# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W

1-touch dialing
Allows to dial a number by pressing and holding any of the 0-9 keys

2.5G Second-and-a-half generation wireless service.
Most carriers will move to this wireless service before making the upgrade to 3G. 2.5G adds additional features such as packet-switched connection (GPRS) and that will increase transmission rates (HSCSD, EDGE)

2G Second generation wireless service.
Also known as Personal Communications Services (PCS), 2G arrived in 1990 and is the current wireless service available in North America. It is based on circuit-switched technology where each call requires its own cell channel, which makes transmission of data quite slow. 2G services include Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). GSM is used in Europe and Personal Digital Communications (PDC) is used in Japan.

3G
3G Stands for 3rd-generation. Analog cellular phones were the first generation. Digital marked the second generation.
3G is loosely defined, but generally includes high data speeds, always-on data access, and greater voice capacity. The high data speeds are possibly the most prominent feature, and certainly the most hyped. They enable such advanced features as live, streaming video.
There are several different 3G technology standards. The most prevalent is UMTS, which is based on WCDMA. (WCDMA and UMTS are often used interchangeably.)

Airtime
Actual time spent talking on the cellular telephone. Most carriers bill customers based on how many minutes of airtime they used each month.

Alarm
An alarm feature which can be set for a specific time and date or can used as a daily alarm.
If the phone has a calendar feature, the alarm feature may be integrated with that (in some Motorola phones for example), so an alarm is simply a calendar event. Although some phones with a calendar feature also have a separate alarm feature.

Alphanumeric Display
A display capable of containing letters and numbers, but not graphics.

Analog
The traditional way by which speech is transmitted in which the signal is continually varying. Normal fixed phones use analogue transmission. Analogue (ETACS) cellphones are slowly being replaced by GSM phones which use digital transmission.

Anykey answer
Allows you to answer a call by pressing any key

Automatic redial
The phone automatically redials a number if the system or the number are busy

Bandwidth
The capacity of a communications link to deliver services.

Bluetooth
A wireless personal area network (PAN) specification that connects phones, computers, appliances, etc. over short distances without wires by using low power radio frequencies.
Bluetooth allows you to leave your phone in your pocket, while talking on your phone with a Bluetooth headset - with no wires. You can also exchange contact or scheduling information with other Bluetooth-enabled phones nearby, or send such information to a nearby Bluetooth-enabled printer.

Calendar
Calendar feature allows you to store scheduling and event information in your phone. Some phones also offer the ability to sound an alert to remind you of upcoming events.

Call Barring
Allows you to set your phone to prohibit certain incoming or outgoing phone calls.

Call Divert
This is a network feature that can also be accessed through most handsets providing the ability to redirect your number to another number. There are several levels of diversion available; not answered, out of service, engaged, switched off or unconditional.

Call Forwarding
A feature allowing the subscriber to forward a call to another telephone number.

Call waiting
A feature allowing the subscriber to be alerted of another call during a current conversation.

Carrier
The carrier is the network to which you are connected. 2.A telecommunications company.

CDMA
Code Division Multiple Access. A technique of multiplexing, also called spread spectrum, in which analog signals are converted into digital form for transmission. For each communication channel, the signals are encoded in a sequence known to the transmitter and the receiver for that channel. The foremost application is digital cellular phone technology from QUALCOMM that operates in the 800MHz band and 1.9GHz PCS band. CDMA phones are noted for their excellent call quality and long battery life.

CIF
Video format, which is part of ITU H. 261 videoconferencing standard. It specifies a data rate of 30 frames per second (fps), with each frame containing 288 lines and 352 pixels per line. A related standard, QCIF (Quarter CIF), transfers one fourth the amount of data and is suitable for videoconferencing systems that use telephone lines.

Circuit
The complete path between two terminals over which one-way or two-way communications may be provided. 2. An electronic path between two or more points, capable of providing a number of channels. 3. A number of conductors connected together for the purpose of carrying an electrical current. 4. An electronic closed-loop path among two or more points used for signal transfer. (188) 5. A number of electrical components, such as resistors, inductances, capacitors, transistors, and power sources connected together in one or more closed loops.

