Industry Glossary

Telecom, Contact Center & AI Terminology

520+ definitions to help you navigate the world of telecommunications, customer service technology, and artificial intelligence.

A
34 terms

Abandoned Call

contact-center

A call where the caller hangs up before being connected to an agent or completing their intended action.

Access Point

telecom

A device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network.

ACD(Automatic Call Distributor)

contact-center

A telephony system that automatically routes incoming calls to the most appropriate agent or department based on predefined rules.

ACW(After Call Work)

contact-center

The time an agent spends completing tasks related to a call after the conversation has ended, such as updating records or sending follow-up emails.

Agent Analytics

gozupees

GoZupees' dashboard providing performance insights for both AI and human agents.

Agent Assist

ai-ml

AI-powered tools that provide real-time guidance and information to customer service agents during live interactions.

Related:VerSense Co-Pilot™

Agent Desktop

contact-center

The user interface that agents use to handle customer interactions and access tools.

Agent Experience(AX)

contact-center

The overall quality of an agent's work environment and daily experience.

Agent Occupancy

contact-center

The percentage of time an agent spends handling calls or doing after-call work compared to their total logged-in time.

Agent Utilization

contact-center

A metric measuring how effectively agent time is being used for productive work activities.

Agentic AI

ai-ml

AI systems capable of autonomous action, planning, and decision-making to achieve complex goals.

Agentic Automation

gozupees

GoZupees' approach to building autonomous AI systems that can perceive, decide, and act on behalf of businesses.

Aggregation

telecom

Combining multiple network connections or signals into a single logical connection.

Agile

general

A project management methodology emphasizing iterative development and flexibility.

AHT(Average Handle Time)

contact-center

The average duration of a customer interaction, including talk time, hold time, and after-call work.

AI Agent

ai-ml

An autonomous artificial intelligence system capable of perceiving its environment, making decisions, and taking actions to achieve specific goals.

AI Copilot

ai-ml

An AI assistant that works alongside human agents to enhance their capabilities and provide real-time support during customer interactions.

Related:VerSense Co-Pilot™

Algorithm

ai-ml

A set of rules or instructions that a computer follows to solve a problem or complete a task.

Analytics

general

The systematic computational analysis of data to discover patterns and insights.

ANI(Automatic Number Identification)

telecom

A telecommunications feature that transmits the caller's phone number to the receiving party.

API(Application Programming Interface)

general

A set of protocols and tools that allows different software applications to communicate with each other.

ASA(Average Speed of Answer)

contact-center

The average time callers wait in queue before their call is answered by an agent.

ASR(Automatic Speech Recognition)

ai-ml

Technology that converts spoken language into text, enabling voice-based interfaces and transcription.

Asymmetric

telecom

Having different upload and download speeds, typical of consumer internet connections.

Attention Mechanism

ai-ml

A component in neural networks that allows models to focus on relevant parts of input data.

Attenuation

telecom

The reduction in signal strength as it travels through a medium.

Attrition Rate

contact-center

The rate at which employees leave an organization, particularly relevant in contact centers where turnover can be high.

Authentication

general

The process of verifying the identity of a user, device, or system before granting access to resources.

Auto-Attendant

telecom

An automated phone system that answers calls and routes them based on caller input without human intervention.

Automation

general

The use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention, increasing efficiency and consistency.

Auxiliary Time(AUX)

contact-center

Time when agents are logged in but not available to take calls (breaks, training, etc.).

Availability

general

The proportion of time a system is in a functioning condition.

Availability Zone

telecom

An isolated data center location within a cloud region for redundancy.

Average Wait Time

contact-center

The mean time customers spend waiting before their call is answered or their issue is addressed.

B
22 terms

Back Office

contact-center

Support functions that handle administrative tasks behind customer-facing operations.

Backbone

telecom

The high-capacity core network infrastructure that connects multiple networks and carries the majority of data traffic.

Backhaul

telecom

The network connections between the cell sites and the core network, carrying aggregated traffic.

Bandwidth

telecom

The maximum rate of data transfer across a network path, typically measured in bits per second.

Benchmark

general

A standard or point of reference for measuring performance.

BERT(Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers)

ai-ml

A language model developed by Google that revolutionized NLP by understanding context from both directions.

Best Practice

general

A method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior.

BGP(Border Gateway Protocol)

telecom

The protocol that manages how packets are routed across the internet through the exchange of routing information between autonomous systems.

Bias

ai-ml

Systematic errors in AI models that can lead to unfair or inaccurate outcomes.

Billing Agent

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent specialized in handling billing inquiries, payment processing, and account management.

Billing Cycle

telecom

The recurring period during which customer usage is tracked and invoiced, typically monthly.

Billing Dispute

contact-center

A customer's formal challenge to charges on their account that they believe are incorrect.

Bit Rate

telecom

The number of bits processed or transmitted per unit of time.

Blended Agent

contact-center

A contact center agent trained to handle multiple channels of communication such as calls, emails, and chat.

Bot

ai-ml

A software application that runs automated tasks, often used for customer service interactions.

BPO(Business Process Outsourcing)

general

The practice of contracting business operations and responsibilities to a third-party service provider.

Broadband

telecom

High-speed internet access that is always on and faster than traditional dial-up access.

Bug

general

An error or flaw in software that causes incorrect or unexpected behavior.

Burstable

telecom

The ability to exceed normal bandwidth limits for short periods.

Business Hours

contact-center

The hours during which a contact center is open and available for customer service.

Business Intelligence

general

Technologies and practices for collecting, integrating, analyzing, and presenting business data to support better decision-making.

Business Rules Engine

general

Software that executes predefined rules to automate decision-making processes in business applications.

C
53 terms

Cable Modem

telecom

A device that enables internet connectivity through a cable television network.

Cache

general

A hardware or software component storing data for faster future access.

Call Avoidance

contact-center

Agent behavior of improperly avoiding or disconnecting calls.

