Abbreviations and acronyms
Listed below, in alphabetical order, are the abbreviations and acronyms that have been used in the Tiresias website.
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U V W
X Y Z
| 2B1Q | Two Binary One Quaternary |
| 3-G | Third-generation Mobile Standard |
| 3G | Third-generation Licences |
| 3G3P | 3G Patent Platform Partnership |
| 3GPP | Third-Generation Partnership Project |
| 3D | Third Generation Mobile Systems |
| 4GL | Fourth Generation Language |
| A2Go | Applications2Go |
| AAATE | Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe |
| AAC | Augmentative and Alternative Communication |
| ABM | Asynchronous Balances Mode (HDLC) |
| ABP | Action for Blind People |
| ACC | Austrian CCITT Comittee |
| ACCC | Australian Competition and Consumer Commission |
| ACCESS | Development Platform for Unified Access to Enabling Environments (TIDE project) |
| ACD | Automatic Call Distribution |
| ACEC | Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce |
| AceS | Asia Cellular Satellite |
| ACIF | Australian Communications Industry Forum |
| ACITS | Advisory Committee for Information Technology Standardisation (SOG-IT) |
| ACM | Association for Computing Machinery |
| ACTE | Approvals Committee for Terminal Equipment (EC) |
| ACTS | Advanced Communications Technologies and Services |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| ADC | Analogue Digital Converter |
| ADL | Activities of Daily Living |
| ADPCM | Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (Digital compression technique used to process Audio on DC-ROM CA and CD-I.) |
| ADSL | Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line technology |
| AECMA | Association Europeenne des Constructeurs de Materiel Aerospatial |
| AENOR | Associacion Espanola de Normalizacion (Standards Association, Spain) |
| AER | Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired |
| AES | Advanced Encryption Standard |
| AFB | American Foundation for the Blind |
| AFIM | l'Association Francaise d'Internet Mobiles |
| AFNOR | Association Francaise pour la NORmalisation (French national standards body) |
| AFUTT | Association Française de Téléphone et des Télécommunications (French Telegraphs and Telephone Users' Association) |
| AHCIET | Asociacion Hispanoamericana de Centros Investigacion y Empresas de Telecomunicaciones |
| AI | Artificial Intelligence |
| AIM | Advanced Informatics for Medicine (DG XIII) |
| ALDICT | Access of Persons with Learning Disabilities to Information and Communication Technologies |
| ALEC | Alternate Local Exchange Carrier |
| AM | Amplitude Modulation |
| AMI | Ambient Intelligence |
| AMPS | Advanced Mobile Phone System |
| ANI | Automatic Number Identification (ISDN) |
| ANSI | American National Standards Institute |
| AP | Application Protocols |
| APCN | Asia Pacific Cable Network |
| APDU | Application Protocol Data Unit |
| APH | American Printing House for the Blind |
| APN | Access Point Name |
| APNG | Asia-Pacific Networking Group |
| APPSN | Application Pilot for People with Special Needs (RACE project) |
| APRS | Automatic Packet Reporting System |
| ARCS | Astra Return Channel System |
| ARIN | American Registry for Internet Numbers |
| ARL | Akamai Resource Locator |
| ARM | Asynchronous Response Mode (HDLC) |
| ARPANET | Advanced Research Projects Agenct NET |
| ARPU | Average Revenue Per User |
| ART | Autorite de Regulation des Telecommunications |
| ASCENT | Association of Communications Enterprises |
| ASCII | American Standard Code for Information Interchange |
| ASDL | Assymetric Digital Subscriber Line |
| ASI | Alternate Space Inversion |
| ASIC | Application Specific Integrated Circuit |
| ASL | American Sign Language |
| ASNA | internet Assigned Numbers Authority |
| ASO | Address Supporting Organization |
| ASP | Application Service Provisioning |
| ASPIC | Application Service Provider Industry Consortium |
| ASP | Application Service Provisioning |
| ASR | Automatic Speech Recognition |
| AT | Assistive Technology |
| ATDM | Asynchronous Time Division Multiplexing |
| ATM | Asynchronous Transfer Mode or Automated Teller Machine |
| ATR | Advanced Telecommunications Research (Institute) |
| ATRC | Adaptive Technology Research Center |
| ATTT | African Telecommunications Think Tank |
| ATUG | Australian Telecommunications Users Group |
| AUDETEL | Audio Description of Television for the Visually Disabled and Elderly (TIDE project) |
| AURORA | Project to develop safety equipment systems for disabled and elderly persons (TIDE project) |
| AVL | Available |
| AVM | Audio Visual Management |
| B2 | Bredbandsbolaget AB |
| B2B | Business-to-Business |
| B2C | Business to Consumer |
| BABT | British Approvals Board for Telecommunications |
| BACT | Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Small Businesses (UK) |
| BAIC | Barring of All Incoming Calls |
| BANA | Braille Authority of North America |
| BAOC | Barring of All Outgoing Calls |
| BAP | Bandwidth Allocation Protocol |
| BAPT | Bundesamt für Post undTelekommunikation (Federal Office for Post and Telecommunication, Germany) |
| BASIC | Beginner's All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. Popular, and long lived, programming language |
| Baud | 1. A unit of modulation rate. Note: One baud corresponds to a rate of one unit interval per second, where the modulation rate is expressed as the reciprocal of the duration in seconds of the shortest unit interval. 2. A unit of signaling speed equal to the number of discrete signal conditions, variations or events per second. |
| BAUK | Braille Authority of United Kingdom |
| BBC | British Broadcasting Corporation |
| BBS | Bulletin Board System |
| BBWA | Broad Bank Wireless Access |
| BCAB | British Computer Association of the Blind |
| BCAP | Bandwidth Allocation Control Protocol |
| BCD | Binary Coded Decimal |
| BDT | Telecommunication Development Bureau of the ITU |
| BICEPS | Bioinformatics Collaborative European Programmes and Strategy (Forerunner of AIM |
