300+ Terms related to International Calling (Terminology Guide)

Here is the list of 300 terms related to international calling. This will be done section by section, with clear definitions and explanations for each term.

International Calling Terminology Guide

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1. Basic Telecommunication Terms

1. PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network): The traditional circuit-switched telephone network that facilitates voice communication globally, connecting users via a series of switches and physical lines.
2. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): A technology that allows voice communication and multimedia sessions over the internet instead of the traditional PSTN.
3. ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network): A communication standard that enables the transmission of voice, video, data, and other network services over the traditional circuits of the PSTN.
4. SIP (Session Initiation Protocol): A protocol used to initiate, maintain, and terminate real-time communication sessions, including voice, video, and messaging applications.
5. Softphone: A software application that enables voice over IP (VoIP) calls from computing devices like a desktop or mobile device, as opposed to using a traditional phone.
6. Bandwidth: The capacity of a network connection to transmit data, typically measured in bits per second (bps), affecting the quality and speed of a call.
7. PBX (Private Branch Exchange): A private telephone network used within a company or organization that allows internal and external communication.
8. Codec (Coder-Decoder): A device or software that encodes and decodes digital data streams, commonly used in VoIP to compress and decompress voice data for transmission.
9. Latency: The delay between the sending and receiving of voice packets in a communication network, which can impact the quality of a VoIP call.
10. Jitter: The variation in the time between packets arriving, which can cause issues like echo or distorted audio in VoIP calls.
11. Echo Cancellation: A process in VoIP to remove echo from voice communication, enhancing the clarity of the call.
12. DTMF (Dual-tone Multi-frequency): A signaling method used for telecommunication signaling over analog telephone lines, enabling the pressing of numbers on a phone keypad to interact with an automated system.
13. Trunking: The practice of sharing a set of lines or frequencies among multiple users or devices to optimize the use of network resources.
14. TDM (Time Division Multiplexing): A method of transmitting and receiving independent signals over a common signal path by synchronizing the transmission in time slots.
15. H.323: A standard that provides protocols for audio, video, and data communication across IP networks.

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2. International Calling Specifics

16. IDD (International Direct Dialing): The process of making an international phone call without operator assistance, typically by dialing an international access code, country code, and the destination number.
17. Country Code: A numerical prefix used before the national telephone number to dial a country internationally, for example, +1 for the USA, +44 for the UK.
18. International Access Code: The code dialed before the country code when making an international call, varying by country, e.g., 011 in the USA and Canada, 00 in most of Europe.
19. Toll-Free Number: A phone number that can be dialed at no charge to the caller, often beginning with specific codes like 800, 888, or 1800, and used in customer service contexts.
20. Dialing Plan: A set of rules that define how calls are dialed, routed, and charged within a telecommunication network, including both domestic and international calls.
21. Call Forwarding: A feature that allows incoming calls to be redirected to another phone number, often used in international contexts to forward calls to local numbers.
22. Roaming: The use of a mobile phone outside its home network, allowing continued service through a visited network, often with additional charges.
23. International Calling Card: A prepaid card that allows users to make international calls at discounted rates by dialing a local access number, entering a PIN, and then dialing the destination number.
24. Outbound Calling: Calls made from a user’s phone system to external numbers, commonly used in sales, support, and telemarketing.
25. Inbound Calling: Calls received by a user’s phone system, often directed to a specific department or extension in a business environment.
26. Calling Code: The specific numerical prefix used to dial a particular country, similar to a country code.
27. Number Portability: The ability to retain the same phone number when switching between service providers, including international providers.
28. International Termination: The process of routing an international call to its final destination, where it is answered by the recipient.
29. Carrier: A telecommunications company that provides voice and data services, often responsible for transmitting international calls.
30. Cross-Border Communication: The act of making calls between different countries, requiring international dialing codes and often incurring additional costs.

