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AGPS

(Assisted GPS) AGPS was introduced to enhance GPS performance. GPS is a satellite based positioning system.

Air Time

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

Analogue

The traditional way by which speech is transmitted in which the signal is continually varying. Normal fixed phones use analogue transmission. Analogue (ETACS), mobile phones are GSM phones which use digital transmission.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A new technology to provide high-speed access via the old copper telephone line network.

Bandwidth

The capacity of a communications link to deliver services.

Broadband

A wide band of electromagnetic frequencies or multiple channels of data over a single communication medium. Broadband has the capacity to deliver to consumer a broad range of integrated services.

Billing Increment

The time frame by which calls are charged.

Bluetooth

Low power radio technology replacing the need for wires connecting electronic devices such as personal computers, printers, palm top computers and mobile phones.

Base station

The base station is a multicircuit transceiver located at the centre of a cell whose primary purpose is to handle all incoming & outgoing calls within the cell. The base station relays the mobile's signal to the MTSO via wireline.

Call Barring

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

Canned (Messaging)

Canned messages are messages that are already there, sort of like a template, where you don't have to type the same messages over and over again. The frequently used phrases could be inserted into your SMS messages to use for your convenience.

Caller display

Same as Caller Line Identification. System found on digital mobile phones whereby the number of an incoming caller is displayed on-screening before the phone is answered.

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.

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.

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 Profile

The ability of a phone to assign different ring types to different callers.

Carrier

The carrier is the network to which you are connected.

Cell Info Display

The capability of your phone to display the location of the nearest Cell tower to your location.

CLI

Caller Line Identification. Also known as 'caller ID'. This is a network feature that once activated can be switched off and on through most handsets. It allows for callers' numbers to be displayed on the screen of the phone before the call is answered, providing the caller does not have a silent number.

Conditions

Specific guidelines to which the customer must agree to abide by.

Connection Fee (also known as Flagfall)

A once only start-up fee when a service is connected.

CDMA

Code Division Multiple Access. This digital mobile phone system operates on two bands 800MHz and 1900MHz. Allowing further transmission from a CDMA tower to handset than a GSM signal can to a digital handset. This system is no longer used in Australia.

Cellular or Cell Phone

Another name for a mobile phone.

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.

Concatenated SMS

This feature allows the user to send a longer then 169 characters SMS, turning it into multiple SMS messages, with links to each other, allowing the recipients to view the message as one again.

Data Transmission

Transmitting data over the mobile phone network using your mobile handset. Your mobile phone could be used as a modem when connected to your notebook or desktop computer, and even PDAs to transmit such data.

Digital Transmissions

Digital transmissions pass sounds in the form of a stream of binary numbers, rather than as an analogue electrical signal.

Drop Out

When a call on a mobile phone is prematurely cut off due to congestion or lack of coverage on the network.

Desk Charger

A device which allows you to charge your phone in an upright position and also lets you charge an additional battery at the same time.

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

Phone that can switch between two different bands of frequencies GSM900 and GSM1800.

Dual-mode

Phone that can operate using two different standards.

Data/Fax Capability

A mobile phone can be used to send and receive fax and data files, access the internet, and send email when connected to mobile office equipment.

ESN

(Electronic Serial Number) Unique identifier transmitted by analogue mobile phones.

EMS

Enhanced Message Service. The technology allows mobile phone users to send and receive words, add pictures, animation and sound clips.

Enhanced Service

Any telecommunications service that uses computer applications to provide consumers with value-added telephone services, such as voicemail and call waiting.

Flagfall (Also known as Connection Fee)

A once only start-up fee when a service is connected.

Fax/Data Facility

Mobile phones can support faxes, and connect to the internet just like fixed line phones.

Fax Transmission

Transmitting fax over the mobile phone network using your mobile handset. Your mobile phone could be used as a modem when connected to your notebook or desktop computer, and even PDAs to transmit such data.

GSM

(Global System for Mobile Communications) A digital cellular communications standard used throughout Europe, and Australia. The standard is used in three distinct frequency bands - 900Mhz, 1800Mhz and 1900 MHz. In Australia, we use GSM 900Mhz frequency.

GPRS

General packet Radio Service. This is means of data transfer over the GSM network. Maximum speeds of up to 171.2 kilobits per second (kbps) are achievable with GPRS using all eight timeslots at the same time.

GPS

Global positioning system, relates to satelitte navigation systems. There a number of mobile phones that now have GPS software pre-loaded.

Global Roaming

Global Roaming is the convenience of having a mobile phone to make and receive calls, send and receive SMS while you travel overseas with your regular mobile number.

Hands-free Car Kit

An accessory for your vehicle which provides a cradle for the phone, microphone, speaker, external antenna and battery charging for when you are driving.

HSDPA

High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a 3G (third generation) mobile telephony communications protocol in the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family, which allows networks based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) to have higher data transfer speeds and capacity. Current HSDPA deployments support down-link speeds of 1.8, 3.6, 7.2 and 14.4 Mbit/s.

HTML browser

HTML browsers are used to view web pages written in HTML from the Internet. Some mobile handsets have a HTML browser installed to view pages from the Internet using WAP or GPRS.

Interchangeable Covers

User-changeable housings. Only selected mobile phones (usually Nokia) have this capability.

IMEI

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

Iridium

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

In-car Charger

A device which charges the mobile phone battery from a cigarette lighter socket in a vehicle.

Internal Hands-free

A mobile phone which has the hands-free capability built-in, ideal for when a group of people need to involved in the call, or when you cannot stop working to take a call.

