Lost in the jargon?

Plain-English definitions

Connectivity and networking come with a lot of acronyms. This glossary explains the common terms in plain English, so you can compare options and read a proposal with confidence. These are general definitions, not product specifications.

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Glossary

Connectivity and networking terms, explained.

The terms you are most likely to meet when planning business connectivity. If one is still unclear for your situation, ask us and we will translate it for your site.

  • DIA (Dedicated Internet Access)

    A dedicated, uncontended internet connection where the capacity is reserved for one organisation rather than shared with others. Usually comes with more predictable performance and stronger service levels.

  • Business Broadband

    Business-grade broadband that is typically contended, meaning capacity is shared between users. A cost-effective option for sites that do not need a dedicated circuit.

  • Fibre

    Connectivity delivered over fibre-optic cable, which carries data as light. Generally offers high speeds and reliability where it is available.

  • Fixed Wireless

    Internet delivered over a radio link between a mast and an antenna at your site, instead of a physical cable. Useful where fibre does not reach.

  • 5G

    The fifth generation of mobile network technology, offering higher speeds and lower latency than 4G. Can be used for primary connectivity or as backup.

  • LoRaWAN

    A low-power, long-range wireless protocol designed for connecting large numbers of small sensors and devices that send little data.

  • IoT (Internet of Things)

    Physical devices such as sensors, meters and equipment that connect to a network to send data or be controlled remotely.

  • Failover

    A backup connection that takes over if the primary line goes down, so a site stays online during an outage.

  • SD-WAN

    Software-defined wide area networking. A way of managing and steering traffic across multiple connections and sites from a central point, often improving resilience and control.

  • Contention / Contention Ratio

    How much a connection is shared. The contention ratio expresses how many users may share the same capacity. Lower contention generally means more consistent performance.

  • Symmetric / Asymmetric

    Symmetric means upload and download speeds are the same. Asymmetric means download is faster than upload, which is common on consumer-style broadband.

  • VoIP (Voice over IP)

    Making and receiving phone calls over an internet connection rather than a traditional phone line.

  • Unified Communications

    Bringing voice, video, messaging and collaboration tools together into one managed system, often delivered from the cloud.

  • eSIM

    A SIM built into a device that can be provisioned remotely, rather than a physical card you insert and swap.

  • SIM-only

    A mobile plan that provides the SIM and service without a bundled handset, so you bring your own device.

  • Managed Wi-Fi

    Wireless networking that a provider designs, installs, monitors and maintains for you, rather than you running it in-house.

  • Access Point

    A device that broadcasts a Wi-Fi signal and connects wireless devices to the wired network. Larger sites use several to cover the space.

  • Uptime / SLA

    Uptime is the proportion of time a service is available. A service level agreement (SLA) is the provider’s committed target for uptime and response, with agreed remedies if it is missed.

  • Latency

    The delay before data starts to transfer, usually measured in milliseconds. Lower latency matters for voice, video and other real-time applications.

  • Bandwidth

    The maximum amount of data a connection can carry, usually measured in megabits or gigabits per second. Often described loosely as speed.

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