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3. Billing & Pricing

31. Per-Second Billing: A billing method where calls are charged by the second rather than rounding up to the nearest minute, often used in international calling to reduce costs.
32. Call Termination Fee: A fee charged by the telecommunications company that routes a call to its final destination, often varying based on the country.
33. Roaming Charges: Additional charges incurred when using a mobile phone outside its home country, often significantly higher than domestic charges.
34. Rate Plan: A predefined plan offered by a telecommunications provider that outlines the cost of calls, including international calling rates.
35. International Calling Rates: The cost of making calls to different countries, which varies depending on the destination and the carrier.
36. Billing Increment: The unit of time by which calls are billed, such as per second, per 30 seconds, or per minute.
37. Flat Rate: A consistent charge for calls regardless of the duration or distance, often used in international calling plans.
38. Tariff: The published rates charged by a telecommunications company for services, including international calling.
39. Postpaid: A billing arrangement where users are billed for services after they have been used, often on a monthly basis.
40. Prepaid: A billing arrangement where users pay in advance for services, such as international calling credits.
41. Fair Usage Policy (FUP): A policy applied by service providers to prevent excessive use of services, often applied to unlimited international calling plans.
42. Call Detail Record (CDR): A record produced by a telecommunications provider that documents the details of a phone call, such as time, duration, and cost.
43. Billing Cycle: The period during which phone usage is recorded and billed, typically monthly.
44. Interconnection Fee: A fee charged by one carrier to another for terminating calls on its network, often a significant part of international calling costs.
45. Wholesale Rates: Reduced rates offered to bulk buyers of telecommunications services, often used by companies offering international calling services.

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4. Technical Terms

46. VoIP Gateway: A device that converts voice communication from the traditional telephone network to a VoIP network and vice versa, allowing calls to be made between the two networks.
47. SIP Trunking: A method of delivering voice communication over the internet using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), replacing traditional phone lines.
48. Packet Loss: Occurs when one or more data packets traveling across a network fail to reach their destination, often causing degraded call quality in VoIP.
49. RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol): A network protocol for delivering audio and video over IP networks, commonly used in VoIP communications.
50. NAT (Network Address Translation): A method used in networks to modify network address information, allowing multiple devices on a local network to be mapped to a single public IP address.
51. Firewall: A network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic, essential for protecting VoIP systems from unauthorized access.
52. QoS (Quality of Service): A set of technologies used to manage network traffic, ensuring the performance of critical applications like VoIP by prioritizing certain types of data.
53. VPN (Virtual Private Network): A service that encrypts your internet connection to provide privacy and security, often used in international calling to protect data.
54. Codec G.711: A commonly used codec in VoIP that provides high-quality audio but requires more bandwidth compared to other codecs.
55. Codec G.729: A codec that provides good audio quality with lower bandwidth usage, making it suitable for VoIP over slower internet connections.
56. MOS (Mean Opinion Score): A measure of voice quality in VoIP, based on user feedback, typically ranging from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).
57. SRTP (Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol): An extension of RTP that provides encryption, message authentication, and integrity for the transport of voice data over IP networks.
58. TLS (Transport Layer Security): A protocol that provides privacy and data integrity between two communicating applications, often used to secure SIP communications.
59. DTLS (Datagram Transport Layer Security): A protocol based on TLS that provides communication privacy for datagram protocols, often used in securing real-time communications like VoIP.
60. Call Latency: The time delay experienced in a phone call, especially noticeable in VoIP calls, which can be caused by network issues or processing delays.
61. Jitter Buffer: A device or software that stores voice packets temporarily to counteract jitter, ensuring a smoother voice call experience.
62. Firewall Traversal: Techniques used to enable VoIP traffic to pass through a firewall, essential for establishing VoIP calls in secure networks.
63. Session Border Controller (SBC): A device used in VoIP networks to control the signaling and media streams, ensuring secure and reliable communication.
64. IP PBX: A PBX system that delivers voice communication over an IP network, offering advanced features like voicemail, call routing, and conferencing.
65. VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network): A method of creating separate virtual networks within a physical network, often used to segregate voice and data traffic in VoIP systems.
66. VoIP Packetization: The process of breaking down voice data into small packets for transmission over an IP network.
67. Softswitch: A software-based device in VoIP networks that manages the connection and routing of voice calls.
68. LCR (Least Cost Routing): A method of routing phone calls based on the least expensive path, often used in international calling to reduce costs.
69. VoIP Gateway Protocol: The protocols used by VoIP gateways to convert and route voice data between the PSTN and VoIP networks, such as SIP, H.323, and MGCP.
70. SIP ALG (Application Layer Gateway): A feature found in some routers that modifies SIP packets as they pass through the router, which can cause issues in VoIP communication if not configured correctly.
71. RTP Port Range: The range of ports used for transmitting RTP traffic in VoIP communications, typically requiring specific configurations in firewalls.
72. GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications): A standard for mobile phones and networks that also allows for international roaming between countries.
73. CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access): A channel access method used by some mobile phone networks, differing from GSM and often requiring different configurations for international calling.
74. HD Voice: A technology that provides high-definition audio for clearer and more natural-sounding voice calls, often used in VoIP.
75. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication): An open-source project that enables web applications to provide real-time communication via simple APIs, facilitating voice and video calls directly from a browser.
76. IVR (Interactive Voice Response): An automated telephony system that interacts with callers, gathers information, and routes calls to the appropriate recipient.
77. Call Routing Algorithms: The logic used in call systems to determine the path a call should take, especially in complex scenarios like international calling.
78. SBC (Session Border Controller): A device used to manage and secure VoIP networks by controlling signaling and media traffic, often deployed at the network boundary.
79. Call Encryption: The process of encrypting voice data to ensure that calls remain secure and private, often required for compliance with international regulations.
80. VPLS (Virtual Private LAN Service): A way to create a virtual LAN across multiple sites using IP/MPLS networks, useful for businesses with international offices.

