Satellite Closet-Screen Response Time

Satellite Closet

A walk-in or shallow wall closet that supplements a backbone or riser closet by providing additional facilities for connecting riser subsystem cables to horizontal wiring subsystem cables from information outlets. Also referred to as satellite location. See also Riser Closet and Backbone Closet.

Satellite Communications

The use of geostationary orbiting satellites to relay information.

Satellite Communications Control

SCC. The earth station equipment that controls such communications functions as access, echo suppression, forward error correction and signaling.

Satellite Constellation

The arrangement in space of a set of satellites.

Satellite Delay Compensator

A device that compensates for the absolute delay in a satellite circuit communicating with data terminal equipment (DTE) with the DTE's own protocol.

Satellite Delivered Signal

A television signal delivered to a cable television headend by communications satellite. This term should not be confused with the signal received from a Satellite Television Broadcast Station. Compare with Satellite Television Broadcast Station.

Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service

Special satellites transmitting digitally to tiny (fewer than two inches wide) antennas in the S band. The concept is that with digital technology, satellite broadcasters can stuff dozens of channels of CD-quality, interference-resistant programming into a narrow- band of frequencies. See XM for a full explanation.

Satellite Distribution Frame

An intermediate point for connecting wires running between a group of phones and the Main Distribution Frame located elsewhere in the building. A fat multi-conductor cable comes from the main distribution frame to the satellite distribution frame, where it splits into individual cables to individual phones or workstations. The satellite distribution frame is usually located in a satellite wiring closet or cabinet. These wires are ultimately connected to the telephone system. See Distribution Frame.

Satellite Downlink

The communications path from a satellite to its ground station. Opposite to Satellite Uplink.

Satellite Facility

A transmission system using a satellite in a geostationary orbit above the earth and a number of earth stations .

Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999

This Act of the US Congress, for the first time, allowed satellites to carry local TV channels. The law, however, also put in place must-carry rules for satellite.

Satellite Link

Microwave link using a satellite to receive, amplify and retransmit signals. Typically that satellite is in a geosynchronous orbit.

Satellite Operation

A configuration of multiple PBXs or one big PBX and several smaller PBXs. The configuration gives a company with several nearby locations a unified system of centralized trunks, centralized attendants, overall call detail recording and many of the advantages of a private network. The key advantage of satellite operation is that one big centralized telephone system can contain most of the intelligence and computer smarts for the total system. This advantage is heavily economic. A variation on satellite operation is called Centralized Attendant Service (CAS).

Satellite PBX

A satellite PBX has no direct incoming connection from the public network. All incoming calls are routed from an associated main PBX over tie trunks. This definition places no restrictions on the handling of outgoing calls from the satellite PBX. A satellite PBX can have one-way outgoing trunks to the central office, in addition to outgoing service on trunks to the main PBX. A satellite PBX has no direct trunks to a node; however, calls to the node can be made through the main PBX.

Satellite Premises Channel

This is the cable connecting arrangement between a dedicated earth station and the Customer Provided Equipment.

Satellite Processor

A computer with little computing power used for operations that do not require the full processing power of the main machine.

Satellite Radio

Two companies in the U.S. have now launched satellites which broadcast 100-plus channels of high quality radio 24 hour , 7 days a week to cars or houses equipped with the special radios required to pick up the signal. At the time of writing, one service was charging $10 a month. The other was charging around $13 a month. The quality from both is excellent , but in most cases your antenna needs to have a view of the sky. I don't subscribe to either service, but friends do and they love it. You can hear snippets of what they broadcast by logging into their web sites and listening for free. Go to www.XMRadio.com and www.SiriusRadio.com.

Satellite Relay

An active or passive repeater in geosynchronous earth orbit that amplifies the signal it receives, often shifting the radio frequency as well before retransmitting it back to earth; these functions are performed aboard the satellite in a device called a transponder . See Geosynchronous Satellite.

