Glossary of Terms and acronyms

Inclination:
The angle between the orbital plane of a satellite and the equatorial plane of the earth.
Information Superhighway(s):
Loose term describing modern and future digital communications infrastructure and intended to emphasise the massive increases in capacity and use of communications infrastructure and their importance in modern global economies.

Interference:
Energy which tends to interfere with the reception of the desired signals, such as fading from airline flights, RF interference from adjacent channels, or ghosting from reflecting objects such as mountains and buildings.

Internet:
Collection of global networks linking computers by packet switching and store and forward techniques. Originally developed as a US Defence initiative, it was rapidly taken up by the academic world. The 1990s has seen rapid growth in use of Internet by private individuals. Also now being increasingly used by business.

Internet Service Provider (ISP):
A gateway company which provides a consumer with access to Internet, usually through a small monthly charge of $15. The ISP typically provides a server to store and forward information as well as access to Internet backbone infrastructure. An ISP is usually considered to be different from an On-Line Service Provider who will frequently provide proprietary services as well as connection to the Internet

Intranet:
Private closed user group form of Internet network, frequently using PC software that is common with Internet, such as Web browsers.

ISDN:
Integrated Services Digital Network. A CCITT standard for integrated transmission of voice, video and data. In practice ISDN is a switched technology developed by the telephone companies partly to justify their existence as regulated monopolists. Take-up has been relatively slow and some more commercial telephone companies have not tried hard to market it. In Europe ISDN services are available to businesses in increments of 64 KBit/s to provide voice, data and video communications.

ITU:
International Telecommunication Union. Based in Geneva' the ITU is part of the United Nations and is intended to deal with matters involving electronic communications that cross national borders. In the satellite communications environment it is used as a vehicle for staking claims to orbital slots and spectrum and as a forum to develop agreed international policies on use of spectrum. The ITU has been described as a pot pourri of bureaucrats and industrialists.