Glossary E-F

Electret Microphone: The most common microphone for new telephones. Electret microphones require an external power supply.

Encryption: The alteration of information into a code or cipher that can be read only by someone who has the decrypting key. Encryption is intended to make it difficult for people who do not have the decryption key to intercept and decipher the information. While not 100% secure, encryption is one of several measures used to provide secure communications over the Internet. Encryption is further enhanced by regular changes to the encryption/decryption key, a process common for secure transactions on the web.

Ergonomics: The study and application of user-friendly equipment design. Ergonomics is intended to maximize productivity by minimizing repetitive stress factors, discomfort, and fatigue of equipment users.

Ethernet: Ethernet is the most commonly encountered Local Area Network (LAN) protocol. Ethernet originally supported data transfer rates of 10 Mbps, but newer versions, such as Fast Ethernet (100Base-T or 100 Mbps) and Gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-T or 1,000 Mbps or 1 Gbps) have increased the capacity of Ethernet in LANs. Ethernet applications have recently become available to residential and home-business users using Ethernet-ready gateways.

Extranet: A shared information resource accessible to both internal and external users over standard Internet protocols. Extranets are generally provided by companies so that customers or partners may have access to select areas of the company’s internal network, or Intranet.

FRS (Family Radio Service) - A short-range, 2-way radio service designated for recreation and other non-business applications. Due to its limited range, specific frequencies, and intended applications, FRS does not require FCC licensing, unlike the more powerful GMRS radios do. FRS uses Ultra High Frequency (UHF) bands between 462 and 469 MHz.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - A standard Internet protocol that enables a server to transfer files to a requesting client. The most common application of FTP is the process of downloading programs or other files over the Internet.

Facsimile (Fax) - Refers to the transmission of visual or text data relayed over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to an output device. Fax machines are usually dedicated devices assigned to a telephone number specific to its function.

Firewall: A set of related hardware or software products and programs designed to prevent access to or from a private network (Intranet) by unauthorized users. There are numerous screening methods, including passwords and higher-level encryption. Most companies will use a combination of hardware and software solutions.

Flash: Quickly pressing and releasing the hookswitch to signal the PBX/Central Office (CO) that another signal (Call Transfer or Call Waiting, for example) is desired. Most modern phones provide a flash button that performs the same function.

Flash Memory: A type of memory chip that is programmed, erased, and reprogrammed in memory segments called 'blocks.' Compared to standard memory, which is reprogrammed byte-by-byte, erasure and reprogramming in flash blocks takes considerably less time. Flash memory is popular for products and peripherals that need flexible, reprogrammable memory, and for products that offer upgrades via the Internet.

Follow-me Service: A unified messaging service that will call programmed phone numbers in succession in an effort to locate the user. For example, follow-me service may attempt—in sequence—an office phone, then a cell phone, followed by a home phone, before ultimately sending the call to a voice mail/paging service.

Frequency: A measure of the number of cycles completed per unit of time. In radio communications contexts, the common measure is Hertz, or cycles per second, of a radio wave. If a wave completes 10 cycles per second, it is measured as a wave of 10 Hz. Common multiples include the Kilohertz (KHz, or 1,000 cycles per second), Megahertz (MHz, or 1,000,000 cycles per second) and Gigahertz (GHz or 1,000,000,000 cycles per second). In computer processing contexts, frequency is a measurement of clock speed, or oscillations per second, that the processor completes. This measurement uses identical nomenclature as radio transmissions.

Full Duplex: A form of 2-way communication that allows users to receive and transmit voice signals simultaneously.

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