such as Series 11
coaxial cable but over a shorter distance (≤ 75 m [≈250 ft]) due to increased
insertion loss (attenuation) characteristics. Typically used for drop cabling
and called RG-6.
Series 11 coaxial cable A cable with a center conductor measuring approximately 14 AWG
(1.6 mm [0.063 in]). It supports similar applications as Series 6 coaxial cable
but over a greater distance (≤120 m [≈400 ft]) due to reduced insertion loss
(attenuation) characteristics. Typically used for backbone cabling and called
RG-11.
server A network device that combines hardware and software to provide and
manage shared services and resources on the network.
service clearance The space encompassing the equipment that is required to permit proper
working room for operating, inspecting, and servicing equipment.
service discovery profile A database embedded within a Bluetooth® device used to discover other
(SDP) Bluetooth devices and services.
service drop In outside plant (OSP) cabling, limited pair count cable (balanced twisted-
pair or optical fiber) that is extended to a facility.
service entrance See entrance facility (telecommunications).
service fitting An outlet box to house the connections for telecommunications at the user
work area. See also insert. (TIA)
service gallery A space adjacent to a computer room (CR) where electrical and mechanical
equipment that supports the CR may be located.
service loop A surplus of cable, typically located at or near the point of termination, to
facilitate potential future changes.
service provider (SP) The operator of any service that furnishes telecommunications content
(transmissions) delivered over access provider facilities. (TIA)

service set identifier A character string used for identification of a service set. Service sets must
(SSID) have identical SSIDs to establish radio contact. See also basic service set
(BSS) and independent basic service set (IBSS).
servo A transducer that converts coded electrical signals into precise angular or
linear motion.
session layer The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model layer responsible
for providing services used to organize, synchronize, and manage any
message exchange between network devices. Also called Layer 5.
setscrew coupling Couplings that are placed over the ends of conduit with little or no friction.
Once the end of the conduit is seated into the coupling, screws are tightened
on the outside of the coupling, causing the coupling to become firmly
attached to the conduit.
shadowing See disk mirroring and mirroring.
shall A term frequently used in codes and standards publications that indicates a
mandatory requirement.
shallow room A telecommunications space used only for the passage of cabling between
floors, without distribution or termination on that floor. Shallow rooms are
typically only ≈0.6 meters (m [2 feet (ft)]) deep, not environmentally
controlled, and do not contain electronic equipment.
shared tenant service A system provided by the landlord or an access provider that consolidates
(STS) individual-line subscribers using a common premises switch.
shear lock magnetic lock A modification of the direct hold magnetic lock that uses both magnetic and
physical properties for locking. The electric magnet’s lock body is mortised
into the door’s frame, and the armature is mortised into the door’s edge.
Indentations in the armature receive protrusions in the lock body. See also
direct hold magnetic lock.
sheath See cable sheath.
sheath (cable) loop A type of loop diversity that assigns circuits among different sheaths
diversity or cables.
shell A software-controlled interface between a user and an operating system. The

shell software examines commands and user interaction for access to remote
resources, processing the requests via the operating system. Also called a
redirector and requester.
shield A metallic layer (e.g., copper braids, metal foils, solid tubing) placed around
a conductor or group of conductors. (TIA)

shielded enclosure A metal cabinet constructed with welded seams and conductive gaskets on
cabinet the doors that serves as an effective shield against electromagnetic radiation.
(TIA) See also Faraday cage.
shielded twisted-pair Twisted-pair cable with a metallic shield. Also called foil covered unshielded
cable twisted-pair cable (F/UTP). See also balanced twisted-pair cable and
unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable.
shop drawing A drawing showing how a particular aspect of the work is to be fabricated or
installed. It may be prepared by the contractor, subcontractor, or material/
equipment supplier.
short circuit A low-resistance connection between two conducting materials.
short message service Similar to e-mail store and forward, SMS is a service for sending short text
(SMS) messages (up to 160 characters) to mobile telephones via SMS centers.
shorting bar A mechanism within a connector (e.g., RJ31X) used to maintain continuity
between wire pairs in a connector after the removal of a mating connector.
shorting plug A mechanism within a plug to create a direct connection between two or
more conductors at one end of a cabling link for testing purposes.
should Frequently used in codes and standards publications, the term indicates the
statement is advised but not required.
shrouded dish A dish antenna with a cylindrical metallic shield around the rim and
extending several centimeters (inches) out in front of the dish. Used where
interference to and from other systems on the same frequency and in the
same area must be avoided.
signal Any information sent over an electrical, electronic, or optical circuit.
signal booster A device at a fixed location which automatically receives, amplifies,

and retransmits on a one-way or two-way basis, the signals received from
base, fixed, mobile, and portable stations, with no change in frequency or
authorized bandwidth. A signal booster may be either narrowband
(Class A), in which case the booster amplifies only those discrete frequencies
intended to be retransmitted, or broadband (Class B), in which case all
signals within the passband of the signal booster filter are amplified. (FCC)
signal encoding The conversion of data into a form suitable for transmission over a medium.
signal generator A piece of test equipment that generates a distinctive tone(s) that is placed on
a cable pair for identification purposes. Sometimes referred to as a tone
generator.
signal splitter See splitter.

signal strength In a telecommunications system, the signal power or intensity at a specified

point and with respect to a specified reference level.
signal system 7 (SS7) In cellular networks, a separate packet network using out-of-band signaling
channels to connect the cellular network and carry information for advanced
calling features.
signal transmission A digital alarm communicator transmitter (DACT) that obtains a dial tone,
sequence dials the number(s) of the digital alarm communicator receiver (DACR),
obtains verification that the DACR is ready to receive signals, transmits the
signals, and receives acknowledgment that the DACR has accepted that
signal before disconnecting.
signaling dynamic range The combination of the total pulse power of a source and the sensitivity of
the associated receiver. Measurements are expressed in decibels (dB) where
larger values mean longer distance measurement capability.
signaling line circuit A circuit between any combination of circuit interfaces, control units, or
(SLC) transmitters over which multiple system input signals, output signals, or both
are carried.
signal-to-noise ratio The ratio between the amount of signal and noise (undesirable signal) present
(SNR) at the receiver end in a communications system, expressed in decibels (dB).
In digital systems, SNR depends on signal coding and is a determining factor
in bit error rate (BER).
signature verification A biometric method using a person’s signature characteristics (writing speed,
pen pressure, shape of loops) to identify that person.
simplex A process during which signals are transmitted in only one direction at a time
on a single frequency. One station is the transmitter and the other is the
receiver. See full-duplex signaling and half-duplex signaling.
sine wave A periodic wave described by a trigonometric function that varies from zero
to a maximum (positive) value back through zero to a minimum (negative)
value and back to zero.
single-rail cable tray A fabricated structure consisting of a longitudinal rail with transversely
connected members (rungs) that project from one side (side-supported) or
both sides (center-supported), which may be single- or multi-tier.
single dwelling unit A building consisting solely of a one dwelling unit. See dwelling unit.
single sideband A variation of the amplitude modulation (AM) technique where one sideband
modulation (SSB) is suppressed. The carrier is also often, but not always, suppressed. This
effectively halves the bandwidth and power requirements of a radio
frequency (RF) transmission.

single sign-on (SSO) A system that allows an individual automatic access to all applications on the
network to which they are authorized by simply logging into the network.
Signing in to each application separately is not needed.
single station alarm An assembly that incorporates the detector, control equipment, and an alarm
device notification device in one unit; operated from a power supply either in
the unit or obtained at the point of installation. Actuation of the sensor in the
device sends an alarm notification from the one device only.
singlemode fiber (SMF) See singlemode optical fiber (SMF).
singlemode optical An optical fiber with a relatively small core diameter of 8 to 9

fiber (SMF) micrometers and a cladding diameter of 125 micrometers; lightwave
propagation is restricted to a single path, or mode, in singlemode optical
fiber. (TIA)
single-point ground A single ground point for connecting all communications equipment and
(SPG) terminal raceways to the building’s grounding system. Grounding various
communications equipment to separate ground points is not recommended.
sinusoid The graph of a sine wave. See also sine wave.
site drawing A two-dimensional graphic representation of the land upon which a

construction project will take place and any exterior pathways that are being
installed upon it.
site survey A process used to identify the physical and electromagnetic characteristics
of an environment impacting the installation of cable or wireless network
components. Required for the design of any network.
site-specific software Software that defines the specific operation and configuration of a particular
system. Typically, it defines the type and quantity of hardware modules,
customized labels, and specific operating features of a system.
skin effect A phenomena in an electrical conductor in which the current density of

an alternating current (ac) is greater at the conductor’s surface, decreasing
with greater depths into the conductor. This tendency grows with increasing
frequency. Approximately 63 percent of the current flows between the outer
surface and a level called the skin depth. The skin depth depends on the
frequency of the current and the electrical and magnetic properties of the
conductor. At 60 hertz (Hz) in copper, the skin depth is ≈8.5 millimeters (mm
[0.33 inches (in)]). At higher frequencies the skin depth becomes much
smaller. The skin effect causes the effective resistance of the conductor to
increase at higher frequencies where the skin depth is smaller, thus reducing
the effective cross-section of the conductor.
sky wave A radio wave that travels upward from the antenna. A sky wave may be
reflected to earth by the ionosphere, troposphere, or stratosphere.

slab See floor slab.
slab on grade A concrete floor placed directly on the soil, without a basement or crawl
space. (TIA)
slave A Bluetooth® wireless device that communicates with a master to form

a piconet.
sleeve A short length of raceway, usually conduit, for protecting cable passing
through a single wall, ceiling, or floor.
slip sleeve An oversized conduit that moves easily along an inner conduit and covers a
gap or missing part of the smaller conduit. (TIA)
sloping ceiling A ceiling that has a slope of more than one in eight.
sloping peaked-type A ceiling in which the ceiling slopes in two directions from the highest point.
ceiling Curved or domed ceilings can be considered peaked, with the slope figured
as the slope of the chord from the highest to lowest point.
sloping shed-type ceiling A ceiling in which the high point is at one side, with the slope extending
toward the opposite side.
slot An opening through a wall, floor, or ceiling, usually rectangular, to allow the
passage of cables. (TIA) See also penetration.
slow frequency hopping A frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technique in which the
frequency is changed once every 4.615 milliseconds (ms).
small cell A collective term for a low-powered cellular base station that operates in
licensed or unlicensed spectrum and has a range of ≈10 meters
(m [33 feet (ft)]) to ≈1 or 2 kilometers (km [0.6 miles (mi) or 1.2 mi)])
compared to a macrocell which might have a range of a few tens of
kilometers (miles). Small cells are typically used to extend coverage to
indoor areas where outdoor signals do not reach well, or to add network
capacity in areas with very dense phone usage, such as train stations and
stadiums. Types of small cells include femtocells, picocells, and microcells.
small computer system A set of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard electronic
interface (SCSI) interfaces that allows computers to communicate with peripheral hardware.
small form factor (SFF) Any of several physically compact optical fiber connector and adapter
designs that have been developed for use in optical fiber systems. They are
about half the size of conventional connectors and adapters.
small form-factor A specification for a new generation of optical modular transceivers. The
pluggable (SFP) devices are designed for use with small form factor (SFF) connectors and
offer high-speed and physical compactness. They are hot-swappable.

smart antenna An antenna that combines multiple elements with an active electronics signal
processing capability to optimize and adapt the antenna pattern dynamically
in response to the signal environment.
smart card A card with a built-in integrated circuit (IC) chip. This gives the card
microprocessor memory and intelligence to use for storing data.
smart environment A smart environment employs pervasive embedded computation systems

to collect sensory data from the surrounding area, assess and evaluate the
resulting information, interact with human users and perform and facilitate
alarm, decision-making, and control functions. Smart environments can exist
in houses, vehicles, buildings, and campuses, and include the use of
telecommunications networks, sensor devices, computer hardware, and
software.
smoke Visible products of combustion prior to and concurrent with a fire.
smoke detector A device that detects visible smoke particles by photoelectric methods or
invisible particles by ionization methods. Some detectors use both methods
for increased sensitivity.
smooth ceiling A ceiling surface uninterrupted by continuous projections (e.g., solid joists,
beams, ducts) extending more than ≈100 millimeters (mm [4 inches (in)])
below the ceiling surface.
snake rod A telescoping pole used to route horizontal cable above suspended ceilings.
sneak current An undesired current flowing through terminal wiring and equipment that is
driven by a voltage too low to cause the overvoltage protector to operate.
sneak current protection The use of devices to protect against sneak currents either by interrupting the
current (sneak current fuses) or grounding the conductor (heat coils).
socket 1. A method of associating a program or process with a software address so

they can communicate with other programs or processes. 2. A hardware
defined socket connection is the combination of a data communication
device address and a logical channel (port) number.
soft handoff A cellular, Wi-Fi, or radio signal that is controlled by multiple cells before
disconnecting and being handed off from the previous controlling cell to the
new controlling cell (make-before-break). See also roaming.
soft space In architectural spaces, areas adjacent to actual spaces that permit expansion
of the area if required at a later date (e.g., expansion of a telecommunications
room [TR]). Examples of soft spaces include storage spaces, conference
rooms, unassigned coverage areas, or other spaces not located within the life
safety egress path.
softphone Internet protocol (IP) telephone software.

