|
802.11
|
IEEE standards for wireless LANs with specs for 1 2, 11 and 24 Mbps.
|
|
802.15
|
IEEE standards for wireless PANs (WPAN).
|
|
10Base2
|
Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 network cabling which uses thin coaxial cable for carrying data at 10 megabits per second.
|
|
10Base5
|
Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 network cabling which uses thick coaxial cable for carrying data at 10 megabits per second.
|
|
10BaseT
|
Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 network cabling which uses unshielded twisted-pair cables for carrying data at 10 megabits per second.
|
|
1G
|
First generation wireless: analog cellphones.
|
|
2.5G
|
2G plus faster data services.
|
|
2B1Q
|
Two binary, one quaternary. The transmission line code for the ISDN basic interface.
|
|
2G
|
Second generation wireless: digital cellphones.
|
|
2-Wayfarer Mobile Communications System
|
A two-way truck communications and tracking system. Using radio signals, it is able to locate the position of trucks as well as enabling the drivers and dispatchers to communicate via satellite.
|
|
3G
|
Third generation wireless: digital plus high speed data and global roaming. Known as IMT 2000 by the ITU and implemented in Europe as UMTS and cdma2000 in North America. Goals are high quality multimedia and advanced global roaming (inhouse, cellular, sat
|
|
3GPP
|
3rd Generation Partnership Project. A cooperation of standards organizations (ARIB, CWTS, ETSI, T1, TTA and TTC) throughout the world that is developing the technical specifications for IMT-2000.
|
|
Access Point
|
Base station that plugs into Ethernet hub or server. Like a cellular phone system cell, users can roam between access points.
|
|
ACL
|
Asynchronous Connectionless - Used for data transmission only.
|
|
AE
|
Authenticating Entity
|
|
AIN
|
Advanced Intelligent Network. The Telcordia/Bellcore version of the "intellignet network," which is the public switched telephone system (PSTN). The AIN provides enhanced voice, video and data services and dynamic routing capabilities by using two different networks. The actual voice call is transmitted over a circuit-switched network, but the signaling is done on a separate packet-switched network known as SS7.
|
|
Air Interface
|
Air modulation scheme, equivalent to physical layer in OSI model.
|
|
AMPS
|
Advanced Mobile Phone Service. The standard for analog cellular telephones, which uses a frequency-modulated transmission and frequency spacing to separate user transmission. AMPS operates in the 800 MHz band.
|
|
AMPS modem
|
A wireless modem designed for analog cellular phones.
|
|
ANSI
|
American National Standards Institute. A membership organization founded in 1918 that coordinates the development of U.S. voluntary national standards in both the private and public sectors. It is the U.S. member body to ISO and IEC. Information technology standards pertain to programming languages, EDI, telecommunications and physical properties of diskettes, cartridges and magnetic tapes.
|
|
AP
|
Access Point. A base station in a wireless LAN. Access points are typically stand-alone devices that plug into an Ethernet hub or server. Like a cellular phone system, users can roam around with their mobile devices and be handed off from one access point to the other.
|
|
API
|
Application Programming Interface
|
|
ARDIS
|
Established, nationwide packet data system from American Mobile. Provides 19.2 Kbps.
|
|
ASE
|
Application Service Element
|
|
AUC
|
Authentication CentreAuthentication Centre
|
|
Authentication
|
Process of verifying the identity of the user at the other end of a link. Authentication is accomplished by using a link key stored in the device memory or by a user PIN (called pairing).
|
|
Authorization
|
Process of deciding if a requesting device is allowed to have access to a service on another device. Authorization always includes authentication.
|
|
Baseband
|
Describes the specifications of the digital signal processing part of the hardware which carries out the baseband protocols and other low-level link routines.
|
|
BASIC authentication
|
A function that verifies the identity of a person accessing a server by demanding input of ID and password
|
|
BCCH
|
Broadcast Control CHannel
|
|
BCP
|
Basic Call Process
|
|
BCSM
|
Basic Call State Model
|
|
BellSouth Intelligent Wireless
|
Nationwide packet network at 8 Kbps from BellSouth Wireless Data. Formerly RAM Mobile Data.
|
|
Bluetooth
|
Wireless personal area network (PAN) standard geared for home and office. Uses 2.4GHz band at 720 Kbps within 30 foot range.
|
|
BNF
|
Backus-Naur Form. Also known as Backus normal form, it was the first metalanguage to define programming languages. Introduced by John Backus in 1959 to describe the ALGOL 58 language, it was enhanced by Peter Naur and used to define ALGOL 60.
|
|
Bond
|
A link key which is exchanged between two devices. This key will be used for future authentication between the devices.
|
|
Bonding
|
The creation of a semi-permanant (or permanent) relationship between two devices. The relationship is established when the user enters a passkey with the explicit purpose of creating a bond between two devices. This procedure is different from authenticating using a passkey in which the user is requested to enter a passkey during the establishment of a link.
