| Parental controls |
| New Feature available with Consumer Packages. Provides 2 services - Content Screening and Internet Access Control. Is bundled with Firewall Monitor. |
| Parity |
| an error detection procedure in which a bit (0 or 1) added to each group of bits so that it will have either an odd number of 1's or an even number of 1's; e.g., if the parity is odd then any group of bits that arrives with an even number of 1's must contain an error |
| Parity bit |
| an error detection procedure in which a bit (0 or 1) added to each group of bits so that it will have either an odd number of 1's or an even number of 1's; e.g., if the parity is odd then any group of bits that arrives with an even number of 1's must contain an error |
| Password |
| Special code that is required to gain access to a program, Web site, or other computer resource. It is designed to restrict information to certain people. |
| Password authentication procedure |
| The process by which a network validates a connection request. For example, when you FTP to a server, you must enter your username and password to gain access. The server either authenticates your information and acknowledges the request or terminates the connection and offers you another chance. |
| Past due balance |
| The balance resulting from the failure to pay an invoice or bill by the specified due date. |
| Payable in us funds |
| Payment for AT&T charges are to be made in US currency or written against financial institutions in US funds. |
| Payment arrangement |
| Payment arrangements allow customers to schedule future dated payments. Payment arrangments can be made online instead of calling AT&T. To take advantage of this feature, you must first log into your account. |
| PCI card |
| Peripheral Component Interconnect. Your PC may have one or more PCI slots available for use with FastAccess Service. One of your available PCI slots may be used to install an internal DSL modem to connect directly with FastAccess Service. Alternatively, a Network Interface Card (NIC) may be installed in the PCI slot to connect with FastAccess DSL via an external DSL Ethernet modem. HomeNetworking Plus customers can order PCI card adapters. |
| PCI modem |
| An internal DSL modem that connects to your computer through an open PCI slot and enables high-speed internet access. |
| PCI slot |
| Peripheral Component Interconnect. Your PC may have one or more PCI slots available for use with FastAccess Service. One of your available PCI slots may be used to install an internal DSL modem to connect directly with FastAccess Service. Alternatively, a Network Interface Card (NIC) may be installed in the PCI slot to connect with FastAccess DSL via an external DSL Ethernet modem. |
| PDA |
| Personal Digital Assistant: a handheld device that combines computing, telephone/fax, and networking features. A typical PDA can function as a cellular phone, fax sender, and personal organizer. Some PDAs are hand-held PC with tiny keyboards. Another class of device uses a touch-screen and stylus for data entry. |
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| Phishing |
| An online scam in which the perpetrator sends out a large number of legitimate looking e-mails that appear to come from respected companies (such as Citibank, eBay, PayPal, MSN, Amazon.com, Yahoo, BestBuy, AOL, etc.) but are an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will later be used for identity theft. The phony e-mail directs the user to go to a Web site with the logo of the respected company, where they are asked to update personal information (such as passwords, credit cards, social security numbers, and bank account numbers) which the legitimate organization already has. The Web site is bogus and has been established only to steal the users' information. The e-mail usually includes a threat stating the user's account will close if they do not receive this updated information in a specified time period. It is important not click on the link that is provided in the e-mail. Even if you don't provide what they ask for, simply clicking the link could subject you to background installations of keylogging software or viruses. |
| Phone bill |
| statement of charges for telephone service |
| Phone company |
| a public utility that provides telephone service |
| PIC |
| The PIC is the main long-distance carrier used for "1+dialing" through which all interstate long-distance toll calls are made. |
| PIC request |
| A request record sent to a local exchange carrier (LEC) asking for an automatic number identification (ANI) to be activated, deactivated or changed in some way. |
| Ping |
| Packet Internet Groper. Ping is a basic Internet program that lets you verify that a particular IP address exists and can accept requests. The speed of your Internet connection ("Net Speed"). Think of it like a submarine sending out a "ping", and then receiving a signal back. The longer it takes, the farther the object is from the sub. So, the lower the ping, the better, because it means you have a "closer" or faster connection to others on the Internet. |
| Pooling |
| The ability to share a block of 10,000 NANP phone numbers between carriers. |
| POP |
| Where one network provider makes its facilities available for interconnect |
| POP - 3 |
| Post Office Protocol. An Internet protocol that enables a single user to read e-mail from a mail server. |
| POP 3 |
| Post Office Protocol. An Internet protocol that enables a single user to read e-mail from a mail server. |
| POP e-mail |
| POP E-mail requires you to download an e-mail application of your liking, pull your messages off the Internet, and put them on your personal computer. From your personal computer, you can use e-mail software such as Outlook Express to access and organize your messages on your computer. When you install your FastAccess DSL service you receive the Outlook Express Email application. To open Outlook Express on your computer, double-click the Outlook Express icon on your desktop, or click the Outlook Express icon on your toolbar. |
| POP3 |
| Post Office Protocol. An Internet protocol that enables a single user to read e-mail from a mail server. |
| Pop-Up BlockerSM |
| Pop-Up BlockerSM will help eliminate the annoying pop-up advertisements you get while surfing the Internet. And it’s FREE to all Dial and FastAccess® DSL customers! |
| Port 25 management |