software as a service A model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally
(SaaS) hosted remotely by independent software vendors or application service
providers. SaaS utilizes the internet to provide access to the software, which
increases flexibility of use and typically reduces the physical infrastructure
required on-site to support the software application.
software defined radio A radio transmitter and/or receiver employing a technology that allows the
(SDR) radio frequency (RF) operating parameters including, but not limited to,
frequency range, modulation type, or output power, to be set or altered by
software, excluding changes to operating parameters which occur during
the normal pre-installed and predetermined operation of a radio according to
a system specification or standard. (ITU-R)
solar interference Intense levels of direct sunlight that interfere with signal reception in free
space optical and satellite systems.
solid-bottom or A fabricated structure consisting of a bottom without ventilation openings

non-ventilated cable tray within integral or separate longitudinal side rails.
solidly grounded Connected to ground without inserting any resistor or impedance device.
sound level meter An instrument used to measure the actual pressure created by a sound wave.
sound pressure level The actual air pressure created by a sound wave as measured by a sound
(SPL) level meter.
source The originator of any transmitted information (e.g., a human, computer,

alarm sensor).
source address table The internal database used by bridges to track the medium access control
(SAT) (MAC) addresses of devices connected to each bridge port.
space An area used for housing the installation and termination of

(telecommunications) telecommunications equipment and cable (e.g., equipment room [ER],
telecommunications room [TR], telecommunications enclosure [TE], work
area [WA], maintenance hole [MH], handhole [HH]).
space diversity Two vertically spaced antennas connected to the same transmitter and/or
receiver that enable the received signal to be temporarily lost by one of the
two antennas, reducing the effect of signal fading.
space wave See direct wave.
spade lug A U-shaped metal connector that is soldered or crimped to a wire conductor,
used for connection to a terminal post.
span The length between two support points. In aerial plant, the span is the space
between two poles or building connection points.

span guy Guying installed across a span placed on straight pole lines to reinforce them
against excess tension placed on them due to severe weather conditions. Also
called a line guy or pole-to-pole.
spanning tree A mathematical algorithm used by bridges and switches to create a logical
topology that connects multiple collision domains. It ensures that no path
loops exist on the internetwork.
spark A sudden (often visible) discharge of electrical energy or an incandescent

particle across open space.
spark/ember detector A radiant energy-sensing fire detector that is designed to detect sparks
or embers. These devices are intended to operate in dark environments and in
the infrared part of the spectrum.
spark/ember detector The number of watts (or the fraction of a watt) of radiant power from a point
sensitivity source radiator, applied as a unit step signal at the wavelength of maximum
detector sensitivity, necessary to produce an alarm signal from the detector
within the specified response time.
spatial resolution A setting on an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) to determine how
close individual data points are spaced in time and distance.
special care unit (SCU) A medical care unit in which there is appropriate equipment and a
concentration of physicians, nurses, and others who have special skills
and experience to provide optimal care to critically ill patients. This excludes
a close observation room (COR).
specialized mobile radio A radio system in which licensees provide land mobile communications
(SMR) system services (other than radiolocation services) in the 800 megahertz (MHz)
and 900 MHz bands on a commercial basis to entities eligible to be licensed
under this part, federal government entities, and individuals. (FCC)
specification An essential technical requirement for items, materials, or services, including

the procedures to be used to determine whether the requirement has been
met.
spectral mask A radio transmitter’s radiated power confined to a band of frequencies

through the use of a band-pass filter.
spike A very brief surge of energy.
spine cable tray An open tray with a central rigid spine with cable support ribs along the
length at 90-degree angles.
splayed Sloped, slanted, or spread outward. Splayed maintenance hole (MH) duct
entrances are placed toward the outward sides of an entrance wall rather than
placed in the center of the entrance wall.

splice 1. A joining of conductors meant to be permanent. (TIA) 2. A device that

joins conducting or transmitting media. See also straight splice. 3. A joining
of conductors or optical fiber strands meant to be permanent or temporary.
splice bank The placement of 25-pair modules in a symmetrically spaced configuration

within a splice enclosure.
splice case A metal or plastic housing with a semi-cylindrical cavity used to clamp
around a cable splice to provide a closure.
splice closure See splice case.
splice tray A container used to organize and protect fiber splices, as well as a means for
storing fiber slack. Splice trays are contained in fiber splice enclosures.
splicing The act of joining copper conductors or fiber strands together.
splicing head The section of a splicing rig that supports the crimp head. It can be either
single or dual.
splicing rig A specific manufacturer’s tool kit for splicing optical fibers.
split grip A wire mesh grip that is open on one side.
split pair The transposition of two conductors of separate pairs.
splitter A device that provides signals to a number of outputs, which are individually
matched and isolated from each other. A passive device used to divide the
signal into two or more outputs.
spool 1. A combination of hardware and software commonly used by print

servers to redirect requests destined for a printer. 2. Cylindrical containers of
cable. See cable reel. 3. A cylindrical guide, typically used for routing
jumpers, cross-connects, and patch cords.
spooling The use of secondary or auxiliary storage as a buffer to temporarily store data
until it can be queued for processing (e.g., print spooling).
spot-type detector A device in which the detecting element is concentrated at a particular

location. Typical examples are bimetallic detectors, fusible alloy detectors,
certain pneumatic rate-of-rise detectors, certain smoke detectors, and
thermoelectric detectors.
spreading ratio The number of bits used in the chipping sequence to represent a message bit.
spread spectrum A radio transmission technology that distributes the transmitted signal
power over a wide frequency bandwidth to increase the overall immunity of
the signal to noise, prevent message interception, and increase spectral
efficiency.

spurious emissions Emission on a frequency or frequencies that are outside the necessary
bandwidth and the level of that which can be reduced without affecting the
corresponding transmission of information. Spurious emissions include
harmonic emissions, parasitic emissions, intermodulation products, and
frequency conversion products, but exclude out-of-band emissions.
spurious rejection The ability of a receiver to reject spurious emissions.
squelch In a receiver, the act of automatically suppressing the audio output when an
incoming signal is not detected. Squelch is also used to reduce user
distractions among radio systems that share the same frequency by
suppressing the audio when signals from other systems are detected.
squelch tail A short burst of static heard when the transmitting station stops transmitting
but before the receiving radio squelches.
stackable hub One of potentially multiple hubs that are in close proximity, capable of being
connected to each other using a short length of specialized cable assembly
and functioning together as a single unit. See also hub.
standard A collection of specifications that encompass properties of components,

systems, and practices intended to ensure an accepted minimum degree of
functionality and longevity (performance). Standards are intended to reflect
accepted norms as typically determined either through a balloting process
conducted by a nationally or internationally accredited organization or as
developed by businesses, industry groups, or governments for their use.
standard network A device that serves as a demarcation point between the local exchange
interface (SNI) carrier and the client. Usually a modular jack with some type of mounting
for the modular jack.
standby power A stand-alone secondary electrical supply source not dependent upon the
primary electrical source (e.g., secondary electrical power feed from a
utility power company, generator at a user site). Standby power systems
are used to provide power to telecommunications, data processing, and
possible other systems in case of primary power failure. Also known as
backup power.
standing wave A wave that remains in a constant position within its medium. This usually
occurs as a result of interference between two waves traveling in opposite
directions. For waves of equal amplitude traveling in opposing directions,
there is, on average, no net propagation of energy.
standing wave ratio In radio systems, the ratio of a maximum to an adjacent minimum amplitude
(SWR) of a standing wave. A parameter measured and calculated during a wireless
(radio frequency) system installation or maintenance. SWR is usually
measured using voltage. In these instances, it is also called voltage standing
wave ratio (VSWR). It can also be expressed in terms of current or power,
though these are less common.

star topology A topology used within communications networks where every individual
network-enabled equipment or device is connected to a central element
(e.g., switch, interconnect).
star-wired ring A physical star configured as a logical ring. Also known as a collapsed ring
through a hub that performs all appropriate routing operations.
start bit A bit used in asynchronous communications to indicate the beginning of

a character.
static dissipater An array that dissipates static charges by providing a low-resistance route for
the static ground charge to reach the atmosphere, thus preventing a buildup
of the ground charge to the value necessary to trigger a lightning strike.
static switch An automatic transfer switch capable of electronically sensing power

deviations and transferring load conductor connections from one power
source to another without interruption of the connected load. See also
transfer switch, automatic (ATS).
station 1. A device used by an individual to access network services. 2. An input and

output point in a communications system (e.g., telephone, radio, computer,
fire alarm station). See also local station and remote station.
station cord See equipment cord.
station equipment See client premises equipment.
station fuse An overcurrent device used at the client’s premises.
station location A telephone or computer location. See also work area.
statistical time division An advanced version of time division multiplexing (TDM). Unlike TDM,
multiplexing (STDM) the STDM method analyzes statistics related to the typical workload of each
input device (e.g., printer, computer) and determines how much time each
device should be allocated for data transmission on the telecommunications
circuit (e.g., T1 or T3 line).
steerable/polar mount An antenna support structure that steers the reflector.
step-index fiber An optical fiber, either multimode or singlemode, in which the core refractive
index is uniform throughout such that a sharp step in refractive index occurs
at the core-to-cladding interface.
stick A colloquial term used to describe a section of conduit.
stipulated sum See lump sum.
stop bit A bit used in asynchronous communications to indicate the end of

a character.

storage area network A network of storage devices that can be accessed by multiple computers.
(SAN) Each computer on the network can access hard drives in the SAN as if
they were local disks connected directly to the computer. It includes a
specialized high-speed network dedicated to the transport of data between
storage devices and servers.
storage virtualization See virtualization.
store-and-forward A switching method in which messages are stored as they are received, fully
checked for errors, and then forwarded. See also cut-through and modified
cut-through.
story The portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor to its
roof.
straight splice A splice in which one balanced twisted-pair conductor or optical fiber strand
is spliced from opposite directions.
straight terminus (ST) A type of optical fiber connector identified by its bayonet housing. The
housing may be metallic or plastic. Commonly referred to as straight tip.
strand 1. A single string of wire used to make up a larger wire or cable by twisting
a number of strands together. Galvanized steel stranded cable is used as
support strand and guy wire. 2. A single unit of optical fiber within a cable.
stranded wire cable A cable with multiple individual conductors composed of groups of small
wires twisted together to form a single conductor.
strand identifier A clamp-on unit that inserts a microbend into an optical fiber cable and
detects light escaping from the fiber.
streaming A group of technologies developed to enable the transfer of multimedia

content over a network for immediate play at the receiving device before the
entire file has been downloaded.
strength member That part of an optical fiber cable composed of aramid yarn, steel strands,
fiberglass filaments, or fiberglass-reinforced epoxy composite rod that
increases the tensile strength of the cable.
stringer A metallic rod or bar installed horizontally across the top of pedestals in
access floor systems, to form a grid for providing lateral stability. See also
access floor and pedestal.
striping 1. A data storage technique in which the content of a given file to be stored
is divided and placed on multiple hard disk drives for faster retrieval and
improved fault tolerance. 2. The act of removing the insulation jacket of a
wire or optical fiber strand using a tool.

strobe A signaling device that produces a bright flashing high-intensity light

notification. Repetition rates are usually between one and five flashes per
second, with typical light intensities of 15 candela (cd), 30 cd, 75 cd, or an
alternating intensity (e.g., 15/75 cd).
stroke factor The number of lightning strokes to ground per unit area for each
thunderstorm day (obtained by statistical studies).
structural barrier An architectural barrier that fully or partially encloses a space and physically
deters or prevents unauthorized access, movement, destruction, or removal of
information technology (IT) assets.
structural return loss The ratio in decibels (dB) of the test signal power and the reflected signal
(SRL) power due to impedance variations in the cable.
structured cabling See information and communications technology (ICT) system.

system (SCS)
stub A short length of cable or pathway.
stub-out A short section of conduit that is installed from a receptacle box, usually in a
wall, through a suspended ceiling space a short distance to an adjacent
hallway.
stub-up A short section of conduit installed from a wall or floor outlet

(e.g., receptacle box) into the accessible ceiling space above.
sub-channel See privacy code.
subcommittee A committee that is responsible to a higher level committee. Subcommittees

usually focus on a more specialized area than the higher level committee.
See also working group.
subduct See innerduct.
submittal Information, documentation, or samples that a contractor may be requested

to submit to the design team for review and approval before the
commencement of work.
subnet See subnetwork.
subnetting The process of subdividing a single broadcast domain into smaller portions
called subnets in the network layer (Layer 3) addressing assignments. See
also subnetwork.

subnetwork A single broadcast domain in a network that is made up of multiple broadcast

domains. A logical grouping of connected network devices. Nodes
on a subnetwork tend to be located in close physical proximity to each other
on a LAN. Network designers employ subnetworks as a way to partition
networks into logical segments for greater ease of administration. When
subnetworks are properly implemented, both the performance and security
of networks can be improved. In internet protocol (IP) networking, devices
on a subnetwork share contiguous ranges of IP address numbers.
subscriber An ongoing end user of a network or the services of a service provider (SP).
subscriber connector (SC) A type of optical fiber connector/adapter.
subscriber connector- See ultra physical contact (UPC).

ultra physical contact
(SCUPC)
subscriber identity A small module containing an integrated circuit (IC) with memory and
module (SIM) card intelligence. It holds all the client information needed to connect to the
carrier’s network and operate a wireless phone, allowing the user to move
their data among phones with little or no programming.
subsidiary station A normally unattended location that is remote from the supervising station
and is linked by telecommunications channels to the supervising station.
The interconnection of signals on one or more transmission channels from
protected premises with telecommunications channels to the supervising
station is performed at this location.
substantial completion The stage in the progress of the work when the work or designated portion
thereof is sufficiently complete in accordance with the contract documents so
that the owner can occupy or use the work or a portion thereof for its
intended use. (AIA)
substitution A replacement of material or processes called for in the design documents.
super group A group of media (e.g., copper cable pairs, microwave channels) that consists
of 24 subgroups. A cable super group is identified by a manufacturer’s
specific binder string. There are 600 pairs in a super group. See also master
group.
super high frequency Frequencies in the range of 3 gigahertz (GHz) to 30 GHz.

