Call Data Record

( CDR ) Record of a placed call. A CDR includes the time the call was placed and the duration of the phone call.

Calling Card  (Phone Card, TeleCard)

A telecommunications credit card with an Authorization Number for using a long distance carrier when the customer is away from their home or office (ANI). See also PIN

Calling Card Services

Carrier

A Telecommunications Service Provider that owns switch equipment and telephone network infrastructure. See LEC, IEC

Carrier Identification Code

( CIC ) A three digit number used with Feature Groups B and D to access a particular IEC's switched services from a local exchange line. One or more CIC codes are assigned to each carrier. (i.e. there may be multiple CICs per ACNA). 
See Bypass.

Casual Calling

Allowance of any ANI (including undefined ANIs) to access a given carrier. For example, if the originator is calling from a non-coin phone, they may dial 1010555+destination number and have the call routed through WorldCom and billed to the originating Billing telephone number.

Casual Customer

Any person or organization that dials any CIC Code. (Not necessary to presubscribe to the carrier.)

Central Office

( CO ) Call routing center / telecommunications switching station of a Local Exchange Carrier. 

Centrex

A Device that is functionally similar to a customer-premise PBX, but provided by means of equipment located in a Central Office.

CDR

( Call Data Record ) Record of a placed call. A CDR includes the time the call was placed and the duration of the call.

CIC

( Carrier Identification Code ) A three digit number used with Feature Groups B and D to access a particular IEC's switched services from a local exchange line. One or more CIC codes are assigned to each carrier. (i.e. there may be multiple CICs per ACNA).  See Bypass.

Class of Service

A special limitation on what telephone numbers can and cannot be called. International, 809, 809 + Canada, 48 contiguous states, etc.

CLEC 

( Competitive Local Exchange Carrier ) Companies that compete on a selected basis for local exchange service, long-distance, international, Internet access, and entertainment (i.e., cable TV).

Clipping

Situation where the system cuts off the first part of the first word in a sentence. (Not to be confused with choppiness -- which is a packet loss).

CO

( Central Office ) Call routing center / telecommunications switching station of a Local Exchange Carrier. 

COCOT

Customer Owned Coin Operated Telephone ( See also Coin Phone , Pay Phone )

Coin Phone

A coin-operated pay phone with restricted access to some services (e.g. International calling, Allowance of incoming calls, etc. ). Coin phones have subclasses of Public, Semi Public, and Private.

Collect Call

A call that is paid for by the receiving/destination phone number. Requires approval / authorization of the party receiving the call. Verified through an operator or an automated verification system, See Operator Service Call, Person to Person

Common Carrier

A carrier that holds itself out as serving the public (or a segment thereof) indifferently (i.e., without regard to the identity of the customer and without undue discrimination). Common carriers may vary rates based on special considerations and may in fact provide service to only a small percentage of the general public.

Competitive Local Exchange Carrier

Computer Telephony Integration

( CTI ) Extension of computer-based intelligence and processing over the telephone network to a telephone. CTI enables users to interact with computer databases or applications from a telephone. It also enables computer-based applications to access the telephone network. Computer telephony makes computer-based information readily available over the worldwide telephone network from your telephone.

Contiguous United States

A legally-binding agreement between a vendor and a customer to provide Products, Services or Features in a specified quantity and quality, for a specified price, during a specified period of time.

Contract Tariffs

CONUS

The 48 contiguous U.S. states. Used primarily to designate the operating range or authorization of a satellite or radio facility.

Country Codes

Two or three digit codes used for International calls outside of the North American Numbering Plan area codes. Dial: 011 + country code + city code + local phone number) (e.g. "011 + 91 + 22 + 123- 4567" 91 = India, 22 = Bombay)
See also: International, Area Code, Prefix , Exchange

List of Country Codes

CTI

( Computer Telephony Integration ) Extension of computer-based intelligence and processing over the telephone network to a telephone. CTI lets you interact with computer databases or applications from a telephone. It also enables computer-based applications to access the telephone network. Computer telephony makes computer-based information readily available over the worldwide telephone network via telephone.

Customizable PIN

A PIN that enables the user to choose the specific numbers or character sequence.

Cutover

The exact date / time that a phone number, circuit, service, etc. is scheduled to be ( or was ) switched from one implementation ( carrier, etc.) to another. ( e.g. transferring an 800 number from MCI to WorldCom ).

Cut-Through Dialing

"10"+CIC+" #" followed by an Authorization Code for IntraLATA calls.