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5. Regulatory Terms

81. ITU (International Telecommunication Union): A United Nations specialized agency that coordinates international telecommunication operations and services, setting global standards and regulations.
82. FCC (Federal Communications Commission): The U.S. government agency responsible for regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable.
83. Ofcom: The UK government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications, and postal industries.
84. EU Roaming Regulation: A regulation that allows mobile users to use their phones while traveling in other EU countries at no extra charge, as if they were at home.
85. E.164: An international numbering plan created by the ITU, which defines the format for phone numbers in telecommunications.
86. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): A regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union, also impacting international communication services.
87. Data Retention Directive: A directive that requires telecommunication operators to retain certain data, such as call logs, for a specified period to aid in law enforcement.
88. Number Portability Directive: A directive that allows users to retain their phone numbers when switching between service providers, including when moving to another country.
89. CALEA (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act): A U.S. law that requires telecommunications carriers and manufacturers of telecommunications equipment to ensure that their equipment, facilities, and services are able to comply with authorized electronic surveillance.
90. ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): An organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several databases related to the namespaces of the internet, impacting VoIP services.
91. Telecommunications Act: A broad term for laws that govern telecommunications in different countries, often including regulations on international calling and VoIP services.
92. Net Neutrality: The principle that ISPs should treat all data on the internet equally, not discriminating or charging differently by user, content, site, platform, or application, which can impact VoIP services.
93. Universal Service Fund (USF): A fund that supports the provision of telecommunications services to rural and high-cost areas, often including provisions for international calling.
94. Communications Privacy Act: Laws that protect the privacy of communications, including the content of international calls and the data associated with them.
95. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): The regulatory body overseeing telecommunications in India, including policies on international calling and VoIP.
96. Data Localization Laws: Regulations that require data generated within a country to be stored and processed within its borders, impacting international communication services.
97. Telecom Compliance: The process of adhering to the rules and regulations set forth by national and international telecommunications regulatory bodies.
98. Licensing Agreement: An agreement that allows a company to operate within a country’s telecommunication infrastructure, often involving international carriers.
99. Emergency Calling Regulations: Laws that require telecommunications providers to ensure that emergency services can be reached, even when using VoIP or international calling services.
100. International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs): A treaty overseen by the ITU that sets out principles for the provision and operation of international telecommunications services.

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Let’s proceed with the next sections.