(SHF)
supervising station A facility that receives signals and at which personnel are in attendance at all
times to respond to these signals.
supervision The continuous monitoring of the condition of a network, system, or unit of

equipment.

supervisory control A control system composed of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), data
and data acquisition input to the PLCs, custom software, and electrically operated circuit
(SCADA) system breakers in the distribution gear. All these combine to form a system that
allows automatic operation and monitoring of the electrical system through
control panel workstations.
supervisory service The service required to monitor performance of guard tours and the operative
condition of fixed suppression systems or other systems for the protection of
life and property.
supervisory signal A signal designed to alert only facilities or maintenance personnel.

Supervisory signals are used for non-emergency situations and generally are
not used to activate general building notification appliances.
supervisory signal An initiating device (e.g., valve supervisory switch, water level indicator,
initiating device low air pressure switch on a dry-pipe sprinkler system) in which the change
of state signals an off-normal condition and its restoration to normal of a
fire protection or life safety system or a need for action in connection with
guard tours, fire suppression systems or equipment, or maintenance features
of related systems.
supervisory switch A switch designed to control system valves.
supplementary The equipment or operations not required and designated as such by the
authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
supplementary bonding A set of conductors or conductive elements formed into a grid or provided as
grid (SBG) a conductive plate that becomes part of the bonding network to which it is
intentionally attached.
support strand 1. A strength element used to carry the weight of the telecommunications
(messenger) cable in an aerial pathway. (TIA) 2. A strength element hanging between two
points used to carry the weight of the communications cable in an aerial
pathway.
suppression, fire See fire suppression.
suppression system See automatic fire extinguishing detector.

operation detector
surety bond A bond that ensures a respondent (bidder) to a request for quotation (RFQ) is
sincerely interested in performing the project and has responded accurately
to the RFQ specifications.
surface fitting A surface-mounted service fitting. See also service fitting.
surface-mounted Plastic or metallic raceway installed on the surface of a wall, floor, or ceiling
raceway that provides a protective pathway for cables.

surface transfer The ratio of the conductor-to-shield voltage per unit length to the shield
impedance current. Surface transfer impedance is usually measured in milliohm/meter or
ohm/foot.
surge arrestor A protective device for limiting surge voltages by discharging or bypassing
surge current. It also prevents the continued flow of follow current while
remaining capable of repeating these functions. (NEC®)
surge protection device A protective device for limiting transient voltages by diverting or limiting
(SPD) surge current. It has a nonlinear voltage-current characteristic that reduces
voltages exceeding the normal safe system levels by a rapid increase in
conducted current. Also called a voltage limiter, overvoltage protector,
(surge) arrestor, or transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS).
survivability The ability of the network to function after a disruption.
susceptibility See electromagnetic susceptibility.

(electromagnetic)
suspended ceiling A ceiling that creates an area or space between the ceiling material and the
structure above. (TIA) Also called a false ceiling or a drop ceiling.
sweep A bend that has a gentle arc rather than a sharp bend.
swell An increase in the nominal root mean square (rms) voltage or current lasting
from 0.5 cycles to one minute.
swing-floor phasing The act of moving personnel and property from one location to another in
order to facilitate renovation of the space vacated.
switch 1. A network access device that provides a centralized point for LAN
communications, media connections, and management activities where each
switch port represents a separate communications channel. A network switch
operates at Layer 2 or Layer 3 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
model. Sometimes referred to as a multiport bridge. 2. A voice
communications device that uses switching technology to establish and
terminate calls. 3. A device designed to close or open, or both, one or more
electrical circuits. (IEEE).
switchboard A single-panel frame or assembly of panels, typically front access,

containing electrical disconnects, fuses, and circuit breakers used to isolate
electrical equipment. Switchboards are typically rated 400 amperes (A) to
5000 A, and are characterized by fixed, group-mounted, molded case, or
insulated case circuit breakers, but may include draw-out circuit breakers,
and usually require work on de-energized equipment only. See also
panelboard (electrical) and switchgear.

switched telephone An assembly of telecommunications facilities and central office (CO)

network equipment operated jointly by authorized service providers that provides the
general public with the ability to establish transmission channels via discrete
dialing.
switched virtual circuit A virtual circuit created on an as-needed basis. It is a temporary connection
(SVC) lasting only as long as the connected devices are communicating.
switch fabric A network topology where network nodes connect with each other via one or
more network switches, particularly via crossbar switches.
switchgear An electrical enclosure, typically both front and rear access, containing
over-current protective devices such as fuses and circuit breakers used
to isolate electrical equipment. Switchgear is typically rated 800 A to 5000 A
and is characterized by segregated, insulated-case or low-voltage power
circuit breakers, usually draw-out, and frequently containing monitoring and
controls as well as features to permit addition or removal of switching
devices on an energized bus. See also panelboard (electrical) and
switchboard.
switching 1. A networking protocol in which a station sends a message to a switch,

which then routes the message to the specified destination station. 2. The
action of opening or closing one or more electrical circuits by establishing a
direct signal path from one device to another.
switch latency The amount of time it takes for an incoming message to be inspected,
processed, and forwarded through a switch.
switch matrix The connections that link each port to every other port in a switch. Also
called a backplane.
symmetric key See private key encryption.

cryptography
synchronization profile A set of data commonly used in a personal area network (PAN) to update
calendar and scheduling information between devices. Once the devices
come within range, the synchronization can automatically occur.
synchronous See synchronous signaling.

communication
synchronous connection- A point-to-point (PTP) link between the master device and one slave device,
oriented (SCO) link used primarily for synchronous voice traffic.
synchronous optical A scalable transport technology designed to provide a uniform, consistent

network (SONET) method of transferring data over extended geographic distances, by using
an optical fiber transmission infrastructure. SONET provides the Open
System Interconnection (OSI) Reference Layer 1 details of how to pass high-
speed data over optical links.

synchronous signaling A form of signaling in which no start and stop bits are used. Each data
character is coded as a string of bits and the sending and receiving
devices are synchronized with each other, using a common clock. See also
asynchronous signaling and isochronous signaling.
synchronous The transfer of data using synchronous signaling.

transmission
system A group of interacting, interrelated, or independent components forming an

integrated set of components.
=T
T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, Telecommunications drawings that show site information (T0), building
and T5 drawings information (T1), serving zone information (T2), telecommunications
rooms (T3), details (T4), and schedule/spreadsheets (T5). A part of the
National CAD Standard (NCS), a collaborative effort in the United States
between the National Institute of Building Sciences, the American Institute
of Architects, and the Construction Specifications Institute.
T1 (DS1) The digital transmission link consisting of 24 channels to support rates of

1.54 megabits per second (Mb/s).
T3 (DS3) The digital transmission link consisting of 672 channels to support rates of
44.7 megabits per second (Mb/s), each channel supporting 64 kilobits per
second (kb/s).
tactile notification A notification appliance that alerts by the sense of touch or vibration.
appliance
tagging The marking of a message for the purpose of specialized processing or

handling on a network.
tailgating 1. In access control, one or more individuals entering a controlled area by

using a single card. 2. Following an authorized person into a controlled area.
Also called piggybacking.
tap 1. The linking between the bus and the drop cable that connects the
workstation to the bus in 10BASE-5 Ethernet. 2. A device used on
community antenna television cables and voice circuits for matching
impedance or connecting service drops. See also bridged tap.
taper point A splice location where the cable size along a route is reduced.
tapped trunk A cable connection system where a coaxial cable is tapped by means of a
splitter or vampire tap.

targeted availability A positive expression of allowable maximum annual downtime.
T-band spectrum Radio frequencies in the 470-512 megahertz (MHz) range, used mostly for
public safety and business land mobile radio systems.
teaming See link aggregation.
technological events Incidents including hazardous material release, explosion/fire, transportation

accident, building/structural collapse, power/utility failure, extreme air
pollution, radiological accident, dam/levee failure, fuel/resource shortage,
strike, business interruption, financial collapse, and communication failure.
telecommunications Any transmission, emission, and reception of signs, signals, writings,

images, and sounds; that is, information of any nature by using copper cable,
radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. (TIA)
telecommunications A conductor that interconnects the primary bonding busbar (PBB)

bonding backbone (TBB) to the secondary bonding busbar (SBB). (TIA)
telecommunications See grounding equalizer.

bonding backbone
interconnecting bonding
conductor (TBBIBC)
telecommunications A conductor that interconnects the telecommunications bonding

bonding conductor (TBC) infrastructure to the building’s service equipment (power) ground.
telecommunications Any line, conductor, or other method by which information is transmitted.

circuit
telecommunications See telecommunications room (TR).

closet (TC)
telecommunications A box or cabinet used to house telecommunications equipment. Enclosures

enclosure (TE) are often wall-mounted but are sometimes large enough to be floor-mounted.
telecommunications A bonding conductor that should be installed from each piece of equipment
equipment bonding in the telecommunications room (TR) or equipment room (ER) to the
conductor (TEBC) secondary bonding busbar (SBB) or primary bonding busbar (PBB). TEBCs
may also be connected to the rack grounding busbar (RGB), if the rack or
cabinet has one.
telecommunications A regional term for secondary bonding busbar (SBB).

grounding busbar
(TGB)
Telecommunications An association that publishes telecommunications standards and other

Industry Association documents. (TIA)
(TIA)

telecommunications A regional term for primary bonding busbar (PBB).

main grounding busbar
(TMGB)
telecommunications See media (telecommunications).

media
telecommunications An assembly of components consisting of one or more connectors and a

outlet (TO) faceplate or housing.
telecommunications A connecting device in the work area (WA) on which horizontal cable,
outlet/connector equipment cord, or outlet cable terminates. Provides the means to connect
premises equipment. Does not include the faceplate or housing that contains
the telecommunications outlet/connectors.
telecommunications A telecommunications space that differs from equipment rooms (ERs) and
room (TR) entrance facilities (EFs) in that this space is generally considered a floor-
serving or tenant-serving (as opposed to building- or campus-serving) space
that provides a connection point between backbone and horizontal cabling.
telecommunications See entrance facility (EF).

service entrance
telecommunications A generic term to refer to all areas containing telecommunications

space equipment, including entrance facilities (EFs), equipment rooms (ERs),
telecommunications rooms (TRs), cable vaults, and areas of data centers
containing telecommunications equipment and isolated racks or cabinets in
rooms not dedicated to telecommunications.
Telecommunications A document published by the Telecommunications Industry Association

Systems Bulletin (TSB) (TIA) used to provide guidance for design methodologies or installation
practices that pertain to telecommunications cabling systems. The next
published edition of a related standard typically incorporates these bulletins.
telemedicine A term that encompasses various technologies as part of a coherent health

service resource management program, which captures, displays, stores, and
retrieves medical images and data for the creation of a computerized patient
record and managed care.
telemetry A telecommunications system designed for the automatic transmission of

digital or analog data by using copper or optical cable, radio, or other means
from remote sources to a receiving location for the recording, monitoring,
and analysis of systems.
telephone test set A voice circuit-testing device used to identify circuits and perform
diagnostics. Also called a butt set.
telephony 1. Speech transmission by radio sets or telephony sets. 2. Telephone

technology.

telescoping pole A pole used for lifting and moving cable in open ceilings. The pole has
multiple sections inside each other that stretch out and collapse together, like
a telescope.
temperature resistance The time, in hours, that a firestop assembly will withstand a temperature test,
rating (T-rating) such as to raise the temperature of the unexposed surface of the firestop
assembly by 163 °Celsius (C [325 °Fahrenheit (F)]) above its initial
temperature.
temporal code An audible alarm pattern that is standardized over time to make it more
universal or recognizable. For example, the ANSI/NFPA recommended
standard evacuation pattern code for smoke alarms, called the Temporal-
Three alarm signal, or T-3, produces an interrupted four count (three half
second pulses, followed by a one and one half second pause, repeated for a
minimum of 180 seconds).
tensile strength The longitudinal pulling stress needed to break apart a cable or material.
terabit per second (Tb/s) A data transmission speed, where one Tb/s equals 1000 gigabits per second
(Gb/s).
terabyte (TB) A measure of storage capacity where one TB equals 1000 gigabytes (Gb).
terminal (TERM) 1. A point at which information may enter or leave a telecommunications

network. (TIA) 2. A device by means of which wire conductors may be
connected to each other. (TIA)
terminal block (TB) A unit that serves to terminate cable conductors and is a transition point
between cable conductors.
terminal emulation The process that enables a computer to operate as a terminal for connecting
to a mainframe or minicomputer. See also emulation.
terminal mode A form of remote access where the remote station accesses LAN resources
through a specialized terminal server, which makes all requests for LAN
resources on behalf of the remote station.
terminate See cable termination.
termination The physical connection of a conductor to connecting hardware. See also

connecting hardware.
termination hardware See connecting hardware.
terminator See connector.
terms and conditions A section in a request for quotation (RFQ) or request for bid (RFB) and a
(T&C) contract that defines the terms used and the conditions under which the work
must be performed.

terrestrial microwave Direct microwave communications between two land-based locations. See
also microwave.
tertiary care The provision by a large medical center, usually serving a region or state and
having sophisticated technological and support facilities, of highly
specialized medical and surgical care for complex medical problems.
tested A statement that a product or system has been evaluated against a set
of metrics.
test hole A hole or group of holes dug along a proposed OSP pathway route to
determine what utilities or other obstructions may be present. Also called a
pothole.
test procedures The detailed, sequential steps to set the process and conditions necessary to
test the system functionality.
thimble eye A device for securing the end of a strand.
thimble eye rod A device used to place the guy wire(s) within the eye opening when guying
from a main pole to a stub pole or when guying to the ground. Also called a
thimble eyebolt.
thin client See network computer.
thinnet A coaxial cable trunk used for 10BASE2 baseband Ethernet.
threadless fitting A conduit connector or coupling that does not thread onto the end of the
conduit. The compression ring style provides a weatherproof seal.
threat 1. An indication of the event or the intent to do harm or damage. 2. An agent

by which damage, injury, loss, or death can occur. Threats are commonly
classified as originating from temperature extremes, liquids, gases,
projectiles, organisms, movement, or energy anomalies.
threat analysis An evaluation of an environment, structure, or scenario to determine the

level of risk for the purpose of deterring potential vulnerabilities for an
unauthorized entry, removal of physical or intellectual material, or exposure
to terrorist activities.
through penetration A continuous opening that passes through both surfaces of a barrier. See also
membrane penetration and penetration.
throughput The amount of actual user information transferred between two points in a
given amount of time. Throughput does not include the network and protocol
overhead.
through-window The transmission and reception of a free space optics (FSO) signal
through glass.

