K

Kerb

A stone edging to a pavement. More famous in telecommunications for the term fibre to the kerb - more commonly known by its American form of fibre to the curb or FTTC. In America, of course, a curb is a stone edging to a sidewalk (the US equivalent of a pavement). FTTC usually means a fibre link from a telecommunications building to a roadside cabinet in which there is electronic equipment which disaggregates circuits from the fibre for distribution to homes using individual copper or co-axial cables.

Key

The physical button on a keyboard or telephone but also the data string that allows encryption or decryption of an encrypted message or file.

Kibi

A prefix for the binary multiple of 2 to the power 10 - origin kilo-binary bit. One kibibit is 1024 bits. See Units and Symbols.

Kilo

Symbol for 1000, represented by a lower-case k. See Units and Symbols.

Kiosk

In most places in the world this is a booth where newspapers or refreshments are sold but in the UK a telephone kiosk is a structure in the street containing a public telephone.

KISS

Keep it simple, stupid. A management philosophy to avoid complexity. The telecommunications designers' watchword. Designers who forget this bring on untold problems for themselves and incur untold costs for their employers.

Knowledge Management (KM)

An imprecise term used in a number of contexts and with many definitions, but generally taken to mean the management of knowledge in an organisation in such a way that it can be shared to increase efficiency, responsiveness and innovation. It is sometimes seen as being related to specific IT tools but it is really a concept and an aspirational target embodying processes, tools and disciplines across an enterprise. Knowledge is constantly acquired and constantly outdates thus providing extra and ongoing challenges. Nevertheless making a good attempt at knowledge management will achieve more competitive advantage than not trying at all.

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