Conference Call
This enables three or more, rather than just two, persons to participate in a single telephone call made from a basic telephone service and connected to other basic telephone services within your country or telephone services outside your country.

Coverage
The area in which a mobile phone can make or receive calls. Coverage is usually expressed by networks as a percentage of the resident population who could use mobiles outside their own homes.

Cryptographic
The art of protecting information by transforming it (encrypting it) into an unreadable format, called cipher text. Only those who possess a secret key can decipher (or decrypt) the message into plain text. Encrypted messages can sometimes be broken by cryptanalysis, also called codebreaking, although modern cryptography techniques are virtually unbreakable. As the Internet and other forms of electronic communication become more prevalent, electronic security is becoming increasingly important. Cryptography is used to protect e-mail messages, credit card information, and corporate data. One of the most popular cryptography systems used on the Internet is Pretty Good Privacy because it's effective and free. Cryptography systems can be broadly classified into symmetric-key systems that use a single key that both the sender and recipient have, and public-key systems that use two keys, a public key known to everyone and a private key that only the recipient of messages uses.

Dimension
The average size of an credit card is , and the diameter of your pinky finger is around 10mm.

DSP
Digital signal processing (DSP) refers to various techniques for improving the accuracy and reliability of digital communications. The theory behind DSP is quite complex. Basically, DSP works by clarifying, or standardizing, the levels or states of a digital signal. A DSP circuit is able to differentiate between human-made signals, which are orderly, and noise, which is inherently chaotic.

DTMF
Facility for sending multi-frequency tones across the network from a phone. Each number, when pressed, transmits its own individual sound. Necessary fro accessing some network features

Dual-band
Referenced to the phone's ability to operate on different frequency bands. For example, Sony Ericsson T68i is called tri-band, because it operated on 900/1800 and 1900 Mhz frequency band.

Dual mode
Phone that can operate using two different network standards. For example, a dual band will be a phone that supports AMPS and TDMA operation.

EDGE
Acronym for Enhanced Data GSM Evolutiont. EDGE is a faster version (2.5G) of GSM wireless service. EDGE enables data to be delivered at rates up to 384 Kbps on a broadband. The standard is based on the GSM standard and uses TDMA multiplexing technology.

EFR
Enhanced Full Rate. This is a network and handset feature enabling better speech quality to GSM users.

EMS
Enhanced Message Service - a type of extended SMS. Allows users not only to send plain text messages, but also to include pictures, animations, melodies and formatted type.

Encryption
The translation of data into a secret code. Encryption is the most effective way to achieve data security. To read an encrypted file, you must have access to a secret key or password that enables you to decrypt it. Unencrypted data is called plain text ; encrypted data is referred to as cipher text. There are two main types of encryption: asymmetric encryption (also called public-key encryption) and symmetric encryption.

Frequency
The radio frequency at which a device operates.

GIF
The GIF (the original and preferred pronunciation is DJIF; it stands for Graphics Interchange Format) is one of the two most common file formats for graphic images on the World Wide Web. The other is the JPEG.

GPRS
General Packet Radio Service, is a standard for wireless communications which can run at speeds up to 114.5 Kbps (typically up to 20 - 30 kbps). GPRS is considered a 2.5G enhancements to the GSM standard.

GPS
Global Positioning System. A system of satellites, computers, and receivers that is able to determine the latitude and longitude of a receiver on Earth by calculating the time difference for signals from different satellites to reach the receiver. The GPS (Global Positioning System) is a "constellation" of 24 well-spaced satellites that orbit the Earth and make it possible for people with ground receivers to pinpoint their geographic location. The location accuracy is anywhere from 100 to 10 meters for most equipment. Accuracy can be pinpointed to within one (1) meter with special military-approved equipment. GPS equipment is widely used in science and has now become sufficiently low-cost so that almost anyone can own a GPS receiver. The GPS is owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense but is available for general use around the world.