thruster A device used to propel a satellite in a specific direction.
thunderstorm day Any day thunder is heard at a specific observation point.
tie cable A (usually short) cable typically used to transition from one type of cross-
connect device to another. An example is a tie cable between entrance cables
on a backboard and horizontal or backbone cables on a patch panel in a rack.
tie wrap A plastic strip used for binding and dressing cable. Most tie wraps are
permanently closed and must be cut for removal. Also called a cable tie.
tight-buffer(ed) optical Type of cable construction whereby each glass fiber is tightly buffered by
fiber cable a protective thermoplastic coating to a diameter of 900 microns. Increased
buffering provides ease of handling and connectorization.
timber hitch A type of knot used to attach a single length of rope to a cylindrical object.
Secure while tension is maintained, it is easily untied even after heavy
loading. Sometimes used by installers and technicians to raise or lower
objects from one elevation to another.
time division duplex A radio frequency (RF) communication scheme that transmits and receives
(TDD) alternately with sequential time slots using a single frequency.
time division A transmission technique whereby several low-speed channels are combined
multiplexing (TDM) into a single high-speed channel for transmission. Each low-speed channel is
allocated a specific time position in the bit stream.
time division synchronous A third generation (3G) mobile telephony standard.

code division multiple
access (TD-SCDMA)
time domain A testing device that sends a signal down a cable, then measures the
reflectometer (TDR) magnitude and amount of time required for the reflections of that signal to
return. TDRs are used to measure the length of cables and locate cable faults.
token A Layer 2 frame containing access control information that is passed from
device to device on a token ring bus or fiber distributed data interface
network.
token passing An access control method that uses an electronic signal called a token.
token ring A network protocol in which attached devices share a common cabling
system for communications purposes without the possibility of a collision
between transmissions. A device is only able to send a message when it is in
possession of a special electronic sequence of bits called a token. See also
token and token passing.
tone generator A device used to apply an audible electrical signal to a circuit to assist in
identification or fault location.

top-down design See functional design process.
topology The physical or logical arrangement of a telecommunications, information

and communications technology (ICT), electronic safety and security (ESS),
or similar system.
total facility power The power dedicated to the data processing or information technology
equipment (ITE) facility, including all infrastructure equipment, such as
power delivery components, cooling and environmental control system
components, computer network and storage nodes, and miscellaneous other
components necessary for the operation of the data center.
total internal reflection The confinement of light within a fiber because the angle of incidence is
within the numerical aperture.
trade size A name given to materials to identify a nominal size. For example, a trade
size 2 EMT conduit is ≈50 millimeters (mm [2 inches (in)]) inside diameter.
traffic prioritization See prioritization.
traffic shaping A technique that directs data streams on the basis of their address, protocol,
priority, or application content.
trailer string Line attached to the end of a cable being pulled. May be used for future
additional pulls.
transceiver A radio transmitter and receiver combined into a single unit.
transducer 1. A device that changes one form of energy into another. For example, a
speaker is a transducer that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy.
2. In pressurized systems, a device that permits reading the cable pressure in
a pressurized cable.
transfer impedance A measure of shielding performance determined by the ratio of the voltage
on the conductors enclosed by a shield to the surface currents on the outside
of the shield. (TIA)
transfer switch, Self-acting equipment for transferring load conductor connections from
automatic (ATS) one power source to another. See also static switch and transfer
switch, non-automatic.
transfer switch, Equipment operated manually and initiated either locally or remotely for
non-automatic transferring load conductor connections from one power source to another
(also commonly referred to as manual transfer switch). See also static switch
and transfer switch, automatic (ATS).
transition point (TP) A location in the horizontal cabling where flat undercarpet cable connects to
round cable. (TIA)

translational bridge A networking device capable of converting frame formats from one type to
another prior to forwarding messages. It only operates on the logical link
control sublayer of the data link layer.
transmission The movement of information as electrical or optical signals from one point
to another via a medium (e.g., space, wire conductor, optical fiber).
transmission channel A circuit or path connecting transmitters to supervising stations or subsidiary

stations on which signals are carried. See also channel.
transmission control An Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model Layer 4

protocol (TCP) connection-oriented protocol. TCP supports reliable, end-to-end transmission
of data by allowing for guaranteed delivery and sequencing of
message segments.
transmission line A bounded medium used to transport a desired signal between two points
(e.g., coaxial cable, waveguide, optical fiber).
transmission media See media (telecommunications).
transmit opportunity A network protocol that provides a channel access function controlled with a
(TXOP) defined starting time and a maximum duration. Access may be obtained by
contention or through polling.
transmitter (TX) A communications system component where an electromagnetic energy

source is converted to waves and propagated (transmitted) through a medium
(e.g., space, copper or optical cable) to a receiving end (receiver).
transmitter combiner See combiner.
transparent mode A form of remote access where the remote station accesses LAN resources
through a remote access server and operates in the same manner as a local
station, eliminating the need for a local station.
transponder 1. In satellite systems, a combination uplink receiver and downlink

transmitter acting like a repeater. There are typically numerous transponders
on each satellite. 2. In security systems, a multiplex alarm transmission
system functional assembly located at the protected premises. 3. In air or
marine navigation, a device that emits an identifying signal in response to an
interrogating received signal.
transport layer The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model layer responsible
for providing end-to-end management of a communications session, ensuring
the reliable arrival of messages as well as error checking mechanisms and
data flow controls. Also called Layer 4.
transposed pairs A condition where two pairs of conductors are incorrectly terminated on the
other’s location.

transverse Lying or extending across or in a cross direction.
transverse moment See moment.
trapeze A support device (resembling a circus trapeze) using threaded rod and
channel stock for supporting cable tray or conduit from the ceiling.
tray See cable tray and ladder cable tray.
tree topology A type of star topology that may use a common link from a central point to
connect multiple elements, similar to the trunk of a tree having multiple
branches to support clusters of leaves. A tree topology also allows elements
of a specific level (e.g., servers, subcontrollers) to utilize like elements as
part of the connectivity link to a central point.
trench duct See header duct.
triplexer A device in the antenna path containing a circulator and filters that allows
three radios to share the same antenna. See also combiner.
troposphere The lower layers of atmosphere in which the change of temperature with
height is relatively large. The layer extends from ≈10 kilometers
(km [6 miles (mi)]) to ≈20 km (12 mi) above the earth’s surface. It is the
region where clouds form, convection is active, and mixing is continuous
and more or less complete.
trouble signal A signal designed to alert facilities or maintenance personnel of a system

malfunction. Trouble signals are used to indicate and generally are not used
to activate general building notification appliances.
trough (cable) A pathway for the containment and protection of cable. Typically provided
with a removable top cover and solid bottom. Also called a wireway (WW).
trough or ventilated A fabricated structure consisting of integral or separate longitudinal rails

cable tray and a bottom having openings sufficient for the passage of air and utilizing
75 percent or less of the plan area of the surface to support cables where
the maximum open spacing between cable support surfaces of transverse
elements do not exceed ≈100 millimeters (mm [4 inches (in)]) in the
direction parallel to the tray side rails.
trunk cable The main distribution cable. A typical trunk cable begins at the headend and
terminates at the outermost feeder cable.
trunk distribution Rigid coaxial cable, typically used for backbone cabling.
and feeder

trunking 1. A combination of equipment, software, and protocols that allows many

clients to share relatively few telecommunications channels, as opposed
to each channel being dedicated to an individual client. In radio systems,
the channels are frequencies and repeaters. In wireline systems, the channels
are copper wire pairs or fiber optic strands. Trunking greatly expands the
efficiency of resource usage, making limited resources (channels) available
to many more clients. 2. Combining (multiplexing) frames from multiple
virtual LANs (VLANs) across a single physical link (trunk) by using an
encapsulation protocol such as IEEE 802.1Q. The protocol modifies the
frame to identify the originating VLAN before the frame is placed on the
trunk. The reverse process occurs at the receiving end of the trunk.
tugger A device that acts as an assist mechanism for advancing a cable or groups of
cables within a conduit.
tunnel 1. An underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings at

each end for entrance and exit. It can be used for utilities between buildings
and for foot, vehicular, rail, and canal traffic. 2. The transmission of data
intended for use only within a private (usually corporate) network through
a public network. It is executed in such a way that the routing nodes in the
public network are unaware that a transmission is part of a private network.
It is done by encapsulating the private network data and protocol information
within the public network transmission units so that the private network
protocol information appears to the public network as data. Tunneling allows
the use of the internet (a public network) to convey data on behalf of a
private network. Also called port forwarding and virtual private network
(VPN).
turnstile An entryway that uses a rotating mechanical device to restrict entry to one
person at a time.
twisted-pair Two individually insulated copper wire conductors physically twisted

together to form a balanced pair.
twisted-pair cable See balanced twisted-pair cable.
twisted-pair physical A network protocol that allows for 100 megabits per second (Mb/s)
medium dependent transmission. Another name for ANSI X3.263 standard and copper
(TP-PMD) distributed data interface.
two-level duct An underfloor raceway system installed with the header raceways and the
distribution raceways on two different planes. (TIA)
two-point method A method used to measure optical fiber cable loss using two closely spaced
cursors on an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR).

=U
Ufer ground See concrete-encased electrode.
U-guard A U-shaped guard, usually ≈2.4 meters (m [8 feet (ft)]) in length, placed over
a cable, on a pole, or on a side of a building to protect a cable.
ultrahigh frequency Frequencies in the range of 300 megahertz (MHz) to 3000 MHz.
(UHF)
ultra physical An optical fiber connector where the fiber end face is polished and installed
contact (UPC) at no angle. These types of fiber connectors are often used in less sensitive
digital systems as reflected light is sent back to the light source instead of
into the fiber cladding.
ultraviolet (UV) The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in which the longest wavelength
is just below the visible spectrum, extending from approximately
10 nanometers (nm) to approximately 400 nm, or about 790 terahertz (THz)
to 30 petahertz (PHz).
Um A global system for mobile telephony air interface component or radio link.
unbalanced tension In outside plant (OSP) aerial cabling, the uneven distribution of tension
(load) on a guy or pole.
unbalanced transmission A transmission method consisting of two conductors with unequal

impedances with respect to ground. Most commonly, one of the conductors
is at ground potential. An example is coaxial cable. See also balun and
balanced transmission.
unbounded medium A term sometimes used to describe wireless communication. See also
bounded medium.
underfloor duct system A network of metal raceways embedded in concrete, which facilitates the
distribution of horizontal cables (e.g., between a telecommunications rooms
[TR] or telecommunications enclosure [TE] and a work area [WA]). See also
header duct and trench duct.
underfloor raceway A pathway placed within the floor or under a raised floor system from which
electrical wires and telecommunications cables emerge to service a specific
floor area. (TIA)
underground cable A telecommunications cable designed to be installed under the surface of the
earth in a trough or duct that isolates the cable from direct contact with the
soil. (TIA). See also direct-buried cable.
underground facilities Cables placed in subsurface conduits, using maintenance holes (MHs),
handholes (HHs), and pull boxes.

unequal splitter A device that asymmetrically splits a radio frequency (RF) signal between
two outputs while maintaining direct current (dc) continuity between
all ports.
unicast A technique for sending data to a single attached network device. A one-to-
one mode of communication. See also broadcast and multicast.
unidirectional antenna An antenna characterized by a very narrow focus and an extended reach. See
also directional antenna and omnidirectional antenna.
unidirectional signaling The signaling that occurs in one direction.
unified communications A business and marketing concept of integrating one or more real time and
(UC) non-real time communications services (e.g., receiving a voicemail
message via e-mail or on a cell phone).
UniFormat™ A document produced by the Constructions Specifications Institute (CSI) that

is a classification system used to organize preliminary project descriptions,
preliminary cost estimates, and drawings that detail filing. See also
MasterFormat™, PageFormat™, and SectionFormat™.
unigrounded power A power system where only one point, usually the midpoint, of the supply
system transformer bank is grounded. The neutral conductor may or may not be
carried along with the phase wire conductors.
unintentional radiator A device that intentionally generates radio frequency (RF) energy for use
within the device or that sends RF signals by conduction to associated
equipment via connecting wiring, but which is not intended to emit RF
energy by radiation or induction (e.g., microwave oven). (FCC)
uninterruptible power A system that provides a continuous supply of power to a load using
supply (UPS) stored energy when the normal source of energy is not available or is of
unacceptable quality. A UPS will provide power until the stored energy of the
system has been depleted, or when the acceptable quality of either an
alternative source of power (e.g., generator) or the normal source of power
returns to acceptable quality.
uninterruptible power A UPS consisting of a prime mover (such as an electric motor), a rotating
supply (UPS), rotary power source (such as an alternator), a stored energy source (such as a
battery), associated controls and protective devices, and a means of
replenishing the stored energy (such as a rectifier/charger).
uninterruptible power A UPS consisting of non-moving (solid state) components, usually consisting
supply (UPS), static of a rectifier component, an inverter component, a stored energy component,
associated controls and protective devices.
unit bonding conductor A conductor that interconnects the rack grounding busbar (RGB) to the
(UBC) telecommunications equipment.