Call Blending

contact-center

The practice of switching agents between inbound and outbound calls based on traffic patterns.

Call Center

contact-center

A centralized facility designed to handle large volumes of telephone calls for customer service, sales, or support.

Call Deflection

contact-center

Strategies and technologies used to redirect customer inquiries from voice calls to self-service or digital channels.

Call Flow

contact-center

The predetermined path a call takes through an IVR or phone system based on caller inputs and system logic.

Call Monitoring

contact-center

The practice of listening to live or recorded calls for quality and training purposes.

Call Recording

contact-center

The practice of capturing and storing audio from phone conversations for quality assurance, training, or compliance.

Call Routing

contact-center

The process of directing incoming calls to specific agents, departments, or queues based on defined criteria.

Callback

contact-center

A feature that allows customers to request a return call instead of waiting on hold.

Carrier

telecom

A telecommunications company that provides communication services to consumers and businesses.

CBRS(Citizens Broadband Radio Service)

telecom

A 3.5 GHz spectrum band in the US designated for shared wireless broadband use.

CCaaS(Contact Center as a Service)

contact-center

A cloud-based customer experience solution that allows companies to utilize contact center capabilities on a subscription basis.

CDN(Content Delivery Network)

telecom

A distributed network of servers that delivers web content to users based on their geographic location.

CDR(Call Detail Record)

telecom

A data record produced by a telephone exchange containing details of a call that passed through it.

Central Office(CO)

telecom

A facility where customer lines are connected to switching equipment.

Chat Bot

ai-ml

An AI-powered software that simulates human conversation through text or voice interfaces.

Churn

telecom

The rate at which customers stop subscribing to a service over a given time period.

Related:Customer Retention

Churn Prediction

ai-ml

The use of data analytics and machine learning to identify customers likely to cancel their service.

CI/CD(Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment)

general

Practices for automating software building, testing, and deployment.

Circuit

telecom

A dedicated communication path between two points.

Classification

ai-ml

A machine learning task that categorizes data into predefined classes or labels.

CLEC(Competitive Local Exchange Carrier)

telecom

A telecommunications provider that competes with incumbent local exchange carriers in a deregulated market.

CLI(Command Line Interface)

general

A text-based interface used to interact with software and operating systems.

Cloud Computing

general

The delivery of computing services over the internet, including servers, storage, databases, and software.

Clustering

ai-ml

An unsupervised learning technique that groups similar data points together.

Coaching

contact-center

One-on-one guidance provided to agents to improve their performance.

Coax(Coaxial Cable)

telecom

A type of copper cable with a central conductor surrounded by insulation and shielding, used for cable TV and internet.

Colo(Colocation)

telecom

Housing privately-owned servers in a third-party data center.

Compliance

general

Adherence to laws, regulations, guidelines, and specifications relevant to business operations.

Compliance Engine

gozupees

GoZupees' system for ensuring AI interactions meet regulatory and company policy requirements.

Compliance Recording

contact-center

Recording calls for regulatory and legal compliance purposes.

Computer Vision

ai-ml

A field of AI enabling machines to interpret and understand visual information.

Contact Center

contact-center

A customer interaction hub that manages communications across multiple channels including phone, email, chat, and social media.

Contact Reason

contact-center

The primary reason a customer initiates contact with a company.

Contention Ratio

telecom

The number of users sharing a communication channel or bandwidth pool.

Context Window

ai-ml

The maximum amount of text an AI model can process in a single interaction.

Conversation Intelligence

gozupees

GoZupees' AI-powered analysis of customer conversations to extract insights and recommendations.

Related:VerSight™

Conversational AI

ai-ml

AI technology that enables computers to understand, process, and respond to human language naturally.

Related:VersaTalk™

Core Network

telecom

The central part of a telecommunications network providing services to customers.

CPE(Customer Premises Equipment)

telecom

Telecommunications equipment located at the customer's physical location.

CRM(Customer Relationship Management)

general

Software and strategies for managing a company's interactions with current and potential customers.

Cross-Connect

telecom

A physical cable connection between different network equipment or service providers.

Cross-Sell

contact-center

A sales technique used to sell an additional product or service to an existing customer.

CSAT(Customer Satisfaction Score)

contact-center

A metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a company's products, services, or interactions.

CTI(Computer Telephony Integration)

contact-center

Technology that allows interactions on a telephone and a computer to be integrated or coordinated.

Customer Acquisition Cost(CAC)

telecom

The cost associated with acquiring a new customer.

Customer Effort Score

contact-center

A metric measuring how much effort a customer had to exert to get their issue resolved.

Customer Experience(CX)

contact-center

The overall perception a customer has of their interactions with a company.

Customer Journey

contact-center

The complete experience a customer has while interacting with a company, from initial contact through ongoing relationship.

Customer Lifetime Value

general

A prediction of the total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account.

Customer Retention

contact-center

The ability of a company to retain its customers over a specified period.

D
27 terms

Dark Fiber

telecom

Unused fiber optic cables that have been laid but are not currently being used for data transmission.

Dashboard

general

A visual display of key metrics and information for monitoring purposes.

Data Lake

general

A centralized repository that stores large amounts of raw data in its native format until needed for analysis.

Data Mining

ai-ml

The process of discovering patterns and knowledge from large amounts of data.

Data Warehouse

general

A system for collecting, storing, and managing data from various sources to support business intelligence activities.

Dead Air

contact-center

Periods of silence during a call when neither party is speaking, often indicating confusion or system delays.

Debug

general

The process of identifying and removing errors from software.

Deep Learning

ai-ml

A subset of machine learning based on artificial neural networks with multiple layers of processing.

Demarcation Point(Demarc)

telecom

The point where the service provider's network ends and customer equipment begins.

Deploy

general

The process of making software available for use in a production environment.

DevOps

general

Practices combining software development and IT operations for faster delivery.