Satellite Television Broadcast Station

A United States television broadcast station which:

• Operates pursuant to Part 73, Subpart E, of the FCC Rules.

• Operates at full-power levels, typically thousands of watts.

• Rebroadcasts all (or substantially all) of the signal of another full-power television broadcast station. Example: Stations KGMD-TV (Hilo) and KGMV (Wailuku) are satellites of station KGMB, Honolulu. Together, the three stations cover most of Hawaii. This term should not be confused with a communications satellite, or to a signal received from a communications satellite. Compare with Satellite Delivered Signal.

Satellite Transmission

A form of transmission which sends signals to an orbiting satellite which receives them, amplifies them and returns those signals back to earth. Satellite transmission provides great clarity but suffers from delay. See Satellite Transmission Delay.

Satellite Transmission Delay

Referring to the time it takes a signal to travel from one satellite earth station to the satellite in the sky then to the satellite earth station at the other end. Since most communications satellites orbit the earth at a distance of approximately 22,300 miles, the total distance the signal travels is 44,600 miles. Since radio waves travel at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), simple arithmetic will show a delay of approximately one-quarter of one second thus, 44,600 divided by 186,000 = 0.239 second. If you are waiting for a reply, double this time. (You double the distance.)

Satellite Television Smart Cards

Satellite television smart cards are small cards roughly the size of credit cards which slide into set-top boxes. They , contain computer chips that decrypt signals from DirecTV's satellites. which slide into set-top boxes, contain computer chips that decrypt signals from DirecTV's satellites.

Satellite Uplink

The communications path from a ground station to its satellite. Opposite to Satellite Downlink.

Satellite Webcasting

Webcasting is defined as the real time delivery of audio, video or animation over the Internet. Satellite Webcasting is sending all that information from its source via satellite to the closest ISP serving the end user , his customer. The theory of satellite webcasting is that the signal will come through cleaner and clearer. How clean and how clear depends on the quality of the communications between the ISP and his customer. A high-speed cable modem, for example, will deliver a much better signal than a 33.6 Kbps dial-up modem.

SATPhone

A telephone that works directly off a satellite. It comes with a small parabolic antenna which you aim at the satellite. You turn it on and talk. It's easy, though expensive ” typically as much as $10 a minute. But for that you can talk from practically anywhere in the world, so long as you got lots of battery or easy close access to commercial power.

Saturation

1. The intensity of the colors in the active picture. The voltage levels of the colors. The degree by which the eye perceives a color as departing from a gray or white scale of the same brightness. A 100% saturated color does not contain any white; adding white reduces saturation. In NTSC and PAL video signals, the color saturation at any particular instant in the picture is conveyed by the corresponding instantaneous amplitude of the active video subcarrier .

2. The point on the operational curve of an amplifier at which an increase in input amplitude will no longer result in an increase in amplitude at the output.

Saturday

Vikings were not the dirty, smelly, lice-ridden lot they are depicted as having been. An English chronicler, at the height of the Viking raids on the British Isles, bitterly complained that "British womenfolk rather go with the Vikings, because they are always washing their hands and faces, combing their hair and their beards, changing their shirts, and, oh shame! every Saturday they are taking a full bath and washing all their clothes," which British men did not do because Christians of the time considered washing vanity and therefore something to avoid for the good of their souls at the expense of their bodies. The ancient Nordic word for Saturday, "Laugrdag," means "washing day."

Save

A telephone feature that allows the user to put a phone number into memory for future calls, by pressing one or two buttons after dialing it the first time. See also SNR.

Save And Repeat

Another way of saying "Autodial." Electronic phones may be able to save a number so you can dial it later by simply hitting one button on the phone. This feature is similar to a "Last Number Redial" button, except that button just dials the last number called. "Save and Repeat" puts a number into temporary storage for dialing at another time. Phones should have both auto-redial and save-and-repeat buttons.

Save Our Ship

See SOS.

