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HigherGround Support Glossary

Click on an index letter to navigate through our glossary terms:

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z
  • AAR (AUTOMATIC ALTERNATIVE ROUTING)
    A phone system's ability to automatically switch calls to other routes when the first selected route is busy or in a failure state.
  • ACCOUNT CODE
    A number used to index the data representing a customer, tenant, client, etc., usually for billing purposes. (HG) Account codes can be used to re-direct the billing of a call such that bills can be generated that group and total calls by Account Code rather than by station number. Sometimes used synonymously with AUTHORIZATION CODE (see also).
  • ACD (AUTOMATIC CALL DISTRIBUTOR)
    A component of a phone system that distributes incoming calls evenly among agents taking these calls. Usually has provisions for keeping calls in a queue when all of the agents are busy.
  • AGC (AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL)
    A function of a sound recording device that automatically controls the recording level based on the input level, keeping the volume of the recording fairly constant. (HG) Used similarly in playback to keep the playback level of a recording at a fairly constant level.
  • AIOD (AUTOMATIC IDENTIFIED OUTWARD DIALING)
    feature of a PBX that allows it to provide the originating station number on outgoing calls, for internal billing purposes.
  • ALARM
    (HG) Event on a HigherGround system that indicates a failure or possible potential for failure, either in the phone system, the computer network, or the HigherGround system itself. Alarms have degrees of severity and can be escalated in severity if no action is taken within user-defined time frames. Not all alarms indicate failure, but sometimes just a condition that needs attention to prevent a possible failure.
  • ALARM MONITOR
    (HG) Software program that monitors the alarm events of a HigherGround system and notifies the proper parties when alarms occur. Alarms can be signaled by any combination of pop-up messages on users' computer screens, emails, or by dialing pager numbers. A HigherGround Alarm Monitor can even be configured to use its own notification methods to communicate the PBX's internal alarm states.
  • ALI (AUTOMATIC LOCATION IDENTIFICATION)
    A procedure for identifying the physical location from which an incoming call is made. Incoming calls are identified by the ANI number that is sent along the phone line, and this phone number is used to look up the address and other information provided to ALI database services by the phone companies. Usually used by, and restricted to, 911 services and other public safety agencies.
  • ANI (AUTOMATIC NUMBER IDENTIFICATION)
    The number (usually the phone number) that is sent along the phone line at the beginning of a call that identifies the calling party to the receiving party. Also known as CALLER ID.
  • API (APPLICATION PROGRAM INTERFACE)
    Methods built into a computer program that allow other computer programs to communicate with it and utilize its internal functions.
  • AREA CODE
    Also called NPA (NUMBERING PLAN AREA), a three-digit number that designates a geographic telephone area in North America. In the United States, it is normally within state boundaries. See also NANP (NORTH AMERICAN NUMBERING PLAN).
  • ARS (AUTOMATIC ROUTE SELECTION)
    Also called LEAST COST ROUTING (LCR), the ability of a telephone system to place a call so as to use the most cost-effective carrier based on the call's destination. Switches are programmed with ARS tables that allow them to route calls according to the number dialed and to have alternative routes for calls when the primary choices are busy.
  • ASCII (AMERICAN STANDARD CODE FOR INFORMATION INTERCHANGE)
    A standard that specifies seven-bit codes to represent alpha, numeric, and special characters for storing and transmitting data in computer systems.
  • ATB (ALL TRUNKS BUSY)
    A condition in which all the trunks in a trunk group are busy, usually triggering some kind of indicator or exception state within the switch. The condition, of course, means that any incoming calls to that trunk group would receive a busy signal, and users of the PBX would not be able to initiate any more calls on outbound trunks, until one or more of the trunks in the group is released.
  • AUTHORIZATION CODE (AUTH CODE)
    A code that allows a user of a phone system to access certain features of the system, such as long distance or international calling. (HG) Auth Codes are sometimes used to re-direct the billing of the calls on common phones. With a phone in a conference room, for example, that is restricted to local calling, users with an Auth Code can make long distance calls and have the call records appear on reports as if they were made from their assigned station number rather than the conference room station number.
  • AUTO-RECORD
    (HG) A function or task of HigherGround's Voice Recorder software that automatically starts and stops recordings due to D-channel signaling, VOX trigger, or some other method for determining when calls start and stop. As opposed to manually starting and stopping recordings with RECORD-ON-DEMAND (see also).
  • AUTOVON (AUTOMATIC VOICE NETWORK)
    Now known as DSN (DEFENSE SWITCHED NETWORK) (see also).