DHCP(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

telecom

A network protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network.

Dial Tone

telecom

An audible tone indicating that a telephone line is ready for dialing.

Dial-Up

telecom

An older method of connecting to the internet using telephone lines.

Dialer

contact-center

Software that automatically dials telephone numbers for outbound calling campaigns.

DID(Direct Inward Dialing)

telecom

A telephone service that allows callers to reach a specific extension directly without going through an operator.

Digital Transformation

general

The integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing operations and customer value delivery.

Disposition

contact-center

The categorization or outcome code assigned to a completed interaction.

DNIS(Dialed Number Identification Service)

telecom

A service that identifies the number dialed by a caller, useful for routing calls in multi-number systems.

DNS(Domain Name System)

telecom

The hierarchical naming system that translates domain names into IP addresses.

DOCSIS(Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification)

telecom

An international standard for data transfer over cable TV systems.

Downgrade

general

Reverting to a previous version of software or reducing a service tier.

Downtime

telecom

Periods when a system, network, or service is unavailable or not functioning.

Drop

telecom

The final connection from the street to a customer's premises.

DSL(Digital Subscriber Line)

telecom

A family of technologies that provide internet access by transmitting digital data over telephone lines.

DTMF(Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency)

telecom

The signaling system used for telephone keypads, generating tones when keys are pressed.

Dwell Time

contact-center

The time a customer spends in a queue or on hold.

E
20 terms

E-911(Enhanced 911)

telecom

An advanced emergency calling system that automatically provides the caller's location to emergency services.

E-Rate

telecom

A US program providing discounts on telecommunications for schools and libraries.

Edge

telecom

The boundary of a network where it connects to external networks or end users.

Edge Computing

general

A distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to data sources.

Egress

telecom

Data flowing out of a network or data center.

Embedding

ai-ml

A numerical representation of data (text, images) that captures semantic meaning.

EMF(Electromagnetic Field)

telecom

The field produced by electrically charged objects.

Emotion Detection

ai-ml

AI technology that analyzes voice patterns, facial expressions, or text to identify human emotions.

Related:VerSight™

Encryption

general

The process of encoding data so that only authorized parties can access it.

End User

general

The person who actually uses a product or service, as opposed to developers or administrators.

Engineer Appointment Manager

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent that schedules, reschedules, and manages technician appointments.

Engineer Buddy

gozupees

GoZupees' mobile AI assistant for field technicians, providing real-time guidance and documentation access.

Enterprise

general

A large organization, typically a corporation, with significant IT infrastructure and complex business needs.

Entity Extraction

ai-ml

An NLP technique that identifies and classifies key elements from text into predefined categories.

Epoch

ai-ml

One complete pass through the entire training dataset during model training.

Erlang

telecom

A unit of measurement for telecommunications traffic, representing continuous use of one voice path.

Escalation

contact-center

The process of transferring a customer issue to a higher level of support or management.

Escalation Matrix

contact-center

A predefined hierarchy for escalating issues based on severity and type.

Ethernet

telecom

A family of computer networking technologies commonly used in local area networks.

ETL(Extract, Transform, Load)

general

A process for moving data from source systems to a data warehouse.

F
20 terms

Failover

telecom

A backup operational mode in which system functions are assumed by secondary components when primary ones become unavailable.

FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)

general

A list of common questions and answers about a product, service, or topic.

Fault

telecom

A defect in a network that causes a service disruption.

FCC(Federal Communications Commission)

telecom

The US government agency responsible for regulating interstate and international communications.

FCR(First Call Resolution)

contact-center

A metric measuring the percentage of customer issues resolved during the first contact.

Feature Engineering

ai-ml

The process of using domain knowledge to create features that make ML algorithms work.

Fiber Cut

telecom

Physical damage to fiber optic cables causing service interruption.

Fiber Optic

telecom

A technology that uses glass or plastic threads to transmit data as light pulses.

Fiber Splice

telecom

The permanent joining of two fiber optic cables.

Fine-Tuning

ai-ml

The process of adjusting a pre-trained AI model on a specific dataset to improve its performance for a particular task.

Firewall

general

A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules.

Firmware

general

Software programmed into hardware devices providing low-level control.

Fixed Wireless

telecom

A type of wireless data communication between two fixed points using radio signals.

Foundation Model

ai-ml

A large AI model trained on broad data that can be adapted to various downstream tasks.

Freemium

general

A pricing strategy offering basic services free while charging for premium features.

FTE(Full-Time Equivalent)

contact-center

A unit measuring the workload of an employed person in a way that makes workloads comparable.

FTTH(Fiber to the Home)

telecom

A broadband network architecture where fiber optic cables run directly to residential buildings.

FTTN(Fiber to the Node)

telecom

Network architecture where fiber reaches a cabinet near customers.

FTTP(Fiber to the Premises)

telecom

A form of fiber-optic communication delivery that reaches the boundary of a living or business space.

Full Duplex

telecom

Communication that allows simultaneous transmission in both directions.

G
12 terms

Gamification

contact-center

The application of game-design elements in non-game contexts to engage users and improve performance.

Gateway

telecom

A network node that connects two networks using different protocols.

Gbps(Gigabits per Second)

telecom

A data transfer rate of one billion bits per second.

Generative AI

ai-ml

AI systems capable of creating new content such as text, images, or audio based on training data.

Geocoding

general

The process of converting addresses into geographic coordinates.

Ghost Call

contact-center

A call that disconnects before connecting to an agent.

GHz(Gigahertz)

telecom

A unit of frequency equal to one billion hertz, commonly used to measure wireless spectrum.

GPON(Gigabit Passive Optical Network)

telecom

A fiber optic networking standard for delivering broadband services.

GPT(Generative Pre-trained Transformer)

ai-ml

A family of large language models developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text.

Grade of Service

telecom

A metric expressing the probability that a call will be blocked or delayed in a telephone network.

