---
title: The ultimate telecommunications glossary
description: Internet and computer jargon can sound like a foreign language, be difficult to understand and feel intimidating to many people. Our ultimate glossary explains all the words and phrases and will be your go-to tech encyclopedia.
---

[Premitel Blog](https://blog.premitel.co.za)

# [The ultimate telecommunications glossary](https://blog.premitel.co.za/the-ultimate-telecommunications-glossary)

 Written by [Kobus Venter](https://blog.premitel.co.za/author/kobus-venter) | Oct 31, 2019 1:07:56 PM

**Internet and computer jargon can sound like a foreign language, be difficult to understand and feel intimidating to many people. Our ultimate glossary explains all the words and phrases and will be your go-to tech encyclopedia.**

You might have heard your IT consultant or someone you know who is a tech wizard speak about ‘clearing your cache’ or  ‘Javascript and the LAMP stack,‘ and you had no idea what they were talking about. We’ve compiled a comprehensive glossary to help you understand computer and internet jargon, in clear and simple English.

- [Telecommunications terminology](https://blog.premitel.co.za/the-ultimate-telecommunications-glossary?hs_amp=true#telecommunications)
- [Voice Communications terminology](https://blog.premitel.co.za/the-ultimate-telecommunications-glossary?hs_amp=true#voice)
- [Internet and website terminology](https://blog.premitel.co.za/the-ultimate-telecommunications-glossary?hs_amp=true#internet)

## Telecommunications terminology

## Voice Communications terminology

- **CCITT:** Consultative Committee on International Telegraph and Telephone. The principle of international standards-writing body for digital telecom networks (ISDN).
- **Cloud calling:** This is where voice calling services are offered through a third-party host. Also known as cloud telephony.
- **Decentralized call center:** Also known as a cloud call center. This is where the call center relies far more heavily on cloud capabilities and less on hardware to manage their call center. Hosting the call center software online allows staff to be located anywhere, as long as they have a good internet connection.
- **Exchange:** refers to a telephone switching center.
- **Extension:** an additional telephone connected to a line.
- **IP telephony:** enables voice, data, and video to be routed via a single cable over a LAN, WAN or Internet
- **IVR:** Interactive Voice Response. A generic term for transaction systems allowing phone callers to use an ordinary telephone to interact with a computer through speech or dialed instructions. Each response by the caller triggers another recorded message until the transaction is completed.
- **PBX:** PBX is the improved version of Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX)and is a technology used by call centers and other large organizations. PBX allows a single access number to have several lines for outside callers while still giving a range of external lines to internal callers. PBX automatically does all the switching needed for making internal calls between extensions within an organization and gives a connection between extensions and external phone lines.
- **Latency:** This represents the time delay before the transfer of data begins following the instruction for its transfer.
- **Redundancy:** The term used to describe the process through which additional or alternate instances of network devices, equipment and communication mediums are installed within network infrastructure. It is a method for ensuring network availability in case of a network device or path failure and unavailability.
- **VoIP:** VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is a method of using the internet to make and receive telephone calls. When using VoIP, a person's voice is transmitted into digital data which is then fragmented into packets which are sent via the internet. 