Save Our Souls

See SOS.

SAW Filter

See Surface Acoustical Wave Filter.

SB

Signal Battery lead, used in E&M signaling types II, III, IV. See E & M and SG.

SBAN

Services oriented Building Area Network. A SBAN is a broadband infrastructure network architecture used within shared tenant facilities such as high rise buildings , office parks, malls that enables the rapid deployment of converged multimedia (voice/data/video) services. SBAN's medium could be copper or fiber. The key deliverable is to be able to converge multimedia traffic. The higher the bandwidth (i.e. fiber) the easier the task.

SBC

Subsequent Bill Company. A Meet Point Billing term that refers to all other LECs on a call route where multiple LECs are involved in completing the call. Opposite of IBC.

SBC Communications Inc.

In early October, 1994, Southwestern Bell Corporation, one of the seven original regional Bell operating companies, changed its name to SBC Communications, Inc. The company's subsidiaries continue to be Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages, Southwestern Bell Telecom and SBC International. SBC continues to operate as a LEC (local exchange carrier) in the states of Arkansas, Kansas , Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. In 1997, SBC acquired Nevada Bell and Pacific Bell, at which point the Pacific Telesis (PacTel) holding company ceased to exist. In 1998 SBC bought SNET (Southern New England Telephone), which operates as a LEC in portions of Connecticut. In 1998 SBC bought Ameritech.

SBCA

Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association of America. A not-for-profit national trade organization founded in 1986, and representing all segments of the satellite industry. The more than 2,000 members include DBS platform providers, programmers, manufacturers, distributors , retailers, encryption vendors and software technology providers. SBCA aims to expand the use of satellite technology for the broadcast delivery of entertainment, news, information and educational programming. See also SIA. www.sbca.org.

SBM

1. DMS SuperNode Billing Manager.

2. Subnet Bandwidth Manager. The SBM provides centralized bandwidth management on shared networks. See TAPI 3.0.

SBS

1. Satellite Business Systems. A long distance satellite company that started out as a joint venture between Lockheed and MCI, was sold to IBM Aetna and Comsat and then eventually was given to MCI in exchange for shares issued to IBM. SBS never made any money. But that was irrelevant. Its job was to help IBM sell computer networks. See Satellite Business Systems.

2. Sick Building Syndrome. Phenomenon of employee discomfort and illness, or perceived illness , due mainly to a polluted indoor air supply. An office is diagnosed "sick" when more than 20% of its occupants exhibit typical symptoms, complaints persists for two weeks or more and disappear when sufferers are away from the building.

Sbus

Sun Microsystems' resource sharing and expansion bus interface for the SPARC architecture. SBus expansion cards can communicate with each other through this interface. SBus competes with VME, PCI and EISA/ISA as industry standard I/O buses for computing platforms. Currently, there are several computer telephony vendors selling SBus compliant DSP and network interface cards for SBus. You can develop cards with an both SBus computer interface and a mezzanine for MVIP and SCSA busses . The Sbus specification has been adopted by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) as a new bus standard.

SC Connector

A snap-on fiber optic plastic connector. See also FC Connector, SFF Connector, and ST Connector.

SCA

1. Selective Call Acceptance.

2. Special Customer Arrangement. A billing arrangement which a carrier makes with a large customer to bundle services and charge a special, non-tariffed, discounted rate.

3. Supplemental Communications Authority. The authority granted by the Federal Communications Commission to transmit on a subcarrier.

SCADA

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. SCADA systems are used extensively by power, water, gas and other utility companies to monitor and manage distribution facilities. They also are used, although more sparingly, to monitor and control end user usage levels for purposes such as remote meter reading and load shedding. Traditionally, such systems made use of telephone lines for such purposes, although wireless technologies are now deployed widely. Some power utilities have deployed fiber optic transmission facilities (allegedly) for this purpose, although the small amount of bandwidth required for such an application clearly does not justify the cost of fiber. It is widely accepted that such fiber deployment is a preemptive strike against LECs and CATV providers who seek to place fiber on the power utility companies poles and in their conduits in a convergence scenario. In effect, the power utilities are laying information grids for resale to carriers which desire substantial bandwidth in competition for transmission of voice, data, video, image, TV and multimedia signals in a deregulated environment. See also Broadband Multimedia.