| B-ICI | Broadband Intercarrier Interface (ATM) |
| BIOS | Basic Input/Output System |
| BIPT | Belgian Institute for Posts and Telecommunications |
| BIS | Business Intelligence Software |
| B-ISDN | Broadband ISDN |
Bits per second |
A unit used to express the number of bits passing a designated point per second. |
| BJVI | British Journal of Visual Impairment |
| BLEC | Building (or Basement) Local Exchange Carrier |
| BLSR | Bidirectional Line Switched Ring |
| BMPT | Bundesamt fuer Post and Telekommunikation |
| BMS | Broadband Management System |
| BNT | Groupe Belge des Normes de Telecommunications |
| BOTZ | Build Operate Transfer |
| BPI | Bits per inch measure - used for ANSI tape standards - amongst others |
| BRI | Basic Rate Interface (ISDN) |
| BRITE | Basic Rate Interface Transmission Equipment |
| BRITE/ EURAM |
Basic Research in Industrial Technologies for Europe/European Research in Advanced Materials |
| BRPS | British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society |
| BSC | Base Station Controller (Wireless/GSM) |
| BSC | Binary Synchronous Communications (IBM) |
| BSIC | Base Transceiver Station Identity Code |
| BSP | Building Service Provider |
| BSS | Base Station System |
| BT | Business Telecommunications (as used by ETSI) or British Telecom |
| BTAM | Basic Telecommunications Access Method (SNA) |
| BTR | British Telecom Requirement |
| BTS | Base Transceiver Station |
| Btx | Bildschirmtext |
| BWA | Broadband Wireless Association |
| BWLL | Broadband Wireless Local Loop |
| BZT | Bundesamt für Zulassungen in der Telekommunikation (Federal Office for Telecommunication Approvals, Germany) |
| CA | Certificate Authority |
| CAD | Computer Aided Design |
| CAFE | Conditional Access For Europe (ESPRIT project on infrared contactless smart card systems) |
| CAI | Common Air Interface |
| CALEA | Communications Assistance for Law Enforcing Agencies |
| CAM | Computer Aided Manufacturing |
| CAMEL | Customized Application for Mobile networks Enhanced Logic |
| CAPS | Communication and Access to information for Persons with Special needs (TIDE project) |
| CAST | Center for Applied Special Technology |
| CATV | Cable Television; Community Antennae Televsion |
| CB | Citizens Band |
| CBP | Congenitally Blind Person |
| CBT | Computer-based Training |
| CCD | Charge Coupled Device |
| CCIR | Comité Consultatif International des Radiocommunications (ITU-R) |
| CCITT | Comité Consultatif International Telegraghique et Téléphonique |
| CcTLD | Country code Top Level Domain |
| CCTV | Closed Circuit Television |
| CD | Call Deflection, Commitee Draft or Compact Disc |
| CD+G | Compact Disc plus Graphics |
| CD+MIDI | Compact Disc plus Musical Instrument Digital Interface |
| CD-DA | Compact Disc - Digital Audio - the highest of the four levels of audio performance available from CD-I being equivalent to full specification stereo audio also sometimes used to describe standard audio |
| CD-E | Compact Disc - Erasable |
| CD-EPROM | Compact Disc - Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory |
| CD-I | Compact Disk Interactive |
| CD-IV | Compact Disc - Interactive video |
| CD-MO | Compact Disc - Magneto Optical |
| CD-PROM | Compact Disc - Programmable Read Only Memory |
| CD-R | Compact Disc - Recordable |
| CD-ROM | Compact Disk - Read Only Memory |
| CD-ROM/XA | Compact Disk - Read Only Memory/extended Architecture |
| CD-V | Compact Disc - Video |
| CD-WO | Compact Disc - Write Once |
| CD-WORM | Compact Disc - Write Once Read Many - recordable optical disc system whereby once data has been recorded it can not be removed apart from being damaged it can however, be read non destructively as often as required - generally 5.25 inch, opposed to the 12cm of CD-ROM and thus physically and logically incompatible |
| CDG | CDMA Development Organization |
| CDMA | Code Division Multiple Access |
| CDN | Content Delivery Network |
| CDPD | Cellular Digital Packet Data |
| CEA | Council of Economic Advisors |
| CEC | Commission of the European Communities |
| CEE | Central and Eastern Europe |
| CEN | Comité Européen de Normalisation |
| CENELEC | Comité Européen de Normalisation Electronique |
| CEPT | Conférence des Administrations Européenes des Postes et Telecommunications |
| CFB | Call Forward Busy |
| CFNR | Call Forward No Reply |
| CHTML | Compact HTML |
| CIC | Carrier Identification Code |
| CIM | Computer Integrated Manufacture |
| CISC | Complex Instruction Set Computer (i.e. can perform multiple operations per instruction.) |
| CIX | Commercial Internet Exchange |
| Clear | Clearinghouse database on disability-related information |
| CLEC | Competitive Local Exchange Carrier |
| CLI | Calling Line Identity/Identification |
| CLIP | Calling Line Identity/Presentation |
| CLIR | Calling Line Identification Restriction |
| CLP | Cell Loss Priority (ATM) |
| CMCC | China Mobile Communications Corporation |
| CMOS | Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. CMOS is one of several chip fabrication technologies. |
| CMR | Cellular Mobile Radio |
| CNAE | Customer Network Access Equipment |
| CNC | China Netcom Corporation |
| CNET | Centre National d'Etudes des Télécommunications (National Study Centre for Telecommunications, France) |
| CNM | Customer Network Management |
| COLP | Connected Line Identification Presentation |
| COLR | Connected Line Identification Restriction |
| COM | Common Object Model |
| COMAC | Committee On Medicine And Computers (DG XII) |
| COMESA | Common Market for Eastern and Southern African States |
| COMETT | Community Programme in Education and Training for Technology |
| Copernicus | Co-operation in Science and Technology with Central and Eastern European Countries |
| CORBA | Common Object Request Broker Architecture |
| CORE | Consensus creation and awareness for research and development activities in technology for disabled and elderly people (TIDE project) |