|
|
Broadband Wireless
|
Wireless transmission at high speed. Wireless transmission is slower than wireline speeds, thus, whereas land-based broadband is generally at T1 rates and above, wireless might be considered broadband at 250 Kbps and above.
|
|
BSS
|
Base Station Subsystem
|
|
Bytecode
|
Content encoding where the content is typically a set of low level opcodes and operands for a targeted hardware (or virtual) machine.
|
|
CAN
|
Customer Access Network
|
|
Card
|
Basic unit of WML navigation or user interface.
|
|
CBC
|
Cell Broadcast Center
|
|
CBE
|
Cell Broadcast Entity
|
|
CBS
|
Cell Broadcast short message Service
|
|
CCAF
|
Call Control Agent Function
|
|
CCF
|
Call Control Function
|
|
CCITT
|
Consultative Committee on International Telegraphy and Telephony
|
|
CCS7
|
Common Channel Signaling No.7
|
|
CDMA
|
Code Division Multiple Access QUALCOMM's spread spectrum air interface method. It codes each conversation expanding it 128 times, which makes it easy to decipher at receiving end.
|
|
cdma2000
|
3G CDMA evolution from cdmaONE supported by cdmaONE operators. Now known as the 1x Multi Carrier mode (1x MC) in an overall standard for 3G CDMA.
|
|
cdmaONE
|
2G CDMA (IS 95).
|
|
CDPD
|
Cellular Digital Packet Data. A digital wireless transmission system that is deployed as an enhancement to the existing analog cellular network. Based on IBM's CelluPlan II, it provides a packet overlay onto the AMPS network and moves data at 19.2 Kbps over ever-changing unused intervals in the voice channels. If all the channels are used, the data is stored and forwarded when a channel becomes available. CDPD was developed as a wireless extension to an IP network and uses the four octet (0.0.0.0) address for connections. CDPD networks cover most of the major urban areas in the U.S. and has been deployed by AT&T, Ameritech, GTE, BellAtlantic Mobile and other carriers. By the late 1990s, incompatibility issues had been worked out, and roaming agreements and interoperability between carriers is generally nationwide. CDPD modems are available on PC Cards for laptop and handheld computers.
|
|
CER
|
Call Event Record
|
|
CFB
|
Call Forward Busy
|
|
Character Encoding
|
Refers to the conversion between a sequence of characters and a sequence of bytes. WML document character encoding is captured in transport headers, attributes, meta information placed within a document, or the XML declaration.
|
|
cHTML Gateway
|
A cHTML gateway is a software entity within the mobile network. It connects to the Internet or an Intranet in order to allow content and applications to be sent to WAP or cHTML enabled devices. Such gateways are expected to be able to handle a number of different markup languages.
|
|
CIC
|
Carrier Access Code
|
|
CID
|
Call Instance Data
|
|
CLI
|
Calling Line Identification
|
|
Client
|
A device or application that initiates a request for connection with a server.
|
|
CLIP
|
Calling Line Identification Presentation
|
|
CLIR
|
Calling Line Identification Restriction
|
|
CM
|
Call Model or Call Management
|
|
CM (SMS)
|
Call Management
|
|
CNM
|
Customer Network Management
|
|
Compact HTML (cHTML)
|
Subset of HTML 2.0, HTML 3.2, and HTML 4.0 specifications designed for limited hardware information appliances
|
|
Content
|
Data that is stored or generated at the origin server. It is usually displayed or interpreted by a user agent in response to a user request.
|
|
Content Encoding
|
Act of converting content from one format to another. It is can also specify a particular format or encoding standard or process.
|
|
Content Format
|
Actual representation of content.
|
|
Converged Network
|
The integration of the telephone system with IP-based data networks.
|
|
Convergence
|
The act of bringing the Internet to devices that previously couldn't access it. This could include the merging of the Internet with television, cellular phones or even kitchen appliances.
|
|
CPE
|
Customer Premises Equipment
|
|
CPI
|
Calling Person Identification
|
|
CS
|
Capability Set
|
|
CS (SMS)
|
CauSe
|
|
CSM
|
Call Segment Model
|
|
CSS
|
Customer Support System (Systems)
|
|
CSTA
|
Computer Supported Telecommunications Applications
|
|
CTI
|
Computer Telephony Integration
|
|
CTIA
|
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association
|
|
CVSD
|
Continuous Variable Slope Delta Modulation
|
|
DA
|
Destination Address
|
|
DCS
|
Data Coding Scheme
|
|
DCS1800
|
Digital Cellular (1800Mhz)
|
|
Deck
|
A collection of WML cards. A WML deck is also an XML document.
|
|
DECT
|
Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony is a European cordless telephone standard. Designed for wireless PABX connections, this provides voice and data services using TDMA techniques.
|
|
Device
|
Network entity capable of sending and receiving packets of information and has a unique device address.