SCAI

Switch to Computer Applications Interface. A protocol that defines how switches talk to outboard computers, i.e. computers which are external to the switch and contain such a database of customer buying information. Using SCAI, calls and data screens about a calling customer can be presented to the agent simultaneously . See Open Application Interface.

Scalability

Fancy way of saying size something can grow to relatively easily. See Scalable.

Scalable

Something that can be made larger or smaller relatively easily and painless- ly. And the cost to grow is relatively straight line, rather than stair step, as in the days of "forklift upgrades." At least that was the earlier, accepted definition. Then Microsoft started referring to Windows NT as "scalable," namely that it runs on everything from Intel to RISC processors and single- to multi-processor systems. Scalable often refers to technology applications which can be made greater or smaller without quantum leaps in cost. For instance, Virtual Private Networks (e.g., Switched 56/64, X.25, Frame Relay, SMDS and ATM networks) serve as effective replacements for dedicated, leased-line networks as their capabilities are scalable, with the costs remaining in reasonable relationship to associated functionality.

Scalable Video

Scalable video is a playback format that can determine the playback capabilities of the computer on which it is playing. Using this information, it allows video playback to take advantage of high performance computer capabilities while retaining the ability to play on a lower performance computer.

Scalable Typeface

A set of letters , numbers , punctuation marks, and symbols that are a given design (i.e. of one font) but can be scaled to any size.

Scaled Point Size

A point size that approximates a specified point size for use on the screen. For example, text that prints at 10 point on the printer may be represented by a slightly larger font on the screen to make up for the screen's lower resolution.

Scaling

1. A video compression technique which involves adjustment of the transmitted image in consideration of the presentation capabilities of the receiving device. In the case of a receiving device which is less capable in terms of resolution, for instance, the codec in the transmitting device reduces the resolution of the image prior to transmission. In this fashion, the receiving device is presented with a signal which matches its display capabilities. Additionally and more importantly, transmission bandwidth is not wasted .

2. Cost effective accommodation of traffic growth.

Scam Spam

Junk email which contains a gross fraud, for example when you receive one of those emails from the Nigerian Minister of Finance, offering you $7,000,000 in exchange for being the custodian of millions of dollars for the Nigerian Royal Family. This wonderful definition contributed by Karen Gullett.

SCAN

1. Switched Circuit Automatic Network.

2. To examine sequentially, part by part.

3. To examine every reference or every entry in a file routinely as part of a retrieval scheme.

4. In electromagnetic or acoustic search, one complete rotation of an antenna.

5. The motion of an electronic beam through space searching for a target. Scanning is produced by the motion of the antenna or by lobe switching.

6. In imaging, a scan is the process by which an image is developed. The electron beams excites the phosphor on the monitor screen dot by dot and line by line. The faster the scanning the more stable the image.

Scan Time

The time between two successive polls to a workstation on a data communications network.

Scanner

1. A radio receiver which automatically skips across selected frequencies, allowing you to listen in to any of the frequencies. You can buy scanners , for example, that let you scan all police, fire, cellular frequencies and let you listen in on any conversation that is presently occurring.

2. A program on a bulletin board system which scans the message base for previously entered e-mail and pulls a copy of each message and makes them available to the BBS (Bulletin Board System) mailer program.

