Glossary

A Toll Call is a long-distance telephone call that requires the caller to pay long-distance rates. Long-distance rates are determined by each caller's long-distance service provider and specific calling plan.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman TIO deals with complaints that consumers have not been able to resolve with their telephone or internet company

Fee applicable when a party to a contract terminates that contract. Generally this is the outstanding minimum amount agreed to in the contract. Usually this means the minimum monthly commitment multiplied by the remaining months, but sometimes an additional fee is nominated in the contract also. Also called a cancellation fee or a contract cancellation fee.

Amalgamating the terms: TELephone and COmpany, a Telco is a telecommunications service provider or wholesaler. To operate in Australia, a telecommunications company must be registered with the TIO as a telecommunications provider.

A facility that enables three or more parties to be connected together in a conference call, so that they may all speak and listen simultaneously. This is often used as a convenient substitute for a physical meeting, as the participants can be located in different towns, or even in different countries.

Teleseminars are used to provide information, training, or promote or sell products to group of people interested in a particular topic. They are similar to traditional seminars, in content and purpose, but they are given over a teleconference or bridge line rather than at a specific location.

Teleseminars provide an opportunity for a host to provide information to a large number of people at one time. It allows a trainer to train many participants at once, one on many rather than one on one. It also eliminates the need for travel, expensive preparation and presentation material costs. These factors make teleseminars a very cost effective delivery method.

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Typcially 1800 or 800 services, they are defined as toll-free because the caller is not charged dependent on the duration of the call. 13 and 1300 numbers do attract a Flagfall charge, but no toll.

Charges beyond any Flagfall, connection fee or minimum call charges. These are usually per minute charges, billed in 1 second increments. The Toll is the charge applied according to the duration of the call. See also Toll-Free.

DTMF is the conversion of keystrokes on the handset into discrete tones; one tone for each number dialled. This allows the carrier`s switching centre to connect the call to the chosen number. DTMF can also be used to interact with telephone systems such as telephone banking. Tone dialling has superseded Pulse dialling because it is more efficient and user friendly.

Amount of data or voice signals travelling through a communications channel at one time.

A text copy of your Conference Recording, prepared by a qualified third-party service. Transcription is only available when Conference Recording is selected for a teleconference.

Transfer of a communications signal from one point to another.

Typical term for STD calling. The term trunk is used here to denote that the call has gone over a long distance line (between exchanges) before being terminated.