Guardrails

ai-ml

Safety mechanisms implemented in AI systems to prevent harmful, inappropriate, or off-topic responses.

Related:VersaTalk™

GUI(Graphical User Interface)

general

A visual way for users to interact with electronic devices through icons and menus.

H
19 terms

Half Duplex

telecom

Communication where transmission can occur in both directions, but not simultaneously.

Hallucination

ai-ml

When an AI model generates false, fabricated, or inconsistent information that appears plausible.

Handle Time

contact-center

The total time an agent spends on a customer interaction, from answer to completion of after-call work.

Handoff

telecom

The process of transferring a connection from one network element to another.

Head End

telecom

The facility where cable TV or internet signals originate and are distributed.

Headset

contact-center

Audio equipment worn by agents to handle calls hands-free.

Helix™

gozupees

GoZupees' unified platform that orchestrates all AI agents and integrations for seamless customer experience.

HFC(Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial)

telecom

A telecommunications network that combines optical fiber and coaxial cable.

High Availability(HA)

general

Systems designed to be operational a high percentage of time.

Hold Time

contact-center

The duration a caller spends on hold during a call with an agent.

Hosted PBX

telecom

A telephone system where the PBX is hosted at a remote location by a service provider.

Hot Spot

telecom

A physical location where people can access the internet wirelessly.

Hot Transfer

contact-center

Transferring a call to another agent or department while briefly introducing the situation to the receiving party.

Hotfix

general

A quick software update to address a specific issue without a full release.

Hotline

telecom

A dedicated phone line for urgent or high-priority communications.

HTTP(Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

general

The protocol used for transmitting web pages over the internet.

Hub

telecom

A basic networking device that connects multiple network devices together.

Human-in-the-Loop

ai-ml

An AI system design that requires human oversight and intervention for certain decisions or actions.

Hyperparameter

ai-ml

Configuration settings used to control the learning process of an ML model.

I
21 terms

IaaS(Infrastructure as a Service)

general

Cloud computing services that provide virtualized computing resources over the internet.

Idle Time

contact-center

Time when an agent is available but not handling any contacts.

ILEC(Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier)

telecom

The original telephone company serving a geographic area before deregulation.

Inbound

contact-center

Calls or contacts initiated by customers coming into a contact center.

Inference

ai-ml

The process of using a trained AI model to make predictions or decisions on new data.

Inference Time

ai-ml

The time it takes for a trained model to make a prediction on new data.

Ingress

telecom

Data flowing into a network or data center.

Install

telecom

The process of setting up service at a customer location.

Integration

general

The process of connecting different systems to work together seamlessly.

Integration Hub

gozupees

GoZupees' platform for connecting AI agents with existing business systems and databases.

Intent Engine

gozupees

GoZupees' NLP system that accurately identifies customer intent from natural language.

Intent Recognition

ai-ml

The AI capability to understand and classify the purpose or goal behind a user's query.

Interactive Voice Response(IVR)

telecom

An automated telephony system that interacts with callers through voice and DTMF tones.

Internet Exchange(IX)

telecom

A physical location where ISPs interconnect to exchange traffic.

Internet of Things(IoT)

general

The network of physical devices embedded with sensors and connectivity for data exchange.

Interval

contact-center

A time period used for workforce planning, typically 15 or 30 minutes.

IP(Internet Protocol)

telecom

The principal communications protocol for relaying datagrams across network boundaries.

IP Address

telecom

A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network using IP.

ISDN(Integrated Services Digital Network)

telecom

A set of communication standards for digital transmission of voice, video, and data.

ISP(Internet Service Provider)

telecom

A company that provides customers with internet access and related services.

Iteration

general

A single cycle of a development process that produces a working version.

J
2 terms

Jitter

telecom

Variation in the delay of received packets, which can cause audio or video quality issues.

JSON(JavaScript Object Notation)

general

A lightweight data interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write.

K
5 terms

KBps(Kilobytes per Second)

telecom

A unit of data transfer rate equal to 1,000 bytes per second.

Knowledge Base

contact-center

A centralized repository of information used to store, organize, and retrieve knowledge for various purposes.

Knowledge Graph

ai-ml

A structured representation of real-world entities and relationships between them.

Knowledge Sync

gozupees

GoZupees' feature for automatically updating AI agents with the latest product and policy information.

KPI(Key Performance Indicator)

general

A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively an organization is achieving key objectives.

L
16 terms

LAN(Local Area Network)

telecom

A computer network that connects devices within a limited area such as a home or office.

Last Mile

telecom

The final portion of a network connecting service providers to customers.

Latency

telecom

The delay between a user's action and the response from a system or network.

Lead

contact-center

A potential customer who has shown interest in a company's product or service.

Lead Collection Agent

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent that qualifies and captures sales leads through natural conversations.

Lead Scoring

contact-center

A methodology used to rank prospects against a scale representing their perceived value to the organization.

Leased Line

telecom

A dedicated private telecommunications circuit between locations.

Legacy System

general

An older computer system or application still in use despite newer technology.

Line of Sight(LOS)

telecom

An unobstructed path between transmitter and receiver for wireless signals.

LLM(Large Language Model)

ai-ml

An AI model trained on vast amounts of text data capable of understanding and generating human-like language.

Load Balancing

general

The distribution of workloads across multiple computing resources to optimize performance.

Login Time

contact-center

The time an agent logs into the contact center system.

Logout Time

contact-center

The time an agent logs out of the contact center system.

Loop

telecom

The physical circuit connecting a customer to the telephone exchange.

Low-Code

general

A software development approach requiring minimal coding, using visual interfaces and pre-built components.

LTE(Long-Term Evolution)

telecom

A standard for high-speed wireless communication for mobile devices.

M
26 terms

MAC Address(Media Access Control Address)

telecom

A unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller.