3. A device used to input graphic images into the computer. Scanners look at or "scan" a piece of paper and put the image's information into digital form. The information can then be recognized by the computer. Scanners come in three basic types ” flat-bed, sheet-fed and as one part of a multifunction devices that prints, copies, faxes and scans. A fax machine also contains a scanner which "looks" at the original document and determines the brightness level of each pixel to be transmitted. The accuracy at which a scanner gets information from the document it is scanning and sends it to an attached computer is measured in two ways: by resolution and color information. Resolution is defined as dpi (dots per inch) or pixels, which determines the maximum size of the image. For example, a 2,400-pixel by 1,800 pixel scanned at 300 dpi (dots per inch) creates a maximum image of 8" x 6". Color information is defined by the number of bits of information per color. Today's scanners produce images with 24, 30 and 36 bits per pixel. In a 24 bit scanner, you make your color by choosing 8 bits each of red, green and blue). The more pixels and the more bits of information per color, the larger the imaged file (often going into the millions of bytes) and the more accurate the representation will be. See also Optical Character Recognition.

Scanner Accuracy

The accuracy at which a scanner inputs information is measured in two ways: by resolution and color information. Resolution is defined as dpi (dots per inch) or pixels, which determines the maximum size of the image. For example, a 2,400- pixel by 1,800 pixel scanned by a scanner at 300 dpi creates a maximum image of 8" x 6". Color information is defined by the number of bits of information per color. Most scanners produce images with 24 bits per pixel (8 bits each of red, green and blue). The more pixels and bits of information per color, the larger the imaged file and the more accurate the representation will be.

Scanning Rate

In video communications, the scanning rate is the rate at which the screen is refreshed. Even numbered lines are refreshed in one scan, with odd numbered lines being refreshed in the next scan. In combination, the two scans yield a frame refreshed. The process happens so quickly that it is imperceptible to the human eye/brain. The scanning rate is related directly to the frequency of the power source. For instance, the U.S. NTSC TV standard calls for 30 fps ( frames per second), related to the 60 Hz power standard. The European PAL standard, on the other hand, calls for 25 fps.

SCANNS

Multiplexers which perform the vital functions of monitoring and control within System 75s and 85s Automated Building Management feature. The SCANNS continuously scan sensors and send the resulting data to local control units.

SCAPI

SCSA Application Programming Interface. A high-level, object oriented hardware independent, technology independent programming model that permits the design and implementation of call processing applications.

Scattering

A cause of lightwave signal loss in optical fiber transmission. The diffusion of a light beam caused by microscopic variations in the material density of the transmission medium. Scattering is a physical mechanism in fibers that attenuates light by changing its direction.

Scatternet

A wireless term which is specific to the Bluetooth specification. According to the Bluetooth group, scatternet is formed when multiple, non-synchronized piconets are linked. A piconet is tiny network formed of a a collection of devices connected in an ad hoc fashion via Bluetooth RF (Radio Frequency) technology. The connection may begin with any two devices, such as a wireless PC and a cellular telephone, and may grow to as many as eight devices, including PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and anything else that you might imagine. While all piconet devices are peers (i.e., equals) in terms of connectivity, one device acts as the master, and the others as slaves, for the duration of the piconet connection. See also Bluetooth and Piconet.

SCbus

An SCSA definition. The standard bus for communication within an SCSA node. The SCbus features a hybrid bus architecture consisting of a serial Message Bus for control and signaling, and a 16-wire TDM data bus. The SCbus is a serial time division multiplexed bus for carrying information between hardware devices in a signal processing node. The SCbus can support up to 1024 bidirectional timeslots in a PC implementation or up to 2048 times- lots in a backplane implementation. The SCbus uses 16 synchronous data lines for carrying data and a dedicated messaging channel (SCbus Message Channel) for carrying signaling information and messages between devices. See S.100 and SCbus message Channel.

SCbus Message Channel

An SCSA definition. The SCbus message channel is a 2.048 Mbps serial line for carrying signaling information and messages between hardware devices in an SCSA Hardware compliant server. The SCbus message channel uses an HDLC (high level data link controller) protocol. The SCbus message channel is an optional element of the SCSA Hardware Model and provides faster system performance by allowing for direct communication of messaging information between devices at the firmware level and without consuming any data timeslots. See S.100.

