Glossary

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

A

ABN

Australian Business Number.

ACN

Australian Company Number.

ACMA

the Australian Communications and Media Authority, a Commonwealth regulatory authority for telecommunications and radio communications established under the Australian Communications Authority Act 1997. The ACMA Controls Access Numbering, radio spectrum, enforces Carrier license conditions and service provider rules.

ACCC

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, a Commonwealth regulatory body with responsibilities derived from the Trade Practices Act 1974. The ACCC enforces the trade practises act (TPA) and its related codes.

ACIF

The Australian Communications Industry Forum. ACIF is a member-funded organisation established to facilitate communications self-regulation in the interests of both industry and consumers. ACIF is responsible for developing standards, codes of practice and service specifications.

ACIF Code

An industry code registered with the ACMA under the Telecommunications Act 1997.

Acceptance Test

The set of tests conducted by the Customer as set out in Schedule 2 or any subsequent work order of the Customer Agreement.

Access Number

An IP Address, PSTN, ISDN, Mobile or VOIP number, or the like, for providing access to a Network.

Access Port

A physical connection at the network boundary that is to be connected to an Access Tail.

Access Tail or Access Link

A transmission service for carrying communications by means of guided or unguided electromagnetic or optical energy, to deliver Voice Traffic or Data Bandwidth to a Customer Premises or Customer Equipment.

Access Transmission Rate or Access Rate

In respect of an Access Port, the maximum data transfer capacity (measured in kilobits per second) that the Access Port has been configured.

Account

A billing account held with a party which is identifiable by an Account Number.

Account Number

Means the numbers in the system, or other parties billing system, against which Charges for Products or Services, products or services are charged.

Account Type

The category of an account, either an individual or organisation.

Account Profile

A grouping of accounts for reporting purposes, as well as for invoice template setup and event mapping.

Account Period

The frequency that the account is invoiced e.g. monthly, quarterly etc.

ADSL

Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line, a technology for the transmission of digital information at high bandwidths on twisted metallic pairs.

AEST

Australian Eastern Standard Time.

API

An Application Programming Interface to Emersion’s or other parties’ software Systems.

B

B2B

Business to Business.

B-End or B-Party'

The Customer specified second or other site, or terminating party to a transaction such as a telephone call.

Bandwidth

The Access Transmission Rate relative to the size of the Access Tail and / or the Access Port.

Bar

Blocking the supply of one or more services (e.g. on a phone line) so that the End user is unable to acquire the blocked service(s), Barring has a corresponding meaning.

Bill Issue Date

The date that any bill or invoice shall be issued to the Account.

Billing Day

The date set for each Customer at which the Billing Period Starts.

Billing Dispute

A dispute relating to a charge or an invoice issued.

Billing Period

The period from the Billing Day to the next Billing Day as defined in months by for each Account.

Bill Run

A group of the Account invoices processed on the same day.

Bit

The smallest unit of information, which is a computational quantity that can take on one of two values, 0 and 1.

BMS

Batch Management System, part of the Emersion Architecture.

BPAY

The Australian banking industry's network of electronic payment services.

Broadband

an always-on Broadband Service over Unconditioned Local Loop (ULL) aggregating data to/from customers to a state or national point-of-interconnect.

Broadband Churn

A Churn Order to transfer a Broadband Service from one service provider to another.

Business Day

Any day from Monday to Friday (inclusive) other than a day which is gazetted or otherwise declared or made a Public Holiday.

Business Hours

09:00 to 17:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time (GMT +10 hours) or Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time (GMT +11 hours) when in effect, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australian on Business Days.

Byte

A sequence of 8 Bits (enough to represent one character of alphanumeric data) processed as a single unit of information.

C

CA

Customer Authorisation.

Calendar

The Gregorian calendar.

Calendar Day

The period of time commencing at midnight and ending 24 hours later.

Calendar Month

One of the twelve (12) divisions of the Calendar Year.

Calendar Year

The year (reckoned from January 1 to December 31) according to Gregorian calendar.

Call

A communication carried by a Network or a system and where the context permits, includes an attempt to establish communication.

Call Details Record

a data record that contains information related to a telephone call, such as the origination and destination addresses of the call, the time the call started and ended, the duration of the call, the time of day the call was made and any toll charges that were added through the network or charges for operator services, among other details of the call.

Caller

The person originating a call using a telecommunications service.

Cancel Order

An order created to terminate an existing service.

Calling Line Identity

The data generated by a network which relates to the telecommunications Service of the originating call. Also known as Calling Line Identification.

Calling Number Display

The option available to a customer regarding whether they would like their number to be shown or kept hidden from the party they are calling. Also known as Caller ID.