Machine Learning

ai-ml

A subset of AI where systems learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed.

Maximum Wait Time

contact-center

The longest time any customer waited in a queue during a period.

MBps(Megabytes per Second)

telecom

A unit of data transfer rate equal to 1,000,000 bytes per second.

MDF(Main Distribution Frame)

telecom

A signal distribution frame connecting outside lines to internal customer lines.

MDU(Multiple Dwelling Unit)

telecom

A residential building with multiple separate housing units, such as an apartment complex.

Mesh Network

telecom

A network topology where nodes connect directly and dynamically to as many other nodes as possible.

Metadata

general

Data that provides information about other data, such as file properties or call attributes.

Metrics

general

Quantifiable measures used to track and assess the status of specific business processes.

Microservices

general

An architectural style structuring an application as a collection of loosely coupled services.

Middle Mile

telecom

The network segment connecting the core network to the last mile.

Migration

general

Moving data, applications, or systems from one environment to another.

MIMO(Multiple-Input Multiple-Output)

telecom

A wireless technology that uses multiple antennas to improve communication performance.

Minimum Viable Product(MVP)

general

A product with just enough features to satisfy early customers.

ML Model

ai-ml

A mathematical representation trained on data to make predictions or decisions.

MMDS(Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service)

telecom

A wireless telecommunications technology for broadband networking.

Model Drift

ai-ml

The degradation of model performance over time due to changes in data patterns.

Modem

telecom

A device that modulates and demodulates signals for data transmission.

MPLS(Multiprotocol Label Switching)

telecom

A routing technique that directs data based on short path labels rather than long network addresses.

MRR(Monthly Recurring Revenue)

general

The predictable total revenue generated by a business from all active subscriptions in a month.

MSO(Multiple System Operator)

telecom

A company that owns multiple cable television systems.

MTBF(Mean Time Between Failures)

telecom

The average time between system failures.

MTTR(Mean Time to Repair)

telecom

The average time required to repair a failed system.

Multichannel

contact-center

The practice of interacting with customers using multiple communication channels.

Multimodal

ai-ml

AI systems capable of processing multiple types of data such as text, images, and audio.

Mystery Shopping

contact-center

Evaluating service quality by posing as a customer and testing interactions.

N
12 terms

Named Entity Recognition(NER)

ai-ml

An NLP task that identifies and classifies named entities in text.

NAT(Network Address Translation)

telecom

A method of mapping one IP address space into another by modifying network address information.

Natural Language Processing(NLP)

ai-ml

AI technology that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language.

Natural Language Understanding(NLU)

ai-ml

A subset of NLP focused on machine comprehension of text or speech input.

Net Promoter Score(NPS)

contact-center

A metric that measures customer loyalty based on likelihood to recommend a company.

Network

telecom

A group of interconnected computers and devices that can communicate and share resources.

Network Operations Center(NOC)

telecom

A centralized location from which IT professionals supervise, monitor, and maintain networks.

Neural Network

ai-ml

A computing system inspired by biological neural networks that can learn patterns from data.

NNI(Network-to-Network Interface)

telecom

The interface between two networks of the same type.

No-Code

general

A development approach allowing software creation through graphical interfaces without writing code.

Node

telecom

Any device connected to a network that can receive, create, store, or send data.

Not Ready

contact-center

Agent status indicating unavailability to receive new contacts.

O
16 terms

OAuth

general

An open standard for access delegation commonly used for token-based authentication.

Occupancy

contact-center

The percentage of time contact center agents spend handling calls versus waiting for calls.

OCR(Optical Character Recognition)

ai-ml

Technology that converts images of text into machine-readable text.

OLT(Optical Line Terminal)

telecom

Equipment at the service provider that terminates passive optical network connections.

Omnichannel

contact-center

A customer experience approach that provides seamless integration across all communication channels.

On-Premises

general

Software or infrastructure that is installed and runs on computers on the premises of the organization.

Onboarding Agent

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent that guides new customers through the service activation and setup process.

ONT(Optical Network Terminal)

telecom

A device that converts fiber optic signals to electrical signals for customer premises.

Open Source

general

Software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance.

Order Helper Agent

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent that assists customers with placing, tracking, and modifying orders.

Outage

telecom

A period when a service or system is unavailable or not functioning properly.

Outage Handler

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent designed to manage customer communications and updates during service outages.

Outbound

contact-center

Calls or contacts initiated by agents to customers, typically for sales or collections.

Overfitting

ai-ml

When a model performs well on training data but poorly on new, unseen data.

Overflow

contact-center

Calls that exceed the capacity of a queue or group and are redirected elsewhere.

Oversubscription

telecom

Selling more bandwidth than physically available, relying on statistical usage patterns.

P
26 terms

PaaS(Platform as a Service)

general

Cloud computing services providing a platform for customers to develop, run, and manage applications.

Packet

telecom

A formatted unit of data carried by a packet-switched network.

Packet Loss

telecom

When data packets traveling across a network fail to reach their destination.

Parameter

ai-ml

Internal variables that a model learns during training.

Patch

general

A set of changes to software designed to fix or improve it.

PBX(Private Branch Exchange)

telecom

A private telephone network used within an organization.

Peak Hours

contact-center

Time periods when contact volume is at its highest.

Peering

telecom

A voluntary interconnection between administratively separate internet networks for traffic exchange.

Ping

telecom

A network utility used to test the reachability of a host on an IP network.

Pipeline

general

A series of automated processes for software development and delivery.

POC(Proof of Concept)

general

A demonstration to verify that certain concepts or theories have the potential for real-world application.

PON(Passive Optical Network)

telecom

A fiber optic network architecture that uses unpowered optical splitters.

POP(Point of Presence)

telecom

A location where a carrier has equipment for connecting to customers.

Port

telecom

A virtual point where network connections start and end, identified by a number.

Post-Call Survey

contact-center

A survey conducted immediately after a call to gather customer feedback.

