Slam

A telephone service subscriber that is PICed without their permission. An RBOC Slam Fee must be paid for each slam.
See also: Default Carrier, Primary Interexchange Carrier, PIC Freeze

SLIP (Serial Line Interface Protocol)

Protocol to access the Internet using dial-up connections.

SMNP ( System Management Network Protocol )

Protocol enabling the ability to access, control or monitor a network or piece of equipment from a remote location.

SMS

1)  Service Management System

2)  Short Message Service ( Cellular Text Messaging )

SMS Customer Record

All information related to a Toll Free Number  ( 800, 888, 877, 866 number ), effective date and time, etc. See also: SMS

Smart Card

A plastic phone-card with a stored cash value in a micro-chip inside the card.

Speed Dialing

A service to abbreviate and accelerate frequently dialed telephone numbers.
See Abbreviated Dialing

SSL ( Secure Socket Layer )

Encrypted communications path between two computers. Theoretically protects and conceals user information during network transit.

State Tax

A collection of tax types that each state is allowed to charge. Tax jurisdiction (which state can charge tax for a telephone call ) is based on the two-out-of-three rule: where phone call originates, where it terminates, where calling charges are billed to - if two match, that state can charge the tax.
See Regulators

Patented March 10 1891 by Almon Strowger, the invention of  the Stepping Switch led to automatic telephone circuit switching. consisted of 10 levels or banks, each having 10 contacts arranged in a semi-circle. When used with a rotary telephone dial, each pair of numbers caused the shaft of the central contact "hand" first to step up one level per digit and then to swing in a contact row per digit.
See also Switch

Surcharge

An additional charge on top of a base rate for a specified reason.
A fee charged against a calling card usually to cover the phone card company's costs.

Switch

Equipment or device (like a DMS-250, Centrex or a PBX) that responds to originator signals and dynamically connects the caller to the desired communication destination. See also: Router, Central Office, LEC, Stepping Switch

Switched Access

Nondedicated local access between the customer's premise equipment and the serving wire center which is interconnected to the telephone company's point-of-presence for origination or termination of service.

Switched Access Service

A class of LEC services that provides the link from the customer's premise to the IEC PoP for switched circuits.

Switched Resellers

Resellers that utilize their own switching hardware (and sometimes their own transmission lines) and the lines of other IXCs to provide long-distance telephone service to its subscribers. They provide their own billing and service.
See also Switchless Reseller, Reseller

Switched Services

All dial up long-distance services including conventional residential and WATS (most have incremental use charges). (See Message Toll Service).

Switchless Reseller

A reseller of long-distance telephone services that does not utilize any of its own transmission lines, or (switching) equipment. All actual service and equipment is handled and maintained by the IXC. Billing is usually done, by the reseller themselves, to the subscriber. See also Switched Reseller, Reseller