| COSINE | Co-operation for Open Systems Interconnection Networking in Europe |
| COST | European Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research |
| COST 219 | Future Telecommunications and Teleinformatics facilities for disabled people |
| COST 220 | Communication protocols and user interfaces for keyboard and display equipment intended for Telecommunication use by disabled people |
| COST A5 | Ageing and technology |
| CP | Communications Protocol |
| CPE | Customer Premises Equipment |
| CPIC | Common Programming Interface Communications |
| CPP | Calling Party Pays |
| CPS | Carrier Pre-Selection; Communications Service Providers |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit |
| CREST | Scientific and Technical Research Committee (of the EC) |
| CRM | Customer Relationship Management |
| CRT | Cathode Ray Tube |
| CRTC | Canadian RadioTelevisionand Telecommunications Commission |
| CSDN | Circuit Switched Data Network |
| CSO | Committee of Senior Officers |
| CSP | Converged Service Provider |
| CSPDN | Circuit Switched Public Data Network |
| CSS | Cascading Style Sheet |
| CT | Call Transfer, Cordless telephone |
| CT1 | European analogue cordless telephone system |
| CT-2 | Second generation cordless telephone, UK |
| CTI | Computer Telephony Integration |
| CTIA | Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association |
| CTR | Common Technical Regulation (EU) |
| CTU | Czech Telecommunications Office |
| CW | Call Waiting |
| CYTA | Cyprus Telecommunications Authority |
| D-tag | Descriptive text link |
| DAB | Digital Audi Broadcasting |
| DAC | Digital to Analogue Converter |
| DACS | Digital Access and Cross-connect System |
| DAI | Digital Audio Interface (104 kbit/s) |
| DAMPS | Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System |
| DANN | Data Networking Association |
| DARS | Digital Audio Radio Satellite Service |
| DASS | Digital Access Signalling System |
| DAT | Digital Audio Tape |
| DATV | Digitally Assisted TV |
| DBMS | DataBase Management System |
| DBS | Direct Broadcast Service |
| DC | Direct Current |
| DCC | Data Communication Channel |
| DCN | Data Communications Network |
| DCS | Digital Cellular System |
| DDA | Disability Discrimination Act |
| DEC | Disputes.org/eResolution Consortium |
| DECT | Digital European Cordless Telecommunications |
| DELTA | Developing European Learning through Technological Advance (DG XIII) |
| DES | Data Encryption Standard |
| DFID | Department For International Development |
| DG | Directorate General (of the European Commission) |
| DG-XIII | CEC Directorate-General for Information Technologies and Industries, and Telecommunications |
| DG-XVI | CEC Directorate-General for Regional Development |
| DGPS | Differential Global Positioning System |
| DHTML | Dynamic HTML |
| DIEL | Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People (UK) |
| DiffServ | Differentiated Services |
| DIN | Deutsches Institut für Normung Deutsche Industrie normen ausschuss (Standards body, Germany) |
| DIP | Dual In-line Package (integrated circuits) |
| DIS | Draft International Standard |
| DLF | Disabled Living Foundation |
| DNS | Domain Name System |
| DNSO | Domain Name Supporting Organization |
| DOCSIS | Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification |
| DoE | Department of the Environment |
| DOM | Document Object Specifications |
| DOS | Disk Operating System |
| DPI | Dots Per Inch. A unit of measurement used for printers and scanners. The higher the DPI, the better the quality |
| DPL | Digital PowerLine |
| DRAM | Dynamic Random Access Memory |
| DRB | Digital Radio Broadcasters |
| DRC | Disability Rights Commission (UK) |
| DRIVE | Dedicated Road Infrastructure for Vehicle safety in Europe (DG XIII) |
| DS | Direct Spread |
| DSL | Digital Subscriber Line |
| DSLAM | DSL Access Multiplexer |
| DSRR | Digital Short Range Radio |
| DTD | Document Type Definition Broadcasting |
| DTH | Direct-To-Home |
| DTI | Department of Trade and Industry (UK) |
| DTM | Dynamic synchronous Transfer Mode |
| DTP | Desk Top Publishing |
| DVB | Direct digital Video Broadcasting |
| DVI | Digital Video Interactive |
| DWDM | Dense Wave (or Wavelength) Division Multiplexing |
| E&D | Eldery & Disabled |
| EARN | European Academic Research Network |
| e-B2B | electronic Business-to-Business |
| EBU | European Broadcasting Union |
| EC | European Community, European Commissions |
| ECART | European Conference on Advances in Rehabilitation Technology |
| ECMA | European Computer Manufacturers Association |
| ECOWAS | Economic Community of West African States |
| eCRM | electronic Customer Relation Management |
| ECTA | European Competitive Telecommunications Association |
| ECU | European Currency Unit |
| ECUMN | European Conference on Universal Multiservice Networks |
| EDF | European Disability Forum |
| EDFA | Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers |
| EDGE | Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution; Enhanced Data for Global Evolution |
| EDI | Electronic Data Interchange |
| EEA | European Economic Area |
| EEC | European Economic Community |
| EEMA | European Forum for Electronic Business |
| EEPROM | Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. EEPROM memory retains its contents when no power is available and can be both read from and written to. Unlike EPROM, information stored in EEPROM memory may be re-written as and when required. The memory cannot become full and the life span of the card is determined by other factors. |
| EES | European Economic Space |
| EESSI | European Electronic Signature Standardization Initiative |
| EFEI | European Federation of Electronic Industries |
| EFF | Electronic Frontier Foundation |
| EFTA | European Free Trade Association |
| EFTPOS | Electronic Funds Transfer Point Of Sale |
| EHIMA | European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association |
| EIA | Electronic Industries Association |
| EIDD | European Institute for Design and Disability |
