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From 3G to WAP: A “Handy” Gossary
3G A term referring to the “3rd generation” of digital wireless phones. An updated GSM system that allows high-speed data transfers as well as voice communications. The US firm Qualcomm and the Swedish Ericsson began a long legal squabble over 3G technical standards and alleged patent infringements in 1996. The term 2.5G is used for partial or intermediary implementations of 3G. See GSM and UMTS.
Akku German for “rechargeable battery” (accumulator)
AMPS Advanced Mobile Phone System - an analog system once used in the US and Canada. It has largely been replaced by digital cell phone systems.
CDMA Code Division Multiple Access - one of two digital cellular standards used primarily in North America. CDMA is a digital technology developed and supported by the US company Qualcomm. See GSM and TDMA.
C-Netz an older German analog mobile phone network now limited almost exclusively to car phones. This system was retired at the end of 2000.
D-Netz Digital network used by the two competing companies T-Mobile (Deutsche Telekom, D1-Netz) and Vodafone (D2-Netz) in Germany.
dual-band / tri-band phones To cope with various systems operating at different frequencies (or even analog vs. digital systems), phone makers have developed dual-band or multi-band phones that can automatically switch among the various bands or systems.
EDGE Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (or GSM Evolution) - A 2.5G high-speed digital data service provided by cellular carriers worldwide that use the GSM technology, including AT&T and T-Mobile in the US. Also called Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS), EDGE works on EDGE cell phones as well as laptops and portable devices that have EDGE modems. EDGE is not as fast as the newer UMTS (see below).
E-Netz A German digital mobile phone network started in 1994. This high density system allows cell phones to function at a low wattage of from .25 to one watt of power. The first provider to use the E-Netz was E-Plus.
frequency For cellular use, usually measured in megahertz (MHz). Often a single system (GSM, PCS, etc.) may operate at different frequencies. Germany's D-Netz (D1 and D2) is in the 900 MHz band, while the E-Netz operates at 1800 MHz. In North America there are PCS networks operating at 800 MHz and 1900 MHz. See "dual-band phones." Note: the term "hertz" (cycles per second) is named for German scientist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz (1857-1894).
GPRS General Packet Radio Service - The first high-speed digital data service provided by cellular carriers that used the GSM technology. GPRS added a packet-switched channel to GSM, which uses dedicated, circuit-switched channels for voice conversations. It was replaced by EDGE, and improved version of the technology. UMTS is the 3G and fastest high-speed data service.
GSM Global System for Mobile communications, a digital cellular system found in almost all of Europe, parts of Asia, and parts of North America. GSM is a system developed by the Swedish firm Ericsson, one of the world's largest makers of wireless phones. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM in North America (but on different frequencies than European GSM). See CDMA and TDMA
das Handy German for cellular/wireless phone
Iridium A world-wide satellite telephone system that uses low-orbit satellites to provide universal global communications coverage. Iridium's original high cost and poor service almost led to the company's collapse in 1999. A reorganized Iridium now offers very competitive rates and smaller phones. Other satellite phone services include Globalstar and ICO/Ellipse. (See our links page.)
MHz Megahertz, 1 million cycles per second (Also see "frequency")
PCS / PDC Personal Communications Service - A digital mobile phone system begun in the US in 1996 and increasingly used in North America and Europe. Most PCS networks (similar to GSM) use radio spectrum in the 1.8-2GHz range.
satellite mobile phones Several worldwide satellite telephone systems use low-orbiting or geostationary satellites to provide global or partial global coverage in places that have no other wireless phone service (60 percent of the globe). These sat phone services include Iridium, Globalstar and ICO/Ellipse. (See our links page.)
SIM Subscriber Identity Module - a smart card technology used exclusively with GSM-based networks. Using a postage-stamp size chip card, a GSM phone can be programmed to work with more than one phone number.
TDMA Time Division Multiple Access - one of two digital cellular standards used primarily in North America. See GSM and CDMA
UMTS United Mobile Telecommunication System - A broadband cell phone system that went into service in 2002. It is designed to allow much faster data transmission speeds than previous digital wireless services. UMTS is the GSM implementation of the 3G wireless phone system and provides service in the 2GHz band. For more information, visit www.umts-forum.org. Also see 3G and GSM.
WAP Wireless Access Protocol is a technology that allows cell phones to display specially formatted Web sites on a small screen. WAP was slow to catch on because it was slow and very limited graphically. For these reasons only some Web sites are available in WAP format. (Ours is not.) New PDAs and the iPhone probably spell the end of WAP.
Find more cell phone and technical terms at TechWeb's TechEncyclopedia and at How Stuff Works.
Copyright © 1999-2008 Hyde Flippo
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