Mobile-Net

Cell Phone Glossary - The Most Frequently-Used Worldwide

Cell Phones are not immortal. And they are constantly updated. Buying a cell phone is very common nowadays. But quite a few of us don’t know too much about the Most Frequently-Used Cell Phone Glossary.

General understanding of the most common-used phones terminology could make us effectively enhance our using efficiency and reduce the rate of being cheated by wholesale mobile phones and retails when we purchase maximally. The following are the most frequently-used terminology collected from different websites:

0 - 9
1G - First-generation wireless analog technology standards which inaugurated in the 1980s.
2G - Second-generation wireless digital technology.
2.5G - Protocols extend 2G systems to provide additional features such as packet-switched connection and enhanced data rates.
3G - An ITU specification for the third generation of mobile communications technology. It promises increased bandwidth, up to 384 Kbps when a device is stationary or moving at pedestrian speed, 128 Kbps in a car, and 2 Mbps in fixed applications. 3G will work over wireless air interfaces such as GSM, TDMA, and CDMA. The new EDGE air interface has been developed specifically to meet the bandwidth needs of 3G.
4G - Entirely new evolution and a complete 3G replacement in wireless communications. It promises voice, data and high-quality multimedia in real-time form all the time and anywhere.
1.5-Way Paging - Guaranteed message receipt or advanced messaging, ensuring subscribers receive messages sent when they're out of range, but users cannot send text pages. Two-way paging allows users to send and receive.
1.7-Way Paging - A paging service that offers more than guaranteed messaging but not as much as full two-way paging. The subscriber has limited response messaging, such as canned messages, rather than the ability to create responses.
711 - The nationwide number to reach the telecommunications relay service (TRS). TRS enables telephone conversations between people with speech or hearing disabilities and people without speech or hearing disabilities.

A
Activation Fee - The fee charged to turn on a cell phone for operation on the selected carrier network.
Airtime - Airtime, or the time spent talking on a cellular telephone. Billing begins when the SEND key is pressed and finishes when the user presses end.

B
Band - Range of radio frequencies between two defined limits.
BPS (Bits Per Second) - Measure how fast binary digits can be sent through a channel.
Broadband - Communications medium that uses wide-band width channels in order to send and receiving large amounts of data, video or voice information.

C
Call Quality - A measure of the total quality of a call. It tests the ability to accurately reproduce a users voice, and the systems ability to limit impairments during the course of a conversation.
Carrier - The company that provides wireless telecommunications services and transmits the frequencies upon which the cell phone calls, signals and data are carried.
CDMA - Code Division Multiple Access. A multiple access technique, using sequenced code to divide traffic channels within the same radio channels.

D
Dual-Band - a wireless phone which is able to operate on both 800MHz and 1900MHz digital networks to send and receive calls.
Dual Mode - Can be operated on analog or digital transmission networks. 

E
EDGE - Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution. An enhanced modulation technique designed to increase network capacity and data rates in GSM networks. EDGE should provide data rates up to 384 Kbps. EDGE allows operators without a 3G license to compete with 3G networks which offer similar data services.

F
FCT (Fixed Cellular Terminal) - Also known as: GSM Gateway, GSM Modem, GSM Router, Mobile Gateway, channel bank, GSM channel Bank, ISDN GSM Gateway, analogue GSM gateway.

G
GPRS - General Packet Radio Service. Data communications upgrade for GSM networks, enabling a maximum data rate of up to 115kbps.
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) - Communication standard in three frequency bands viz. 900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz. The term GSM is often used in the UK to refer to the 900MHz band while the 1800MHz band is referred to as PCN.

H
HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) - A GSM enhancement which allows access to data services at up to 57.6kbps.

I
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) - A unique identity number given to Gsm Mobile phones and can be used to block mobile phones that have been stolen when reported to the network operator.

J
Java - A universal software platform developed.
J2ME - Java 2 Platform Micro Edition. It is designed to run on small devices such as mobile phones and PDA's.

P
Predictive Text Input - Allows users to write text messages with the help of an integrated dictionary. The dictionary offers possible word matches as the beginning of the word is typed.
PTT - Push to talk. A two-way mobile technology that works like a walkie-talkie.

Q
Quad-band - Allows users to roam almost anywhere globally. It covers 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz frequency.

S
Smart Phone - A handheld device. It integrates various cell phones and PDA capabilities.
SMS - Short Message Service.  It allows messages of up to 160 characters to be sent between phones on any network.

T
Tri-band - Mobile phones which operate on three GSM frequency bands: GSM900, GSM1800 and GSM1900.

W
WAP - Wireless Application Protocol. An agreed standard which enables compatible mobile phones to access Internet-type services like news and sport.

About the Author

mike.xie is the expert of electronics specialy in cell phones area

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