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A/B Switching - The ability for a wireless phone to switch from "A" to "B" frequency bands.
Access fee - A approved monthly fee charged
to the customer by the local telephone company to access the local telephone
network.
Alphabetic scroll - A feature that allows
one to scroll through the directory in alphabetic order.
Alphanumeric Display - A display, message,
or readout, typically LCD) that contains both numerical and text information.
Alphanumeric memory - A feature that allows
one to store alphabetical characters and numbers.
Alphanumeric messaging - A feature that
allows one to send and receive alphabetic and/ or numerical messages.
AMPS (advanced mobile phone service) - A
term used for analog technologies, the first generation of wireless phones.
Analog - A method of modulating radio
signals so that they can transmit voice or data information.
Area Code - A three-digit number assigned to
a specific area to distinguish the coverage.
Authentication -
A fraud prevention technology that takes a number of values to create a shared,
secret value used to verify a user's authenticity. Used to stop cloning of
phones.
Bandwidth - Range
of available frequencies that can carry a signal. It is the portion of the
frequency spectrum required to transmit desired information. Each radio channel
has a center frequency and additional frequencies above and below this carrier
frequency which is used to carry the transmitted information. The range of
frequencies from the lowest to the highest used is called the bandwidth.
BASEBAND -
transmission of a digital or analog signal signaling at its original
frequencies. The signal is in its original form, not changed by modulation.
BINARY - Refers to
the base-two number system. The system contains only two numbers, 0 and 1. In
computer-like circuits, the presence of a voltage, current or other such signal
indicates a "1" whereas the absence of the same signal indicates
"0". BIT - Contraction of binary digit. It is the smallest unit of
information in a binary system.
BITS PER SECOND (bps) - Rate at which bits
of information are transmitted.
BlackBerry -
Two-way wireless device, made by RIM,Ontario-based Research in Motion, that
allows users to check e-mail and voice mail (translated into text), as well as
page other users via a wireless network service. Also known as a RIM device, it
has a miniature qwerty keyboard for users to type their messages. It uses the
SMS protocol (see SMS). BlackBerry users must subscribe to a wireless service
that allows for data transmission.
Bluetooth - A short-range wireless
specification that allows for radio connections between devices within a 30-foot
range of each other. The name originates from a 10th-century Danish King Harald
Bl?tand (King Bluetooth), who unified Denmark and Norway.
Broadband - A
communications medium that uses a wide-bandwidth channel for transmitting large
amounts of voice, data, or video information.
Call Forwarding - A calling feature that
enables you to forward an incoming call to another telephone number.
Call Waiting - A calling feature that allows
one to answer a second call while putting the first call on hold.
Caller ID - Feature that displays the
telephone number of the incoming call.
Carrier - A cellular company that provides
wireless telecommunications services.
Cellular - Technology that sends analog or digital
transmissions from transmitters that have areas of coverage called cells. As a
user of a cellular phone moves between transmitters from one cell to another,
the user's call travels from transmitter to transmitter uninterrupted.
Cross-talk - The leaking of a signal from
one channel to another. Frequently causing interruption.
Digital modulation - A method of decoding
information for transmission. Information, or in this case, a voice conversation
is turned into a series of digital bits - the 0s and 1s of computer binary
language. At the receiving end, the information is reconverted.
Dual-band mobile phone - Phones that support
both analog and digital technologies by picking up analog signals when digital
signals fade. You lose your digital services when it goes into analog mode.
Duplex - The ability to receive and send a
signal at the same time.
Encryption - A method of encoding plain text
for security purposes.
ESN (Electronic Serial Number) -
Each cellular phone is assigned a unique ESN, which is automatically
transmitted to the cellular tower station every time a cellular call is placed.
The Mobile Telephone Switching Office validates the ESN with each call.
GPRS (general packet radio service)
- A technology that sends packets of data across a wireless network
at speeds of up to 114Kbps. It is a step up from the circuit-switched method;
wireless users do not have to dial in to networks to download information. With
GPRS, wireless devices are always on-they can receive and send information
without dial-ins. GPRS is designed to work with GSM.