IR or Infra Red Port

Infra-Red. The ability to transmit data with out the need for cables.

Java application

Application such as utilities or games created using Java programming language, which could be used to install into a Java supported mobile handset, letting the users have their own choice of softwares to be used with their phone.

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, which allows a J2ME-encoded program to run in the mobile device.

Lithium-ion

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.

Leather Case

Protective pouch that shields phone from damage and the elements.

Modem

A device which converts digital signals to analogue signals and vice versa.

MMS

Multi Media Messaging. Allows users to be able to do everything from inserting their own video clips and pictures into text messages before customising them with rich colours and sound clips.

Mb

As a measure of computer processor storage and real and virtual memory, a megabyte (abbreviated MB) is 2 to the 20th power bytes, or 1,048,576 bytes in decimal notation. Most mobile phones require storage of data now, due to being Java enabled, and also having the function of a camera. They usually come with at least one megabyte of storage space.

MHz

The megahertz, abbreviated MHz, is a unit of electromagnetic (EM) wave frequency equal to one million hertz (1,000,000 Hz).

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.

MMS

MMS (Multi Media Messaging) allows users to be able to do everything from inserting their own video clips and pictures into text messages before customising them with rich colours and sound clips.

mAh

Mili amps. The term of measurement used in batteries for power capacity.

NiMh

Nickel Metal Hydride. A common battery technology used today on most mobile phones. This type of battery can be charged anytime. They are reputed not to develop memory effect.

Nickel Cadmium

Nickel cadmium batteries are robust and long-lasting.

Nickel Metal Hydride

A type of batteries hold more power for their size than NiCad batteries and environmentally friendly.

Number Portability

The ability to retain the existing mobile phone number and switching to any network.

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.

PDA

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

PCMCIA

Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. This is the cable, including modem card, used to connect a mobile phone to a laptop computer for data transfer.

Portable Hands-free

A device which connects to your phone and plugs into your ear which allows you to use your phone without having to hold it to your ear.

Predictive Text

This is a mobile phone feature to make text messaging quicker and easier. The phone will predict the word you are typing reducing the number of keystrokes required.

Polyphonic

The term used to describe the ability to play multiple instruments from a midi file at the same time, mainly used in mobile phones as ring tones. Samsung was one of the first mobile phone manufacturers to make us of this technology into their handsets.

Pin

Personal Identification Number - A code used for all GSM-based phones to establish authorisation for access to certain functions or information. The PIN code is delivered together with a subscription.

PUK

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

PTT

Push-to-talk functionality, basically a service that allows you to use a phone handset much like a traditional radio-based walkie-talkie. This is a half-duplex voice over IP (VoIP) solution using the existing GPRS and EDGE data networks that are part of current GSM systems.

Roaming

A service offered by most mobile phone service providers that allows subscribers to use mobile service while travelling outside their home service area. When they are outside their home service and come within range of another mobile system, the ROAM indicator on the mobile phone will indicate that they are in range.

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 information, 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.

Standby time

The number of hours that a freshly-charged battery will keep a mobile phone running without making or receiving a call. When making or receiving a call. When it is switched on, power is used continuously by the phone to keep it in contact with the local station.

SAR

In a packet-switched telecommunication network, segmentation and reassembly (SAR, sometimes just referred to as segmentation) is the process of breaking a packet into smaller units before transmission and reassembling them into the proper order at the receiving end of the communication.

Service Provider

A company that buys airtime from a network and re-sells it to a customer.

Tri-Band

A phone which can operate on 3 different radio frequencies.

Third Generation(3G)

Third Generation or 3G is the wireless communications involving internet access and data delivery to mobile phones with audio, moving colour images and sophisticated internet services.

TFT (display)

TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) is a technology that has a transistor for each pixel (tiny elements that control the illumination of your display) in a handset's LCD (liquid crystal display) screen. Having a transistor at each pixel meant that the current that triggers pixel illumination can be smaller, faster and brighter then other method of LCD screen, such as STN displays.

Talk time

The number of minutes of continuos speech will allow you to make on a mobile phone.

Unconditional Forwarding

When you choose to divert all calls to another service or phone number. That is, the diversion is unconditional no matter what the circumstances.

UFB (display)

UFB (Ultra Fine & Bright) LCD screens have lower energy-consuming features than TFT-LCDs, and brighter picture capabilities than STN LCD, allowing up to 65K colour for mobile handset's displays.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a plug-and-play interface between a computer and add-on devices (such as audio players, joysticks, keyboards, mobile phones, scanners, and printers). With USB, a new device can be added to your computer without having to add an adapter card or even having to turn the computer off. It supports a data speed of 12 megabits per second.

Vibrating Alert

The ability of a phone to alert you of an incoming call or SMS by vibrating.

Voice Record

The ability of a phone to record the conversations on a call for playback later.

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 mail

Mobile phone service provided by the networks that records a message for you when you can't, or don't want to answer a call.

Voicemail Box Number

This is the number of the "mailbox" where voice messages are left when CALLback is activated. Different to your mobile number, this is the number you need to call to access messages from a phone other than your mobile handset.

Value Added Services

Additional services which add value to those already available on the network.

WAP 1.2.1

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 1.2.1 is a technology designed to provide users of mobile devices with rapid and efficient access to the Internet.

WAP 2.0

WAP 2.0 allows the usage of XHTML (Extended Hyper Text Mark-up Language) based supporting full colour and easy navigation.

XHTML browser

XHTML browsers are used to view web pages written in Extended HTML from the Internet. Newer mobile handsets have a XHTML browser installed to view pages from the Internet using WAP or GPRS.