GSM
Global System for Mobile communications. A world standard for digital cellular communications using narrowband TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), which allows up to eight calls at a time on 800 MHz and 1800 MHz frequencies. Introduced in 1991. Is the standard most commonly used in Europe and Asia, but not in the United States. GSM phones use a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) smart card that contains user account information. Any GSM phone becomes immediately programmed after plugging in the SIM card, thus allowing GSM phones to be easily rented or borrowed. SIM cards can be programmed to display custom menus for personalized services.GSM provides a short messaging service (SMS) that enables text messages up to 160 characters in length to be sent to and from a GSM phone.

HSCSD
High Speed Circuit Switched Data. An enhancement to GSM networks that enables data speeds to be boosted from 9.6 kbps in multiples up to 57.6 kbps.

i-Mode
Packet-based service launched by NTT Docomo in 1999. Instead of the WAP's Wireless Markup Language (WML), uses Compact Wiireless Markup Language (CWML). It allows users to do computer banking, buy tickets and make reservations from their phone.

iDEN
iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) is a wireless network standard developed by Motorola and used by Nextel Wireless. It operates at 800Mhz, 900Mhz and 1500Mhz frequency bands and it is a mixture of TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) and GSM arhitecture. It allows the use of one mobile device as a digital phone, pager, two-way radio and fax/modem

IMEI
(International Mobile Equipment Identity) A unique serial number used on digital mobile phones

Infared port (IrDA)
Infrared Data Association - develops standards for wireless infrared data transmission. IrDA requires a clear line-of-sight to work properly. Allows wireless data transfer.

Iridium
A global mobile phone system of 66 satellites that offer global communications.

iTAP
Predictive Text Input software, created by Motorola.

Java (J2ME)
J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition) is a technology that allows programmers to use the Java programming language and related tools to develop programs for mobile wireless information devices such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). J2ME consists of programming specifications and a special virtual machine, the K Virtual Machine, that allows a J2ME-encoded program to run in the mobile device.

Kbps
Kbps stands for Kilobits per second and is a measure of bandwidth on a data transmission medium. General Packet Radio Service, is a standard for wireless communications which can run at speeds up to 115 Kbps (115,000 bps), compared to current GSM data which runs at 9.6 kilobits.

LCD
Liquid Crystal Display. LCD displays utilize two sheets of polarizing material with a liquid crystal solution between them. An electric current passed through the liquid causes the crystals to align so that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light. Monochrome LCD images usually appear as blue or dark gray images on top of a grayish-white background. Color LCD displays use two basic techniques for producing color: Passive matrix is the less expensive of the two technologies. The other technology, called thin film transistor (TFT) or active-matrix, produces color images that are as sharp as traditional CRT displays, but the technology is expensive. Recent passive-matrix displays using new CSTN and DSTN technologies produce sharp colors rivaling active-matrix displays.

Li-Ion battery
A battery technology used in personal mobile phones. Lithium-ion batteries generally provide more energy capacity than Nickel Metal Hydride batteries of the same weight.

Li-Po battery
Lithium Polymer type of battery. Similar to Li-Ion batteries, but slightely lighter and the batteries can be molded to any shape.

MIDI
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol designed for recording and playing back music on digital synthesizers that is supported by many makes of personal computer sound cards. Originally intended to control one keyboard from another, it was quickly adopted for the personal computer. Rather than representing musical sound directly, it transmits information about how music is produced. The command set includes note-ons, note-offs, key velocity, pitch bend and other methods of controlling a synthesizer. The sound waves produced are those already stored in a wavetable in the receiving instrument or sound card.

