Mobile Glossary
2G: The first digital wireless technology standards, which offered data and voice. It refers to the first digital phones, and stands for 2nd generation; including GSM, CDMA IS-95 and D-AMPS IS-136.
3G: This 3rd generation wireless technology standard, covered by the ITU IMT-2000 family, includes high data speeds, always-on data access and other more advanced features. The higher data speeds, for the first time, enable live streaming video and rich media applications.
4G: This 4th generation offers even faster data rates than 3G; this more data-centric network is based on IP (Internet Protocol) technologies.
Android: Google’s smartphone operating system based on Linux. This is an open source OS, which means that many manufacturers have created handsets based on Android.
Backhaul: The connection from a cell tower to the central network (backbone).
Bandwidth: A term meaning both the width of a transmission channel in terms of Hertz and the maximum transmission speed in bits per second that it will support.
CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access; CDMA cellular systems utilize a single frequency band for all traffic, differentiating the individual transmissions by assigning them unique codes before transmission. There are a number of variants of CDMA.
EDGE: Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution; effectively the final stage in the evolution of the GSM standard, EDGE is an alternative upgrade path towards 3G services for US operators without access to new spectrum.
GSM: Global System for Mobile communications, the second generation digital technology originally developed for Europe but which now has in excess of 71 per cent of the world market. Initially developed for operation in the 900MHz band and subsequently modified for the 850, 1800 and 1900MHz bands. GSM originally stood for Groupe Speciale Mobile, the CEPT committee which began the GSM standardization process
IP: Internet Protocol
LTE: Stands for Long Term Evolution, which is considered to be a 4G technology. LTE uses an all-IP architecture, where everything from video to voice is handled as data.
MMS: Multimedia Messaging Service; an evolution of SMS, MMS goes beyond text messaging offering various kinds of multimedia content including images, audio and video clips
Mobile WiMAX: A technical wireless standard that allows users on the move (in a car or train) to maintain an active connection.
MVNO: Mobile Virtual Network Operators are wireless companies with its own brand, marketing, content offerings and retail outlets but use another operator’s mobile infrastructure instead of building and operating their own. Disney and ESPN both operated MVNOs which they closed down.
SIM: Subscriber Identity Module; A smart card containing the telephone number of the subscriber, encoded network identification details, the PIN and other user data such as the phone book. A user’s SIM card can be moved from phone to phone as it contains all the key information required to activate the phone.
Smartphone: A mobile phone that runs on powerful processors and features an operating system, much like a computer, and, like a computer, offers a user-interface and a platform for developers to create applications.
SMS: Stands for Short Message Service, available on nearly all mobile phones. It allows users to send and receive short text messages. SMS messages can generally be sent between phones using different carriers and directly to an email address.
Streaming: An Internet derived expression for the one-way transmission of video and audio content
Symbian: A company created by Psion, Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola in 1998 with the aim of developing and standardising an operating system which enable mobile phones from different manufacturers to exchange information.
WAP: Stands for Wirelesss Application Protocol, a technology that allowed Internet content to be distributed to mobile phones. This was an initial way to serve scaled-down websites to mobile devices. Users can access websites and pages which have been converted by the use of WML into stripped-down versions of the original more suitable for the limited display capabilities of mobile phones. With the advent of 3G/4G, the need for WAPs is diminishing and is being replaced by more robust mobile-optimized website.
Wi-Fi: Wireless Local Area network (WLAN) technology, which provides short-range wireless high-speed data connections between mobile data devices (such as laptops, PDAs or phones) and nearby Wi-Fi access points (special hardware connected to a wired network).
WiMax: The trade name for a family of new technologies related to the IEEE 802.16 wireless standards. WiMax has the potential for very long range (5 to 30 miles) and high speeds. WiMax technology can operate in the 2.5 or 3.5 GHz licensed bands.