Cardline

An item within the system used to record any financial action, such as charges, payments, credits, fees etc. that appears on a customer’s invoice.

Carriage Service

A carriage service as defined in section 7 of the Telecommunications Act.

Carriage Service Provider (CSP)

A carriage service provider as defined in section 87 in the Telecommunications Act.

Carrier

A carrier as defined in section 7 of the Australian Telecommunications Act. A Carrier is the holder of a telecommunications carrier licence in force under the Telecommunications Act.

CDR

Call Details Record.

Change Order

The option available to change an existing order.

Churn

The transfer (authorised or unauthorised) of a service from one Service Provider to another.

Churn CA

A Local Call Churn CA and/or a Broadband CA.

Churn Order

An order created where the customer wishes to transfer a Local Service and/or Broadband.

CLI

Calling Line Identity or Calling Line Identification.

Clear Business Day

A period of time commencing at 09.00 on the next Business Day.

CND

Calling Number Display.

CND Code

ACIF Code C5222: Calling Number Display as registered by the ACMA.

Cooling Off Period

Any period available by law to a customer to rescind or otherwise avoid any agreement under which that customer agrees to acquire the Service.

Contract

A contract entered into by the party with another.

Credit

A refund to Account for a billing error or omission.

Credit Limit

The maximum amount the Account may be outstanding.

Critical Information Summary (CIS)

All telcos that sell products, plans and services must provide a Critical Information Summary (CIS). ACMA requirement.

CSG

Customer Service Guarantee.

Customer

Any party that acquires or purchases from another party products or services (or part thereof) and uses those services with or without The Client Authorisation. E.g. The Client is a Customer of Emersion and an End User would be a Customer of the Client, the Customer may or may not be an End User.

Customer Authorisation

An authorisation by the customer, or their authorised agent, containing the minimum mandatory required information as required by the relevant ACIF code.

Customer Service Guarantee

The Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2000 (No. 2) which is legislation aimed at encouraging improvements in Service and to guard against poor Service by requiring phone companies to meet minim standards for Service connection, fault rectification and appointment keeping in relation to the supply of Standard Telephone Services.

D

Data

Numbers, characters, images, or other method of recording, in a form which can be assessed by a human or (especially) input into a computer, stored and processed there, or transmitted on some digital channel. Computers nearly always represent data in binary.

Directory Listing

A listing in a telephone directory including, but not limited to, the White Pages.

Directory Preference means the preference stated by the customer with respect to whether they want a Directory Listing or an Unlisted Number.

Dispute

Any dispute or claim raised against an invoice for charges believed to be in error.

DSL

Digital Subscriber Line. See also ADSL.

DSL Tail

A DSL Access Tail

Dynamic IP Address

An IP Address that is not guaranteed to remain allocated to the same End User or Access Tail, and may therefore change at any time.

DSLAM

Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer, a mechanism at a phone company's central location that links many customer DSL connections to a single high-speed line.

E

EFT

Electronic Funds Transfer.

Email

Electronic Mail, the system for sending and receiving messages electronically over a computer network or the Internet.

EPS

A system module, the Electronic Payment System, which integrates to the system to enable automated collection of payment from the customers.

Emersion

The system described in this user manual, which is the system used to provision and bill individual services for customers.

End customer / Customer

The person whose name is on the account and has authorised the provision of the Service through a Customer Authorisation.

End User Portal (EUP)

The End User Portal is the user interface used by your end customer that allows you to offer your customers a branded web-based account management and self-care tool where your customers can securely login from your website to view & edit their account information, view invoices & service usage and make payments to you.

Event

A set of pre-defined triggers that automatically initiate system actions when the particular condition is detected, such as send an email when an invoice is overdue etc.

F

FNN

Service Number or Full National Number - a fully qualified (10-digits in Australia including the Area Code or other calling prefix) the telephone number which is an alphanumeric number that uniquely identifies a Service Number.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol.

G

Gaining Service Provider (GSP)

The Service Provider that receives the customer’s service as a result of a port or churn.

Gigabyte (GB)

A unit of data where 1 GB = 1024 megabytes (MB).

GST and GST Law

As defined in A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (Cth), subject to any amendment to that definition made pursuant to applicable rulings, determinations or advice issued by the Commissioner of Taxation or a decision from any tribunal or court.