Power Dialing

contact-center

An outbound dialing method that dials the next number when an agent becomes available.

Power Over Ethernet(PoE)

telecom

Technology for delivering electrical power along with data over Ethernet cabling.

Power User

general

A customer or employee who uses advanced features and capabilities of a product or service.

Pre-training

ai-ml

Initial training of a model on a large dataset before fine-tuning for specific tasks.

Predictive Analytics

ai-ml

Using data, statistical algorithms, and ML techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes.

Predictive Dialer

contact-center

An outbound calling system that automatically dials numbers and predicts agent availability.

Preview Dialing

contact-center

An outbound method where agents review customer information before initiating the call.

Production

general

The live environment where software is deployed for end users.

Prompt Engineering

ai-ml

The practice of designing and optimizing inputs to AI models to achieve desired outputs.

Provisioning

telecom

The process of configuring and activating a service or resource for a customer.

PSTN(Public Switched Telephone Network)

telecom

The global network of circuit-switched telephone networks.

Q
9 terms

QA(Quality Assurance)

contact-center

Systematic processes for ensuring products and services meet specified requirements.

QAM(Quadrature Amplitude Modulation)

telecom

A modulation scheme used in DOCSIS systems for high data rates.

QoE(Quality of Experience)

telecom

A measure of the overall satisfaction of a user with a service from their perspective.

QoS(Quality of Service)

telecom

The overall performance of a service as perceived by users, often measured technically.

Quality Monitoring(QM)

contact-center

The process of evaluating agent interactions to ensure service standards.

Queue

contact-center

A waiting line where calls or contacts are held until an agent becomes available.

Queue Callback

contact-center

A feature allowing customers to receive a callback rather than wait on hold.

Queue Management

contact-center

The process of organizing and optimizing how customers wait for service.

Quota

general

A limit on the amount of resources or services that can be used.

R
23 terms

Rack

telecom

A standardized frame for mounting networking equipment.

RAG(Retrieval-Augmented Generation)

ai-ml

An AI technique that enhances LLM responses by retrieving relevant information from external sources.

Ready State

contact-center

Agent status indicating availability to receive the next contact.

Real-Time

general

Processing or responding to input immediately, with minimal delay.

Real-Time Adherence(RTA)

contact-center

Monitoring agent schedule adherence as it happens.

Real-Time Assist

gozupees

GoZupees' feature providing instant AI guidance to agents during live customer interactions.

Related:VerSense Co-Pilot™

Redundancy

telecom

Duplication of critical components or functions to increase system reliability.

Refactor

general

Restructuring existing code without changing its external behavior.

Regression

general

A bug that causes a feature that worked before to stop working.

Reinforcement Learning

ai-ml

A type of ML where agents learn to make decisions by receiving rewards or penalties.

Release

general

A new version of software made available to users.

Repeat Call

contact-center

A call from a customer who contacted about the same issue within a specified period.

Repeater

telecom

A device that receives a signal and retransmits it at a higher power.

Repository

general

A central location where data or code is stored and managed.

REST(Representational State Transfer)

general

An architectural style for designing networked applications using HTTP.

RF(Radio Frequency)

telecom

Electromagnetic waves used for wireless communication.

Ring Topology

telecom

A network configuration where each device connects to exactly two other devices.

RMA(Return Merchandise Authorization)

telecom

A process for returning a product for repair, replacement, or refund.

ROI(Return on Investment)

general

A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment.

Rollback

general

Reverting a system or database to a previous state.

Router

telecom

A networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks.

RPA(Robotic Process Automation)

ai-ml

Technology that automates repetitive tasks using software robots.

RSSI(Received Signal Strength Indicator)

telecom

A measurement of the power level of a received radio signal.

S
47 terms

SaaS(Software as a Service)

general

Cloud-based software delivery model where applications are hosted and maintained by a provider.

Sandbox

general

An isolated testing environment where changes don't affect production.

Satellite Internet

telecom

Internet access provided through communication satellites.

Scalability

general

The ability of a system to handle growing amounts of work.

Schedule Adherence

contact-center

A metric measuring how closely agents follow their assigned work schedules.

Schema

general

The structure or organization of a database or document.

Scope

general

The boundaries and extent of a project or task.

Screen Pop

contact-center

The automatic display of caller information on an agent's screen when a call connects.

Scrum

general

An agile framework for managing and completing complex projects.

SDK(Software Development Kit)

general

A collection of software tools and libraries for building applications.

Self-Service

contact-center

Options allowing customers to perform tasks or find information without agent assistance.

Semantic Search

ai-ml

Search technology that understands the meaning and context of queries, not just keywords.

Sentiment Analysis

ai-ml

The use of NLP to identify and extract subjective information from text or speech.

Related:VerSight™

Serverless

general

A cloud execution model where the provider dynamically manages server allocation.

Service Drop

telecom

The connection from utility lines to a customer's building.

Service Level

contact-center

A metric measuring the percentage of contacts answered within a specified time threshold.

Service Level Agreement(SLA)

general

A contract defining the level of service expected from a provider.

Shrinkage

contact-center

The percentage of time agents are unavailable for productive work (breaks, training, etc.).

Signal-to-Noise Ratio(SNR)

telecom

A measure comparing the level of a desired signal to background noise.

Silent Monitoring

contact-center

Listening to live calls without the agent or customer being aware.

SIM(Subscriber Identity Module)

telecom

An integrated circuit storing information to authenticate a mobile device.

SIP(Session Initiation Protocol)

telecom

A signaling protocol for initiating, maintaining, and terminating voice and video sessions.

SIP Trunking

telecom

A VoIP technology that provides voice connectivity using SIP over the internet.

Skills-Based Routing

contact-center

Directing contacts to agents based on their specific skills and competencies.

SLA(Service Level Agreement)

general

A commitment between a service provider and customer defining expected service levels.