GSM (global system for mobile communications)
- A standard for how data is coded and transferred through the
wireless spectrum. The European wireless standard also used in Asia, GSM is an
alternative to CDMA. GSM digitizes and compresses data and sends it down a
channel with two other streams of user data. The standard is based on time
division multiple access (see TDMA).
Handset - A
wireless phone, cellular phone, mobile phone, or PCS phone.
Hands-Free - A feature that allows one to
operate the phone without touching the holding the handset.
Hands-Free Speakerphone
- A feature that allows you to speak on a cell phone without holding the
phone in your hand. Hands free available for personal, car or deskop use.
Home Coverage Area -
The area in which one may make cellular calls without incurring long distance or
roaming charges. Use your local coverage area where you can make call without
long distance charge.
Handoff - The
process by which the Mobile Telephone Switching Office passes a cellular phone
conversation from one radio frequency in one cell to another radio frequency in
another. The handoff is performed so quickly that users usually never notice.
Hands-free -
An important safety feature that's included with most of today's mobile phones.
It permits drivers to use their cellular phone without lifting or holding the
handset to their ear.
IDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) -
A technology that allows users to access phone calls, two-way radio
transmissions, paging and data transmissions from one wireless device. Developed
by Motorola, iDEN is based on TDMA. Services based on the technology are
available in North America (offered by Nextel),
South America and parts of Asia (see TDMA). Most Secure - commercially available
wireless service today. Clone and Scanner Proof.
Kbps (kilobits per second)
- A measurement of bandwidth in the United
States.
Message alert -
(Also referred to as
"call-in-absence" indicator) A light or other indicator announcing
that a phone call came in; an especially important feature if the cellular
subscriber has voice mail.
Landline - Non wireless telephone lines for
mostly tone phones.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) - A digital
display that utilizes liquid crystal cells.
LED (Light Emitting Diode)
- An indicator light on a handset.
NAM (Number Assignment Module) - The
electronic components in a wireless system that stores the telephone number and
ESN of a phone.NAMPS (Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone System).
No Service Indicator - A signal that informs
user that service is unavailable or the signal is too weak to receive service.
No-answer transfer -
A service feature (provided by some cellular carriers in combination with
call-waiting) that automatically transfers an incoming cellular call to another
phone number if the cellular subscriber is unable to answer.
Off-peak - The
period of time after the business day has ended during which carriers may offer
reduced airtime charges. Typically begins 8 - 9pm thru 6-7am.
Peak Periods -
The times designated by cellular any individual company as the busiest parts of
the day for cellular phone usage. These times are also associated with the
highest rates.
Pay as you go - A system generally used by
those with poor credit or a specified budget or for emergency, use pay for
service minutes in advance.
Packet - A burst or chunk of data that is
sent over a network, whether it's the Internet or wireless network.
Packet data - is the basis for
packet-switched networks, which are under development in the United States as a
faster, more reliable method of transferring wireless data than a
circuit-switched network. Packet-switched networks eliminate the need to dial in
to send or receive information because they are "always on,"
transferring data without the need to dial. The packets that hold data depend on
the size of the data involved; "chunks" are broken down into an
efficient size for routing. Each of these packets has a separate number and
carries the Internet address for which it is destined.
PCS (personal communications services)
- An alternative to cellular, PCS works like cellular technology
because it sends calls from transmitter to transmitter as a caller moves. But
PCS uses its own network, not a cellular network, and offers fewer "blind
spots"-areas in which access to calls is not available-than cellular. PCS
transmitters are generally closer together than their cellular counterparts.
PDA (personal digital assistant)
- Mobile, handheld devices-such as the Palm series and Handspring
Visors-that give users access to text-based information. Users can synchronize
their PDAs with a PC or network; some models support wireless communication to
retrieve and send e-mail and get information from the Web.
Radio frequency devices - These devices use
radio frequencies to transmit data. One typical use- a bar code scanner gathers
information about products in stock or ready for shipment in a warehouse or
distribution center and sends them to a database or ERP system.
Repertory dialing- Sometimes known as "memory dialing" or
"speed-calling." A feature that allows you to recall from 1-to-99 (or
more) phone numbers from a phone's memory with the touch of just one, two or
three buttons.
Roaming -
The ability to use your cellular phone outside your usual service area - when
traveling, for example.