|
|
DFP
|
Distributed Functional Plane
|
|
DI
|
Dialogue Identifier TCAP
|
|
Dispatch Radio
|
Two way radio used for taxis, trucks and fleets. Always on.
|
|
DP
|
Detection Point
|
|
DSL
|
Distributed Service Logic
|
|
DSS1
|
Digital Subscriber Signalling No.1 protocol
|
|
DTMF
|
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency
|
|
Dual Mode Handset
|
Cellphone that switches from analog to digital or from land based to satellite or from cordless to cellular.
|
|
ECMA
|
European Computer Manufacturer Association
|
|
EDGE
|
Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution. Increased data throughput in GSM and TDMA systems to 384 Kbps.
|
|
EDP
|
Event Detection Point
|
|
ETR
|
ETSI Technical Report
|
|
ETSI
|
European Telecommunications Standards Institute
|
|
FCC
|
Federal Communications Commission
|
|
FE
|
Functional Entity
|
|
FEA
|
Functional Entity Action
|
|
Firewire
|
Originally developed by Apple, this is an increasingly popular, and very fast, external bus for transferring data between devices. Also known as IEEE 1394 for the name of the standard it engendered.
|
|
FMC
|
Fixed Mobile Convergence
|
|
FMI
|
Fixed Mobile Integration
|
|
FNN
|
Full National Number
|
|
Gateway
|
A hardware and software combination that runs on the OSI application layer and allows dissimilar protocols to communicate by filtering communications through industry-standard protocols. Examples of protocols a gateway might use are TCP/IP, X.25, and SNA.
|
|
GFP
|
Global Functional Plane
|
|
Globalstar
|
Second major LEO based global communications system. Initially for voice, it was launched in late 1999.
|
|
GMSCA
|
Gateway MSC Address
|
|
GOS
|
Grade of Service
|
|
GPRS
|
General Packet Radio Service allows packet rather than circuit switch connections on cellular networks. This allows high speed mobile access and the ability to only connect to the mobile network when internet access is required.
|
|
GPS
|
Global Positioning System. A system of 24 satellites for identifying earth locations, launched by the U.S. Department of Defense. By triangulation of signals from three of the satellites, a receiving unit can pinpoint its current location anywhere on earth to within a few meters.
|
|
GSL
|
Global Service Logic
|
|
GSM
|
Global System for Mobile Communications. Digital cell phone system used throughout Europe based on TDMA. Introduced SIM card and short messaging (SMS). GSM has a maximum data transfer rate of 9.6 Kbps
|
|
HDML
|
Handheld Device Markup Language. Forerunner of WML.
|
|
HDR
|
High Data Rate. High speed CDMA data technology from QUALCOMM for existing cdmaOne voice networks or new data networks. Provides 2.4 Mbps/384 Kbps asymmetric operation.
|
|
HIPERLAN
|
European wireless LAN standard at 24 Mbps in the 5GHz band. Similar to Ethernet but with quality of service (QoS).
|
|
HLR
|
Home Location Register
|
|
HomeRF
|
Wireless personal area network (PAN) from HomeRF Working Group. Uses 2.4GHz band at 1 or 2 Mbps within 150 foot range.
|
|
HSCSD
|
High Speed Ciruit Switched Data affords dramatically increased mobile network bandwidths.
|
|
HTML
|
HyperText Markup Language [HTML4]
|
|
HTML 1.0
|
iMode compatible HTML which supports all iMode terminals
|
|
HTML 2.0
|
iMode compatible HTML which supports only the NTTDoCoMo 502i series terminals
|
|
HTTP
|
HyperText Transfer Protocol [RFC2068]
|
|
IANA
|
Internet Assigned Number Authority
|
|
iDEN
|
Integrated Digital Enhanced Network. Wireless system from Motorola that integrates voice, data, short messages and dispatch radio. Used by Nextel and others.
|
|
i-Mode
|
Packet based information service for mobile phones from NTT DoCoMo (Japan). First to provide Web browsing from cellphones.
|
|
IMSI
|
International Mobile Subscriber Identity
|
|
IMT 2000
|
3G wireless from the ITU. International Mobile Telecommunications 2000 also known as the Third generation mobile systems
|
|
IN
|
Intelligent Network. The public switched telephone network architecture of the 1990s, which was developed by Bellcore (now Telcordia) and the ITU. It was created to provide a variety of advanced telephony services such as 800 number translation, local number portability (LNP), call forwarding, call screening and wireless integration. While Bellcore named its version AIN (Advanced Intelligent Network) for use in North America, there are a variety of proprietary versions throughout the world based on the ITU standard. The IN uses the SS7 signaling protocol in which voice calls (or modem data) travels through circuit-switched voice switches, while control signals travel over an SS7 packet-switched network.
|
|
INAP
|
Intelligent Network Application Part. An IN (Intelligent Network) protocol used in a European SS7 network that is used to query databases for a variety of functions not related to call setup and tear down. INAP uses the ASN.1 standard for defining message content.