GNAF

G-NAF is a database of all the physical addresses in Australia. See https://www.psma.com.au/products/g-naf
Because there is no single organisation that is responsible for assigning and collating addresses in Australia, G-NAF is built from addresses supplied by ten contributors including the land agencies in each state and territory of Australia.
As each contributor collects and stores addresses differently, the G-NAF production process involves independently examining and validating every candidate address, then textual and spatial matching.
Addresses from different sources found to be identical are merged into a single G-NAF record with feature level metadata capturing its linage and quality. Through this process over 30 million contributed addresses are distilled into over 13.5 million G-NAF addresses.

H

I

Installation Charge

A once-off charge for labour, equipment, Number connection and associated cabling to cover the expense for initial installation of the Products or Services.

Integrated Public Number Database

The database contemplated in schedule 2, Part 4 of the Act that contains specified customer information for all public numbers as defined in the IPND Code.

IPND

Integrated Public Number Database.

IPND Code

ACIF Code C555:2002 Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) Data Provider, Data user and IPND Manager as registered by the ACMA as amended from time to time.

Internet

The interconnected system of networks that connects computers around the world via the TCP/IP protocol.

Internet Access or Internet Traffic

Access to Internet Content via a TCP/IP connection.

Invoice

The bill sent to customers for products and services received

Invoice Template

The logo, colours, billing information, and company information that appear on your invoices.

IP Address(es)

Internet Protocol Address(es), the Internet addressing standard which describes the address of all devices physically located within the global Internet.

ISDN

Integrated Services Digital Network means a digital transmission technique for both voice and data.

J

K

L

LD

Long Distance.

LD Carrier

Long Distance Carrier.

LD Churn

A change in LD Pre-selection.

LD Reseller

Non-carrier providers of Pre-selection services, using equipment owned by existing carriers.

Ledger

The principal book or computer file for recording and totalling monetary transactions by account, with debits and credits etc.

Ledger Code

An accounting code used to record transactions depending on financial accounts involved in different transaction type, assigned to account groups such as receivables and payables etc.

Line Blocking Status

The status of a particular telecommunications Service in relation to whether it has in place a Permanent Line Block or enabled CND.

Listed Number

A telecommunications Service Number which is listed in a public number directory.

LNP

Local Number Portability.

LNP Code

ACIF C540:2006.

Local Number

Portability Code as registered by the ACMA.

Local Call/Broadband

Local Call and/or Broadband Services.

Local Call/Broadband Churn Reversal

The reinstatement of a customer’s Service to a Losing service Provider following an Unauthorised Local Call/Broadband Churn.

Local Call Churn

The transfer of a Local Service (including service number) between service providers.

Local Call/Broadband Churn

Local Call Churn and/or Broadband Churn.

Local Number Portability (LNP)

The Porting of a Service Number associated with the provision of a Local Service between different Carrier networks.

Local Service

The same meaning as given in the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997.

Local Time

The time in the state or territory in which the Customer Premises are located.

Long Distance

Long Distance Pre-selection.

Long Distance Carrier

a Carrier that provides carriage of Pre-selectable Calls originating from a Local Service.

Long Distance Pre-selection

The ability of a customer to automatically have their lines switched to the LD Provider of their choice for Pre-selectable calls.

Long Distance Provider

An SP that resells LD.

Losing Service Provider or LSP

The Service Provider that loses the customer’s service as a result of a port or churn.

M

MBps

Megabits per second - a unit of data where 1 Mbps = 1,048,576 Bits per second.

Mbyte or MB

Means a unit of data where 1 Mb = 1, 048,576 bytes.

MDF

Main Distributor Frame. This is where the incoming telephone lines from the street terminate within a building. Depending on the size of the building the MDF could be a small plastic box on the wall or a large room.

MDU

Multiple Dwelling Unit e.g. apartment building of more than 3 floors, or block of units greater than 10 units.

Miscellaneous Charge

Any charge other than the core charges for a Products or Services, usually for moves, additions or changes to a Service.

N

NBP

The Network Boundary Point.

Network Boundary Point

The customer’s first and main socket for houses, or the Main Distributor Frame for a Multi Dwelling Unit (MDU).

New Service Order

A request, made by the SP, to provision service to a customer address.

O

Order

One of the following:

a) New Service Order.

b) Churn Order.

Order Number

The reference number supplied to the SP following the submission of an order. Also referred to as Reference Number.

Order Process

The process by which you can request a Telstra service to a customer location.

Order Reference Number

The reference number supplied following the submission of an order. Also Referred to as Order Number.

P

Package Plan

A collection of one or more Service Plans grouped together and sold as a Package.

Pending Order

An order which has been submitted but not yet completed.

Period

The increment of time specified by Emersion during which Charges will accrue and the subsequent frequency of the Client Invoice (generally a Calendar Month).

Ping

A protocol that sends a message to another computer and waits for acknowledgement, often used to check if another computer on a network is reachable.

