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	INTERCONNECTION GLOSSARY Download a printable version of the Interconnection Glossary. We'd like to hear from you! Email us with any additions, updates or changes  you would like to see made to the glossary. Select from the following:
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T

T	Interface (between ISDN NT1 and NT2)
T.120	An ITU-T standard for document conferencing
T.30	International standard protocol for standard transmission of taxes, originally meant for circuit-switched lines
T.37	Standard for store-and –forward FoIP (Fax-over-IP)
T.38	Standard for real-time FoIP (Fax-over-IP)
T1	Tier 1. T-Carrier. Originally written as T-1
T1C	Tier 1C = DS1c-formatted (concatenated) digital signal at 3.153 Mbps ; the equivalent of 48 voice channel
T2	Tier 2 = DS-2-formatted digital carrier signal at 6.312 Mbps ; the equivalent of 94 voice channel
T3	Tier 3 = a digital circuit connection having a transmission capacity of 44.736 Mbps
TABS	Telemetry Asynchronous Block Serial
TACACS	Terminal Access Controller Access Control System
TACS	Total Access Communications System
TADIL	Tactical Data Information Link
TAI	Temporary Mobile Station Identity
TAPI	Telephony Application Program Interface
TARP	TID Address Resolution Protocol
TASI	Time-Assignment Speech Interpolation
TAT	Trans-Atlantic Telecommunications cable
TB	Terabyte
TBD	To Be Determined
TBOS	Protocol-Telemetry Byte-Oriented Serial Protocol
TC	Telephony Controller; Traffic Contact; Toll Center
TCA	Telecommunications Access
TCAM	Telecommunications Access Method
TCAP	Transaction Capability Application Part
T-Carrier	Tier Carrier (See T1.)
TCF	Technical Control Facility
TCH	Traffic Channel
TCIF	Telecommunications Industry Forum
TCM	Time Compression Multiplexing
TCM	Trellis Code Modulation
TCP	Transmission Control Protocol
TCP/IP	Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
TDD	Telecommunication Device for the Deaf; Time Division Duplex
TDM	Time Division Multiplexer/Multiplexing
TDMA	Time Division Multiple Access
TDN	Temporary Directory Number
TD-SCDMA	Time Division Synchronous CDMA
TDTD	Time Division Transmit Diversity
TE	ISDN Terminal Equipment
TE1	ISDN Terminal Equipment Type 1
TED	Trunk Encryption Device
TEHO	Tail End Hop Off
TEK	Traffic Encryption Key
Telex	Teletypewriter Exchange Service
Telco	Telephone company, such as a BOC, RBOC, LEC, or PTT
Telnet	Teletype Network
TEM	Telecom Equipment Manufacturer
TETRA	Trans-European Trunked Radio Access
TFTP	Trivial File Transfer Protocol
TGW	Trunking Gateway
TH	Transmission Header
TIA	Telecommunications Industry Association
TIA/EIA	Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronic Industries Association
TIC	Token-Ring Interface Coupler
TID	Terminal IDentifier; Tunnel IDentifier
TINA Consortium	Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture Consortium
TIRKS	Trunk Integrated Records Keeping System
TKIP	Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
TL	Transmission Level
TLD	Top-Level Domain
TLS	Transport Layer Security
TM	Traffic Management
TM Forum	Telemanagement Forum
TMN	Telecommunications Management Network
TMRS	Traffic Measurement And Recording Systems
TO	Toll Office
TOP	Technical Office Protocol
TOS	Type of Service
TP	Toll Planet; Tunneling Protocol
TPON	Telephony over Passive Optical Network
TR	Toll Restriction
TSAPI	Telephony Services Application Programming Interface
TSGR	Transport Systems Generic Requirements
TSP	Telecommunications Service Priority Service
TSPS	Traffic Service Position System
TSS	Tandem Switching System
TSTD	Time Switched Transmit Diversity
TT	Trunk Type
TTA	Telecommunications Technology Association
TTC	Telecommunications Technology Priority Service
TTS	Text-to-Speech
TTTN	Tandem Tie Trunk Network
TTY	Teletypewriter
TUR	Trunk Utilization Report
TVoIP	TV over IP
Tx	Transmit; also written as TX
TX/RX	Transmit/Receive
“T” Connector	A branch connector that joins a branch conductor to the main conductor at an angle of 90°.