|
|
INCM
|
Intelligent Network Conceptual Model
|
|
INDB
|
Intelligent Network Data Base
|
|
INDBMS
|
IN Data Base Management System
|
|
INFA
|
Intelligent Network Functional Architecture
|
|
IP
|
Internet Protocol. The IP part of the TCP/IP communications protocol. IP implements the network layer (layer 3) of the protocol, which contains a network address and is used to route a message to a different network or subnetwork. IP accepts "packets" from the layer 4 transport protocol (TCP or UDP), adds its own header to it and delivers a "datagram" to the layer 2 data link protocol. It may also break the packet into fragments to support the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the network.
|
|
IP address
|
Internet Protocol address. The address of a computer attached to a TCP/IP network. Every client and server station must have a unique IP address. Client workstations have either a permanent address or one that is dynamically assigned to them each dial-up session. IP addresses are written as four sets of numbers separated by periods; for example, 204.171.64.2.
|
|
IrDA
|
Infrared Data Association, Walnut Creek, CA. A membership organization founded in 1993 and dedicated to developing standards for wireless, infrared transmission systems between computers. With IrDA ports, a laptop or PDA can exchange data with a desktop computer or use a printer without a cable connection. IrDA requires line-of-sight transmission like a TV remote control. IrDA products began to appear in 1995. The LaserJet 5P was one of the first printers with a built-in IrDA port. IrDA is comprised of the IrDA Serial IR physical layer (IrDA-SIR), which provides a half-duplex connection of up to 115.2 Kbps. This speed allows the use of a low-cost UART chip; however, higher non-UART extensions for 1.15 and 4 Mbps have also been defined. IrDA uses the Infrared Link Access Protocol (IrLAP), an adaptation of HDLC, as its data link protocol. The Infrared Link Management Protocol (IrLMP) is also used to provide a mechanism for handshaking and multiplexing of two or more different data streams simultaneously.
|
|
IrDA port
|
A transmitter/receiver for infrared signals
|
|
Iridium
|
First LEO based global communications system backed by Motorola. Primarily for voice, it was launched in 1998 and went into Chapter 11 in 1999.
|
|
IS-136
|
Second generation TDMA in 1994. Also called "Digital AMPS" or "D AMPS."
|
|
IS-54
|
First generation TDMA in 1991.
|
|
IS-95
|
First generation CDMA (cdmaONE).
|
|
ISCTX
|
Integrated Services CenTreX
|
|
ISDN
|
Integrated Services Digital Network
|
|
ISM band
|
Industrial, Scientific and Medical band. Unlicensed spectrum typically in the 900MHz, 2.4GHz and 5.7GHz bands. Requires spread spectrum techniques at 1 watt.
|
|
ISPBX
|
Integrated Services Private Branch eXchange
|
|
ISUP
|
ISDN Signaling User Part (signaling)
|
|
ITU
|
International Telecommunications Union
|
|
IVR
|
Interactive Voice Response
|
|
IWU
|
Interworking Unit
|
|
Jack
|
A socket, hole or opening mounted on a wall, switchboard or panel, into which a plug connector can be inserted to complete a connection.
|
|
Java
|
An object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems that creates applications that work on multiple operating systems.
|
|
JavaScript
|
Programming Language used to add dynamic behavior to HTML documents.
|
|
JINI
|
Based on Java, this is a Sun system for easily connecting any type of devices, including a Net device, to a network.
|
|
L2CAP
|
Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol - Adapts upper layer protocols over the baseband. L2CAP is only defined for ACL links even though the Baseband Protocol is defined for ACL and SCO links.
|
|
LC
|
Link Controller - manages the link to the other Bluetooth devices and is the low-level baseband protocol handler.
|
|
LCD
|
Liquid crystal display, such as the screen found on an iMode cellular phone used for reading emails and accessing the Internet
|
|
LE
|
Local Exchange
|
|
LM
|
Link Manager - the software entity carries out link setup, link authentication, link configuration, and setup of other protocols.
|
|
LMDS
|
Local Multipoint Distribution Service. Licensed spectrum above 20GHz. Range is about four miles.
|
|
LMP
|
Link Manager Protocol - responsible for link set-up between Bluetooth devices which includes security issues and controlling power modes of the Bluetooth Radio device.
|
|
LSB
|
Least Significant Bits
|
|
Mac Address
|
A 3-bit address used to distinguish units within a piconet. 3 bits allows for only 8 unique address, thus the limit on the number of devices allowed to participate in a piconet.
|
|
MAL
|
MSIsdn-Alert
|
|
MAP
|
Mobile Application Part
|
|
Master Unit
|
This is the device within a piconet whose clock and frequency-hopping sequence is used to synchronize all slave units within the piconet.
|
|
MDS
|
Multipoint Distribution Service. Licensed spectrum in the 2.1GHz band.
|
|
Microbrowser
|
A Web browser specialized for a smart phone or PDA. It is optimized to run in the low-memory and small-screen environment of a handheld device.