MMS
Multimedia Message Service; the successor of SMS (Short Message Service). MMS allow the user to combine sounds, images and video into one multimedia message

MODULATION
The variation of a property of an electromagnetic wave or signal, such as its amplitude, frequency, or phase. Modulation is the addition of information to an electronic or optical signal carrier. Modulation can be applied to direct current (mainly by turning it on and off), to alternating current, and to optical signals. One can think of blanket waving as a form of modulation used in smoke signal transmission (the carrier being a steady stream of smoke). Morse code, invented for telegraphy and still used in amateur radio, uses a binary (two-state) digital code similar to the code used by modern computers. For most of radio and telecommunication today, the carrier is alternating current (AC) in a given range of frequencies.

MP3
MP3 is the file extention for MPEG, audio layer 3. It uses a compression scheme to remove all redundant and irrelevant part of a sound signal. The result is CD sound quality in a 12 times shrinked disk/memory space.

MPEG-4
The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) develops standards for digital video and digital audio compression. MPEG-4 supports a wide range of vidio and audio modes and transmission speeds.
MultiMediaCard MultiMediaCards are the world's smallest (.90 x 1.26 x .06 inches). removable solid-state memory cards, designed especially for mobile phones and digital imaging, among other applications. These convenient, reliable, rugged and lightweight standardized data carriers store up to 256 Mbytes, or approximately 160,000 book pages. MultiMediaCards use ROM technology for read-only applications and Flash technology for read/write applications. The cards are fast for excellent system performance; energy efficient for prolonged battery life in portable products; and cost-efficient for use in systems sold at consumer price points. They also have an easy-to-install serial interface.

NETWORK
An interconnection of three or more communicating entities. 2. An interconnection of usually passive electronic components that performs a specific function (which is usually limited in scope), e.g., to simulate a transmission line or to perform a mathematical function such as integration or differentiation. Note: A network may be part of a larger circuit.

Nickel Cadium
Nickel cadmium batteries are robust and long-lasting

Nickel Metal Hydride
A type of batteries hold more power for their size than NiCd batteries and enviromentally friendly. Advertisement Voice Out Your Opinion *Rate your Service Provider *View Opinions *View Result

OLED
Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) - An OLED is an electronic device made by placing a series of organic thin films between two conductors. When electrical current is applied, a bright light is emitted. This process is called electrophosphorescence. When used to produce displays, OLED technology produces self-luminous displays that do not require backlighting. These properties result in thin, very compact displays. The displays also have a wide viewing angle, up to 160 degrees and require very little power, only 2-10 volts. OLED displays have other advantages over LCDs as well: - Increased brightness - Faster response time for full motion video - Lighter weight - Greater durability - Broader operating temperature ranges

OS Operating System
made by Microsoft Windows, Linux, Unix, Symbian etc

Packet
A packet is the unit of data that is routed between an origin and a destination on the Internet or any other packet-switched network. When any file (e-mail message, HTML file, Graphics Interchange Format file, Uniform Resource Locator request, and so forth) is sent from one place to another on the Internet, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer of TCP/IP divides the file into "chunks" of an efficient size for routing. Each of these packets is separately numbered and includes the Internet address of the destination. The individual packets for a given file may travel different routes through the Internet. When they have all arrived, they are reassembled into the original file (by the TCP layer at the receiving end).

Password
A secret series of characters that enables a user to access a file, computer, or program. On multi-user systems, each user must enter his or her password before the computer will respond to commands. The password helps ensure that unauthorized users do not access the computer. In addition, data files and programs may require a password. Ideally, the password should be something that nobody could guess. In practice, most people choose a password that is easy to remember, such as their name or their initials. This is one reason it is relatively easy to break into most computer systems.

PC Sync
PC Synchronization - The ability of an electronic device to synchronize its data with a PC application. A good example would be synchronization of calendar enties of your cell phone with MS Outlook on your pc. PC Synchronization involves the transfer of data from one device to a PC or vice versa.

PDA
(Personal Digital Assistant) A top-of -the-range personal organser which allows you to store infromation and to use simple computer programs.