SCC

1. Specialized Common Carrier. An old term for a long distance carrier in competition with AT&T. The word "Specialized" came about because these long distance carriers purported to provide "specialized" circuits for business customers. At one stage they were also known as OCCs, or Other Common Carriers (i.e. other than AT&T). These days, both terms have fallen into disrepute. All long distance carriers ” including AT&T ” are now called IntereXchange Carriers (IXCs).

2. Standards Council of Canada.

3. Satellite Communications Control.

4. SuperComputing Center. There are five NSF- funded supercomputing centers (SCCs): Cornell Theory Center, National Center for Atmospheric Research, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, and San Diego Supercomputing Center.

5. System Control Computer. The computer system used at CATV or MMDS headend for control of numerous technical functions. These functions include subscriber addressing, channel mapping schedules, ad insertion, encryption keys, PPV (Pay Per View), and sometimes IPPV (Impulse Pay Per View).

SCCP

1. Signaling Connection Control Part. Part of the ITU-T #7 signaling protocol. and of the SS7 protocol. It provides additional routing and management functions for transfer of messages other than call set-up between signaling points. A SS7 protocol that provides additional functions to the Message Transfer Part (MTP). It typically supports Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP). See also Signaling System 7 and Common Channel Signaling.

2. Skinny Client Control Protocol. SCCP provides a means for signaling control communications to client endpoints, such as telephones. Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP), also referred to as "Skinny," includes a messaging set that allows communications between call control servers and endpoint clients with significant CPU and memory constraints, such as telephones and other embedded systems. It is a stimulus-based, lightweight alternative to H.323 and is proprietary to Cisco Systems. SCCP is available via license from Cisco and is widely used by Cisco telephony partners who are developing applications.

SCCS

1. Switching Control Center System

2. Switching Center Control System.

3. Specialized Common Carrier Service

SCDPI

SCSA Device Programming Interface: A set of callable functions that allow SCSA application software to control SCSA hardware. The SCdpi consists of both common call processing services and technology specific modules for the application of particular resources to call processing tasks . See SCSA.

SCE

Service Creation Environment. A Bellcore term used in the jargon of intelligent networks (INs) to allow outside developers to define and create new value-added (i.e., intelligent ) services by connecting pre-existing blocks of code into a flow chart that describes the logical processes the service will use to handle calls. A critical and distinguishing feature of the AIN concept, the SCE comprises a toolkit for the creation of services which can be provided on a network basis. The carrier can develop a generic service which can be offered to multiple users; similarly, a third-party software developer or end user can develop such a service application. Once the application is developed, the application logic and supporting databases can be partitioned in order that multiple users can take advantage of it. In such a scenario, each user organization would have the ability to customize the application, which would draw on a customized, partitioned and secured database.

By way of example, routing logic for an ACD network might be centralized. Multiple organizations, each with multiple incoming call centers, could customize the generic call routing application in consideration of their specific Quality of Service parameters, cost issues, agent skill sets, and so on.

SCF

Shared Channel Feedback. A digital wireless term defined by IS-136, the Interim Standard for digital cellular networks employing TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access). SCF is a logical channel which is part of the FDCCH (Forward Digital Control Channel) used to send signaling and control information from the cell site to the user terminal equipment. SCF information keeps all terminal devices advised of the level of network availability. SCF also provides each device with time slots for transmission and reception in order to avoid data collisions. See also FDCCH, IS-136 and TDMA.

Schedule

A call center term. A record that specifies when an employee is supposed to be on duty to handle calls. The complete definition of a schedule is the days of week worked, start time, break times and durations (as well as paid/unpaid status), and stop time. See the following six terms.