|
|
MMDS
|
Multipoint Multichannel Distibution Service. Licensed spectrum in the 2.5 2.6GHz band. Range is 30 miles or more.
|
|
MML
|
Man Machine Language
|
|
MMM
|
Mobile Media Mode is an icon that identifies Web content optimized for smart phones and handhelds.
|
|
MMS
|
More Messages to Send
|
|
MoU
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
|
MR
|
Message Reference
|
|
MS
|
Mobile Station
|
|
MSA
|
Metropolitan Service Area. An urban area with at least 50,000 people plus surrounding counties. There are 306 MSAs and 428 RSAs in U.S.
|
|
MSB
|
Most Significant Bits
|
|
MSC
|
Mobile Switching Centre
|
|
MSCA
|
MSC Address
|
|
MSI
|
Mobile waiting Set Indication
|
|
MSIsdn
|
Mobile Station ISDN number
|
|
MSM
|
More Short Messages
|
|
MSRN
|
Mobile Station Roaming Number
|
|
MT
|
Message Type
|
|
MTBF
|
Mean Time Between Failure
|
|
MTBR
|
Mean Time Before Repair
|
|
MTI
|
Message Type Indicator
|
|
M-WorldGate
|
Logica's proposed cHTML gateway
|
|
MWS
|
Message Waiting Set
|
|
NAP
|
Network Access Point
|
|
NE
|
Network Element
|
|
Nextel
|
Nationwide wireless operator that acquired numerous SMR companies.
|
|
NFA
|
Network Functional Architecture
|
|
NMT
|
Nordic Mobile Telephone System. First analog cellphone system in 1979 in Scandinavian countries.
|
|
NO
|
Network Operator
|
|
NSN
|
National Significant Number
|
|
NTP
|
Network Termination Point
|
|
NTT DoCoMo
|
Wireless division of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, Japan. A Japanese cellular provider and chief developer of i-Mode.
|
|
OA
|
Originating Address
|
|
OBE
|
Object Exchange Protocol
|
|
OC
|
Operation Code
|
|
OMS
|
Operations and Maintenance System
|
|
OpenAir
|
Wireless LAN standard from WLIF. Based on Proxim's RangeLAN2 products.
|
|
Origin Server
|
Server on which a given resource resides or is to be created.
|
|
OSS
|
Operational Support System
|
|
PABX
|
Private Automatic Branch Exchange
|
|
Packet
|
A piece of data transmitted over a packet-switching network such as the Internet. A packet includes not just data but also its destination.
|
|
PACTS
|
Public Access Cordless Telecommunication Service
|
|
PAN
|
Personal Area Network
|
|
Parked Units
|
Those devices within a piconet which are synchronized but do not have a MAC address.
|
|
PBX
|
Private Branch Exchange
|
|
PCI
|
Protocol Control Information
|
|
PCN
|
Personal Communications Network
|
|
PCS
|
Personal Communications Service. New digital cellphone systems in 2GHz range. Mostly GSM.
|
|
PDA
|
Personal Digital Assistant. Handheld computer or personal organiser device.
|
|
PDC
|
Personal Digital Communications. Digital cellphone system in Japan.
|
|
PDC (2)
|
Personal Digital Cellular System Phones using the PDC, which is an international cellular system that uses both full, and half rate speech code (5.6 kbps) and allows high speed transmission at 9.6 kbps to ensure efficient spectrum utilization
|
|
PDI
|
Protocol DIscriminator
|
|
PHS
|
Personal Handyphone System
|
|
PIC
|
Point In Call
|
|
Piconet
|
A network of devices connected using Bluetooth wireless technology. A piconet may consist of two to eight devices. In a piconet, there will always be one master while the others are slaves.
|
|
PID
|
Protocol Identifier
|
|
PIN
|
Personal Identification Number
|
|
P-Java
|
Personal Java. Java API and specification for running Java applications on small devices.
|
|
PLMN
|
Public Land Mobile Network, cellular network
|
|
PM
|
Personal Mobility
|
|
PMTS
|
Public Mobile Telephone System
|
|
PN
|
Personal Number
|
|
Pocket PC
|
A handheld Windows-based computer that runs the Pocket PC operating system (formerly Windows CE). The Pocket PC operating system (Version 3.0 of Windows CE) adds a new interface along with greater stability, Pocket Office applications (Internet Explorer, Word and Excel), handwriting recognition, an e-book reader, wireless Internet and longer battery life. The Pocket PC was designed to compete more directly with the popular Palm devices.
|
|
POI
|
Point of Interconnect
|
|
POR
|
Point Of Return
|
|
POTS
|
Plain Old Telephony Service
|
|
PRI
|
PRIority
|
|
PSTN
|
Public Switched Telephone Network
|
|
PSTS
|
Public Switched Telephone Service
|
|
PTNX
|
Private Telecommunication Network eXchange
|
|
PTO
|
Public Telecommunication Operator
|
|
QEAN
|
Quick Entry Access Number
|
|
QoS
|
Quality of Service
|
|
RAM network
|
Earlier name for BellSouth Network.