Polyphonic Ringtones
Old-style ringtones play one musical note at a time, whereas polyphonic ringtones play multiple notes, creating a fuller, richer and more realistic sound. At the same time, polyphonic ringer phones usually play multiple instruments and are equipped with better-sounding speakers.

Pre-paid
Term used for no-contract, no rental charge services where you buy credit 'vouchers' in advance for calls. Each network has its own pre-paid service.

Predictive Text Input
Predictive Text Input is a intelligent software that make typing words easier on a mobile phone keypads. It uses a built in dictionaries. You press the numbers that carry the characters that you want to type only once, and the software tries to guess what word you are attempting to type.

PUK
(Personal Unblocking Code) A code used to unblock a blocked SIM card, obtained from your network or service provider.

RAM
RAM (random access memory) is the place in a computer where the operating system, application programs, and data in current use are kept so that they can be quickly reached by the computer's processor. RAM is much faster to read from and write to than the other kinds of storage in a computer, the hard disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM. However, the data in RAM stays there only as long as your computer is running. When you turn the computer off, RAM loses its data

Ringtone
A ringtone is the audible alert that the phone emits to notify you of an incomming phone call. All contemporary phones supoprt mupltiple ringtones, some have built-in ringtone composers and some can download ringtones from other phones or the internet. [see also: polyphonic ringtone]

ROM
ROM is "built-in" computer memory containing data that normally can only be read, not written to. ROM contains the programming that allows your computer to be "booted up" or regenerated each time you turn it on. Unlike a computer's random access memory (RAM), the data in ROM is not lost when the computer power is turned off. The ROM is sustained by a small long-life battery in your computer.

Screen Saver
A screen saver is an animated image that is activated on a display when no user activity has been detected for a certain period of time. The original purpose of a screen saver was to prevent burn-in (the burning of an image into the phosphor inside the cathode ray tube after hours of the same image being rescanned). On most portable devices nowadays, it is used to preserve battery life, since displaying a full picture requires more power thn a digital clock, for example.

Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a substance, usually a solid chemical element or compound, that can conduct electricity under some conditions but not others, making it a good medium for the control of electrical current. Its conductance varies depending on the current or voltage applied to a control electrode, or on the intensity of irradiation by infrared (IR), visible light, ultraviolet (UV), or X rays.

Series 60
User interface developed by Nokia. It runs over Symbian OS. Phone that use Series 60 are: Nokia 3650, 7650

Shared memory
The following features in this phone may share memory: Phone book, text and multimedia messages, images and ringing tones in gallery, calendar, to-do notes, and Java games and applications. Using any such features may reduce the memory available for any features sharing memory. This is especially true with heavy use of any of the features (although some of the features may have a certain amount of memory specially allotted to them in addition to the amount of memory shared with other features). For example, saving many images, bookmarks, Java applications, etc. may take all of the shared memory and your phone may display a message that the memory is full. In this case, delete some of the information or entries stored in the shared memory features before continuing

SIM
Subscriber Identity Module. The smart card used in digital phones. It carries the user's identity for accessing the network and receiving calls and also stores personal infromation, such as phone directory and received SMS messages.

SMS
Short Message Service Two-way text messaging service is offered on digital networks. Messages of up to 160 characters can be sent at low cost.

SMS chat
Some newer phones have a feature to allow you to "chat" with other users via the sms protocol.

SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol - protocol for sending email from a client to SMTP server

Speakerphone
Allows the user to use the phone without holding it (can be placed at a short distance). This is a very useful feature, if you have to hold for a long time, or numerous people have to participate in the conversation.

Symbian OS
Symbian’s advanced open standard operating system for data enabled mobile phones. It includes a multi-tasking multithreaded core, a user interface framework, data services enablers, application engines and integrated PIM functionality and wireless communications

STN
Super Twisted Nematic. A type of LCD display technology. STN uses less power and is less costly than TFT technology, but at the expense of image quality and response time.

