Telecom Dictionary Navigation

Telecom Dictionary - P

Packet - This is data bundled for transmission.

Packet Buffer - Memory reserved for storing incoming or outgoing packets.

Packet Filter - A firewall that has the job of allowing or disallowing packets to pass through it (both incoming and outgoing).

Packet Switching - This is a method of transmitting data, organized in packets, through a network.

Pad - This is a device meant to cause loss in a circuit.

Page - A document of information on the web.  You must click on a hyperlink or type a destination in your browser to visit a new page.

Pair - Two wires (of a circuit).

Parabola - A shape like a shallow bowl that focuses incoming signals to a common focal point.

Parabolic Antenna - This most frequent satellite antenna type is so-called because it is in the shape of a parabola, which has the purpose of focusing the received signal into one focal point located out in front of the dish.

Parallel - All connected to a common path equally (not in series). In the telecom industry, parallel transmissions take one data stream, break it into multiple streams, and then transmit those streams simultaneously.

Parallel Port - A port plug that transmits data one byte at a time.

Parity - This is a common way to check whether data has been altered during transmission.

Parse - To divide a language (programming languages in our case) into components for analysis or to perform operations.

Passband - A certain range of frequencies that can pass through a filter without being blocked (more specifically, without being attenuated).

Patch - (1) To temporarily connect circuits, or (2) a small addition of code to supplement a software program.

Path - The route a signal follows.

Pause - To temporarily suspend operations.

Payload - This is any additional load carried by a device (i.e., a rocket, shuttle, or satellite) other than what is necessary for its operation.

PC - This stands for personal computer, among many other things.

PCM - see Pulse Code Modulation.

Peak Rate - The billing rate during the peak time periods (business hours).

Peripheral Device - Any device that is connected to your computer other than the main computer itself, such as your printer and speakers.

Phase - This is a particular point in the time of a cycle that is measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle.

Phase Alternation System - This is the German-developed television video standard. See National Television Standards & Secem.

Phase Shift Keying (PSK) - A modem digitally modulates the phase of a signal's RF carrier for the purpose of transmitting information.

Phreaker - A phreaker is a hacker that is skilled in manipulating the phone system.

Pick Up - To answer a telephone call.

PIN - This is a general term, meaning Personal Identification Number, that is an number password that is used to gain entrance into a secure system.

Pink Noise - This is random noise with equal energy per octave of sound.

Pixel - PIcture ELement.  This is the smallest unit of a video display screen.

Plasma - An ionized gas with equal parts of positive and negative ions.

Plug - The male element of a plug/jack connector.

Plug-In - A smaller program that adds to and improves or enhances a larger, parent program.

Point of Demarcation - The actual point where the phone line becomes the subscriber's responsibility rather than the phone company's.

Point to Point - A private, connection with two endpoints.

Polarity - This is the sign (direction) of the potential (voltage) between two points in a circuit. Electrons flow from negative to positive points, but by convention, the sign of current is considered to flow from positive to negative points.

Polarization - This wave phenomenon increases the capacity of a transmission channel by utilizing the signal's two perpendicular wave components.

Polar Mount - This is an efficient type of antenna mounting device that permits steering in both the elevation- and azimuth-directions by rotation about one single axis.

Polar Orbit - This is an orbit with its plane aligned parallel to the Earth's polar axis.

POP3 - This is a protocol used on the internet to retrieve email from a mail server.  POP stands for Post Office Protocol.

Port - The interface between a device and a circuit, allowing the device to become part of the circuit.

Post - To compose and publish a message for an internet community to read.

Potential - This is the difference in voltage between two points.  One of the points is often a ground, with voltage equal to 0.

Power Factor - This is the ratio of power actually used in an electric circuit, the real power (expressed in kW), to the power that is apparently being drawn from the power source, the apparent power (expressed in kVA).

Power Supply - This device converts the normal AC power at 120 or 240 volts to the different voltages and frequencies of AC and DC power that are required to operate the equipment.

Prefix - If you dial either one or a few digits before a phone number -- a prefix -- you can relay certain things to the phone company, such as needing assistance, etc.

Private Line - A direct channel between specified points.

Processor - This is the central element of a computer's intelligence and information handling operations.  It is also called the CPU -- central processing unit.

Programmable - A term used in telephony to describe something capable of being altered without having to be rewired.

Programming Language - A computer, human-created language used to write instructions for a computer.

Prompt - A visual or auditory cue to announce that more input is required before the program will continue.

Propulsion - This is a particular system (for a rocket, satellite, etc) that provides the fuel and energy for movement (i.e., thrust) and operation.

Protocol - These are rules that govern exchanges between people and/or computers.

Proxy - This is (1) a firewall mechanism relays all traffic through it so that it can replace the IP address of a host on the internal (protected) network with its own IP address, or (2) a software agent that will act on the behalf of a user.

PSK - see Phase Shift Keying. 

PSTN - see Public Switched Telephone Network.

Public Domain - Putting your software in the public domain makes it shareware, which means anyone can use, alter, or redistribute it. The idea is that people will send you money because they truly value your software, and it seems to be occurring more frequently lately.

Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) - This refers to the international voice telephone network accessible legally to all.

Publish - To make your information accessible to the public.

Pulse - This occurs when either current or voltage changes abruptly in value for a finite length of time.

Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) - This is a time division modulation technique in which analog signals are transformed into quantized digital signals.

Pulse Dialing - One of the two main types of dialing a phone (the other being rotary dial).