| AT&T Internet Services Port 25 is the mail server port that mail clients use to send e-mail. Mail clients are e-mail programs installed on your computer. Examples of mail clients are Outlook, Outlook Express, and Apple Mail. Due to a change in the AT&T Network Port 25 will be filtered so that when you are using an e-mail client you can only send e-mail using the AT&T mail servers with SMTP authentication enabled. |
| POTS |
| Plain Old Telephone Service. POTS refers to a single line, measured or flat rate, telephone service that could be used as either a business line or residence line. |
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| PPP |
| Point to Point Protocol: a protocol that allows a computer to connect to the Internet through a dial-in connection and enjoy most of the benefits of a direct connection; including the ability to run graphical front ends such as Internet Browsers. PPP is generally considered superior to SLIP, because it features error detection, data compression, and other elements of modern communications protocols that SLIP lacks. |
| PPOA |
| Point to Point over Asynchronous Transfer Mode. |
| Preferred inter exchange carrier code |
| Identifies the long distance carrier for a subscriber. Generally national in scope |
| Presubscription |
| This term is used to describe the selection of a particular long-distance carrier to handle all calls for "1+dialing" zones. |
| Previously purchased cpe |
| Customer Premises (or Provided) Equipment that was purchased previously, either from AT&T or elsewhere. |
| Primary computer |
| If you are networking multiple computers in your home, the primary computer is the one you will connect directly to the home networking gateway. |
| Primary dns |
| These servers house the actual entries for individual domain names. |
| Primary interexchange carrier |
| PIC. The PIC is the main long-distance carrier used for "1+dialing" through which all interstate long-distance toll calls are made. |
| Print server |
| A computer and/or program providing local area network (LAN) users with access to a centralized printer, in which print jobs are usually handled in the order in which they are received. |
| Printed circuit board |
| An electronic assembly which is plugged intothe main frame assembly of a complex electronic device or which may be used as the principle element of a simple electronic device. |
| Private carrier |
| A carrier that is not a common carrier. Do not confuse private carrier with private line carrier or recognized private operating agency. A carrier that is not a common carrier. Do not confuse private carrier with private line carrier or recognized private operating agency. |
| Private line service |
| Dedicated telecommunications channels provided between two points or switched among multiple points. Privately leased for high-volume voice, data, audio or video transmissions. |
| Private sid |
| Used to identify a virtual private wireless system (e.g. wireless PBX) |
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| Processor |
| ( computer science) the part of a computer (a microprocessor chip) that does most of the data processing; the CPU and the memory form the central part of a computer to which the peripherals are attached |
| Product |
| Any billable entity that the company offers to a customer. This includes leased and sold items. |
| Professional installation |
| When placing your FastAccess DSL order, you may request a professional installation by a AT&T authorized technician. The professional installation may include any of the following items (if required): phone line splitter and a reasonable amount of wiring and cabling materials. The FastAccess DSL installer will be responsible for installing either a AT&T purchased DSL modem to a single PC, or a AT&T purchased DSL router for up to 2 standalone PCs or a LAN. AT&T can configure additional PCs for an additional charge or leave instructions for configuration of additional PCs to your router. The Installer may provide up to 2 Network Interface Cards (NIC), if needed, with our router package. If necessary, additional NIC cards may be purchased at a retail store that sells networking devices. |
| Protection channel |
| A standby, fully operational facility, providing diversity for one or several similar channels. When correctly implemented, it can result in improved availability or reliability of the channel, and of the circuits carried on the channel. |
| Protocol |
| rules determining the format and transmission of data |
| Proxy server |
| A server that sits between a client application, such as a Web browser, and a real server. It intercepts all requests to the real server to see if it can fulfill the requests itself. If not, it forwards the request to the real server. Proxy servers have two main purposes: Improving Performance and Filtering content. Improve Performance: Proxy servers can dramatically improve performance for groups of users. This is because it saves the results of all requests for a certain amount of time. Consider the case where both user X and user Y access the World Wide Web through a proxy server. First user X requests a certain Web page, which we'll call Page 1. Sometime later, user Y requests the same page. Instead of forwarding the request to the Web server where Page 1 resides, which can be a time-consuming operation, the proxy server simply returns the Page 1 that it already fetched for user X. Since the proxy server is often on the same network as the user, this is a much faster operation. Filter Requests: For example, a company might use a proxy server to prevent its employees from accessing a specific set of Web sites. |
| PSID |
| Used to identify a virtual private wireless system (e.g. wireless PBX) |
| PTR record |
| Associates an IP address with a host name. |
| Public dial port |
| A dial-in port which provides access to a system or service, such as a packet network, from a terminal connected to the public telephone network. |
| Public key system |
| An asymmetrical, two-key encryption algorithm that transforms data from plain text to cipher text with one key that is made public, and converts cipher text back to plain text with a different key that remains secret. |
| Public service commission |
| Governs, at the state level, the regulated network products and services provided by communication companies. |
| Pulse amplitude modulation |
| A form of modulation in which the pulse carrier's modulation varies according to a characteristic of the original analog signal; the pulse width is constant. |
| Pulse link repeater |
| A device that connects one E&M signaling circuit directly to another. |
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