SyncML
The leading open industry standard for the universal synchronisation of remote data and personal information across multiple networks, platforms and devices

T9
Predictive Text Input is a intelligent software that make typing words easier on a mobile phone keypads. It uses a built in dictionaries. You press the numbers that carry the characters that you want to type only once, and the software tries to guess what word you are attempting to type.

TCP
Abbreviation of Transmission Control Protocol, and pronounced as separate letters. TCP is one of the main protocols in TCP/IP networks. Whereas the IP protocol deals only with packets, TCP enables two hosts to establish a connection and exchange streams of data. TCP guarantees delivery of data and also guarantees that packets will be delivered in the same order in which they were sent.

TDM
Short for Time Division Multiplexing, a type of multiplexing that combines data streams by assigning each stream a different time slot in a set. TDM repeatedly transmits a fixed sequence of time slots over a single transmission channel. Within T-Carrier systems, such as T-1 and T-3, TDM combines Pulse Code Modulated (PCM) streams created for each conversation or data stream.

TDMA
Time Division Multiple Access. A multiplexing technology used with satellites and cellular phones, in which multiple channels of data are interleaved (each signal is assigned to a different time interval, and the signals are transmitted by taking turns). . For cellular, TDMA triples the capacity of the original analog method. The GSM cellular system is also based on TDMA, but GSM defines the entire network, not just the air interface.

Telephony
The science of translating sound into electrical signals, transmitting them, and then converting them back to sound; that is, the science of telephones. The term is used frequently to refer to computer hardware and software that performs functions traditionally performed by telephone equipment. For example, telephony software can combine with your modem to turn your computer into a sophisticated answering service. Voice mail is another popular telephony application.

TFD
Thin Film Diode. A type of LCD display technology. TFD technology combines the excellent image quility and fast response times of TFT, with the low power consumption and low cost of STN.

TFT
Abbreviation of thin film transistor, a type of LCD flat-panel display screen, in which each pixel is controlled by from one to four transistors. The TFT technology provides the best resolution of all the flat-panel techniques, but it is also the most expensive. TFT screens are sometimes called active-matrix LCDs.

UMTS
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. A third-generation (3G) wireless communications technology and the next generation of GSM. UMTS is a wireless standard approved by the International Telecommunications Union and is intended for advanced wireless communications.
UMTS uses WCDMA technology, and the two terms are often used interchangeably with each other.

Voice Command
Facility offered by a few handsets enabling calls to be made by using voice commands rather than pressing the numbers. The memory can be programmed to store and identify names spoken into the handset and call numbers associated with them

Voice dial
Facility offered by a few handsets enabling calls to be made by saying the name of the person you wish to call.

Voice Recognition
Facility offered by a few handsets enabling calls to be made by using voice commands rather than pressing the numbers. The memory can be programmed to store and identify names spoken into the handset and call numbers associated with them

Voice Record
The ability to store short notes(memos) in the memory of your phone.

WAP
Wireless Application Protocol. A global standard for developing applications over wireless communication networks. . Introduced in 1997 by Phone.com (formerly Unwired Planet), Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia, WAP provides a complete environment for wireless applications that includes a wireless counterpart of TCP/IP and a framework for telephony integration such as call control and phone book access. WAP features the Wireless Markup Language (WML), which was derived from Phone.com's HDML and is a streamlined version of HTML for small screen displays. It also uses WMLScript, a compact JavaScript-like language that runs in limited memory. WAP also supports handheld input methods such as a keypad and voice recognition

WAV
Audio format created by Microsoft

WIRELESS
Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves (rather than some form of wire) carry the signal over part or all of the communication path. Some monitoring devices, such as intrusion alarms, employ acoustic waves at frequencies above the range of human hearing; these are also sometimes classified as wireless. The first wireless transmitters went on the air in the early 20th century using radiotelegraphy (Morse code). Later, as modulation made it possible to transmit voices and music via wireless, the medium came to be called "radio." With the advent of television, fax, data communication, and the effective use of a larger portion of the spectrum, the term "wireless" has been resurrected.