unit price The supplier’s price for a quantity of one of a given material, equipment, or
service. Often used in a contract when the actual statement of work cannot be
determined at the time of the bid.
Universal Mobile A third generation (3G) broadband, packet-based transmission of text,

Telecommunications digitized voice, video, and multimedia at data rates up to 2 megabits
Service (UMTS) per second (Mb/s), similar to wideband code division multiple
access (WCDMA).
unlicensed frequency Radio frequencies (RFs) that require no license. The unlicensed frequency
band requirements vary by country.
unlicensed multipoint A radio system linking three or more nodes and used in an unlicensed
frequency band.
unlicensed national Frequency spectrum designated to provide short-range, high-speed wireless

information networking communication at low cost. Consists of three frequency bands in
infrastructure (U-NII) the 5 gigahertz (GHz) band of 100 megahertz (MHz) each: 5.15–5.25 GHz,
5.25–5.35 GHz, and 5.725–5.825 GHz.
unprotected system 1. A non-redundant wireless system that uses a single transceiver and
antenna. 2. Telecommunications equipment powered directly from the
main power, without an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for protection
from transient anomalies or temporary outages.
unshielded twisted-pair Twisted-pair cable without a metallic shield. See also balanced twisted-
(UTP) cable pair cable.
unshifted singlemode See dispersion unshifted.
uplink 1. Signals transmitted from ground stations to satellites. 2. In the demand

priority access method, the communications channel between a connected
end node and a repeater, or between a repeater and a higher-level repeater.
Used with 100VG-AnyLAN transmission protocol.
upload 1. To send information from the controller or client to the host computer or
server. 2. To send information from an information and communications
technology (ICT) device with internet protocol (IP) access to the IP cloud.
uptime The period of time, usually expressed as a percentage of a year, in which the
information technology equipment (ITE) is operational and able to fulfill its
mission.
user datagram protocol An Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model Layer 4
(UDP) connectionless protocol. UDP provides low-latency data transfer with no
guarantee of message delivery.

utility column An enclosed pathway extending from the ceiling to furniture or to the floor
that forms a pathway for electrical wiring, telecommunications cabling, or
both. (TIA) Typically used in open office (i.e., cubicle) layouts. Also called a
power pole.
utility pole An outside plant (OSP) pole owned by a private or municipal utility. See also
pole.
utility tunnel An enclosed underground passageway, usually placed between buildings, for
the distribution of utility services.
=V
value engineering An effort to examine and weigh the initial cost, evaluate the maintenance
expense and ultimate worth of certain materials, components, and systems,
and assess performance at the lowest price consistent with the project criteria
during the design development/preliminary design phase.
vampire tap A method of tapping into a cable (usually coaxial) to connect a branch
circuit or test device that does not break the cable into sections. It pierces
the sheath to make contact with the center conductor and, separately, the
shield. This allows new connections to be made on a given cable while the
cable is in use. See also bridged tap, tap and tapped trunk.
variable air volume A self-contained heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) unit
(VAV) that uses a built-in microprocessor-based controller to control environmental
air to a specific zone via a damper. The unit is placed near the end of an
HVAC duct and can monitor temperature inputs from local sensors.
varistor An electrical component whose resistance depends on the applied voltage

or current.
vault A telecommunications space, typically subterranean, located within or

between buildings and used for the distribution, splicing, and termination of
cabling. These spaces may be established as a maintenance hole (MH)
in campus environments or may include active equipment in addition to
passive cabling such as in a controlled environment vault (CEV).
velocity of propagation See nominal velocity of propagation (NVP).
verification The establishment of documented evidence that will provide a high degree of
assurance the system will consistently perform according to the design intent.

Verified One of four product test ratings used in the United States (Listed, Classified,
Recognized, Verified). In addition to safety testing, Underwriters
Laboratories® (UL®) also produces a performance verification of
communications cabling with the classification of Verified. Optical fiber
cabling manufacturers and their cabling types are listed in the UL
publication, Performance Levels Certification Program, for meeting the
base performance criteria for the product, such as category 3, 5e, and 6. The
Performance Verification Mark allows manufacturers to demonstrate that
telecommunications cabling products are certified for both safety and
performance and comply with industry performance standards and draft
standards. The UL Performance Verification Mark also signifies the testing
of copper and optical fiber cabling products to industry performance
standards such as ANSI/TIA/EIA, ISO/IEC 11801 Ed.2:2002, NEMA, and
Telcordia. It also can be applied to UL Listed optical fiber cable Verified to
Telcordia specifications. The Verification Mark also may be applied to data
transmission or optical fiber cable Verified to performance specifications
only.
vertical down lead A ground wire placed on a pole that leads down to the ground electrode at
(VDL) the base of the pole.
vertical spiral An omnidirectional vertical log periodic antenna may be formed using a
continuous spiral with the radius and spacing of each turn varying in the
same manner as the dipole array relationship. Such an antenna must be
operated over a ground plane and fed unbalanced.
very high frequency Frequencies from 30 megahertz (MHz) to 300 MHz.

(VHF)
very low frequency Frequencies from 3 kilohertz (kHz) to 30 kHz.

(VLF)
V-groove The position in a fusion splicer where the fiber strand is placed.
vibration resistance The ability of an antenna to mechanically survive the flexing and vibration
caused by wind blowing across it and its supporting structure.
video teleconference Technology that facilitates the communication and interaction of two or more
(VTC) users through a combination of high-quality audio and video over Internet
Protocol (IP) networks
Vigants formula 1. In microwave systems, an equation that models performance factors used
when providing space diversity to an unprotected system. 2. An equation that
models rain outages of radio frequency (RF) systems.

vignetting A tunnel or porthole image that is produced by using a smaller image-size

format lens on a larger image-size format camera (e.g., 8 millimeter [mm]
lens and 13 mm camera). Similar to an unbordered picture, often a portrait,
that shades off into the surrounding color at the edges. Conversely, a larger
image-size lens can be used on a smaller image-size format camera.
virgin plywood New or unused plywood.
virtual circuit A packet-switching communications connection service between two

network devices that appears to the user as a direct connection. The two
devices communicate as though they have a dedicated connection even
though the packets may actually travel different routes before arriving at their
destination. The virtual circuit is cleared after the data transfer is completed.
An X.25 connection is an example of a virtual circuit.
virtual LAN (VLAN) A technique made possible by switching technologies that permits the logical
grouping of any number of disparate network devices into one or more
subnetworks to improve traffic management and security. Also called a
partitioned LAN.
virtual private network A communications method commonly used to extend a private network
(VPN) across a public network (the internet) using protocols such as Point-to-Point
Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol/ internet Protocol
security (L2TP/IPSec), or Dynamic Multipoint Virtual Private Network
(DMVPN). It enables a computer to send and receive data as if it were
directly connected to the private network, while benefitting from the
functionality, security, and management policies of the private network.
This is done by establishing a virtual point-to-point (PTP) or point-to-
multipoint connection. A VPN connection across the internet is similar to a
wide area network (WAN) link between sites. Also called port forwarding
and a tunnel.
virtualization The software and procedures that make it possible for users and
administrators to view and manage a group of storage devices as a single unit
regardless of differences in capacities, locations, and device types.
visible light spectrum The electromagnetic wavelengths visible to the human eye. Located between
the infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) spectrums, visible light has
wavelengths of approximately 390 nanometers (nm) to 759 nm or
frequencies of about 400 terahertz (THz) to 790 THz.
visible notification An alarm appliance that alerts occupants with light.

appliance
voice frequency (VF) The frequencies within the part of the audio range that are used for the
band transmission of speech. Generally, the frequency band of 300 hertz (Hz) to
3400 Hz.

voice intelligibility The audible voice information that is distinguishable and understandable.
voice over internet A system in which voice signals are converted to packets and
protocol (VoIP) transmitted over a network using transmission control protocol/ internet
protocol (TCP/IP).
voice recognition Identifying an individual by comparing previously stored voice recordings of

key words or phrases with the same key phrases spoken at the same time that
access is requested.
volt (V) A unit of measure for electromotive force (commonly called voltage).
Specifically, one V is the difference in electric potential across a conductor or
load when an electric current of one ampere (A) dissipates one watt (W) of
power.
voltage gradient The change in voltage differential per unit distance. See also electric field.
voltage standing wave See standing wave ratio (SWR).

ratio (VSWR)
voltage standing wave A device that measures and limits the level of undesirable reverse power
ratio (VSWR) protection caused by impedance mismatches between a radio
frequency (RF) transmitter, its transmission line, and the antenna. The
measuring and limiting of reverse RF power will prevent damage to these
components.
volt-ohm-milliammeter An instrument capable of measuring electrical voltage, current and resistance

(VOM) (ohm). See also multimeter.
vulnerability A physical, procedural, or technical weakness that creates an opportunity for

injury, death, failure, or loss of an asset.
=W
Walsh code A common orthogonal code used for direct sequence spread spectrum
(DSSS) in a code division multiple access (CDMA) network.
wand A test device that is used to detect a signal placed on a particular conductor
in an optical fiber cable for the purpose of identification. See also inductive
amplifier.
war driving A process of traveling and looking for wireless access point (WAP) signals
that can be used to acquire network access. This typically is accomplished
by using a wireless device running a software program that scans the IEEE®
802.11 network frequencies with a high-gain antenna.

waterfall 1. A drop-out panel attached to cable trays to communication cables as they

enter or leave the tray and prevent crushing, pinching, and the violation of
the cables’ minimum bend radius. 2. A display in some communications
software showing information transmissions over a wide band of frequencies.
The display looks similar to a waterfall.
watt (W) The amount of power that is consumed by a circuit at any given time.
Calculated by multiplying the voltage times the current.
waveguide A bounded medium used to direct radio frequency (RF) transmissions or

light waves. A waveguide in radio systems normally consists of a hollow
metallic conductor, usually rectangular, elliptical, or circular in cross section.
In light wave applications, a waveguide is normally small prisms or optical
fibers.
wavelength The distance between the peaks of a sinusoidal wave. All radiant energy can
be described as a wave having a wavelength. Wavelength serves as the unit
of measure for distinguishing between different parts of the spectrum.
Wavelengths are measured in microns (μm), or nanometers (nm).
wavelength division The process of modulating a series of data streams, each using a different
multiplexing (WDM) wavelength, and simultaneously transporting the
multiple wavelengths over a single optical fiber. Developed to increase the
information-carrying capacity of optical fiber transmission systems.
waveshape (lightning) The numerical method of describing a voltage surge wave in terms of rise
time versus decay time (e.g., 1 x 50 or 10 x 100). The first number represents
the rise time of the surge in microseconds from zero to peak surge value. The
second number represents the subsequent surge decay time to 50 percent of
the peak surge value from the beginning of the surge.
website acceleration A term used to describe a content acceleration appliance that is used to cache
the locally stored content most frequently requested by remote users. Also
called reverse proxy.
whip antenna A long, thinly shaped antenna.
wide area See wide area network (WAN).

internetworking
wide area network A data communications system that uses telecommunications circuits to link
(WAN) LANs that are distributed over large geographic distances.
wide area telephone A telephone company service allowing reduced costs for certain telephone
service (WATS) call arrangements. In WATS or 800-number service, calls can be placed
to the called party at no cost to the calling party. Out WATS is a service
whereby, for a flat-rate charge, dependent on the duration of such calls, a
subscriber can make an unlimited number of calls within a prescribed area
from a particular telephone terminal without the registration of individual
call charges.
wideband The property of a circuit that has a bandwidth wider than normal for the type
of circuit, frequency of operation, or type of modulation.
wideband code division A channel that is four times wider than the current channels typically used in
multiple access second generation (2G) networks in North America.
(WCDMA)
Wi-Fi A term owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance commonly used when referring to IEEE
802.11 devices or networks. Wi-Fi is used in place of IEEE 802.11 in the
same way that Ethernet is used in place of IEEE 802.3. The term was created
for the Wi-Fi Alliance as a play on hi-fi (high fidelity). The Alliance has
made no formal statement that the term does or does not mean wireless
fidelity.
wind load The total force exerted by the wind on a structure or part of a structure. The
total design wind load includes the sum of the horizontal forces applied
to the structure in the direction of the wind and the design wind load on
tower guys and discrete appurtenances.
window attenuation In radio, microwave, and free space optics (FSO) systems, the loss of signal
strength caused by passing through a window. Clear glass windows introduce
approximately four percent attenuation for each pane of glass traversed by a
signal. Tinted or coated windows, however, can cause much greater
attenuation. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-
certified windows can often effectively block signals.
wire An individual solid or stranded metallic conductor. (TIA)
wired equivalent privacy A wireless network security protocol defined by IEEE® to prevent access to
(WEP) the network by intruders using similar wireless LAN (WLAN) equipment
and capture of WLAN traffic through eavesdropping. Access is denied by
anyone who does not have an assigned key. WEP has been demonstrated to
have numerous flaws and has been deprecated in favor of newer standards
such as Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2).
wireless The use of radiated electromagnetic energy (e.g., radio frequency [RF] and
microwave signals, light) traveling through free space to convey information.
wireless access point A wireless transceiver that connects WLAN clients to the wired LAN. Also
(WAP) used to bridge to other access points.
wireless collision domain See basic service set (BSS) and collision domain.
wireless LAN (WLAN) A LAN that functions wirelessly between the client and a wireless access
point (WAP). Most modern WLANs are based on IEEE 802.11 standards,
marketed under the Wi-Fi name. See also wireless access point (WAP).