Smart Routing

gozupees

GoZupees' intelligent call routing system that directs contacts based on intent, history, and agent skills.

SMB(Small and Medium-sized Business)

general

Companies with revenue, assets, or employee numbers below certain thresholds.

SMTP(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

general

The standard protocol for sending email messages between servers.

Softphone

telecom

Software that enables telephone calls over the internet using a computer or mobile device.

Spectrum

telecom

The range of electromagnetic radio frequencies used for telecommunications.

Speech Analytics

ai-ml

Technology that analyzes recorded calls to gather customer intelligence.

Related:VerSight™

Speech-to-Text(STT)

ai-ml

Technology that converts spoken language into written text.

Split

contact-center

A group of agents assigned to handle specific types of calls.

Splitter

telecom

A device that divides an optical signal into multiple outputs.

Sprint

general

A fixed time period during which specific work must be completed.

SSL(Secure Sockets Layer)

general

A security protocol for establishing encrypted links between a web server and a browser.

Staffing Model

contact-center

A framework for determining the number of agents needed to meet service goals.

Staging

general

A pre-production environment for testing before deployment.

Stakeholder

general

A person or group with an interest or concern in a project or organization.

Star Topology

telecom

A network configuration where all devices connect to a central hub.

Static IP

telecom

An IP address that remains constant and does not change.

Subscriber

telecom

A customer who pays for ongoing service access.

Supervised Learning

ai-ml

A type of machine learning where the model is trained on labeled data.

Supervisor

contact-center

A person responsible for managing and supporting a team of agents.

Switch

telecom

A networking device that connects devices on a computer network by forwarding data packets.

Symmetrical

telecom

Having equal upload and download speeds.

Sync(Synchronization)

general

The process of making data consistent across multiple systems.

T
36 terms

T1

telecom

A dedicated phone connection supporting 1.544 Mbps data transfer.

T3

telecom

A dedicated phone connection supporting 44.736 Mbps data transfer.

Talk and Type

contact-center

The practice of taking notes or updating records while speaking with a customer.

Talk Time

contact-center

The actual time an agent spends speaking with a customer during a call.

TCP/IP(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

telecom

The fundamental communication protocols that define how data is transmitted over the internet.

TDM(Time-Division Multiplexing)

telecom

A method of transmitting multiple signals over a single communication channel.

Technical Debt

general

The implied cost of additional work caused by choosing an easy solution now.

Technician

telecom

A trained worker who installs, maintains, or repairs telecommunications equipment.

Telco

telecom

Short for telecommunications company; a provider of telephone and data communication services.

Telephony

telecom

The technology and systems for transmitting voice over distance.

Temperature

ai-ml

A parameter that controls the randomness of AI model outputs.

Tenant

general

A customer or organization with isolated resources in a multi-tenant system.

Text-to-Speech(TTS)

ai-ml

Technology that converts written text into spoken audio.

Throttling

general

Limiting the rate at which requests or actions can be performed.

Throughput

telecom

The actual amount of data successfully transferred over a connection.

Ticket

contact-center

A record of a customer issue or request in a support system.

Tier

general

A level within a hierarchical system, often referring to pricing or support levels.

Tier 1 Support

contact-center

The first level of customer support, handling basic inquiries and common issues.

Tier 2 Support

contact-center

Second-level support handling more complex issues escalated from Tier 1.

Tier 3 Support

contact-center

Third-level support consisting of experts who handle the most complex technical issues.

Token

ai-ml

A unit of text that an AI model processes, typically a word or part of a word.

Token

general

A piece of data used for authentication or as a placeholder.

Toll-Free

telecom

A telephone number that is free for the calling party, with costs paid by the receiving party.

Tower

telecom

A tall structure used to mount antennas for wireless communication.

Training Data

ai-ml

The dataset used to teach a machine learning model patterns and behaviors.

Transcription

ai-ml

The process of converting spoken language from audio or video recordings into written text.

Transfer

contact-center

Moving a call from one agent or department to another.

Transfer Learning

ai-ml

Using knowledge gained from one task to improve performance on a different but related task.

Transformer

ai-ml

A deep learning architecture that uses self-attention mechanisms, foundational for modern LLMs.

Transponder

telecom

A device that receives a signal on one frequency and retransmits it on another.

Troubleshooting Agent

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent that diagnoses and resolves technical issues through guided troubleshooting flows.

Truck Roll

telecom

Dispatching a technician to a customer location for service or repair.

Trunk

telecom

A communication line or link designed to carry multiple signals simultaneously.

Trunk Group

contact-center

A set of trunk lines treated as a unit for routing calls.

TTS(Text-to-Speech)

ai-ml

Technology that synthesizes natural-sounding speech from written text.

Turnover

contact-center

The rate at which employees leave an organization and are replaced.

U
17 terms

UCaaS(Unified Communications as a Service)

telecom

Cloud-based delivery of unified communications services including messaging, voice, and video.

UI(User Interface)

general

The space where interactions between humans and machines occur.

Understaff

contact-center

Having fewer agents than needed to meet service level goals.

UNI(User Network Interface)

telecom

The interface between the customer's equipment and the service provider's network.

Unified Communications

telecom

The integration of real-time communication services with non-real-time communication tools.

Unsupervised Learning

ai-ml

A type of machine learning where the model finds patterns in data without labeled responses.

Update

general

A newer version of software that includes improvements or fixes.

Upgrade

general

Moving to a newer, more capable version of software or service.

Uplink

telecom

A communications link from a ground station to a satellite.

Upsell

contact-center

A sales technique encouraging customers to purchase a higher-end product or add-on.

Upsell Advisor

gozupees

GoZupees' AI agent that identifies and presents relevant upgrade opportunities to customers.

Uptime

telecom

The time during which a system or service is operational and available.

URL(Uniform Resource Locator)

general

A reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network.