“T” Dimension	A dimension of the crimped portion of a connector measured between two points on the crimped surface. (Also called “G” dimension.)
TDM (Time Division Multiplexing)	A method of utilizing channel capacity efficiently in which each node is allotted a small time interval, in turns, during which it may transmit a message or a portion of a message (for instance, a data packet). Nodes are given unique time slots during which they have exclusive command of the channel. The messages of many nodes are interleaved for transmission and then de-multiplexed into proper order at the receiving end. In time division multiplexing, users of a single channel takes turns transmitting over the channel.
TNC Series Connector	A radio frequency connector with impedance of 50 ohm; it is designed to operate in the 0 to 11 GHz frequency range and has a threaded coupling that can be safely wired to prevent accidental disconnect.
Tab	(1) The flat blade portion of certain terminals. (2) On strip terminals, the projection that results when the point-of-shear is not flush with the terminal body (i.e., cut-off tab). (C) Non-preferred term for printed contact.
Tang Termination	Method of joining insulated or non-insulated low resistance wires.
Tape Terminal	Terminal supplied in a continuous form for use in automatic or senriautomatic crimping machines. (Also called Strip Terminal.)
Taper Tab	A flat terminal having tapered sides designed to receive a mating tapered female terminal.
Tear Test	A test to determine the tear strength of an insulating material.
Temperature Rise	Temperature terminal from a no-load condition to current load. (Also called “T” rise.)
Tensile	Amount of axial load required to break or pull wire from the crimped barrel of a terminal, splice or contact.
Tensile Strength	Greatest longitudinal stress that a substance can bear without pulling apart.
Terminal	(1) A terminal is a point to which electric connections can be made. (2) A device designed to terminate a conductor that is to be affixed to a post, stud, chassis, another conductor, etc., to establish an electrical connection. Some types of terminals include ring, tongue, spade, flag, hook, blade, quick-connect, offset and flanged.
Terminal Block	An assembly containing connection provisions to facilitate the connection of one or more conductors.
Terminal Board	Board fabricated from an insulating material containing a single or multiple row or arrangement of termination points for the purpose of making connections.
Terminal Connector	A connector that joins a conductor to a lead, terminal pad (solid or laminated block) or round terminal stud or electrical apparatus.
Terminal Hole	A terminal hole is used for the attachment and electrical connection of component terminations, including pins and wires, to the printed board.
Terminal Lug	A terminal designed to be affixed usually at one end, to a post, stud, chassis, etc., and with provision for attachment of a wire(s) or similar electrical conductor (s) in order to establish an electrical connection.
Terminal Pad	See Land.
Terminal Plate	A conductive busing or commoning bar.
Terminal Strip	An insulated mounting for terminal connections. Terminal strips are available with threaded holes to accept threaded screws, or with threaded studs to accept fastening washers and nuts. If terminal areas are separated by an insulating barrier, the terminal strips are called barrier blocks.
Terminal Style	Refers to the tongue design of the terminal.
Termination Block	A termination block is a non-conductive material providing several termination points.
Terminator	(1) A 75 ohm resistive connector used to terminate the end of a cable or an unused tap. The device is used to minimize cable reflections. (2) A resistive connector used to terminate the end of a cable or an unused tap into its characteristic impedance. The terminator prevents interference-causing signal reflections.
Terminus	An item that terminates an optical conductor and provides for the location and containment of an optical conductor within a connector.
Test Lead	A flexible, insulated lead wire that usually has a test prod on one end. It is ordinarily used for making tests, connecting instruments to a circuit temporarily or for making temporary electrical connections.
Test Point	Test points are special points of access to an electrical circuit used for testing purposes.
Test Terminal Block	A test terminal block is a miniaturized block for small instrument and test circuitry. It has test points plus an internal circuit testing facility of either a plug or knife-blade disconnecting mechanism.
Thermal Resistance	That change in the electrical resistance of a material when subjected to heat.
Thermal Resistivity	Thermal resistance of a unit cube of material.
Thermal Shock	The effect of heat or cold applied to such a rate that non-uniform thermal expansion or contraction occur within a given material or combination of materials. In connectors, the effect can cause inserts and other insulation materials to pull away from metal parts.
