No, they're not the same thing. "Monitored" means they use a so-called pen register, which records the length of all calls, and the phone numbers of all incoming and outgoing calls, but doesn't record the content of those calls. Legally, much easier to do than wiretapping.
“Pen Registers”, those were the good old days. All done electronically now with the stroke of a keyboard.
Technicality. They still are snooping where it is not their business.