Use Case

general

A specific situation in which a product or service could potentially be used.

User Acceptance Testing(UAT)

general

Testing by end users to verify software meets requirements.

User Experience(UX)

general

The overall experience a person has when interacting with a product, system, or service.

Utilization

contact-center

The degree to which resources (agents, systems, etc.) are being effectively used.

V
20 terms

Validation Set

ai-ml

A subset of data used to evaluate model performance during training.

VDSL(Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line)

telecom

A DSL technology providing faster speeds over short distances.

Vector Database

ai-ml

A database optimized for storing and querying high-dimensional vector embeddings.

Vendor

general

A company that sells products or services to another company.

VersaTalk™

gozupees

GoZupees' human-like AI voice agent platform featuring sub-200ms response times, natural conversation flow, and deep backend integrations.

Related:Conversational AI,Voice Agent

VerSense Co-Pilot™

gozupees

GoZupees' AI-powered co-pilot platform that provides real-time guidance to contact center agents, featuring live diagnostics, one-click fixes, and system integrations.

Related:Agent Assist,AI Copilot

VerSight™

gozupees

GoZupees' call center intelligence platform that transforms 100% of customer conversations into actionable insights using AI-powered speech analytics.

Related:Speech Analytics,Sentiment Analysis

Version

general

A particular form of something differing from earlier forms.

Virtual Agent

ai-ml

An AI-powered agent that can handle customer interactions without human intervention.

Virtual Hold

contact-center

Technology allowing callers to request a callback instead of waiting on hold.

Virtual Machine(VM)

general

Software that emulates a physical computer system.

VLAN(Virtual Local Area Network)

telecom

A logical grouping of network devices that appear to be on the same LAN regardless of location.

Voice Agent

ai-ml

An AI system that can conduct voice conversations with customers autonomously.

Related:VersaTalk™

Voice Biometrics

ai-ml

Technology that uses voice patterns to verify a person's identity.

Voice Bot

ai-ml

An automated system that uses speech recognition and synthesis to interact with callers.

Voice Cloning

gozupees

GoZupees' technology for creating natural, brand-consistent AI voices for customer interactions.

Related:VersaTalk™

Voice of the Customer(VoC)

contact-center

Programs and processes for capturing customer feedback and expectations.

VoIP(Voice over Internet Protocol)

telecom

Technology that allows voice calls to be made over the internet.

VPN(Virtual Private Network)

telecom

A secure, encrypted connection over a public network.

VSAT(Very Small Aperture Terminal)

telecom

A small satellite dish for satellite communication.

W
19 terms

WAN(Wide Area Network)

telecom

A telecommunications network extending over a large geographic area.

Warm Transfer

contact-center

A call transfer where the agent introduces the caller to the receiving party before disconnecting.

Wavelength

telecom

The distance between successive peaks of a wave, determining frequency.

Webhook

general

An HTTP callback that triggers when a specific event occurs in an application.

WFM(Workforce Management)

contact-center

Systems and processes for optimizing staff productivity and scheduling.

WFO(Workforce Optimization)

contact-center

Strategies and tools for improving agent performance and customer satisfaction.

Whisper

contact-center

Audio played only to the agent before connecting to a caller, providing caller information.

Whisper Coaching

contact-center

Real-time guidance provided to agents that only they can hear.

Whitepaper

general

An authoritative report or guide explaining a complex issue.

Wi-Fi

telecom

Wireless networking technology using radio waves to provide high-speed network connectivity.

Widget

general

A small application or component providing specific functionality.

Win-Back

contact-center

Campaigns designed to re-engage customers who have canceled or churned.

Wireless Backhaul

telecom

Using wireless links to connect cell sites to the core network.

WISP(Wireless Internet Service Provider)

telecom

A company that provides wireless internet access to customers.

Word Error Rate(WER)

ai-ml

A common metric for measuring the accuracy of speech recognition systems.

Work State

contact-center

The current status of an agent in the contact center system.

Workflow

general

A sequence of tasks that processes a set of data from initiation to completion.

Wrap Time

contact-center

The time an agent spends completing tasks after a call ends before becoming available for the next call.

Wrap-Up Code

contact-center

A code selected by agents at the end of a call to categorize the interaction type or outcome.

X
3 terms

XaaS(Everything as a Service)

general

A collective term for services delivered over the internet rather than provided locally.

xDSL

telecom

A family of digital subscriber line technologies.

XML(Extensible Markup Language)

general

A markup language defining rules for encoding documents in a format readable by both humans and machines.

Y
1 term

Yield Management

general

A pricing strategy that varies prices based on demand and capacity.

Z
4 terms

Zero Downtime

general

The ability to make updates or changes without service interruption.

Zero-Shot Learning

ai-ml

AI capability to perform tasks without having seen examples of that specific task.

Zero-Touch Provisioning

telecom

Automatic configuration of devices without manual intervention.

Zip Code Routing

contact-center

Routing calls to specific agents or centers based on the caller's geographic location.

#
10 terms

1G(First Generation)

telecom

The first generation of wireless cellular technology, using analog signals.

24/7

general

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, indicating continuous availability.

2G(Second Generation)

telecom

The second generation of mobile networks, introducing digital encryption and SMS.

3G(Third Generation)

telecom

The third generation of mobile telecommunications, enabling mobile internet access.

4G(Fourth Generation)

telecom

The fourth generation of mobile network technology, providing high-speed mobile broadband.

4G LTE

telecom

A standard for wireless broadband communication, commonly referred to as 4G.

5G(Fifth Generation)

telecom

The fifth generation of mobile networks, offering enhanced speed, lower latency, and massive connectivity.

80/20 Rule

contact-center

The principle that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes; applied in service levels.

802.11

telecom

A set of media access control and physical layer specifications for implementing wireless local area networks.

99.99% Uptime(Four Nines)

telecom

A reliability standard allowing only 52.6 minutes of downtime per year.