|
|
RangeLAN2
|
Wireless LAN geared for office from Proxim.
|
|
RCT
|
ReCeption Time
|
|
REA
|
REcipient Address
|
|
Resource
|
A network data object or service that can be identified by a URL.
|
|
RFC
|
Request For Comments
|
|
Ricochet
|
A wireless Internet service from Metricom, Inc., Los Gatos, CA. It uses appoximately 100 small "microcell" radio transceivers attached to utility poles within a 20-square mile cell. Each cell has one wired access point, which is a T1, frame relay connection to the Internet. Each microcell bounces digital signals from the mobile devices to other microcells and eventually to its wired access point. The transceivers in this MicroCellular Data Network (MCDN) employ 162 frequency-hopping channels in the 902-928MHz band from user to microcell. The 2.4GHz band is used in the rest of the system, and licensed spectrum in the 2.3GHz band is used for its high-speed service. Rocochet modems attach to laptops and other handhelds via the serial port. Ricochet 1 provides 28.8 Kbps service with access primarily to stationary users, while Ricochet 2, introduced in 2000, offers 128 Kbps for the commuter in transit. First deployed in Washington, DC, Seattle and Silicon Valley, coverage in more than 40 urban areas is expected by 2002.
|
|
RL
|
ReLay function
|
|
RP
|
Reply Path
|
|
RPOA
|
Regulated Private Operating Agency
|
|
RSA
|
Rural Service Area. There are 428 RSAs and 306 MSAs in the U.S.
|
|
SAPI
|
Service Access Point Identifier
|
|
SC
|
Service Centre
|
|
SCA
|
Service Centre Address
|
|
Scatternet
|
Two or more independent, non-synchronized piconets.
|
|
SCC
|
Service Control Customization
|
|
SCE
|
Service Creation Environment
|
|
SCEAF
|
Service Creation Environment-Access Function
|
|
SCEF
|
Service Creation Environment Function
|
|
SCEP
|
Service Creation Environment Point
|
|
SCF
|
Service Control Function
|
|
SCO
|
Synchronous Connection-Oriented - Used for audio only or a combination of audio and data transmission.
|
|
SCP
|
Service Control Point
|
|
SCTS
|
Service Centre Time Stamp
|
|
SDF
|
Service Data Function
|
|
SDK
|
Software Development Kit
|
|
SDMA
|
Space division multiple access A variation of TDMA and CDMA that potentially will be used in high-bandwidth, third-generation wireless products.
|
|
SDP
|
Service Data Point
|
|
SDT
|
Service Data Template
|
|
Server
|
Device or application that passively waits for connection requests from one or more clients.
|
|
SF
|
Service Feature
|
|
SGML
|
Standardized Generalized Markup Language. This is a general purpose language for domain specific markup languages.
|
|
Short Messaging
|
Sending small text messages to cellphones. GSM pioneered Short Message Service (SMS), now used in all digital cellphones.
|
|
SIB
|
Service Independent building Block
|
|
SIM
|
Subscriber Identity Module
|
|
SIM card
|
Smart card that gives GSM phone its user identity. Lets phones be easily rented or borrowed.
|
|
SIO
|
Services In Operation
|
|
SIP
|
Session Initiation Protocol An emerging protocol that simplifies connections over the Internet for uses such as telephony and videoconferencing. Has the potential to lead to new classes of Net devices.
|
|
SL
|
Service Logic
|
|
Slave Units
|
Any unit within a piconet that is not the master unit.
|
|
SLCP
|
Service Logic Control Program
|
|
SLMP
|
Service Logic Management Program
|
|
SLP
|
Service Logic Processing program
|
|
SLPI
|
Service Logic Processing program Instance
|
|
SM
|
Short Message
|
|
SMAF
|
Service Management Agent Function
|
|
SM-AL
|
Short Message Application Layer
|
|
Smart Phone
|
A digital cellular phone that has text messaging, Web access and other data services along with voice.
|
|
SMC
|
Security Management Centre
|
|
SME
|
Short Message Entity
|
|
SMF
|
Service Management Function
|
|
SMI
|
Short Message Identifier
|
|
SM-MO
|
Short Message Mobile Originated
|
|
SM-MT
|
Short Message Mobile Terminated
|
|
SMP
|
Service Management Point
|
|
SMR
|
Specialized Mobile Radio. Dispatch radio for taxis, trucks and fleets. Nextel aggregated many SMR companies.
|
|
SM-RL
|
Short Message Relay Layer
|
|
SMS
|
Short Messaging Service. GSM coined the phrase, but similar text messaging used in most digital cellphone systems.
