Value Added Services
Services which may or may not be Telecommunications Services and which are characterised by:

• Alteration in form, code, protocol, or any other feature of the consumer-transmitted Information at the Network Termination Interface by means of telecommunications.
• Information provision to a User or Consumer, including the re-composition at the Network Termination Interface of Information originally transmitted by a User or Consumer.
• Provision of stored Information for interaction with a User or Consumer, including information stored on or off the network that enables the Consumer to access the network or utilise any services provided over a network.

Value-Added Services used by Consumers but provided entirely by Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) of any kind on the Consumer side of the Network Termination Interface are not subject to Licensing, nor will this type of Value Added Service be considered as relating to or involving a Telecommunications Service.

VAN
Value-added network.

VANS
Value-added network services.
Telecommunication services provided over public or private networks which, in some way, add value to the basic carriage, usually through the application of computerized intelligence. Examples of VANs include reservation systems, bulletin boards, and information services. Also known as enhanced services.

VDSL
Very-high-data-rate digital subscriber line (ITU-T G.993.1).
The fastest version of DSL that can handle speeds up to 52 Mbit/s over very short distances. Often used to branch out from fibre connections inside apartment buildings.

VHF
Very high frequency.

VHS
Video home system.

VLAN
Virtual local area network.

VoD
Video on Demand (ITU-T J.127 (04), 3.3).
Programme transmission method whereby the programme starts playing after a certain amount of data has been buffered while receiving subsequent data in the background, where the programme is completely created by the content provider. Using this system, users are able to select and watch video and multimedia content over a network as part of an interactive television system. VoD systems either “stream” content, allowing viewing in real time, or “download” it, in which the programme is brought in its entirety to a set-top box before viewing starts.

Voice over broadband or Voice over DSL (VoDSL)
A method of making voice calls over a broadband connection. The calls can be either made via a computer or through traditional phones connected to voice over broadband equipment. See also IP telephony and VoIP.

VoIP
Voice over IP.
A generic term used to describe the techniques used to carry voice traffic over IP (see also IP telephony and Voice over broadband).

VPN
Virtual private network.
A method of encrypting a connection over the Internet. VPNs are used extensively in business to allow employees to access private networks at the office from remote locations. VPNs are especially useful for sending sensitive data.

VPO
Village phone operator.

VSAT
Very small aperture terminal.
A two-way satellite ground station with a dish antenna that is smaller than three metres, as compared to around 10 metres for other types of satellite dishes.