Tiscali 2008 Annual Report Download - page 170

12 ATTACHMENT - GLOSSARY
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which are rapidly replacing the old analogue networks, permit greater capacity and increased flexibility
by means of the use of computerized technology for the transmission and manipulation of the calls.
Digital systems offer minor interference with regard to noise and may comprise cryptography as
protection from outside interference.
Double Play combined internet access and land-line telephone product.
DSL Network acronym for Digital Subscriber Line Network: this is a network created starting off from the existing
telephone lines using DSL technology instruments which, adopting sophisticated modulation
mechanisms, makes it possible to package data on copper cables and thus connect a telephone
switching station to a home or office.
DSLAM acronym for Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer, the multiplexing equipment, used in
DSL technologies, which provides high capacity data transmission on the telephone duplex,
where multiplexing equipment is understood to be a device which permits the transmission of
information (voice, data, video) in flows via direct and on-going connections between two different
points of a network.
Fibre Optics thin fibres of glass, silicon or plastic which make up the base for an infrastructure for data transmission.
A fibre cable contains various individual fibres, each capable of conveying the signal (light impulses)
to a practically unlimited length of band. They are usually used for long-distance transmission, for
the transfer of ‘heavy’ data so that the signal arrives protected from disturbance which it may meet
along its route. The transport capacity of the fibre optic cable is considerably greater than traditional
cables and the copper duplex cable.
GigaEthernet term used to describe the various technologies which implement the nominal speed of an Ethernet
network (the standard protocol of boards and cables for speedy connection between computers on
a local network) up to 1 gigabit per second.
Home Network local network comprising various types of terminals, apparatus, systems and user network, with
related applications and services, including therein all the equipment installed at the user’s.
Hosting service which involves allocating the pages of a website site on a web server, thereby making it
accessible to the internet.
Incumbent former monopolist operator active in the telecommunications sector.
IP acronym for Internet Protocol, Inter-Networking Protocol, created to interconnect mixed networks
with regard to technology, services, ,handling.
IPTV acronym for Internet Protocol Television, technology suitable for using the IP transport infrastructure
so as to convey TV contents in digital format, using an internet connection.
IRU acronym for Indefeasible Right of Use, long-term agreements which ensure the beneficiary the
possibility of use of the fibre optic network of the grantor for a long period.
ISDN acronym for Integrated Service Digital Network, Narrowband telecommunication protocol cable for
transporting various types of information in an integrated manner (voice, data, text, images), coded
in digital form, on the same transmission line.
Internet Service Provider or ISP a company which provides access to the Internet to individual issuers or organizations.
Leased lines lines of transmission capacity available under transmission capacity lease agreement.
MAN acronym for Metropolitan Area Network, the fibre optic network which extends within metropolitan
areas and links the Core Network to the Access network.