|
|
SMS-GMSC
|
Short Message Service Gateway MSC
|
|
SMS-IWMSC
|
Short Message Service Interworking MSC
|
|
SM-TL
|
Short Message Transfer Layer
|
|
SMTP
|
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
|
|
SN
|
Service Node
|
|
Sniff Mode
|
This mode describes the ability of synchronized devices within a piconet to enter power-saving mode which lowers device activity.
|
|
SoR
|
Status of Report
|
|
SQL
|
Structured Query Language
|
|
SRF
|
Specialized Resource Function
|
|
SRI
|
Status Report Indication
|
|
SRR
|
Status Report Request
|
|
SS7
|
Signaling System 7. The protocol used in the public switched telephone system (the "intelligent network" or "advanced intelligent network") for setting up calls and providing services. SS7 is a separate signaling network that is used in Class 4 and Class 5 voice switches.
|
|
SSCP
|
Service Switching and Control Point
|
|
SSD
|
Service Support Data
|
|
SSF
|
Service Switching Function
|
|
SSP
|
Service Switching Point
|
|
ST
|
STatus
|
|
STD
|
Subscriber Trunk Dialling
|
|
STI
|
Service Trigger Information
|
|
STP
|
Signaling Transfer Point
|
|
SWAP
|
Shared Wireless Access Protocol. Protocol used in HomeRF.
|
|
Symphony
|
Wireless LAN geared for the home from Proxim.
|
|
TACS
|
Total Access Communications System. Analog cellphone system in Europe based on AMPS.
|
|
TCAP
|
Transaction Capability Application Part
|
|
TCP/IP
|
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A communications protocol developed under contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to internetwork dissimilar systems. Invented by Vinton Cerf and Bob Kahn, this de facto UNIX standard is the protocol of the Internet and has become the global standard for communications. TCP provides transport functions, which ensures that the total amount of bytes sent is received correctly at the other end. UDP is an alternate transport that does not guarantee delivery. It is widely used for realtime voice and video transmissions where erroneous packets are not retransmitted. IP provides the routing mechanism. TCP/IP is a routable protocol, which means that all messages contain not only the address of the destination station, but the address of a destination network. This allows TCP/IP messages to be sent to multiple networks within an organization or around the world, hence its use in the worldwide Internet. Every client and server in a TCP/IP network requires an IP address, which is either permanently assigned or dynamically assigned at startup.
|
|
TCS
|
Telephony Control Specification - A bit-oriented protocol which defines the call control signaling for the establishment of audio and data transmission.
|
|
TDD
|
Time Division Duplex
|
|
TDMA
|
Time Division Multiple Access. Air interface for digital cellphones that interleaves data in time slots and provides multiple access to a small number of wireless frequencies. It is a component of GSM.
|
|
TDP
|
Trigger Detection Point
|
|
Teledesic
|
Broadband LEO based global communications system expected in 2004.
|
|
Terminal
|
Device providing the user with user agent capabilities. Also mobile terminal or mobile station.
|
|
TID
|
Transaction Identifier
|
|
TM
|
Terminal Mobility
|
|
TMA
|
Terminal MoveAbility
|
|
TMN
|
Telecommunication Management Network
|
|
Trusted device
|
A device that has been authenticated
|
|
Two-way paging
|
The ability to receive and send data to the Internet by way of the paging network. Also often called interactive paging.
|
|
UCS
|
Universal Multiple Octet Coded Character Set
|
|
UD
|
User Data
|
|
UDL
|
User Data Length
|
|
UI
|
User Interface
|
|
UMTS
|
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. Is a new generation technology for rapidly moving data and multimedia over wireless devices. The European implementation of the 3G wireless phone system. UMTS provides service in the 2GHz band and offers global roaming and personalized features. Designed as an evolutionary system for GSM network operators, multimedia data rates up to 2 Mbps are
expected eventually in VPN's.
|
|
UPT
|
Universal Personal Telecommunication
|
|
URI
|
Uniform Resource Identifier. The addressing technology from which URLs are created. Technically, URLs such as HTTP:// and FTP:// are specific subsets of URIs, although the term URL is mostly heard.
|
|
URL
|
Uniform Resource Locator [RFC2396]. The address that defines the route to a file on the Web or any other Internet facility. URLs are typed into the browser to access Web pages, and URLs are embedded within the pages themselves to provide the hypertext links to other pages. The URL contains the protocol prefix, port number, domain name, subdirectory names and file name. Port addresses are generally defaults and are rarely specified. To access a home page on a Web site, only the protocol and domain name are required.
|
|
User
|
Person who interacts with the user agent to view, hear, or use a resource.
|
|
User Agent
|
Any software or device that interprets WML, WMLScript, or other resources.
|
|
UTF
|
UCS Transformation Format
|
|
UWC-136
|
3G data rates for TDMA
|
|
VAS
|
Value Added Service
|
|
VLR
|
Visitor Location Register
|
|
VMB
|
Voicemail Box
|
|
VMP
|
Voicemail Platform
|
|
VP
|
Validity Period
|
|
VPF
|
Validity Period Format
|
|
W3C
|
World Wide Web Consortium. An international industry consortium founded in 1994 to develop common standards for the World Wide Web. It is hosted in the U.S. by the Laboratory for Computer Science at MIT.
