In telecommunications the documents spread towards two ends: at one end network design and equipment documentation, at the other subscriber contracts and consumer information. The former carries dense abbreviation, the latter regulatory language. Two separate terminology disciplines are run in the same job.
Network architecture documents
The network is defined in layers, and each layer comes with its own documents. The layer names are abbreviated. The abbreviations are preserved.
Density of abbreviations
In this sector abbreviations make up a large part of the text, and most of them are not translated. The expansion may be given on first mention. Consistency is preserved.
Equipment documentation
Base station and exchange equipment comes with manufacturer documents. Model and part codes are carried over. The configuration parameters are preserved.
Frequency and spectrum information
The frequency bands used depend on allocation and are defined in the documents. The values are carried over with their units. The band names are preserved.
Coverage and quality measurements
Network performance is monitored through measurements and reported through indicators. The indicator definitions are fixed. Comparison rests on them.
Fault and outage records
Outages are recorded with their duration and the number of subscribers affected. Timestamps are preserved. The values are carried over.
Subscription contracts
The terms of service, the commitment period and the charges are defined. Expressions of time are carried over exactly. No interpretation is added.
Commitment and withdrawal conditions
The charge that applies on early exit from a commitment is defined and must be transparent. The calculation method is preserved. The wording is not shortened.
Tariff information
The contents of packages and the out-of-bundle charges are communicated explicitly. The units are not mixed up. The conditions are carried over.
Fair use conditions
For packages offered as unlimited, fair use limits are defined and communicated. If this condition is skipped, the service is misunderstood. The wording is preserved.
Number portability
The subscriber changing operator while keeping the number is a separate process. The steps of the process are defined. The term is preserved.
Roaming and international services
The conditions and charges for use abroad are set out separately. The zone definitions are preserved. The conditions are carried over.
Regulatory reporting
Operators submit periodic reports to the regulator. The indicator definitions come from the regulation. The equivalents are fixed.
Authorisation documents
The provision of services is subject to authorisation, and the scope is limited. The document number is carried over. The scope is preserved.
Infrastructure sharing agreements
Infrastructure sharing between operators is governed by contracts. They contain technical annexes. The structure is preserved.
Customer service scripts
Call centre scripts are written step by step and used in staff training. The language is kept plain. The steps are preserved.
Personal data and traffic information
Subscriber traffic data is subject to special regulations, and access to it is restricted. The files are handled with narrowed access. The rule is defined in the contract.
Device and hardware documents
Devices supplied to subscribers, such as modems and set-top boxes, come with their own instruction manuals and contain installation steps. These documents are addressed to the end user and require plain language. The safety warnings, however, are carried over in full.
The costliest mistake in this sector
If the fair use condition drops out of the promotional text, it conceals the fact that a service that appears unlimited is in fact limited. The consumer is deemed to have been misled, and sanctions come onto the agenda. Conditional sentences are checked separately.