Schedule Exception

A call center term. A specific date and period when an employee cannot handle calls or is engaged in some kind of special activity. An absence, meeting, or other work assignment creates an "exception" to the employee's daily work file schedule.

Schedule Inflexibility

A call center term. A phenomenon that tends to create overstaffing in some periods when full coverage is the objective in creating a set of schedules. This is caused by the fact that it is impractical to have extremely short schedules for covering momentary peaks in call volume. To achieve a near perfect match of staff and workload at all times would require shifts of virtually every length; for example, 2-hour shifts, 45-minute shifts, even 15-minute shifts.

Schedule Preference

A call center term. A description of the days and hours that an employee would like to work, used by the automatic assignment process to match the employee to a suitable schedule. In some call centers, each employee can have as many as 10 schedules preferences ordered by priority.

Schedule Test

A call center term. A variation of the scheduling process that allows you to forecast the service quality that will result from using an existing set of schedules.

Schedule Trade

A call center term. A situation in which two employees have agreed to work each other's schedules, or an employee has agreed to work the other's schedule, on a specific date or dates.

Scheduling Software

scheduling software makes the timetable of agent hours and shifts for your call center. The software takes into account vacation days, breaks, agent skill levels, lengths of shifts and forecasting information about when calls when arrive at your call center.

Schematic

A diagram of the electrical scheme of a circuit with components represented by graphic symbols.

Scheme

The part of a URL that tells an HTML client, like a browser, which access method to use to retrieve the file specified in the URL. See URL.

Schlepp

A Yiddish word meaning to carry around, to drag around, as in "This phone system is heavy. Schlepping it is a pain." See also Chutzpah and Schlub.

Schlub

A crude individual lacking in social skills and blessed with insensitivity, clumsiness and no manners. In short, another great Yiddish word. Also spelled Zhlup. See also Schlepp.

Schone

See Harry-Proof.

Schools and Libraries Corporation

SLC. A not-for profit corporation formed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and operating as the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), which also was formed by The Act. The SLC is responsible for distributing up to $2.25 billion per year of funds from the Universal Service Fund (USF). Those funds subsidize the cost of internal wiring, telecommunications services, and Internet access for schools and libraries. See also Universal Service Administrative Company and Universal Service Fund.

SCID

SONET Carrier ID. A friend wrote me "I work for a regional Bell co. and had a trouble ticket in which the problem was found to be in SCID xxxxxx."

Scientific or Industrial Organization

See SIO.

SCIF

Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility is a room where you keep classified documents. Cell phones don't work in such rooms. Classified documents can be read, but not removed from such rooms. We know that there are several of these rooms in Washington, D.C. Tom Kean, chairman of the commission investigating 9/11, spoke of them to the New York Times in an January 4, 2004 article.

Scintillation

In electromagnetic wave propagation, a random fluctuation of the received field strength about its mean value, the deviations usually being relatively small. Think of scintillation as the creation of a spark, hopefully a small one. The effects of this phenomenon become more significant as the frequency of the propagating wave increases . The discovery of scintillation must have been truly scintillating.

Scriptoria

Places where, for centuries, monks laboriously copied religious texts by hand ” until the invention of the Guttenberg printing press around 1453.

SCM

1. Station Class Mark. A two digit number that identifies certain capabilities of your cellular phone. How the cellular network handles your call is based on these digits. The SCM tells the system if your phone transmits at standard power levels or low power levels, if it can use the full 832 channels or only the original 666 frequencies. The last attribute identified is whether your phone uses voice activated transmission (VOX).

2. Subscriber Carrier Mode.

3. See Supply Chain Management.

SCM-100

A Subscriber Carrier Module-100 Access; same as SMA.

SCN

Switched Circuit Network. See Circuit Switched Network, which is the same thing.

Scope

1. A slang term for cathode ray oscilloscope.

2. An ATM term. A scope defines the level of advertisement for an address. The level is a level of a peer group in the PNNI routing hierarchy.