wireless LAN (WLAN) A computer networking device that routes packets from a WLAN to another
gateway network, typically a wired WAN. Wireless gateways combine the functions
of a wireless access point (WAP), a router, and often provide firewall
functions as well.
wireless LAN (WLAN) A network access device designed to centrally manage all connected wireless
switch access points (WAPs) in a WLAN environment.
wireless mesh network A network that uses a mesh topology between wireless nodes.
wireless protection In security systems, a system or part of a system that can transmit and
system receive signals using radio frequencies (RFs) as the medium rather than
physical cabling. It can consist of either a wireless control panel or a wireless
repeater.
wireless repeater In security systems, a component used to relay signals between wireless
receivers, wireless control panels, or both.
wireless service The source of a donor signal. See also donor signal.
provider (WSP)
wire management Hardware designed and manufactured for keeping cross-connect wire and
patch cables neat and orderly. Wire management also may refer to other
types of hardware for securing wire and optical fiber cable to the building.
wire map A pin-to-pin termination and continuity diagram of each individual

conductor in a balanced twisted-pair cable. When created by an appropriate
cable tester, the wire map indicates continuity to the remote end, shorts
between two or more conductors, reversed pairs, split pairs, transposed pairs,
and any other miswiring.
wire map tester An instrument used to create a wire map. See wire map.
wire mesh cable tray A cable tray consisting of steel wires welded at all intersections. Longitudinal
wires located on the exterior of the tray are spaced at a maximum of
≈50 millimeters (mm [2 inches (in)]), and transverse wires are spaced at a
maximum of ≈100 mm (4 in).
wireway (WW) See trough (cable).
wire wrap The termination of conductors by wrapping the conductor tightly around a
rectangular post.
wiring See cabling.
work area A building space where the occupants interact with telecommunications
terminal equipment (e.g., an individual office or cubicle, printer/copier
room). (TIA)

work area cable (cord) See equipment cord.
work breakdown A project management tool that breaks the project down into individual tasks
structure (WBS) that can be measured, scheduled, and assigned to individuals or teams.
working group (WG) A group within a larger committee, usually assigned to complete a
specialized task, such as developing usable measurement levels for use in a
standard. See also subcommittee.
workstation 1. An information and communications technology (ICT) system device used

in communicating with another ICT device. 2. A very powerful computer
used for work requiring a high-speed processor and other features, such as
for video graphics editing.
wye A power system in which only one point (usually the midpoint of a supply
transformer bank) is grounded. If the neutral is present, it is not grounded
along the line.
=X
X.25 An established communications service for digital transmission over
extended distances. Developed in the 1960s, it is the first large-scale
implementation of packet-switching technologies. Sometimes described as a
packet-switched data network.
xDSL A family of digital technologies designed to provide high data transfer rates
over existing (legacy) telecommunications circuits. See digital subscriber
line (DSL).
X-O bond The point in the electrical system where a separately derived ground is
generated. This point generates a power carrying neutral conductor or fourth
wire for the electrical power system. The X-O bond point typically is used as
the ground reference for the downstream power system.
X-rays Electromagnetic wavelengths above the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum, with

frequencies between 30 petahertz (PHz) and 30 exahertz (EHz).
=Y
Yagi array antenna A tree-shaped antenna that uses one or more director elements and usually a
reflector element to focus the radiated signal in one direction or plane.

=Z
zero U space A space for mounting accessories in cabinets that does not consume any
rack mount spaces, typically between the side panel and the sides of
equipment mounted in the rack unit mounting space, on the rear rails of a
cabinet, or above the rack/cabinet mounted to the cable tray.
Z-gap The distance between fiber ends before splicing takes place within a fusion
splicing device.
ZigBee A term owned by the Zigbee Alliance; commonly used when referring to the
IEEE 802.15.4-based specification, devices or networks used to create low-
power, low data rate, and close proximity (i.e., personal area) wireless ad hoc
networks.
zone A defined area within the protected premises. A zone can define an area
from which a signal can be received, an area to which a signal can be sent, or
an area in which a form of control can be executed. A zone is created by
connecting multiple fire detection devices to a common circuit. Although
a zone often has a geographic connotation, a zone is a result of system wiring
and not the physical placement of a device.
zone cabling See open office cabling.
zone distribution area A space in a computer room where a zone outlet or a consolidation point
(ZDA) (CP) is located.
zone distributor (ZD) The distributor used to make connections between the main distribution
cabling subsystem, zone distribution cabling subsystem, network access
cabling subsystem, and cabling subsystems specified in ISO/IEC 11801
or EN 50173-1 and active equipment. (CENELEC EN 50173-5 and
ISO/IEC 24764). Equivalent to the horizontal cross-connect (HC [floor
distributor (FD)]) in ANSI/TIA-942-A.
zone of protection The area in close proximity to and within a building’s lightning protection
system. Several factors may make this area relatively immune to direct
lightning strikes.
zone outlet A connecting device in the zone distribution area (ZDA) terminating the
horizontal cable enabling equipment cable connections to the equipment
distribution area (EDA).
zone paging In a public address or overhead paging system, the ability to send an audio
signal to a specific group of loudspeakers.

Symbols
A amplitude
C capacitance
c speed of light
f frequency
G conductance
I current
L inductance
N refractivity
p atmospheric pressure
P power
R resistance
T temperature
t time
Z impedance
ε permittivity
λ wavelength
π pi
φ phase

Commercial Communications
1. Telecommunications outlet with conduit stub-up
2. Large (feeder) underfloor duct, trench header, or header

duct
3. Standard (distribution) underfloor duct, or cellular floor

duct
Size 4. To telecommunications room: Home run conduit to

telephone terminal board
5. To telecommunications room: Two wall outlets, home

run to telecommunications room and outlet boxes tied
together with conduit
6. Aerial drop or wire

Commercial Communications, continued
7. Conduit for placing ground wire
8. Underfloor duct and junction box, triple system (number

of lines entering a box in the header duct run indicates
number of systems [e.g., telephone, electric,
television])
9. Conduit to floor outlet placed in slab
Size 10. Conduit (size and type as noted)
Size 11. Sleeve (size and type as noted)
12. Ceiling outlet

13. Cross-connect
14. Floor outlet as noted
15. Dual drop containing one voice and one data cable
16. Single drop containing one data cable
17. Single drop containing one voice cable
W 18. Single drop containing one voice cable mounted using

wall phone receptacle

TV 19. Single drop containing one CATV location
20. Ceiling mounted poke thru location from above
21. Poke thru location to ceiling below
22. Open ladder rack mounted
23. Center spline cable tray
24. Center spline one-sided mounted cable tray

25. Cable tray
CT CT 26. Cable tray (size as indicated)
Size 27. Pull box (size as noted)
28. Trench header feed on cellular or underfloor duct system
29. Header duct with access unit on cellular or underfloor

duct system
BCC BCC 30. Backbone conduit for copper

BFC BFC 31. Backbone conduit for fiber
BC BC 32. Backbone conduit
OF OF 33. Optical fiber backbone
COP COP 34. Copper backbone
COAX COAX 35. Coaxial backbone
TN TN 36. Legacy thicknet cabling

R R 37. Interior pathways ring run
ST ST 38. Interior pathways strand
J J 39. J hooks
Commercial Electrical
40. Duplex receptacle outlet
41. Wall switch

Commercial Electrical, continued
42. Individual fluorescent fixture
43. Continuous row fluorescent fixture
or 44. Incandescent fixture
45. Power panel
46. Ground
47. 2 x 2 Fluorescent light

48. 2 x 4 Fluorescent light
ELEC PANEL 49. Electrical power panel
J 50. Junction box
GB 51. Ground bar
T 52. Thermostat
53. Multiwire splice

54. Lightning protection
55. Boundary line
56. Legacy boundary line
57. Ceiling access panel
Electronic Security and Access Control
58. Telephone panel (entry and security)

Electronic Security and Access Control, continued
A 59. Electronic door opener
MD 60. Electronic motorized door activation motion detector
61. Push button (≈1170 mm [46 in] above finished floor)
TV 62. TV location
TC 63. TV location wired to call system
64. Copier network box (≈450 mm [18 in] above finished

C
floor)

DL 65. Electromagnetic door lock
DS 66. Electromagnetic door strike with monitoring contact
DM 67. Magnetic door switch
CR 68. Security system card reader
MD 69. Motion detector
70. Security system magnetic lock key bypass switch

KB
(≈1170 mm [46 in] above finished floor)

71. Closed-circuit surveillance camera outlet (≈2.3 m [7.5 ft]

CC
above finished floor)
72. Security system keypad entry station (≈1170 mm [46 in]

K
above finished floor)
73. Closed-circuit surveillance television monitor

CM
(≈1170 mm [46 in] above finished floor)
A B 74. Device reference (A = drawing sheet; B = detail;

C C = device/zone number)
M
75. Card access reader
T
M
76. Biometric access control device
T

M
77. Keypad device
M
78. Card reader with keypad
M
79. Card reader with time and attendance
M
80. Field panel
T
M
81. Control panel
T
82. Central processing unit

83. Keyboard
84. Printer
85. Power supply

T
M
86. Audio device
T
87. Turnstile
88. Revolving door

89. Traffic arm
90. Vehicle loop detector
91. Security window screen

T
M
92. Intercom
T
M
93. 2-Way radio microphone
T
M
94. Cellular transmitter
T

M
95. Telephone dialer
T
M
96. Optical fiber module
T
97. Document destroyer
M
98. Motion detector
T
M
99. Bi-static beam sensor
F T
M
100. Glass break sensor
T

101. Security screen with alarm

T
102. Screening device

T
M
103. Monitor
T
M
104. Camera
T
M
105. Camera with pan/tilt/zoom
T
106. Video control keyboard

107. Video multiplexer
108. Video motion detector
M
109. Recorder
T
M
110. Automatic monitoring switch
T
M
111. Manually operated switch
T
M
112. Push button
T

M
113. Relay switch
T
M
114. Electric lock
T
T 115. Exit device
116. Power transfer hinge

T
117. Video intercom
118. Camera with card reader

119. Camera with keypad
120. Video intercom master

T
Outside Plant Communications
121. Primary protector, not cross-connected

S
A
PL 70 m (230 ft) 122. Placing stamp
BKMA - 400 pr
1
123. Splice and splice number

Outside Plant Communications, continued
1
125 124. Transferred pairs in splice
125. Fixed-count terminal block spliced to cable
126. Ready-access type connecting block; pairs terminated on

a fixed-count basis
127. Protected fixed-count type terminal block spliced to

cable
128. Protected block spliced to cable with pairs terminated on

a ready-access type connecting block
129. Optical fiber cable termination

TYPE 130. Cable or wire (denote type)
131. Proposed cable
132. Future cable
133. Cable to be removed
B 134. Buried cable
BJ 135. Buried in joint trench (C = communications;

CEG E = electric; G = gas)

10 m (33 ft)
136. Cable slack (denote slack length)
MH 1 MH 2 137. Underground duct or cable with maintenance hole
138. Sheath type, gauge, installation type, and pairs (greater

BKMA-3 than or equal to 100 pairs)—3 indicates the number of
100-pair complements
BKMA-16 Pr 139. Cable containing less than 100 pairs
SUBM 140. Submarine cable
BKMA-3 BKMA-2 141. Changes in cable size, count, type, or classification

310 m 103 m
(1017 ft) (338 ft) 142. Point on cable (other than splice) where a division of
BKMA-3
measurement or point of record is required
143. Proposed straight splice
144. Straight splice with changes
145. Splice with trench cable
146. Isolation gap
147. Splice, buried cable, in pedestal

B

Enc 148. Encapsulated splice
149. Cable loop—no splice involved
150. Pairs out and ends cleared in splice enclosure
151. Cable cut, ends cleared and capped
152. Insulating joint
Type
53A4-50P
1-50
P 1347 153. Fixed-count terminal
Address
Count

NC 25 A1
P 1346 154. Fixed-count terminal with cable protection
51-75
AT400-25P
76-100
P 1347 155. Fixed-count terminal without cable protection
BKMA-3 PM PM 156. Interface with moisture plug
157. Case with factory-equipped stub
158. Load coils and case

LC
159. Ground

160. Ground to multiground neutral vertical ground wire

MGNV
161. Power multiground neutral
TGR
162. Telecommunications ground rod
B.
N. 163. Power neutral bond
P.
Cable
Bond 164. Bond between separate metallic cable shields
Cable
165. Anchor only

166. Guy only
167. Anchor guy only
168. Anchor and insulated guy
169. Sidewalk anchor and guy
PB 170. Push brace
171. Anchor and guy owned by others

172. Existing pole
Pole
number
P 1375
25 ft 7 173. Proposed pole
Length
and class
(P 1375)
(25 ft 41)
174. Pole to be removed
Year originally set
(Type) 175. Non-wood pole (indicate material type)
176. Repeater station—two way
177. Capacitor (wire diagram)

178. Buildout capacitors located in case
179. Optical fiber cable
180. Multiplexer
P 1388
181. Underground conduit, maintenance hole, and subsidiary
conduit to pole P 1388
Type A
182. Proposed maintenance hole type, length, width,

3.7 m x 1.52 m x 2 m headroom, and type of frame and cover
(12 ft x 5 ft x 6.5 ft)
0.77 m (2.5 ft) B F & C
175 m (574 ft)

12 - 40 183. Trench meters (feet) and conduit type of duct
100 mm (4 in)

CMDW - 6 PR 184. One 6-pair multiple drop wire
185. Direct-buried wire
186. Non-protected wire terminal
187. Protected wire terminal
C
L 188. Center line
189. Drop pole

190. Existing pole with power of 230 V or less attached

(includes street light poles)
191. Existing pole with power of 480 V or more attached
192. Existing pole (of any voltage) with a mounted power

transformer or switch
193. Other buried utility
194. Extreme caution
195. Future plant extension

196. Flag referring to a specific note concerning the indicated

SEE NOTE #
location
197. Fence of any type
198. Railroad tracks
199. Tree or large shrub
200. Large drainage tube or culvert
201. Fire hydrant