| EIF | European Internet Foundation |
| EIIA | European Information Industry Association |
| EITAAC | Electronic Information Technology Access Advisory Committee |
| Electronic mail | |
| EMC | Electromagnetic Compatibility |
| EMI | Electromagnetic Interference |
| EN | European Norm (Term within CEN and CENELEC) |
| ENSOETSI | National Standardisation Organisations (ETSI) |
| ENUM | Electronic Numbering |
| E/O | Electro-Optical |
| E-OTD | Enhanced Observed Time Difference |
| EOTC | European Organization for Testing and Certification |
| EP | European Parliament |
| EPROM | Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory. Data stored in EPROM memory will be retained when there is no power supply. The data can be both read and written to but new data cannot be partially written over existing data. The only way to do this is to expose the memory to ultraviolet light, thus erasing the entire contents and then add new information to the blank area. This means that when an EPROM card's memory is full, it is no longer of practical use. |
| EPS | Encapsulated PostScript |
| ERO | European Radiocommunications Office |
| ERP | Enterprise Resource Planning |
| ERPS | Enhanced Reference Picture Selection |
| ES | European Standard, End Systems (ETSI TC BT) |
| ESA | European Space Agency |
| ESB | European Standardisation Board |
| ESC | European Standardisation Council |
| ESF | European Social Fund, European Science Foundation |
| ESO | European Standardisation Organisation |
| ESPRIT | European Strategic Programme for Reseach iand Development |
| ETAN | European Technology Assessment |
| Ethernet | An industry-standard networking system |
| ETIS | European Telecommunications Informatics Services |
| ETNO | European public Telecommunications Network Operators association |
| ETO | European Telecommunications Office |
| ETP | European Telecommunications Platform (Brussels-based policy monitering group) |
| ETR | ETSI Technical Report |
| ETS | European Telecommunications Standard |
| ETSI | European Telecommunications Standards Institute |
| ETT | European Telecomunications and Technology |
| EU | European Union |
| EUREKA | European Research and Co-operation Agency |
| EURESCOM | European Institute for Research and Strategic Studies in Telecommunications |
| EurolSPA | European Internet Service Providers Association |
| EVA | Economic Value Added |
| EVCA | European Venture Capital Association |
| EVUA | European Virtual Private Network Users Association |
| Expert System | A program which uses artificial intelligence to produce solutions to problems. |
| FAST | Forecasting and Assessment in Science and Technology |
| FCC | Federal Communications Commission (USA) |
| FDM | Frequency Division Multiplex(ed) |
| FDMA | Frequency Division Multiple Access |
| FEC | Forward-Error-Correcting |
| FEDMA | Federation of European Direct Marketing |
| FEI | Federation of the Electronics Industry |
| FIPS | Federal Information Processing Standards |
| FLAG | Fiberoptic Link Around the Globe |
| Flash Memory | An advanced type of EEPROM memory. It is a high density, low power consumption, rewriteable non-volatile medium. |
| FM | Frequency Modulation |
| FMC | Fixed Mobile Convergence |
| FP6 | the EU's 6th Framework research Programme |
| FPD | Flat Panel Display |
| FSS | Fixed Satellite Service |
| FS-VDSL | Full Service-Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line |
| FTC | Federal Trade Commission |
| FTP | File Transfer Protocol |
| FTSE | Financial Times-Stock Exchange |
| FTTC | Fiber To The Curd |
| FTTH | Fiber To The Home |
| FWA | Fixed Wireless Access |
| GAC | (ICANN's) Government Advisory Committee |
| GAIT | GSM MAP Network/ANSI-41 Interoperability Team |
| GAM | Global Account Management |
| GAN | Global Area Network |
| GATT | General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade |
| GBDe | Global Business Dialog on electronic commerce |
| GDBA | Guide Dogs for the Blind Association |
| GEO | Geosynchronous Earth Orbit |
| GGRF | GSM Global Roaming Form |
| GGSN | Gateway GPRS Support Node |
| GIS | Geographical Information Systems |
| GMCF | Global Mobile Commerce Forum |
| GMPCS | Global Mobile Personal Communications Systems |
| GNS | Global Network Strategies |
| GNX | GlobalNet eXchange |
| GPRS | General Packet Radio Service |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| GPSR | General Packet Switched Radio |
| GRX | GPRS Roaming Exchange |
| GSA | GSM System Area |
| GSM | Global System for Mobile communication |
| GSP | Global Service Provider |
| gTLD | generic Top-Level Domain (e.g. .com, .edu) |
| GTS | Global TeleSystems Group |
| GUI | Graphical User Interface |
| GUIB | Graphical User Interfaces for Blind people (TIDE project) |
| HAC | Hearing Aid Compatible |
| HAPS | High Altitude Platforms |
| HMBI | Hybrid Brain-Machine Interface |
| HCI | Human-Computer Interaction |
| HDLC | High-level Data Link Control (ISO) |
| HDML | Handheld Devices Markup Language |
| HDSL | High-rate Digital Subscriber Loop |
| HDTV | High Definition Television |
| HDVS | High Definition Video System |
| HEART | Horizontal European Activities in Rehabilitation Technology (TIDE project) |
| HELIOS | Handicapped people in the European community Living In Open Society (DG 5) |
| HF | Human Factor (One of ETSI's Technical Committees); High Frequency |
| HFC | Hybrid Fiber-Coax |
| HKTUG | Hong Kong Telecommunications Users Group |
| HMSO | Her Majesty's Stationery Office (UK) |
| HSB | Hue, Saturation, Brightness. A system of specifying colours when displayed on a monitor. |
| HSCSD | High Speed Circuit Switched Data |
| HTTP | Hypertext Transfer Protocol (IETF) |
| HVAC | Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (smart homes) |
| IAB | Internet Architecture Board |
| IAHC | Internet Ad Hoc Committee |
| IANA | Internet Assigned Numbers Authority |
| IASP | Internet Access Service Provider |
| IB | International Bureau (of the FCC) |
| IBC | Integrated Broadband Communications |