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6. Call Handling

101. Auto Attendant: A system that answers incoming calls and provides options for the caller to route their call to the appropriate department or extension without human intervention.
102. Call Queue: A system that places incoming calls on hold until a representative is available, often used in customer service and support lines.
103. Interactive Voice Response (IVR): A technology that allows callers to interact with a computerized phone system through voice and DTMF tones, guiding them through menus to route calls effectively.
104. Call Routing: The process of directing a phone call to a specific extension, department, or destination based on predefined criteria, such as time of day or caller input.
105. Call Forwarding: A feature that automatically redirects an incoming call to another number, such as a mobile phone or another office.
106. Call Transfer: The process of redirecting a call from one extension to another, either attended (after speaking to the recipient) or blind (without announcing the transfer).
107. Call Park: A feature that allows a call to be placed on hold in a “parking” slot, where it can be picked up from any other phone within the system.
108. Call Screening: The process of identifying a caller before deciding whether to accept the call, often by asking for the caller’s name or number.
109. Voicemail: A system that records messages from callers when the recipient is unavailable to answer the phone, allowing the recipient to listen to the messages later.
110. Voicemail to Email: A feature that sends a recorded voicemail message as an audio file to the recipient’s email, allowing for easy access and storage.
111. Call Whisper: A feature that allows a supervisor or manager to speak to a call agent during a live call without the customer hearing, often used in training and support.
112. Barge-In: A feature that allows a supervisor to join an ongoing call between an agent and a customer, either to assist or monitor the call.
113. Call Monitoring: The practice of listening to live calls or recorded calls for quality assurance, training, or compliance purposes.
114. Call Recording: The process of capturing and storing voice conversations for later playback, often used for quality assurance, compliance, or training purposes.
115. Call Analytics: The collection and analysis of call data, such as call duration, frequency, and outcomes, to improve business performance and customer service.
116. Presence Indicator: A feature that shows whether a user is available, busy, on a call, or away, often used in unified communication systems.
117. Call Back: A feature that allows a caller to request a return call from a representative when the queue is long or all agents are busy.
118. Caller ID: A feature that displays the phone number (and sometimes the name) of the incoming caller, allowing recipients to screen or prioritize calls.
119. Blacklisting: The practice of blocking calls from specific numbers or regions, often used to prevent spam or harassing calls.
120. Whitelisting: The practice of allowing calls only from specific numbers or regions, often used in environments where strict control over incoming calls is needed.
121. Call Blocking: A feature that prevents calls from specific numbers or regions from reaching the intended recipient, often used to block spam or unwanted calls.
122. Call Logs: A record of all incoming and outgoing calls, including details like time, duration, and the number dialed, often used for tracking and analysis.
123. Call Bridge: A system that allows multiple participants to join a single call, often used in conference calls.
124. Conference Call: A phone call in which multiple parties can participate simultaneously, often used for business meetings or group discussions.
125. Call Merge: The process of combining two or more separate calls into a single conference call, allowing all participants to speak together.
126. Speed Dial: A feature that allows users to call a number by pressing a single or a few buttons, reducing the time needed to dial frequently called numbers.
127. Call Hold: A feature that allows a call to be temporarily paused, typically while the recipient answers another call or gathers information.
128. Warm Transfer: The process of transferring a call to another person after speaking to them and introducing the caller, ensuring a smooth handoff.
129. Cold Transfer: A call transfer where the caller is transferred without any introduction to the recipient, often referred to as a blind transfer.
130. Do Not Disturb (DND): A feature that prevents incoming calls from ringing on the recipient’s phone, often redirecting them to voicemail or another extension.
131. Call Return: A feature that allows users to call back the last number that called them by pressing a specific button or dialing a short code.
132. Call Screening with Announcement: A feature where the caller is asked to record their name, and the recipient can hear this announcement before deciding whether to accept the call.
133. Call Detail Record (CDR): A log generated by a telecommunication system that provides detailed information about each call, including duration, destination, and cost.
134. ACD (Automatic Call Distribution): A system that routes incoming calls to the most appropriate agent or department based on predefined criteria like availability or expertise.
135. Call Overflow: A feature that redirects calls to another number or department when the primary line is busy or has too many incoming calls.
136. Call Wrap-Up Time: The time after a call ends that an agent uses to complete any tasks related to the call, such as entering notes or updating a CRM.
137. Call Abandonment Rate: The percentage of incoming calls that are terminated by the caller before reaching an agent, often used as a metric in call centers.
138. Call Disposition: The outcome or classification of a call, such as completed, transferred, or unanswered, often used in call analytics.
139. Call Scripting: A predefined set of instructions or prompts used by agents during calls to ensure consistency and compliance in communication.
140. VoIP Attendant Console: A software tool that provides a visual interface for managing calls, often used by receptionists to handle high call volumes efficiently.