## Internet and website terminology

- **Add-ons:** An add-on, which can also be called a plug-in or extension, is a software application that runs within another programme to enhance that programme’s performance. Web browsers like Google will often have add-ons such as Google Translate or Adblock Plus.
- **Adware:** Adware is free software that includes adverts to generate revenue. Adware isn’t a danger to the health of your computer, unlike malware.
- **API:** This stands for Application Programming Interface and refers to the web application builder interface. APIs provide coders with the basic materials they need to create the programme they are trying to build.
- **Browser:** A web browser is software, often already installed on computers and mobile devices, which convert HTML and XML computer code into a readable webpage. Many browsers can be downloaded from the internet. Popular web browsers include Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.
- **Cache:** The browser cache is the storage area that gives you speedy access to the information you’ve recently used on your web browser. When visiting a website for the second time, it will usually load faster because some of the information from the website has been stored in the cache or in the cloud.
- **Colocation of servers:** A data center facility where companies can rent space on servers. The service provided includes cooling, storage and security of the physical server. The data on the servers can then be accessed by the company using a secure login.
- **CSS:** This stands for Cascading Style Sheet. This is computer language, like HTML, which links with HTML to communicate how a website should be designed. Where HTML is seen as the skeleton of a webpage, CSS is seen as the flesh of the webpage, creating the webpage’s fonts, layout, colours and so much more.
- **Hosting:** Hosting is generally provided by a hosting service provider that builds a specialised backend computing infrastructure with the necessary coding that will recognise a website by its unique domain name and logically provided web space and storage. Hosting also includes data hosting, application or software hosting, and IT services hosting. 
- **HTML:** Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the programming language of all web pages. HTML communicate with your web browser to display text and graphics in a certain style. HTML and CSS  work hand-in-hand to create a fully - designed webpage.
- **IMAP:** Internet Message Access Protocol is an email protocol that webmail providers use to allow users to download their email to client software. IMAP is best for those who access their email from multiple devices as it synchronises via the email server better than other email protocols.
- **Javascript:** Javascript, like HTML, is a computer programming language used to create interactive effects within browsers. Javascript enables calculators, quizzes, animated graphics, and other special effects to perform on the web browser. [Javascript was developed by Netscape.](https://medium.com/@benastontweet/lesson-1a-the-history-of-javascript-8c1ce3bffb17)
- **LAMP:** LAMP is the acronym for the four most basic software technologies used to create a website. L stands for [Linux](https://www.linux.org/)which is an operating system. A is [Apache](https://www.apache.org/), a web server software. M stands for [MySQL](https://www.mysql.com/) which is a database management system and P is for [PHP](https://www.php.net) which is another web scripting language.<https://www.python.org/>
- **Malware:** Malware is short for malicious software that can damage the health of your computer. This is often used by hackers and includes viruses, trojans, keyloggers, zombie programmes, and any other software that will damage your computer. Malware is designed to either vandalise your computer, steal private information, control your computer remotely, or manipulate you as the user to purchase something.
- **POP3:** Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) is an email protocol which is used to access emails from a single system. It deletes mail from the server after downloading, making it unwieldy to synchronise activity across multiple devices. Webmail services allow access to users via POP3.
- **RAM:** This is the Random Access Memory of your device and it gives the user quick access to random information. The better and larger the RAM on a device, the quicker it will run - meaning searching for information on your device will be easier.
- **SaaS:** This stands for Software as a Service and is a software delivery method where software and data are centrally hosted on the cloud or by a third party to make this software and data available to customers over the internet. The third party or the cloud provides customers with a network-based access to a single copy of an application that the provider created specifically for SaaS distribution.
- **VPN:** Virtual Private Network is simply a way of securely accessing resources on a network by connecting to a remote access server through the internet. It is used to avoid eavesdropping by hackers. A VPN also allows you to hide your identity while online which is recommended when connecting to an untrusted network, especially when using a company device.
- **WAP:** WAP is Wireless Application Protocol and is a worldwide, open standard for accessing online services through mobile devices. It gives you text-based information from the web in a format that is easy for a mobile screen to display and is quick to download. 
- **WASP:** WASP is the acronym for Wireless Application Service Provider. It allows access to internet-based applications, services and software from  wireless devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. WASP services are generally targeted for business users and include services such as constant system monitoring, diagnostics and resolution, and text formatting for various devices.
- **WLAN:** This stands for Wireless Local Area Network and allows you to wirelessly connect to your email and internet at speeds of up to 11,000MB.

As you can see, the world of computers, technology, and the internet has a vast range of words. If you think there’s another term you aren't familiar with and think should be in this glossary, let us know.

**For all forward-thinking communication and internet solutions, developments and insights, [subscribe to our blog](https://content.premitel.co.za/subscribe-to-the-blog). **

[View full post](https://blog.premitel.co.za/the-ultimate-telecommunications-glossary)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Kobus Venter"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2020-06-25T13:43:45.274Z",
  "datePublished" : "2019-10-31T13:07:56Z",
  "headline" : "The ultimate telecommunications glossary",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "url" : "https://content.premitel.co.za/hubfs/9.png"
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.premitel.co.za/the-ultimate-telecommunications-glossary",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Premitel Blog"
  }
}
```