| IBM | International Business Machines |
| I-CAN | Integrated Customer Access Network |
| ICAN | Integrated Control of All Needs (TIDE Project) |
| ICANN | Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers |
| ICC | International Chamber of Commerce |
| IC Cards | Integrated Circuit Cards. Term encompasses any card which contains one or more chips. |
| ICD | International Classification of Diseases |
| ICEVH | International Council for the Education of the Visually Handicapped |
| ICIDH | International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps |
| Icon | Pictorial representation of an object |
| ICT | Information and Communications Technology |
| ICTA | International Commission on Technology and Accessibility |
| ID | Identification |
| IDATE | Institut de l'Audiovisuel et des Telecommunications en Europe |
| IDN | Integrated Digital Network |
| iDSN | International Domain Name System |
| IDP | International Data Post (organizatin of 17 postal authorities) |
| IEC | International Electrotechnical Commission |
| IEE | Institution of Electrical Engineers (UK) |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (USA) |
| IEGMP | Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones |
| IETF | Internet Engineering Task Force |
| IFHOH | International Federation of Hard of Hearing People |
| IFLA | International Federation of Library Associations |
| IJRR | International Journal of Rehabilitation Research |
| ILEC | Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier |
| ILETS | International Law Enforcement Telecommunications Seminar |
| IM | Instant Messaging |
| IMAP | Internet Managed Application Provider |
| IMM | Interactive MultiMedia |
| IMP | Interface Message Processor |
| IMPACT | Information Market Policy Actions |
| IMPVIS | Impaired Vision (broader vision than Poor Vision) |
| IMS | Information Management System |
| IMSO | International Maritime Safety Organization |
| IMT | International Mobile Telephony |
| IMTC | International Multimedia Teleconferencing Consortium |
| IN | Intelligent Network |
| INCLUDE | Inclusion of Disabled and Elderly in Telematics |
| INMARSAT | International Marine Satellite Organisation |
| INMS | International Network Management System (DT + 12 eastern Carriers) |
| INSPEC | INformation Services for the Physics and Engineering Communities |
| Intelligent Agent | A phrase coined by Microsoft to mean a program which performs a task using some amount of artificial intelligence |
| Intelligent Building | Intelligent buildings are designed to have operations involved in their running automated by computers |
| INTELSAT | International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation |
| INTUG | International Telecommunications Users Groups |
| I/P | Internet Protocol |
| IOP | Input/Output Processor |
| IP | Internet Telephony providers; Internet Protocol |
| IPDR | IP Detail Record |
| IPLC | International Private Leased Circuit |
| IPO | Initial Public Offering |
| IPR | Intellectual Property Rights |
| IPSNI | Integration of People with Special Needs by IBC (RACE project) |
| IPv4 | Internet Protocol version 4 |
| IPv6 | Internet protocol version 6 |
| IP VPN | Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network |
| IrDA | Infrared Data Association |
| IRG | Independant Regulators Group |
| IRU | Indefeasible Right of Use |
| IRV | Institute for Rehabilitation Research (The Netherlands) |
| ISA | Industry Standard Architecture |
| ISC | International Switching Centre |
| ISDN | Integrated Services Digital Network |
| ISF | International Sensitivity Forum |
| ISIS | Information Society Initiative for Standardization |
| ISM | Industrials Scientific-Medical (frequency band) |
| ISO | International Organisation for Standardization |
| ISOC | Internet Society |
| ISP | Internet Service Provider |
| ISPA | Internet Service Providers Association |
| IST | Information Society Technologies |
| ISTAG | IST Advisory Group |
| ISVs | Independent Software Vendors |
| IT | Information Technology |
| IT&T | Information Technology and Telecommunications |
| ITM | Information/Transaction Machine |
| ITMC | International Multimedia Teleconferencing Consortium |
| ITS | Intelligent Transport Systems |
| ITSP | Internet Telephony Service Provider |
| ITU | International Telecommunications Union |
| ITUG | International Telecommunications Users Group |
| ITU-R | ITU Radiocommunications Standardization Sector |
| ITU-S | ITU Standardization bureau |
| ITU-T | ITU Telecommunications Standardization Sector |
| IUDD | Infrastructure and Urban Development Department |
| iVAD | integrated Voice and Data |
| IVR | Interactive Voice Response |
| JAIN | Jave APIs for Integrated Networks |
| JANET | Joint Academic NETwork (UK) |
| JCG | Joint Coordination Group (CEN/CENELEC/ETSI) |
| JPEG | Joint Photographics Expert Group |
| JTC | Jordan Telecommunications Company |
| JUS | Japan-U.S. Cable Network |
| JVIB | Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness (USA) |
| KB | Kilobyte. This is 1024 bytes (2 to the power of 10 bytes) |
| KM | Knowledge Management |
| KPN | Telecom formerly PTT Telecom BV |
| LAN | Local Area Network |
| LANS | Local Area Network Services |
| LAP | Link Access Protocol |
| LAS-CDMA | Large Area Synchronized Code Division Multiple Access |
| LASER | Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation |
| LBS | Location-based Services |
| LCD | Liquid Crystal Display |
| LCN | Local Communications Network |
| LDAP | Lightweight Directory Access Protocol |
| LDS | Local Dependant Services |
| LEC | Local Exchange Carrier |
| LED | Light Emitting Diode |
| LEO | Low Earth Orbit |
| LIMS | Laboratory Information Management System |
| LLB | Lensless Binocular (for Partially Sighted Persons, PSP) |
| LMDS | Local Multipoint Distribution Service (wireless microwave cable service) |
| LRIC | Long Run Incremental Cost |
| LSI | Large Scale Integration |
| LT | Lietuvos Telekomas |
| M&A | Merger and Acquisitions |