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7. Customer Support Terms

141. CRM Integration: The process of linking a VoIP or telephony system with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform to track interactions, manage customer data, and improve service.
142. Helpdesk Software: A tool that centralizes customer support requests and interactions, often integrating with phone systems to manage and track calls.
143. Support Ticket: A record of a customer request or issue that is tracked through a support system, often linked to call interactions.
144. Knowledge Base: A repository of information and resources that customers and support agents can use to resolve issues, often accessible through a company’s website or helpdesk system.
145. First Call Resolution (FCR): A metric that measures the percentage of calls resolved on the first contact, without the need for follow-up, an important indicator of customer service efficiency.
146. Service Level Agreement (SLA): A contract that defines the expected level of service between a service provider and a customer, often including response times for customer support calls.
147. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): A metric used to gauge the satisfaction of customers after an interaction, often collected through surveys following a call.
148. Net Promoter Score (NPS): A metric that measures customer loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend a service or product to others, often influenced by their experience during support calls.
149. Omnichannel Support: A customer service approach that integrates multiple communication channels (phone, email, chat, social media) to provide a seamless customer experience.
150. Escalation: The process of transferring a call or customer issue to a higher level of support when the initial representative is unable to resolve it.
151. Call Center: A centralized office used for receiving or transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone, often supporting both inbound and outbound calls.
152. Contact Center: An extension of a call center that manages not only voice calls but also other communication channels like email, chat, and social media.
153. Customer Experience (CX): The overall perception a customer has of their interactions with a company, including their experiences during phone calls.
154. Voice of the Customer (VoC): A process of capturing customers’ expectations, preferences, and aversions, often gathered through feedback after phone interactions.
155. Call Back Request: A feature that allows customers to request a call back instead of waiting on hold, improving the customer experience during peak times.
156. Agent Assist: A tool that provides real-time guidance and information to customer support agents during calls, helping them resolve issues more efficiently.
157. Support Workflow: A predefined set of steps or processes that agents follow to handle customer calls, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
158. IVR Self-Service: An IVR system that allows customers to resolve issues or gather information without needing to speak to a live agent, reducing call volume.
159. Customer Retention: The strategies and actions a company takes to retain customers, often influenced by the quality of customer support provided over the phone.
160. Upsell: The process of offering a customer a higher-end product or service during a support call, aiming to increase the value of the sale.
161. Cross-Sell: The practice of selling additional products or services to an existing customer during a call, often related to their initial purchase.
162. Hold Time: The duration that a caller spends on hold during a call, an important metric in customer support that impacts customer satisfaction.
163. Callback Scheduling: The ability to schedule a callback for a customer at a later time, rather than making them wait on hold.
164. Customer Journey Mapping: A visual representation of the process a customer goes through when interacting with a company, including touchpoints like phone calls.
165. Interactive Feedback: A method of collecting customer feedback during or immediately after a call, often through automated surveys.
166. Call Center Agent Utilization: A metric that measures the efficiency of call center agents by comparing the time they spend on calls to their available work hours.
167. Agent Turnover: The rate at which agents leave a call center, often influenced by job satisfaction, work environment, and workload.
168. Knowledge-Centered Support (KCS): A methodology for integrating the creation and maintenance of knowledge into the process of resolving customer issues.
169. Customer Effort Score (CES): A metric that measures how easy it is for customers to get their issues resolved, often collected after a phone interaction.
170. Multilingual Support: Providing customer service in multiple languages to cater to a diverse customer base, often critical in international call centers.

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