|
|
WAE
|
Wireless Application Environment
|
|
WAP
|
Wireless Application Protocol. Determines how wireless devices utilise internet content and other services.
|
|
WAP gateway
|
Software that takes raw WML data and compiles it for the microbrowser and vice versa.
|
|
WBMP
|
Wireless BitMap. Image format used in the Wireless Application Protocol.
|
|
WCDMA
|
Wideband-CDMA. A 3G technology that increases data transmission rates in GSM systems by using CDMA instead of TDMA. W-CDMA has become the Direct Sequence (DS) mode in the ITU's 3G specification, which includes the 1x Multi-Carrier mode (1x MC) and 3x Multi-Carrier mode (3x MC). 1x MC (formerly known as cdma2000) and 3x MC comprise the 3G upgrade path for carriers already using CDMA (cdmaOne).
|
|
WCS
|
Wireless Communications Service. Licensed spectrum in the 2.3GHz band.
|
|
Web clipping
|
Extracting relevant information from a Web page for display on a smart phone or PDA.
|
|
Web Server
|
Network host that acts as an HTTP server. A computer that provides World Wide Web services on the Internet. It includes the hardware, operating system, Web server software, TCP/IP protocols and the Web site content (Web pages).
|
|
WIN
|
Wireless Intelligent Network. Transaction processing infrastructure for wireless systems.
|
|
Windows CE
|
A streamlined version of Windows from Microsoft for handheld PCs (HPCs) and consumer electronics devices. It runs "Pocket" versions of popular applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel as well as many applications that are geared specifically for the smaller platform. As of Version 3.0, Windows CE was changed substantially and renamed Pocket PC.
|
|
Wireless Bridge
|
A device used to transmit and received radio frequencies over the air between two LANs.
|
|
Wireless Modem
|
A modem and antenna that transmits and receives over the air. Wireless modems come in several varieties, including units for CDPD, ARDIS, Mobitex, Ricochet, 802.11, OpenAir, BellSouth Intelligent Wireless Networks and other proprietary products.
|
|
Wireless Portal
|
A Web site that supports a user with a smart phone or alphanumeric pager. It may offer a variety of features, including providing a springboard to other (WAP based) wireless sites, the ability to select content to be pushed to the user's device as well as providing a point of entry for anyone to send the user a message.
|
|
WLAN
|
Wireless LAN. A local area network that transmits over the air typically in an unlicensed frequency such as the 2.4GHz band. A wireless LAN does not require lining up devices for line of sight transmission like IrDA. Wireless access points (base stations) are connected to an Ethernet hub or server and transmit a radio frequency over an area of several hundred to a thousand feet which can penetrate walls and other non-metal barriers. Roaming users can be handed off from one access point to another like a cellular phone system. Laptops use wireless modems that plug into an existing Ethernet port or that are self contained on PC cards, while stand-alone desktops and servers use plug-in cards (ISA, PCI, etc.).
|
|
WLIF
|
Wireless LAN Interoperability Forum. Membership group that endorses products that are interoperable with major standards. Supports OpenAir and 802.11.
|
|
WLL
|
Wireless Local Loop. Providing communications to the home or office via wireless transmission. It is a "last mile" system that does not use copper cable or even fiber-optic cable.
|
|
WML
|
Wireless Markup Language. A markup language for devices using WAP. It is based on the Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML). Ordinary web browsers cannot read WML.
|
|
WMLS (WMLScript)
|
Wireless Markup Language Script. A subset of JavaScript, used to program mobile devices.
|
|
WPAN
|
Wireless Personal Area Network. A wireless network that serves an individual user.
|
|
WPBX
|
Wireless PBX. A PBX that supports cordless telephone calls.
|
|
WSP
|
Wireless Session Protocol. This protocol sends smaller amounts of data than HTML/HTTP.
|
|
WTA
|
Wireless Telephony Application. A framework for accessing the telephony related functions in a mobile terminal.
|
|
WTAI
|
Wireless Telephony Applications Interface
|
|
WTLS
|
Wireless Telephony Layer Security
|
|
WTP
|
Wireless Transport Protocol
|
|
WWW
|
World Wide Web
|
|
XML
|
Extensible Markup Language. An open standard for describing data from the W3C. It is used for defining data elements on a Web page and business-to-business documents. It uses a similar tag structure as HTML; however, whereas HTML defines how elements are displayed, XML defines what those elements contain. HTML uses predefined tags, but XML allows tags to be defined by the developer of the page. Thus, virtually any data items, such as product, sales rep and amount due, can be identified, allowing Web pages to function like database records. By providing a common method for identifying data, XML supports business-to-business transactions and is expected to become the dominant format for electronic data interchange
|