| MAC | Media Access Control |
| MADM | Muliple Add/Drop Multiplexer |
| MAN | Metropolitan Area Network |
| MAP | Management Application Protocol |
| MART | Maximising the Market for Telecommunications-Based Rehabilitation Technology (TIDE project) |
| MARTel | Project to increase knowledge of commercial companies and Telecommunication agencies regarding elderly people's requirements (TIDE project) |
| MATHS | Mathematical Access for Technology and Science for visually disabled users (TIDE project) |
| Mb | Megabyte. 1024 Kilobytes (2 to the power of 20 bytes) |
| Mbps | Megabits per second |
| MC | Multi Carrier |
| MCPA | Multi Carrier Power Amplifier |
| MD | Mini Disc |
| MDA | Mobile Data Association |
| MDD | Medical Device Directive |
| MDF | Main Distribution Frame |
| MECU | Million ECU |
| MEH | Moorfields Eye Hospital (London) |
| MHz | Megahertz. A measure of speed or frequency. Typically used to indicate the clock speed of a CPU (measured in millions of cycles per second). |
| MIME | Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension |
| MiniTel | Name given by France Telecom to its on-line terminals, originally designed as electronic directory enquiry terminals but now used to access information on hundreds of different services. The use of MiniTel:s, with attached smart card read/write units, as remote transaction and transaction enquiry terminals is now growing swiftly. |
| MIPS | Million Instructions Per Second |
| MLA | Mutual Legal Assistance |
| MMAC | Multimedia Mobile Access Communications |
| MMI | Man Machine Interface |
| MNO | Mobile Network Operators |
| MOBIC | Mobility Of Blind and elderly people Interacting with Computers (TIDE project) |
| MODEM | MOdulator/DEModulator |
| MONITOR | A Community Programme in the field of strategic analysis, forecasting and evaluation in matters of research and technology. |
| MoU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| MOWLAN | Mobile Operator Wireless LAN |
| MPEG | Motion Picture Experts Group (ISO) |
| MPEG-4 | (Video compression standard) |
| MPLS | Multi-Protocol Label Switching |
| MRC | Medical Research Council |
| MSDL | MPEG-4 Syntactic Description Language |
| MSN | Multiple Subscriber Number; Microsoft Network |
| MSO | Multiple Systems Operator |
| MSS | Mobile Satellite Service |
| MTBF | Mean Time Between Failure |
| MTF | Mean Time to Failure |
| MTS | Mobile Telecommunications Services |
| Multi-tasking | The ability to have more than one application program actually performing operations at the same time. |
| Multimedia | Computerised integration of digitised elements, such as: sound, graphics, video and text. |
| MVA | Market Value Added |
| MVNO | Mobile Virtual Network Operator |
| NAF | National Arbitration Forum |
| NAFTA | North American Free Trade Agreement |
| NAPTR | Naming Authority Pointer |
| NASSCOM | National Association of Software and Service Companies |
| NBAR | Network Based Application Recognition |
| NBP | Network Based Application Recognition |
| NCAM | National Center for Accessible Media |
| NCTA | National Cable Television Association |
| NDA | National Disability Authority (Ireland) |
| NET | Norme Europeene de Telecommunications |
| NFB | National Federation of the Blind |
| NFC | Near Field Communication |
| NGI | Next Generation Integration |
| NGO | Non Governmental Organisations |
| NIRI | National Investor Relations Institute |
| NLB | National Library for the Blind |
| NLSP | NetWare Link Services Protocol |
| NMC | National Mobility Centre |
| NMSI | National Mobile Station Indentification number |
| NMT | Nordic Mobile Telephone |
| NNH | Nordic Committee on Disability |
| NNTH | Nordic Forum for Telecommunication and Disability |
| NRA | National Regulatory Authority |
| NRAB | North Regional Association for the Blind |
| NREN | National Research and Education Network (USA) |
| NSF | National Science Foundation |
| NSH | Nordic Cooperation on Disability |
| NSI | Network Solutions Incorporated |
| NSO | National Standards Organisations |
| NSP | Network Service Protocol |
| NTIA | National Telecommunications and Information Administration (USA) |
| NTII | National Tele-Immersion Initiative |
| NTS | Number Translation Services |
| NTSC | National Television System Committee |
| NVC | Non Verbal Communication |
| NZDSF | Non-Zero Dispersion Fiber |
| OCDMA | Optical Code-Division Multiple-Access |
| OCN | Operational Carrier Number |
| OCP | Optical Control Plane |
| OCR | Optical Character Recognition |
| ODA | Office Document Architecture, Open Document Architecture |
| ODIF | Office Document Interchange Format |
| ODSI | Optical Domain Service Interconnect |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| OECS | Organization of Eastern Caribbean States |
| OEM | Original Equipment Manufacturer |
| OFCOM | Office of Communications (UK) |
| OFDM | Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing |
| Oftel | Office of Telecommunications (UK) |
| OHG | Operators Harmonization Group |
| OIF | Optical Internet Forum |
| OLE | Object Linking and Embedding. This allows you to import objects in Windows which can be sound or video clips, as well as graphs and drawings, into a document. |
| OLED | Organic Light Emitting Diode |
| OMTN | Operation and Maintenance for Telecoms Networks |
| ONA | Open Network Architecture |
| ONP | Open Network Provision |
| OOPS | Object-Oriented Programming System |
| OPEN | Orientation by Personal Electronic Navigation (TIDE project) |
| Open System | An open system is one in which the cards of more than one card issuer may be used in the same system. |
| ORBIT | Open Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications |
| OS | Operating System |
| OSA | Optical Spectrum Analyser |
| OSCE | Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe |
| OSI | Open Systems Interconnect(ion) |
| OSRP | Optical Switching and Routing Protocol |
| OSS | Operating Support Systems |
| PABX | Private Automatic Branch Exchange |