Thermal Type	A basic connector type that requires heat from a source, such as a soldering gun or welder, or from the thermite type welding.
Thermal Wipe	A slight movement of mated contacts caused by thermal expansion or contraction of parts, which can cause poor performance.
Thermocouple Contact	Contact of special material used in connectors employed in thermocouple applications. Materials often used are iron, constantan, copper, chromel and alumel.
Threaded Self-Locking Coupling	A coupling mechanism that utilizes matching screw threads for mating and unmating of cylindrical connectors or devices incorporating an automatically actuated locking mechanism to prevent the coupling ring from becoming loose under vibration conditions.
Threaded-Type Connector	A connector in which the contact between the conductor and the connector is made by pressure exerted on a threaded part.
Through Connection	Electrical connection between conductive patterns on opposite sides of an insulating base (e.g., plated through-hole or clinched jumper wire).
Throw	Movement of a contact from one stationary point to another. A single-throw switch has a normally open or a normally closed circuit per pole. A double-throw switch has a normally open and a normally closed circuit per pole.
Tie Point	An insulated terminal to which two or more wires are connected.
Tie Wire	Wire that connects a number of terminals together.
Tin (Sn) and alloys	Tin, or stannum, an element with Atomic No. 50, is used primarily as a coating for other metals. It is resistant to corrosion and tarnish, non-toxic, soft, ductile and solderable. It is frequently alloyed with other metals to improve mechanical and physical properties. Tin can be plated from both an acid and an alkaline electrolytic, although tin fluoborate is most common. The tin-nickel alloy deposit (65% tin and 35% nickel) can be soldered, has high hardness (650 Vickers), good conductivity and a low coefficient of friction. These properties are of special interest in printed circuit and allied electronic applications. (See Tin-Lead.)
Tin-Lead	An alloy used for the majority of soldering operations in the electronics industry. Usually, an alloy close to the eutectic composition (62% Sn, 38% Pb) is chosen to permit usage of the lowest possible soldering temperature, thereby reducing risk of damage to temperature-sensitive components.
Tongue	Portion of a solderless terminal that projects from the barrel.
Topology	Description of the physical connections of a network
Total Internal Reflection	The total reflection that occurs when light strikes an interface at angles of incidence (with respect to the normal) greater than the critical angle.
Tracer Stripe	When more than one color-coding stripe is required, the first (widest) stripe is the base stripe, the others, usually narrower stripes, being termed tracer stripes.
Tracking	The formation of contaminants on the surface of insulating materials due to arcing. Tracking can be either a conducting or non-conducting path left after the arcing stops.
Transceiver	(1) A combined transmitter and receiver. An essential element of all LANs, its function is required at each node of the network.
Transmission Loss	Total loss encountered in transmission through a system.
Transmission Media	Wire, coaxial cable, fiberoptics, air, or vacuum, that is being used to carry an electrical signal which has information.
Transmitter	(1) A driver and a source used to change electrical signals to optical signals. (2) The electronic package that converts an electrical signal for conversion to an optical signal.
Transport Layer	The fourth layer of the OSI model of data communications. High-level quality control (error checking) and some alternate routing is done at this level.
Tubing	Piece of cylindrical insulating material that slips over the point or electrical connection.
Tubular Terminal	Terminal manufactured from tubing rather than flat stock.
Tuning Fork Contact	A U-shaped female contact that resembles a tuning fork. It can be stamped or formed.
Turret Base	A terminal block design that combines top-to-bottom feed-through with bottom-side circuit isolation.
Turret Head	Device attached to a crimping tool and having multiple positions that can be rotated to position a specific conduction barrel between the indentors.
Twisted Sleeve Connector	A parallel connector in which the contact between the conductors is obtained by forming a spiral twist in the connector and conductors after they are assembled.
Twist-On-Connector	A pressure type connector that joins two branch circuit size conductors.
Two-Piece Connector	An interconnecting device in which one mating piece is permanently mounted to the PC board (generally by soldering) while the other is attached to equipment.
Two-Piece Contact	A contact made of two or more separate parts joined by swedging, brazing or other means of fastening to form a single contact.

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