Published:
25 October 2005
Last updated:
16 March 2023
Note: This Glossary is intended for information only and does not supersede or replace the definition of terms within the undertakings. Where there is any difference between the two, the definition within the undertakings takes precedence.
| 21CN | 21st Century Network The term BT uses to describe its NGN (see below for a definition of NGN). See: http://www.btwholesale.com for more information. |
| AS | Access Services The undertakings refer to Access Services as they were written prior to the launch by BT of openreach to fulfil the undertakings related to Access Services. |
| ADSL | Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line The predominant technology for the provision of broadband services on BT's access network. See: http://www.dslforum.org for more information. |
| BES | Backhaul Extension Services High speed point-to-point data circuits provided by BT Wholesale for the backhaul of data from BT exchange sites by LLU operators. See: http://www.btwholesale.com for more information. |
| BTNI | BT Northern Ireland The organisation within BT known as BT Northern Ireland at the time the undertakings were accepted, together with its dedicated support teams in BT Regions, and any successors. |
| BTS | The product management organisation within BT Wholesale responsible for the product management of non-SMP products of significance to other CPs. |
| BTWS | The product management organisation within BT Wholesale responsible for the product management of SMP products. |
| CP | Communications Provider Generic term for a person providing a Public Electronic Communications Service or a Public Electronic Communications Network. This includes BT where relevant and includes Internet Service Providers. |
| CPS | Carrier Pre-selection Service A service offered by BT which allows a CP other than BT to be pre-selected by an end user to carry different categories of call without having to pre-dial an access code before each call. See: http://www.btwholesale.com for more information. |
| EAB | Equality of Access Board A board committee established by BT as part of the undertakings to oversee compliance with them. See: http://www.btplc.com for more information. |
| EAO | Equality of Access Office An office within BT established by BT as part of the undertakings and with the role of supporting the EAB in its functions. |
| EOI | Equivalence of Inputs The concept established by the undertakings in which BT provides, in respect of a particular product or service, the same product or service to all CPs (including BT) on the same timescales, terms and conditions (including price and service levels) by means of the same systems and processes, and includes the provision to all CPs (including BT) of the same commercial information about such products, services, systems and processes. |
| EOO | Equivalence of Outcomes The concept in which, in respect of a particular product or service, the wholesale input supplied to BT's own downstream division(s) is equivalent to the comparable product or service supplied to other CPs but not necessarily supplied in an identical manner. |
| GUI | Graphical User Interface The interface through which a person interacts with a particular software application. Typically a GUI will comprise windows, icons, menus and a pointer. |
| IBMC | Installed Base Migration Complete The date by which, for a particular product or service, BT has undertaken to complete migration of all of the relevant BT installed end user base to the EOI product. |
| IP | Internet Protocol The communications protocol used for transmitting a data packet between a source and a destination on some data networks including the Internet. See: http://www.ietf.org for more information. |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator Something which is measured and used as an indicator of performance against a defined target. |
| LAN | Local Area Network A data network defined as being local to the organisation in which it is deployed and therefore typically not using any wide area links provided by a CP. |
| LLU | Local Loop Unbundling The mechanism by which CPs other than the incumbent can gain wholesale access to the incumbent's metallic local access network. |
| MIS | Management Information Systems Within the context of the undertakings, MIS means those management information systems which hold commercial information and/or customer confidential information. |
| MPF | Metallic Path Facility A circuit comprising a pair of twisted metal wires between an end user's premise and a main distribution frame that employs electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, electrochemical or electromechanical energy to convey signals when connected to an electronic communications network. |
| NGN | Next Generation Network A packet-based electronic communications network which is able to provide electronic communications services and to make use of multiple broadband and quality of service-enabled transport technologies, and in which service-related functions are independent of underlying transport-related technologies. |
| openreach | The division created by BT to fulfil the undertakings related to Access Services. See: http://www.openreach.co.uk for more information. |
| PPC | Partial Private Circuit A circuit providing dedicated transmission capacity between an end user's premise and another CP's point of handover, using an interface, as defined at G.703 or G.957 or X.21, all as published by the International Telecommunication Union. See: http://www.btwholesale.com for more information. |
| RFS | Ready For Service The date from which an EOI product or service is available for use by other CPs. |
| SMP | Significant Market Power SMP is determined by a market review which is conducted under the relevant provisions of the Communications Act 2003. See: http://www.ofcom.org.uk for more information. |
| T&C | Terms and Conditions Refers to the terms and conditions under which a product or service is provided. |
| TILLAP | Traditional Interface Leased Line Access Product A leased line providing dedicated transmission capacity between an end user's premise and a BT Local Access Node which uses an interface, as defined at G.703 or G.957 or X.21, all as published by the International Telecommunication Union. |
| TILLBP | Traditional Interface Leased Lines Backhaul Product Either a backhaul product providing dedicated transmission capacity or a network access service (up to and including a bandwidth of 2Mbit/s which runs from a CP's radio base station to a BT Local Access Node, a BT Core Node or that CP's point of handover). In both cases an interface, as defined at G.703 or G.957 or X.21 (all as published by the International Telecommunication Union) is used. |
| WES | Wholesale Extension Service A high speed, point-to-point data circuit provided by BT Wholesale which provides a secure link between the point of presence of a CP and a third party customer site. See: http://www.btwholesale.com for more information. |
| WESAP | Wholesale Extension Service Access Product A network access service that provides uncontended Ethernet bandwidth between an end user's premise and a BT Local Access Node. |
| WESBP | Wholesale Extension Service Backhaul Product A backhaul product that provides uncontended Ethernet bandwidth. |
| WLR | Wholesale Line Rental Service offered by BT Wholesale to other service providers allowing them to offer their own branded telephony service. See: http://www.btwholesale.com for more information. |
| WLR3 | Wholesale Line Rental generation 3 The third generation of the WLR product provided by BT Wholesale and the first to be designed and built on an EOI basis. See: http://www.btwholesale.com for more information. |