| PAC | Programme Advisory Committee |
| PACS | Personal Access Communications System |
| PAIX | Palo Alto Internet Exchange |
| PAL | Phase Alternation Line (UK colour TV standard) |
| PATU | Pan African Telecommunications Union |
| PBX | Private Branch Exchange |
| PC | Personal Computer, Printed Circuit |
| PCB | Printed Circuit Board |
| PCCW | Pacific Century Cyber Works |
| PCG | Pacific Century Group |
| PCI | Programmable Communications Interface |
| PCM | Pulse Code Modulation |
| PCMCIA | Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association. This US based association numbers members from among the world's leading computer software and hardware companies as well as the suppliers of memory cards. It works to set standards for memory cards and to promote their use |
| PCN | Personal Communication Network |
| PCS | Personal Communications Services |
| PDA | Personal Digital Assistant |
| Portable Document Format | |
| PDL | Page Description Language |
| PGP | Pretty Good Privacy |
| PHARE | Poland-Hungary Assistance on Economic Reconstruction; also Programme for Harmonised Air Traffic Management Research in Eurocontrol |
| PIN | Personal Identification Number |
| PIP | Plug-In Package |
| Pixel | Picture Element |
| PKI | Public Key Infrastructure |
| PMD | Polarization Mode Dispersion |
| PMR | Private Mobile Radio |
| Plug and Play | Standard devised by Compaq, Microsoft and InTel: for a PC system to 'recognise' expansion cards - avoids the complications of the user setting IRQs, etc. |
| POND | Partnership of Non-commercial Distributors of Equipment for Blind Persons |
| POORVIS | Poor Vision |
| POP | Point of Pressure |
| POS | Point of Sale (network) |
| POS Terminal | Point-Of-Sale Terminal. An electronic terminal used to collect funds at the point of sale from a customer's plastic card. |
| POTS | Plain Ordinary Telephone Service; Plain Old Telephone Service |
| POVES | Portable Opto-electronic Vision Enhancement System for visually disabled persons (TIDE project) |
| PPM | Price per minute |
| prEN | preliminary European standard (term within CEN and CENELEC) |
| PS/2 | IBM Personal System 2 computer |
| PS | Packet Switching |
| PSDN | Packet Switched Public Switched Network |
| PSN | People with Special Needs; Public Switched Network |
| PSO | Protocol Supporting Organization |
| PSP | Partially Sighted Person |
| PSPDN | Packet Switched Telephone Network |
| PSTN | Public Switched Telephone Network |
| PSU | Power Supply Unit |
| PTC | Pacific Telecommunications Conference |
| PTCL | Pakistani Telecommunications Corporation Limited |
| PTO | Public Telecommunications Operator |
| PTS | Public Telecommunications System |
| QoS | Quality of Service |
| RACE | Research & development in Advanced Communications technologies in Europe |
| RACF | Radio Access Control Function |
| RAM | Random Access Memory. Re-writeable memory that 'forgets' its contents when its power supply is switched off. |
| RARE | Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européen (Associated networks for European research CEC project) |
| RAVE | Remote Access Verification Environment |
| RBOC | Regional Bell operating Company |
| RCEVH | Research Centre for the Education of the Visually Handicapped (Birmingham University) |
| RDS | Radio Data Services |
| REN | Ringer Equivalent Number |
| RESVIS | Residual Vision |
| RF | Radio Frequency |
| RFID | Radio Frequency Identification |
| RIAA | Recording Industry Association of America |
| RIP | Regulatory Investigative Powers |
| RIPE | Resaux IP Europeens |
| RIR | Regional Internet Registries |
| RISC | Reduced Instruction Set Computer |
| RLSD | Receive Line Signal Detector |
| RNIB | Royal National Institute of the Blind |
| RNID | Royal National Institute for Deaf people |
| ROM | Read Only Memory |
| RSS | Residential Service Site |
| RT | Rehabilitation Tecnology |
| RTD | Research and Technological Development |
| RTF | Rich Text Format; Radio Terminal Function |
| SADC | Southern African Development Community |
| SAN | Storage Area Networking |
| SAR | Specific Absorption Rate |
| SATRA | South African Telecommunications Regulatory Agency |
| SATURN | Smart Card and Terminal Usability Requirements and Needs (TIDE project) |
| SBP | Scottish Braille Press |
| SC | Subcommittee |
| SCSI | Small Computer Systems Interface |
| SCVF | Single Channel Voice Frequency |
| SDH | Synchronous Digital Hierarchy-based |
| SDMI | Secure Digital Music Initiative |
| SDN | Switched Digital Network |
| SDRU | Sensory Disabilities Research Unit |
| SDSL | Symmetric DSL |
| SECAM | Sequential a memoire (French colour TV standard) |
| SERC | Science and Engineering Research Council |
| SES | Societe Europeene des Satellites Astra |
| SESAT | Siberian European Satellite |
| SET | Secure Electronic Transfer |
| SFA | Systems Financial Analysis |
| SGML | Standard Generalized Markup Language |
| SGSN | Serving GPRS Support Node |
| Shareware | Software applications that are freely distributed but incur a charge should the user continue to use them after a certain trial period |
| SHDSL | Symmetrical High-bit-rate DSL |
| SID | System ID number |
| SIM | Set Initialization Mode (HDLC); Subscriber Identity Module |
| SIP | Session Initiation Protocol |
| SITA | Sociétée Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement |
| SLC | Subscriber Line Charge |
| SLM | Single Longitudinal Mode |
| SMART | Strategy for Mobile Advanced Radio Telecommunications (DG XIII) |
| SMDS | Switched Multimegabit Data Service |
| SME | Small to Medium Enterprise(s) |
| SMIL | Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language |
| SMP | Significant Market Power |
| SMS | Short Message Service |
| SMTP | Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (Internet) |
| SNA | Synchronous Network Architecture; Systems Network Architecture |
| SOAP | Simple Object Access Protocol |
| SOGIT | Senior Officials Group for Information Technology |
| SOHO | Small Office/Home Office |