3. Secured Cageless Opening. A CLEC terms. It's something like co-locating at a discount because you're using only one rack at an ILEC's central office. It's in a secured Locked area. Not sure of the P and E in it the acronym.

SCOTS

1. Surveillance and COntrol of Transmission Systems.

2. Switched Circuit Ordering and Tracking System. MCI's automated tracking and order processing system for Dial up products, IMTs, and the MCI switched network.

SCP

1. Service Control Point. Also called Signal Control Point. A remote database within the System Signaling 7 network. The SCP supplies the translation and routing data needed to deliver advanced network services. The SCP translates an 800-IN-WATS number to the required routing number. It is separated from the actual switch, making it easier to introduce new services on the network. See also SSP and TCAP. For a full explanation of the Advanced Intelligent Network, see AIN.

2. Nortel Networks term for a Satellite Communications Processor.

SCPC

Single Channel Per Carrier. A technique used in analog satellite and certain other radio systems. SCPC supports one transmission per frequency channel. Multiple channels can be supported through Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM). See also FDM.

SCR

1. Abbreviation for Silicon Controlled Rectifier, a semiconductor device that allows one electric circuit to control another; often replaces electromechanical relays.

2. SCSA Call Router.

3. Sustainable Cell Rate. Parameter defined by the ATM forum for ATM traffic management. The SCR is an upper bound on the conforming average rate of an ATM connection over time scales which are long relative to those for which the PCR is defined. Enforcement of this bound by the UPC could allow the network to allocate sufficient resources, but less than those based on the PCR, and still ensure that the performance objectives (e.g., for Cell Loss Ratio) can be achieved.

Scrambler

A device which deliberately distorts a voice or data conversation so that only another like device can figure out the content of the message. Analog scramblers invert the frequencies of speech. Digital scramblers first convert speech to digital form and then encrypt. Both types also perform the reverse process. The sophistication (i.e. complexity) of a scrambler determines its price.

Scrambling

Traditionally defined in the science of cryptology as an analog method of concealing communications signals which uses the processes of heterodyne, band division, transposition, or signal inversion. Sometimes use of positive trapping is called "scrambling." See Positive Trapping. See also Scrambler.

Scratch monkey

A safety device based on using a scratch (a recording medium attached to a machine for testing and/or temporary use to preserve material). Before testing or reconfiguring, always attach a "scratch monkey" to avoid losing irreplaceable data.

Scratchpad

A part of the random access memory of a computer or telephone system which can be used to temporarily store data. In a cellular phone system, scratch pad allows storage of phone numbers in temporary memory during a call. Silent scratch pads allows number entry into scratch pad without making beep tones. See also Register.

Screen

A wire mesh device or shield used for blocking radio frequency energy.

Screen Dump

A reasonably exact copy of what's on your PC's screen printed out or saved as a file.

Screen Font

The font that is displayed on your screen. It is, hopefully, designed to match the printer font so that documents look the same on the screen as they do when printed. You typically need a graphics interface on your company ” like Windows or X- Windows ” to make the font you see on your screen the same as what you see when you print it out.

Screen Pop

Screen Pop presents customer data and product and service information simultaneously with the incoming telephone call. Imagine a call center. An agent's phone is ringing. As it rings, the agent's computer screen pops up with information about the caller, what he ordered last, how much he owes, etc. This is called screen pop. The technology to make it happen typically comes from caller ID or ANI ” information carried on the phone call just before the voice. It can also come from an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system which answers the phone and asks the caller to punch in his phone or account number and then passes the phone call to the agent. In Screen Pop, the phone system typically listens for incoming digits and passes them across an attached local area network. See Caller ID.

Screen Refresh Rate

The rate at which your computer screen is re-drawn every second by a horizontal beam that scans from the top left hand corner to the bottom right hand corner. Screen refresh rates differ by the graphics standard you're running.

Screen Response Time

The time it takes to refresh a terminal screen.