202. Buried cable marker post
L 203. Buried cable marker post with locator cap
204. Gas or water valve

G
205. Buried cable closure
feeder distribution 206. OSP cable interface with cross-connect field

cable in cables out
2 207. Placing operation

Residential Communications
208. Drop location
209. Existing location to be rewired

XTW
210. Public telephone

P
211. Wall telephone

W
212. Secure wall telephone

SP
BA 213. Building automation outlet

Residential Communications, continued
OF 214. Horizontal fiber to the desktop
215. Security panel

S
216. Emergency telephone

E
217. Drop location with blank plate

B
218. Future telephone location

FP
219. Ceiling-mounted telephone location

C

Residential Communications, continued
220. Fire alarm panel

F
221. Security or fire alarm dialers

D
222. Floor mounted

Acronyms and Abbreviations
=A
A/D analog-to-digital
A&E architecture and engineering
ABA Architectural Barriers Act
ac alternating current
ACEG alternating current equipment ground
ACK acknowledgment
ACL access control list
ACR attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio
ACRF attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio, far-end
ACS access control system
ACWP actual cost of work performed
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
ADAAG Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines
ADF area distribution facility
ADO auxiliary disconnect outlet
ADPCM adaptive differential pulse code modulation
ADR alternative dispute resolution
ADSL asymmetric digital subscriber line
ADSS all-dielectric self-support
AEC acoustic echo canceller
AEC architecture, engineering, and construction
© 2020 BICSI® AA-1 ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

AES advanced encryption standard
AF audio frequency
AFEXT alien far-end crosstalk
AFF above finished floor
AGC automatic gain control
AHJ authority having jurisdiction
AHU air handling unit
AI analog input
AI articulation index

AIM automated infrastructure management
AM amplitude modulation
AMES architectural, mechanical, electrical, structural
AMI alternate mark inversion
AMSL above mean sea level
ANEXT alien near-end crosstalk

AO analog output
AP access point
AP access provider
APC angle physical contact
API application programming interface
AS Australian standard
ASCII American standard code for information interchange
ASP authorized service provider
ATM asynchronous transfer mode
ATM automatic teller machine
ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 AA-2 © 2020 BICSI®

ATR all-threaded-rod
ATS automatic transfer switch
AUTONEG autonegotiation
AV audiovisual
AWG American wire gauge
AWS advanced wireless services
AXT alien crosstalk
=B
BACnet® building automation and control network
BAS building automation systems
BBC backbone bonding conductor
BBMD BACnet® broadcast management device
BC bonding conductor
BCT bonding conductor for telecommunications
BCWP budgeted cost of work performed
BCWS budgeted cost of work scheduled
BD building distributor
BDA bidirectional amplifier
BDSL bit rate digital subscriber
BER bit error rate
BET building entrance terminal
BIBB BACnet® interoperability building block
BIM building information modeling

BMS building management system
BN bonding network
BNC Bayonet Neill-Concelman
BOM bill of material
BPSK binary phase shift keying
BRI basic rate interface
BSC base station controller
BSS basic service set
BTL BACnet® Testing Laboratories
BTS base transceiver station
BVLL BACnet® virtual link layer
=C
C chrominance signal
CAD computer-aided design
CADD computer-aided drafting and design
CAFM computer-aided facility management
CAN campus area network
CAP carrierless amplitude and phase
CAT category
CATV cable TV
CBC coupled bonding conductor
CBN common bonding network
CBS core bore seal
CCD charge coupled device

CCK complementary code keying
cct circuit (European)
CCTV closed-circuit TV
CCU coronary care unit
CCU critical care unit
cd candela
CD campus distributor
CD construction document
CDF campus distribution facility
CDMA code division multiple access
CE common element
CE Conformité Européene
CEBus® Consumer Electronics Bus
CENELEC Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
CENTREX central exchange
CER common equipment room
CEV controlled environment vault
CFR Code of Federal Regulations (U.S.)
CHCC comprehensive health care clinic
C/I carrier-to-interference ratio
CI circuit integrity
CIA confidentiality, integrity, and availability
CIC CEBus® Industry Council
CII critical infrastructure industry

CIS common intelligibility scale
ckt circuit (U.S.)
CLEC competitive local exchange carrier
CM common mode
CM construction manager
CM control module
CMP communications plenum
CMR communications riser
CMRR common-mode rejection ratio
CMU concrete masonry unit
CMUC communications undercarpet
CMX communications residential
CO central office
CO change order
CON certificate of need
COR close observation room
COT central office terminal
CP consolidation point
CPE customer premises equipment
CPI cost performance index
CPM critical path method
CPU central processing unit
CPVC chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
CR computer room
CRAC computer room air conditioning

CRC cyclic redundancy check
CRI color rendition index
CRO construction ride out
CRT cathode ray tube
CSI Construction Specifications Institute
CSMA/CA carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance
CSMA/CD carrier sense multiple access with collision detection
CSU channel service unit
CTCSS continuous tone coded squelch system
CTR common telecommunications room
CTS clear to send
CUE concrete universal enclosure
CWDM coarse wavelength division multiplexing
=D
D/A digital-to-analog
DA distributed automation
DA distribution amplifier
DAC direct attach cable
DACR digital alarm communicator receiver
DACS digital alarm communicator system
DACT digital alarm communicator transmitter
DARR digital alarm radio receiver
DARS digital alarm radio system
DART digital alarm radio transmitter

DAS direct-attached storage
DAS distributed antenna system
DAQ delivered audio quality
DB design-build
dBa A-weighted decibel
dBd decibels relative to a half wavelength dipole
dBi decibels relative to an isotropic radiator
DBS direct broadcast satellite
dBu decibel unit
dc direct current
DCIE data center infrastructure efficiency
DCS digital cellular system
DCS digital coded squelch
DD design development
DD design document
DD distribution device
DDC direct digital control
DDS dynamic digital signage
DECT digital enhanced cordless telecommunications
DEPIC dual expanded plastic insulated conductor
DHCP dynamic host configuration protocol
DI digital input
DLC data link control
DM differential mode

DMD differential mode delay
DMT discrete multitone
DMVPN Dynamic Multipoint Virtual Private Network
DMZ demilitarized zone
DNR digital noise reduction
DO digital output
DoS denial of service
DP demarcation point
DS digital signal
DS distribution system
DS0 digital signaling level zero
DS1 digital signal level one
DS1C digital signal level one C
DS2 digital signal level two
DS3 digital signal level three
DSL digital subscriber line
DSP digital signal processor
DSS digital satellite signal
DSSS direct sequence spread spectrum
DSU data service unit
DSX digital signal cross-connect
DTE data terminal equipment
DTV digital TV
DVB digital video broadcast
DVD digital versatile disc

DVI-A digital visual interface–analog
DVI-D digital visual interface–digital
DVI-I digital visual interface–integrated
DVMS digital video management system
DVR digital video recorder
DVT digital video technology
=E
E&O errors and omissions
E/O electronic-to-optical
EAC electronic access control
Eb/NO energy per bid to noise density ratio
EBC equipment bonding conductor
ECTFE ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene
EDA equipment distribution area
EDP electrical distribution panel
EEA European economic area
EESS Earth Exploration-Satellite Service
EF entrance facility
EFM Ethernet in the first mile
EFT electrical fast transient
EHF extremely high frequency
EIA Electronic Industries Alliance
EIRP effective isotropic radiated power
EIRP equivalent isotropic radiated power

ELF extremely low frequency
ELFEXT equal level far-end crosstalk
EM electromagnetic
EMB effective modal bandwidth
EMC electromagnetic compatibility
EMI electromagnetic interference
EMP electromagnetic pulse
EMR electromagnetic radiation
EMS emergency medical service
EMS energy management system
EMT electrical metallic tubing
ENI external network interface
ENT electrical non-metallic tubing
EO equipment outlet
EoDSL Ethernet over digital subscriber line
EOLR end-of-line resistor
EP entrance point
EPO emergency power off
EPON Ethernet passive optical network
EPR earth potential rise
EQ equalizer
ER equipment room
ERP effective radiated power
ERRCS emergency responder radio coverage systems
ESD electrostatic discharge

ESF extended superframe
ESMR enhanced specialized mobile radio
ESN electronic serial number
ESS electronic security and safety
ESS extended service set
ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute
ETL Electronic Testing Laboratories (Intertek)
EV earned value
=F
F/UTP foil screened with unshielded twisted-pairs
FA fire alarm
FACP fire alarm control panel
fax facsimile
FC ferrule connector
FC fiber connector
FC fixed connector
FCC Federal Communications Commission
FCS frame check sequence
FD floor distributor
FDDI fiber distributed data interface
FDM frequency division multiplexing
FEC forward error correction
FEP fluorinated ethylene propylene
FEXT far-end crosstalk

FHSS frequency-hopping spread spectrum
FirstNet First Responder Network Authority
FIT frame interline transfer
FLA flooded lead acid
FLS fire-life-safety
FM frequency modulation
FMC flexible metal conduit
FMT flexible metallic tubing
FO fiber optic
FO field order
FOV field of view
F-PDCH forward packet data channel
FR fire retardant
FRS Family Radio Service
FS factor of safety
FS Fixed Service
FSO free space optics
FTC failure to capture
FTP file transfer protocol
FTP foil twisted-pair
FTTH fiber to the home
FTTO fiber to the office
FTTx fiber to the x
FWHM full width half maximum

=G
G conductance
GAN global area network
GbE Gigabit Ethernet
GC general contractor
GE grounding equalizer
GEC grounding electrode conductor
GFCI ground fault circuit interrupter
GIS geographic information system
GMP guaranteed maximum price
GPON gigabit passive optical network
GPR ground penetrating radar
GPR ground potential rise
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
GUI graphical user interface
=H
HAAT height above average terrain
HC horizontal cross-connect
HCP horizontal connection point
HD high definition
HDA horizontal distribution area
HDMI high-definition multimedia interface
HDPE high density polyethylene
HDSDI high-definition serial digital interface

HDSL high bit-rate digital subscriber line
HDTV high definition TV
HF high frequency
HFC hybrid fiber-coax
HH handhole
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
hostid host identification
HR human resources
HR/DSSS high rate direct sequence spread spectrum
HSAB high-speed air blown (procedure)
HSPDA high-speed downlink packet access
HTTP hypertext transfer protocol
HVAC heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
=I
I/O input/output
I current
I in-phase signal
IAPP interaccess point protocol
IB intelligent building
IBC International Building Code
IBN isolated bonding network
IBSS independent basic service set
IC integrated circuit
IC intermediate cross-connect

ICT information and communications technology
ICU intensive care unit
ID identifier
ID inside diameter
ID intelligent device
ID intermediate distributor
IDC initiating device circuit
IDC insulation displacement connector
IDF intermediate distribution frame
IDS intrusion detection systems
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
IESS integrated electronic security systems
IETF Internet Engineering Task Force
IF intermediate frequency
IFC intrafacility cabling
IG isolated ground
ILEC incumbent local exchange carrier
IMC intermediate metal conduit
IOR index of refraction
IoT internet of things
IP ingress protection (e.g., IP52)
IP internet protocol
IPD integrated project delivery
IPsec internet protocol security
IPTS interactive patient TV system

IR infrared
IR insulation resistance
ISDN integrated services digital network
ISM industrial, scientific, and medical
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ISOC Internet Society
ISP inside plant
ISP internet service provider
IT information technology
ITB invitation to bid
ITE information technology equipment
ITS information technology systems
ITU International Telecommunications Union
IW inside wire
=J
JCAHO Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
JIS Japanese Industrial Standard
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group
=K
KSU key service unit
KTS key telephone system
KVM keyboard/video/mouse

=L
L2TP/IPSec Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol/ internet protocol security
LAD link access device
LC latching connector
LCD liquid crystal display
LCE limited common element
LCX leaky coaxial
LD laser diode
LDP local distribution point
LEC line echo canceller
LEC local exchange carrier
LED light-emitting diode
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LF low frequency
LiDAR light imaging detection and ranging
LLC logical link control
LMDS local multipoint distribution service
LMR land mobile radio
LMS land mobile service
locap low-capacitance
LORAN long range navigation
LoS line of sight
LOTO lock out – tag out
LP low pressure
LPC license plate capture

LPDA log-periodic dipole array
LPR license plate recognition
LS0H low smoke zero halogen
LSA Lotfrei Schraubfei Abisolierfrei
LSZH low smoke zero halogen
LT line terminal
LVD low voltage disconnect
LW long wavelength
LWAPP lightweight access point protocol
=M
MAC media access control
MAC move, add, and change
MAHO mobile assisted handoff
MAN metropolitan area network
MAP mobile application part
MC main cross-connect
MC metal clad
MCC motor control center
MC-CDMA multi-carrier code division multiple access
MCU master control unit
MD main distributor
MDA main distribution area
MDI medium dependent interface
MDP main distribution panel

MDU multi-dwelling unit
MDU-TR multi-dwelling unit telecommunications room
MEGB main electrical grounding busbar
mesh-BN meshed bonding network
MF medium frequency
MFD mode field diameter
MGN multiground neutral
MH maintenance hole
MIB management information base
MICE Mechanical, Ingress, Climatic/Chemical, Electromagnetic
MIMO multiple input multiple output
MIN mobile identification number
M-JPEG Motion-Joint Photographic Experts Group
MLT multilevel transmission
MM multimode
MMDS multi-channel multipoint distribution service
MMDS multipoint microwave distribution system
MMF multimode fiber
MOV metal oxide varistor
MP3 Moving Picture Experts Group layer 3
MPEG Moving Picture Experts Group
MPO multifiber push-on
MPOE minimum point of entry
MPP modular patch panel
MPTL modular plug terminated link