| SONET | Synchronous Transfer Mode |
| SPARC | Scalable Performance Architecture; Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition |
| SPP | Sequenced Packet Protocol (NetWare) |
| SPRINT | Strategic Programme for Innovation and Technology Transfer in Europe (DG XIII) |
| SRF | Synkadades Riksforbund (Swedish Federation of the Visually Handicapped) |
| SSBSC | Single Sideband Suppressed Carrier |
| SSL | Secure Socket Level (data scrambler) |
| STAKES | National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, Finland |
| STAPL | Standard Test and Programming Language |
| STAR | Science and Technology programme for less Advanced Regions; Special Telecommunications Action for Regional development |
| STB | Set Top Box |
| STD | Subscriber Trunk Dialling |
| STM | Synchronous Transfer Mode |
| STRIDE | Science and Technology Research into Innovative Developments in Europe |
| SVGA | Super Video Graphics Array |
| SWIFT | Society for Worldwide International Financial Telecommunications (consortium of banks) |
| TAC | Terminal Access Controller |
| TACD | TransAtlantic Consumer Dialog |
| TAG | Technical Advisory Group; Telecommunications Action Group |
| TAIS | Total Aircraft Information System |
| TCAP | Transaction Capabilities Application Part |
| TC HF | Technical Committee Human Factor (ETSI) |
| TCIF | Telecommunications Industry Forum |
| TCP | Transmission Control Protocol |
| TCP/IP | Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol |
| TCT | Toll Connecting Trunk |
| TD-CDMA | Time Division-code CDMA |
| TDA | Time Distance of Arrival |
| TDCC | Transportation Data Coordination Committee |
| TDD | Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (Telecommunication Display Device) |
| TDM | Time Division Multiplexing |
| TDMA | Time Division Multiple Access |
| TDS | Time Division Switching |
| TELSCAN | Telematic Standards and Coordination of ATT Systems in relation to elderly and disabled travellers |
| TER | Technical basis for regulation |
| TERENA | Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association |
| TIA | Telecommunications Industry Association (UK) |
| TIDE | (formerly) Technology Initiative for Disabled and Elderly people - now Telematics for the Integration of Disabled and Elderly people (DG XIII) |
| TIFF | Tagged Image File Format |
| TINA-C | Telecommunications Intelligent Networking Architecture Consortium |
| TIST | Telecommunication Information Science. Universal Mobile Telephony Technology System |
| TLD | Top Level Domain |
| TMA | Telecommunications Managers Association |
| TPSA | Telekomunikacja Polska SA |
| TR | Token Ring |
| TRAC | Technical Recommendations Application Committee |
| TrueType | A font format created as an alternative to PostScript |
| TSAG | Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group |
| TSB | Telecommunication Standardization Board (ITU) |
| TSR | Terminate and Stay Resident. This is an application which leaves part of its code in memory for as long as the computer is switched on |
| TTP | Trusted Third Party |
| TTY | Teletype(writer) |
| TUA | Telecommunications User Association (UK) |
| TUG | Telecommunication User Group |
| UAS | Universal Access System |
| UD | Universal Design |
| UDDI | Universal Description, Discovery and Integration |
| UDM | Unbundled Network Elements |
| UDRP | Uniform Domain named dispute Resolution Policy (or Panel) |
| UI | User Interface |
| UIFN | Universal International Freephone Number |
| UM | Unified Messaging |
| UMTS | Univeral Mobile Telecommunications System |
| UN/CE | United Nations Commission for Europe |
| UNI | User-to-Network Interface |
| UNL | Universal Networking Language |
| UPS | Uninterruptible Power Supply |
| UPU | Universal Postal Union |
| URETS | Uniform Rules for Electronic Trade and Settlement |
| URI | Uniform Resource Indentifier |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator (WWW); Universal Resource Locator |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus |
| USER | Usability Requirements Elaboration for Rehabilitation technology (TIDE project) |
| USI | Universal Services Issues |
| USISPA | US ISP Alliance |
| USTR | US Trade Representative |
| UUCP | Unix-to-Unix Copy Protocol |
| UWB | Ultra Wide Band |
| UWCC | Universal Wireless Communications Consortium |
| VA | Validation Authority |
| VALUE | Valorisation and Utilisation for Europe |
| VAN | Value Added Network |
| VANS | Value Added Network Services |
| VAT | Value Added Tax |
| VATM | Verbund der Telekommunikations- und Mehrwertdiensten |
| VCR | Video Cassette Recorder |
| VDE | Verein Deutscher Elektroningenieure (Society of German Electrical Engineers) |
| VDSL | Very High-speed Digital Subscriber Line |
| VDT | Visual Display Terminal |
| VDU | Visual Display Unit |
| VERONICA | Very Easy Rodent-Oriented Network Index to Computerized Archives (Internet) |
| VGA | Video Graphics Array |
| VHE | Virtual Home Environment |
| VIP | Visually Impaired Person |
| VISP | Virtual Internet Service Provider |
| VLIW | Very Long Instruction Word |
| VLSI | Very Large Scale Integration |
| VME | Virtual Machine Environment (a common industrial computer architecture) |
| VMO | Virtual Mobile Operators |
| VMS | Voice Messaging System |
| VoB | Voice over Braodband |
| VOD | Video On Demand |
| VoDSL | Voice-over-DSL |
| VoIP | Voice Over Internet Protocol |
| VON | Virtual Network Operator |
| VPN | Virtual Private Network |
| VPOP | Virtual Point-Of-Preference |
| VR | Virtual Reality |
| VSAT | Very Small Aperture Terminal |
| VTR | Video Tape Recorder |
| VTT | Technical Research Centre of Finland |
| W3C | World Wide Web Consortium |
| W-CDMA | Wide-band CDMA |
| WAB | Web Accessibility for the Blind |
| WAI | Web Accessibility Initiative |
| WAI Web | Accessibility Initiative |
| WAIS | Wide Area Information Server |
| WAL | Wireless Access Licences |
| WAN | Wide Area Network |
| WAP | Wireless Application Protocol |
| WARC | World Administrative Radio Conference |
| WASP | Wir |