Satellite phone -
Phones that connect callers via satellite. The idea behind a satellite phone is
to give users a worldwide alternative to sometimes unreliable digital and analog
connections. So far, such services have proven very costly and have appealed to
few users aside from, for example, the crews at deep-sea oil rigs with phones
configured to connect to a satellite service.
Service plan -
A rate plan selected by subscribers when they start up cellular service, usually
consisting of a base rate for system access and a per-minute rate for usage.
Service plans are designed to provide the most cost-effective rates for
different types and amounts of usage by the cellular subscriber.
SIM (subscriber identity module) - GSM
system uses sim cards as standard.
Smart Card - A card that contains subscriber
identifying data about a user that can be used to all access to a network.
Frequently used in GSM phones.
Smart phone - A
combination of a mobile phone and a PDA, smart phones allow users to converse as
well as perform tasks, such as accessing the Internet wirelessly and storing
contacts in databases. Smart phones have a PDA-like screen. As smart phone
technology matures, some analysts expect these devices to prevail among wireless
users. A PDA equipped with an Internet connection could be considered a smart
phone. Ericsson, Nokia and Motorola also make smart phones.
SMS (short messaging service)
- A service through which users can send text-based messages from
one device to another. The message appears on the screen of the receiving
device. SMS works with GSM networks and IDEN.
Standby time -
The amount of time you can leave your fully charged cellular portable
or transportable phone turned on before the phone will completely discharge the
batteries. Standby time decreases as you talk on the phone.
SMS (Short Messaging Service) - Some
cellular phone feature that permits users to receive and transmit short text
messages.
Speed Dialing - The ability to dial a stored
number with either one or two keystrokes.
Talk Time - The length of time a phone can
be used while talking without needing to recharge the battery.
TDMA (time division multiple access)
- This protocol allows large numbers of users to access one radio
frequency by allocating time slots for use to multiple voice or data calls. TDMA
breaks down data transmission, such as a phone conversation, into fragments and
transmits each fragment in a short burst, assigning each fragment a time slot.
With a cell phone, the caller would not detect this fragmentation. Whereas CDMA
(which is used more frequently in the United States) breaks down calls on a
signal by codes, TDMA breaks them down by time. The result in both cases-
increased network capacity for the wireless carrier and a lack of interference
for the caller.
Voice mail - (Also
called voice messaging) A computerized answering service that automatically
answers your call, plays a greeting in your own voice and records a message.
After you retrieve your messages, you can delete, save, reply to or forward the
messages to someone else on your voice mail system.
Voice-activated dialing -
A feature available only on selected phones that permits you to dial
numbers by calling them out to your cellular phone, instead of dialing them
manually. This function is especially convenient for making calls from your
vehicle while driving.
WAP (wireless application protocol)
- WAP is a set of protocols that lets users of mobile phones and
other digital wireless devices access Internet content, check voice mail and
e-mail, receive text of faxes and conduct transactions. WAP works with multiple
standards, including CDMA and GSM. Not all mobile devices support WAP, but IDC
(a sister company to CIO's publisher, CXO Media) projects that more than 1.3
billion wireless Internet users will have WAP-capable devices in their hands by
2004.
WASP (wireless application service provider) -
These vendors provide hosted wireless applications so that companies will not
have to build their own sophisticated wireless infrastructures. Vendors include
Etrieve and Wireless Knowledge.
WCDMA (wideband CDMA) -
A third-generation wireless technology under development that allows for
high-speed, high-quality data transmission. Derived from CDMA, WCDMA digitizes
and transmits wireless data over a broad range of frequencies. It requires more
bandwidth than CDMA but offers faster transmission because it optimizes the use
of multiple wireless signals-not just one, as with CDMA.
Wireless LAN (WLAN) -
It uses radio frequency technology to transmit network messages through the air
for relatively short distances, like across an office building or college
campus. A wireless LAN can serve as a replacement for or extension to a wired
LAN.
Wireless spectrum - A band of frequencies
where wireless signals travel carrying voice and data information. Most Wireless
Devices operate either on 800mhz Spectrum or 1900Mhz.
WISP (wireless Internet service provider)
- A vendor that specializes in providing wireless Internet access.
Wireless Messaging - A feature that sends
voice or data information via a wireless network.
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