POTS

Plain Old Telephony Service.

Point to Point Protocol

Protocol that allows the transport of packets between the customer and the Retail Carrier. The Retail carrier can authenticate the user with PAP or CHAP authentication.

Pre-selectable Call

The same meaning as given in ACIF C515:2003 Pre-selection Industry Code and includes calls from a local Service to:

A geographic number or local number that is not a local call;
An international direct dial service;
Operator service for which the Telecommunication Number Plan 1997 specifies the use of a shared selectable number;
A carriage service that is both a ring back price service and an international service;
A public mobile telephone service.

Pre-selection

The selection of a carrier for Pre-selectable Calls and includes service made available by you to a customer for a Local Service which will:

permit designation by the customer of a LD Provider for that Local Service;
allow billing for Pre-selectable Calls by the Long Distance Provider;
allow billing for calls made using and Access Override Code to LD Providers;
allow the customer to change from time to time designation of their LD Provider for that Local Service.

Pre-selection Code

ACIF Code C522: Pre-selection as registered by the ACMA.

Products

The products sold to a customer, such as physical items like hardware, or other billable items.

PSTN

The Public Switched Telecommunications Network - A public telecommunications network for which a carrier is responsible and which provides services to the public.

Public Holiday

Any day on which transfer activity is not available. Public Holidays will be issues via the service review on an annual basis.

Q

R

Rate

Defines, for a given call type, what and how the system should charge for this usage.

Rate Card

A group of rates and charging metrics to be applied to the usage data.

RC

Retail Carrier.

Recurring Charge

Any Charge that occurs regularly per Period.

Relocation Order

An order created to initiate the relocation of a customer Service to a new customer address.

Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS)

A client/server protocol and software that enables remote access servers to communicate with a central server to authenticate users and authorise (authenticate) their access (by verifying user names and passwords) to the requested system or service.

Retail Carrier

The same meaning as a "Service Provider" as defined in section 86 of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

S

Services

The services provided to the customer, which may include land line telephony, mobile phone, pre-selection, data access etc.

Service Bolt On

A method of providing bonus features on a particular service, such as a certain amount of free usage.

Service Number

An identifier for a service, such as land line or mobile phone number.

Service Plan

A billing object that is used to control billing for a single service.

Service Provider

The party that is a customer of a wholesaler or aggregator (such as Telstra) that sells products and services to end customers directly or through the use of sales agents i.e. re-seller of telephony and/or broadband services.

Service Qualification

The determination of whether means the act of checking whether a service is able to be provided.

Setup Fees

The relevant charges or fees to install or activate a service.

Simple Telephone Service

A local service which comprises a:

(a) Standard Telephone Service; and

(b) Service number

where a one-to-one relationship exists between the service number and the relevant access line to the Standard Telephone Service.

SIR’s

Service Information Records

SLA

Service Level Agreement.

SP

A Service Provider.

Standard Telephone Service

The same meaning given by section 6 of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.

Standard Time

(a) Eastern Standard Time (GMT +10 hours); or

(b) Eastern Daylight Saving Time (GMT + 11 hours) when in effect in Victoria.

Static IP Address

an IP Address that has a fixed value for the term of the individual services session of the connection.

SQ

Service Qualification.

Supplier

Any provider of products or services to a party. Emersion is, for the purposes of this Agreement, the Supplier of Products or Services to The Client.

T

Telecommunications Act

The Australian Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth).

Telecommunications (CPSS) Act

The Australian Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.

Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code

The Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code) contains rules for providers. The code protects customers who use mobile phone, landline and internet services, including NBN. ACMA requirement.

Telstra

Telstra Corporation Limited.

TIO

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman - An industry-funded independent dispute resolution service for consumers who are unable to resolve individual complaints with their telecommunications carriers and carriage service providers. The TIO manages complaints from consumers (residential and small business about telecommunications services).

TPA

The Australian Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth).

Trading Terms

The terms of trade (with respect to the financial relationship) between the Client and Emersion. These may include the time to pay, Credit Limit, Security required and any other special clauses, as detailed in the MSA - Trading Terms Schedule.

U

ULL

Unconditioned Local Loop, a pair of wires (normally copper) from the Exchange to the End User Premises. A ULL is used to deliver voice services and potentially DSL or other data services to the end customer.

ULLS

Unconditioned Local Loop Service.

ULLS Code

ACIF C569: 2005 Unconditioned Local Loop Service Ordering, Provisioning, and Customer Transfer as registered by the ACMA.

Unauthorised Broadband Churn

A Broadband Churn Order that has been submitted without a valid CA: