Glossary
The method, time, circuit, or facility used to enter the network. The service provided by local exchange carriers or alternate access providers, which connect an interexchange carrier with its customers. The Access Network today is predominantly passive twisted pair copper wiring.
Add/Drop Multiplexer capable of extracting or inserting lower-bit-rate signal from a higher-bit-rate multiplexed signal without completely demultiplexing the signal.
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line transmits data asymmetrically meaning the bandwidth usage is much higher in one direction than the other. Typical ADSL applications transmit 8 Mbps downstream and 768Kbps upstream, depending on the length of the local twisted pair loop. This is particularly beneficial for residential Internet access, remote access and video on demand because downstream usage far exceeds upstream usage.
(Angle Polished Connector) Please refer to HRL
An Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) based Passive Optical Network (PON).
Asynchronous Transfer Mode is a connection-oriented service that segments data into a succession of small units called cells. Data transmitted from multiple sources is segmented into cells by the ATM network device, and the cells are then interleaved onto a single transmission media. It is asynchronous in the sense that the recurrence of cells depends upon the required or instantaneous bit rate.
Advanced Termination System refers to the ADC cabling system that offers a cost-effective approach to placing fiber network OSP distribution cabling. With the TAP system, distribution and drop cable distances are pre-measured at the installation site and customized assemblies are built in the factory. The entire solution is then packaged on reels and delivered for rapid deployment. Each piece is pre-connectorized at the access points, requiring splicing only at the end of the distribution run.
Reduction of the optical signal power in a fiber, a splice or between two connectors. It depends on the wavelength. Measured in dB (decibels). A=10*log(Pin/Pout).