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Wireless Glossary
Wireless Glossary Wireless Glossary
- Access Fee
A monthly fee charged to the customer by the local landline telephone companies for access to the local telephone network. Cellphone customers pay an additional 3 percent federal excise tax.
- 3G
The third generation of technology of the mobile wireless industry. This standard allows for high-speed, always-on data transmission and reception. Users can handle e-mail, instant messaging and Web browsing as smoothly as current wired technologies.
- Activation Fee
Typically in the $35 range. This is a one time fee that appears on the first cell phone bill.
- Airtime
The time spent on an active cell phone connection whether on a incoming, or outgoing cell phone call.
- Analog
Analog is a method of modulating radio signals so that they can transmit voice or data information. This technology has for the most part been replaced by digital transmission. Most cell phones in production today are 100% digital.
- Antenna
A device used for transmitting, sending and receiving radio signals. Typical cell phone antennaes are either internal or external. Some are retractable.
- Automatic Call Delivery
A feature that permits a cell phone to receive incoming calls, even when roaming. In times past one would have to inform callers of certain codes when the receiver would be in roaming mode.
- Band
Range of radio frequencies between two defined limits which are used in wireless communications. 800 to 1900 MHz is the band used for CDMA. Whereas 900 - 1800 and 1900 are used for GSM.
- Bandwidth
The capacity of a transmission channel. Bandwidth is dependent on the frequency ranges available. The 'bandwidth' or the width of a frequency band determines maximum transmission speed available to subscribers. Each radio channel has a center frequency and additional frequencies above and below this carrier frequency which is used to carry the transmitted information.
- Blackberry
A Blackberry is a portable smart device, made by Waterloo, Onatario-based RIM (Research In Motion). It allows users to access email on their corporate and personal email accounts, as well as view web pages and run Java-based software. Most BlackBerries feature a small QWERTY or Half-QWERTY keyboard and a scrolling click wheel on the right side of the phone for navigation. Blackberry devices are available for all major carriers and network types. All BlackBerry devices require a BlackBerry service plan, which includes wireless data transfer and access to the BlackBerry gateway servers at RIM.
- Bluetooth
A short range (10' or so) radio protocol that operates in the 2.4GHz band. Bluetooth devices have 'profiles', such as HFP (handsfree profile), DUN (dial-up networking), OPP (object push protocol), FTP (File Transfer Protocol), etc that allows portable devices to interact with each other. Most commonly known for wireless headsets, which use the Handsfree or Headset profile, Bluetooth can also be used to link a cell phone to a computer and exchange files using OPP, FTP or use the phone as a modem using DUN.
Note that using a Sprint phone as a modem requires the PAM (Phone As Modem) plan to be added to your account, typically incurring additional costs.
- Broadband
Communications medium that uses a wide - bandwidth channels for sending and receiving large amounts of data, video or voice information. ie. cable tv.
- Call Tones
Also known as ringback tones, Call Tones are a Sprint product that let you assign sounds, music, etc to replace the standard ringing sound people here when they call you. Can be assigned for individual numbers, groups, all callers, or sorted by day or night.
- Call Waiting
Call Waiting alerts you to incoming calls while you are on a call by sounding a distinct tone. The display screen shows that a call is coming and the caller’s phone number.
- Caller ID
A calling feature which displays the originating phone number of an incoming call. This of course is very handy for screening calls that you may not want to accept at that time.
- Carrier
A Company providing wireless telecommunications services such as Cingular, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Alltel, Suncom, etc.
- CDMA
Code Division Multiple Access. CDMA technology was originally developed for military use in the late 1960's, and is a multiple access technique, using sequenced code to divide traffic channels within the same radio channels. Sprint and Verizon use this technology in the USA.
- Cell
The basic geographic unit of a cellular system and the root term of cellular. An overlapping network of cells make up a city coverage, and each of them are equipped with a radio transmitter and receiver or a base station.
- Cellular
The most familiar type of wireless communication. It is called "cellular" because each service area was divided into cells or cell stations.
- Cover or Faceplate
Protective cell phone covers protect your phone and also gives your cell phone a unique appearance, or fashion statement
- Coverage Area
The area which a wireless network company offers service for their cell phone subscribers. This area is usually depicted on an area map.
- Cross Talk
The leakage of a signal from one cellular channel to another.
- Digital
Information represented by non - continuous values or signals sent between cell phones. It is binary.
- Digital Quad-Band
Operates on the Nationwide Sprint PCS Network in the United States and where Sprint has CDMA roaming agreements domestically and internationally.
Operates on the Sprint Nationwide PCS Network on 800MHz/1900 MHz CDMA and on 900MHz/1800 MHz GSM.- Dual Band
A wireless phone which is capable of operating on two different frequencies, for example 1800 - 1900
RD Glossary by Run Digital