Point of appearance is a generic term for any point in a telephone/data circuit from which a technician can test or pull stats. Some appearances are virtual, such as a

Digital cross connect system A digital cross-connect system (DCS or DXC) is a piece of circuit-switched network equipment, used in telecommunications networks, that allows lower-level TDM bit streams, such as DS0 bit streams, to be rearranged and interconnected among high ...

computer terminal. Others are physical, like a punch down COSMIC

frame A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (con ...

where a technician can place a

test set In machine learning, a common task is the study and construction of algorithms that can learn from and make predictions on data. Such algorithms function by making data-driven predictions or decisions, through building a mathematical model from ...

, or a

heat coil Heat coils, also known as ''protectors'', ''bugs'' or ''carbons'' serve as a surge protector between the telephone exchange and outside plant. They are commonly the last point of appearance for a telephone circuit before it leaves the office, for ...

socket. In the

outside plant In telecommunication, the term outside plant has the following meanings: *In civilian telecommunications, outside plant refers to all of the physical cabling and supporting infrastructure (such as conduit, cabinets, tower or poles), and any associ ...

there is an appearance at the cross box, pedestal, and

network interface device upTwo simple NIDs, carrying six lines each, on the outside of a building upA German copper phone line termination box called '' Abschlusspunkt LinienTechnik'' (APL, " Demarcation point") In telecommunications, a network interface device (NID; ...

. The ultimate appearance is the telephone or other

customer premises equipment In telecommunications, a customer-premises equipment or customer-provided equipment (CPE) is any terminal and associated equipment located at a subscriber's premises and connected with a carrier's telecommunication circuit at the demarcation po ...

(CPE).

See also