MRE makeready engineering
MRI magnetic resonance imaging
MS mobile station
MSC mobile switching center
MSDS material safety data sheet
MSS meteorological-satellite service
MTBF mean time between failure
MTTR mean time to repair
MUTOA multi-user telecommunications outlet assembly
=N
NA numerical aperture
NAC network admission control
NAC notification appliance circuit
NAS network attached storage
NC network computer
NC noise criterion
NCS National CAD Standard
NEBS Network Equipment-Building Systems
NEC® National Electrical Code®
NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association
netid network identification
NEXT near-end crosstalk
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NI network interface

NIC network interface card
NiCd nickel cadmium
NICU neonatal intensive care unit
NID network interface device
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
NMC network management center
NOC network operations center
NOS network operating system
NPLFA non-power-limited fire alarm
NPSBN Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
NRC noise reduction coefficient
NRTL nationally recognized testing laboratory
NRZ non-return-to-zero
NRZI non-return-to-zero inverted
NT network terminal
NTIA National Telecommunications and Information Administration
NTSC National Television System Committee
NVP nominal velocity of propagation
NVR network video recorder
NZS New Zealand Standard
=O
O/E optical-to-electronic
O&M operations and maintenance
OBS organization breakdown structure

OC optical carrier
OC outlet cable
OCPD overcurrent protection devices
OD outside diameter
ODBC open database connectivity
OEM original equipment manufacturer
OET Office of Engineering and Technology
OFC optical fiber conductive
OFCG optical fiber conductive general purpose
OFCP optical fiber conductive plenum
OFCR optical fiber conductive riser
OFDM orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
OFDMA orthogonal frequency division multiple access
OFL overfilled launch
OFN optical fiber non-conductive
OFNG optical fiber non-conductive general purpose
OFNP optical fiber non-conductive plenum
OFNR optical fiber non-conductive riser
OLED organic light-emitting diode
OLT optical line terminal/termination
OLTS optical loss test set
OM optical multimode
OM1 optical multimode 1

ONT optical network terminal
ONU optical network unit
OPM optical power meter
OS operating system
OS optical singlemode
OS1 optical singlemode 1
OS2 optical singlemode 2
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSI Open Systems Interconnection
OSP Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis
OSP outside plant
OSPF Open Shortest Path First
OTDR optical time domain reflectometer
=P
PA average power
PA public address
PABX private automatic branch exchange
PAD packet assembler/disassembler
PAL phase alternation line
PAM pulse amplitude modulation
PAN personal area network
PB polybutylene

PB pull box
PBB primary bonding busbar
PBCC packet binary convolutional coding
PBPP pathway barrier penetration plates
PBX private branch exchange
PC physical contact
PCB printed circuit board
PCM pulse code modulation
PCS personal communications system/service
PD powered device
PDU power distribution unit
PDU protocol data unit
PE polyethylene
PE professional engineer
PERT program evaluation review technique
PET protected entrance terminal
PF power factor
PFAS personal fall arrest system
PFM pulse frequency modulation
PHY physical
PIC plastic insulated conductor
PID passive infrared detector
PIN personal identification number
PIN positive intrinsic negative

PIR passive infrared
PIV personal identification verification
PL performance level
PL power-limited
PLC programmable logic controller
PLFA power-limited fire alarm
PM phase modulation
PM project management/manager
PMA physical medium attachment
PMD physical medium dependent
POCSAG Post Office Code Standardization Advisory Group
PoE power over Ethernet
POF plastic optical fiber
PON passive optical network
POP point of presence
POS point of sale
POT portable operator’s terminal
POTS plain old telephone service
POU power outlet unit
PP peak power
PPE personal protective equipment
PPM pulse position modulation
PPTP Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol
PRCS permit required confined space

PRI primary rate interface
PRR pulse repetition rate
PSAACR-F power sum attenuation-to-alien crosstalk ratio at far-end
PSAACR-N power sum attenuation-to-alien crosstalk ratio at near-end
PSACR power sum attenuation to crosstalk ratio
PSACRF power sum attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio-far end
PSAFEXT power sum alien far-end crosstalk
PSANEXT power sum alien near-end crosstalk
PSE power sourcing equipment
PSELFEXT power sum equal level far-end crosstalk
PSIM physical security information management
PSK phase-shift keying
PSNEXT power sum near-end crosstalk
PSTN public switched telephone network
PTC positive temperature coefficient
PTP point-to-point
PTZ pan, tilt, and zoom
PUC public utilities commission
PUE power usage effectiveness
PVC permanent virtual circuit
PVC polyvinyl chloride
PWM pulse width modulation

=Q
Q quadrature signal
QAM quadrature amplitude modulation
QC quality control
QoS quality of service
QPSK quadrature phase-shift keying
=R
R/W right-of-way
RACE rescue, alarm, confine, extinguish
RADIUS remote authentication dial-in user service
RADSL rate-adaptive digital subscriber line
RAID redundant array of independent disks
RARSR radio alarm repeater station receiver
RAS radio alarm system
RASSR radio alarm supervising station receiver
RAT radio alarm transmitter
RBB rack bonding busbar
RBC rack bonding conductor
REX request to exit
RF radio frequency
RFB request for bid
RFI radio frequency interference
RFI request for information
RFI request for interest

RFI request for interpretation
RFID radio frequency identification
RFoG radio frequency over glass
RFP request for proposal
RFQ request for qualifications
RFQ request for quotation
RG radio grade
RGB rack grounding busbar
RGB red, green, blue
RH relative humidity
RJ registered jack
RL return loss
RMC rigid metal conduit
rms root mean square
RMU rack mounting unit
RNC rigid non-metallic conduit
RO remote office
ROI return on investment
RPE radiation pattern envelope
RPP remote power panel
RPR resilient packet ring
RSTP rapid spanning tree protocol
RTS request to send
RU rack unit
RZ return to zero

=S
2G second generation
S/E signal to error
S/FTP screened/foil twisted-pair
S siemen
SaaS software as a service
SAC security and access control
SAN storage area network
SAP service access point
SAT source address table
SAT systems acceptance test
SBB secondary bonding busbar
SBG supplementary bonding grid
SC subscriber connector
SCS structured cabling system
SCADA supervisory control and data acquisition
SCO synchronous connection-oriented
SCSI small computer system interface
ScTP screened twisted-pair
SCU special care unit
SCUPC subscriber connector-ultra physical contact
SD schematic design
SDH synchronous digital hierarchy
SDI serial digital interface

SDK software development kit
SDP service discovery profile
SDR software defined radio
SDR standard dimension ratio
SDSL symmetrical digital subscriber line
SECAM séquentiel couleur avec mémoire
SF/UTP overall braid and foil screened with unshielded twisted-pair
SFF small form factor
SFP small form factor pluggable
SHF super high frequency
SI International System of Units
SIM subscriber identity module
SLC signaling line circuit
SM singlemode
SMA subminiature A
SMF singlemode fiber
SMR specialized mobile radio
SMS short message service
SNI standard network interface
SNMP simple network management protocol
SNR signal-to-noise ratio
SONET synchronous optical network
SoW scope of work
SP service provider

SPD surge protection device
SPF shortest path first
SPG single-point ground
SPI schedule performance index
SPL sound pressure level
SPP serial port profile
SRL structural return loss
SS7 Signaling System No. 7
SSB single sideband modulation
SSID service set identifier
SSO single sign-on
ST straight terminus
STDM statistical time division multiplexing
STP shielded twisted-pair
STS shared tenant service
STS static transfer switch
STS synchronous transport signal
SVC switched virtual circuit
SWR standing wave ratio
=T
3G third generation
3GPP2 Third Generation Partnership Project Two
T1 trunk level 1
T3 trunk level 3

T&C terms and conditions
TB terminal block
TBB telecommunications bonding backbone
TBBIBC telecommunications bonding backbone interconnecting bonding conductor
TBC telecommunications bonding conductor
TCP transmission control protocol
TCP/IP transmission control protocol/ internet protocol
TDD telecommunications device for the deaf
TDD time division duplex
TDM time division multiplexing
TDR technology distribution room
TDR time domain reflectometer
TD-SCDMA time division synchronous code division multiple access
TE telecommunications enclosure
TEBC telecommunications equipment bonding conductor
TEC technology equipment center
TERM terminal
TGB telecommunications grounding busbar
TIA Telecommunications Industry Association
TL transmission level
TM trade mark
TMGB telecommunications main grounding busbar
TO telecommunications outlet
TP transition point

TP-PMD twisted-pair physical medium dependent
TR telecommunications room
TSB Telecommunications Systems Bulletin
TTY teletypewriter/text telephone
TVL TV line
TX transmitter
TXOP transmit opportunity
=U
U/FTP unshielded twisted-pair cable with foil screened twisted-pair conductors
U-NII unlicensed national information infrastructure
U/UTP unshielded twisted-pair cable with unshielded twisted-pair conductors
UBC unit bonding conductor
UC unified communications
UDP user datagram protocol
UDS uniform data system
UHF ultrahigh frequency
UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service
UPC ultra physical contact
UPC universal product code
UPS uninterruptible power supply
USB universal serial bus
USGBC U.S. Green Building Council
USOC universal service order code

UTC undercarpet telecommunications cable
UTP unshielded twisted-pair
UV ultraviolet
=V
VAV variable air volume
VCSEL vertical cavity surface emitting laser
VDL vertical down lead
VE value engineering
VDSL very high bit-rate digital subscriber line
VF voice frequency
VFL visual fault locator
VGA video graphics array
VHF very high frequency
VLA vented lead-acid
VLAN virtual LAN
VLF very low frequency
VoIP voice over internet protocol
VOM volt-ohm-milliammeter
VPN virtual private network
VRLA valve-regulated lead-acid
VSS video surveillance system
VSWR voltage standing wave ratio

=W
WA work area
WAN wide area network
WAP wireless access point
WATS wide area telephone service
WBS work breakdown structure
WCDMA wideband code division multiple access
WDM wavelength division multiplexing/multiplexer
WEP wired equivalent privacy
WG working group
Wi-Fi wireless fidelity
WLAN wireless LAN
WMTS wireless medical telemetry service
WPAN wireless personal area network
WW wireway
=X
xDSL x digital subscriber line
XGA extended graphics array
XLPE cross-linked polyethylene
XML extensible markup language
XPD cross-polarization discrimination
=Z
ZD zone distributor
ZDA zone distribution area

Units of Measurement
°C degree Celsius
°F degree Fahrenheit
A ampere
AH ampere hour
amp ampere
b bit
b/s bit per second
BTU British thermal unit
cfm cubic foot per minute
cm centimeter
dB decibel
dB/km decibel per kilometer
dBA decibel A-weighting
dBm decibel milliwatt
dBmV decibel millivolt
dBu decibel unloaded
dBV decibel volt
dBW decibel watt
EHz exahertz
eV electron volt
fc foot-candle

fps frames per second
ft foot
ft2 square foot
ft3 cubic foot
Gb gigabit
Gb/s gigabit per second
GeV giga-electron volt
GHz gigahertz
H henry
h hour
HP horsepower
Hz hertz
in inch
in WC inch water column
in2 square inch
K Kelvin
kb kilobit
kb/s kilobit per second
kcmil one thousand circular mils
KeV Kilo-electron-volt
kg kilogram
kHz kilohertz
km kilometer

km/s kilometer per second
kN kilonewton
kPa kilopascal
kV kilovolt
kVA kilovolt-ampere
kW kilowatt
kWh kilowatt hour
lb pound
lbf pound-force
m meter
m2 square meter
mA milliampere
Mb megabit
Mb/s megabit per second
MCM one thousand circular mil
MeV mega-electron volt
MHz megahertz
MHz•km megahertz•kilometer
mi mile
mi/s mile per second
mil circular mil
Mm megameter
mm millimeter

mm2 square millimeter
ms millisecond
mV millivolt
mW milliwatt
N newton
nm nanometer
ns nanosecond
Pa pascal
pF picofarad
pF/m picofarad per meter
PHz petahertz
ps picoseconds
psi pound per square inch
RU rack unit
s second
Tb/s terabit per second
THz terahertz
V volt
V/m volt per meter
VA volt-ampere
Vac volts alternating current
Vdc volt direct current
Vpp volts peak-to-peak

Vrms volt root-mean-square
W watt
YHz Yottahertz
ZHz Zettahertz
μm micron
μs microsecond
μV microvolt

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BICSI's ICT

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TI&M SMETL: Justin Pine, RCDD; Specified Technologies, Inc.

TI&M Chair: Michael A. Collins, RCDD, RTPM; AT&T

TI&M Vice-Chair: Robert B. Hertling Jr., RCDD, OSP; Parsons

TI&M Secretary: Philip W. Janeway, RCDD; JDH Contracting

Contributors: Beatriz M. “Betty” Bezos, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD,

© 2020 BICSI® i ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

Lead Technical Editor: Allen Dean

Co-Technical Editor: Jeff Giarrizzo

Senior Publications Designer: John Ditzel

ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 ii © 2020 BICSI®

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10Base-T Ethernet at 10 megabits per second (Mb/s) over two pairs of

10GBase-LR Ethernet at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) over one pair of

10GBase-LX4 1. Ethernet at 10 gigabits per second (Gb/s) over one pair of

110C Connector See insulation displacement connector (IDC).

© 2020 BICSI® Gl-1 ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

66 connector A type of insulation displacement connector (IDC).

absorption A phenomenon causing attenuation of wave signals (e.g., electrical,

ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 Gl-2 © 2020 BICSI®

acceptance test A test or set of tests performed to demonstrate satisfactory completion of a

access The process of connecting to a network.

access control An identification device assigned to an individual to give that individual

access controller See data gathering panel.

access floor A system consisting of completely removable and interchangeable floor

© 2020 BICSI® Gl-3 ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0

accreditation The formal process by which an agency or organization evaluates and

active circuit Any circuit connected to an energized system.

ad hoc network A peer-to-peer network characterized by communication between nodes

ICT Terminology Handbook V3.0 Gl-4 © 2020 BICSI®

addendum A document used to provide additional requirements and recommendations