AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System)

A standard for analogue mobile systems. Used in North America, Latin America, Australia, and parts of Russia and Asia.

ASP (Active Server Pages)

Serverside scripting technology used to make interactive Web pages. Based on VBScript.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth of a communications channel is a measure of the range of frequencies over which the carrier signal is allowed to vary. Generally a communications channel is defined by its lowest and highest frequency, and channel bandwidth is computed as the difference between the two as measured in Hertz, kHz, or MHz. Since bandwidth of a channel is directly proportional to the amount of data that can be transmitted over it per unit time, channel bandwidth is sometimes measured as a data rate rather a frequency difference.

Base station

The central radio transmitter/receiver that maintains communications with a mobile telephone. Most countries require several hundred base stations, in order to give approximated full coverage for mobile customers.

Bluetooth

A radio technology that makes it possible to transmit signals over short distances between computers and handheld devices without the use of wires. For more information, go to Bluetooth.com.

bps

Bits per second, a common measure of data transmission speed.

Byte

A Byte is a sequence of bits (usual 8) which represents a single character, such as a letter of the alphabet, a decimal digit, or a punctuation mark.

CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)

A technology for digital transmission of radio signals that uses the same frequency to allow multiple conversations. Each conversation is cut into snippets and then remodulated in reassembled in the other end.

D-AMPS (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System)

Earlier designation of the American standard for digital mobile telephony that is used primarily in America, Australia, and parts of Russia and Asia.

DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications)

A standard for cordless telephony.

DTD

Document Type Definition. A DTD defines the names and contents of all elements that are permissible in a certain document. A DTD is used to specify XML document structure.

Dual band

Dual band mobile phones can work on networks operating different frequency bands. Often urban areas operate on 1800, while suburbs use the 900 band. This is especially useful if you travel abroad. Some phones are able to switch between GSM 900, 1800, and 1900 (tri-band), allowing you full coverage in Europe, America, and Asia.

GHz

Gigaherz - A frequency measurement. One hertz equals one cycle per second. GHz = One Billion hertz.

GPS

Global Position System. Based on US defence satellite system, it enables tracking of individuals. This technology is helpful when navigating a car in the city, and is used to help emergency rescue-teams to locate people.

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

A packet-linked technology that enables high-speed (up to 115 kilobit per second) access to wireless Internet in a GSM network. GPRS is IP-based, and allows users to be online continuously.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)

The world’s most widely used mobile system. Used on the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequencies in Europe, Asia, and Australia, and the MHz 1900 frequency in America.

HDML

Handheld Device Markup Language is used to format content for Web-enabled mobile phones. HDML is Openwave's (formerly known as phone.com) proprietary language, which can only be viewed on mobile phones that use Openwave browsers.

HSCSD

High Speed Circuit Switched Data. A circuit-linked technology for higher transmission speed that combines several GSM channels at the same time. This allows speeds up to 58 bps, far faster than the original GSM (9.6bps). For uploads HSCSD is limited to half the speed. This technology is the predecessor of GPRS, which delivers up to 115kbs.

Hz

Hertz - radio frequency measurement (one hertz = one cycle per second).

Kbps (Kilobits per second)

A speed measurement for the transmitting of data (see BPS).

MB (Megabyte)

1 MB = 1024 kilobytes (KB)

PAN

Personal Area Networks. A personal network between your devices, such as between your computer and your mobile phone. Bluetooth is one related standard that enables this.

PDA

Personal Digital Assistant. Usually a hand-held device, such as the Palm Pilot.

PDC (Personal Digital Cellular)

A Japanese standard for digital mobile telephony (800 MHz and 1500 MHz bands).

PHS (Personal Handyphone System)

A Japanese standard for digital mobile telephone system (1900Mhz).

Roaming

Means that your mobile phone automatically sets up communication procedures with different radio base stations when you are on the move. International roaming means that you can use networks other than your own when travelling abroad.

Router

A data switch that handles connections between different networks. A router identifies the addresses on data passing through the switch, determines which route the transmission should take, and collects data in "packets," which are then sent to their destinations.

SET

SET (Secure Electronic Transaction) is a system for ensuring the security of financial transactions over the Internet.

SGML

Standardised Generalised Markup Language. A meta-language in which one can define markup languages for documents.

SMS (Short Message Service)

A service for sending messages of up to 160 characters to mobile phones that use Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication.

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)

Protocol for managing the security of message transmissions in a network. The current level of SSL encryption is 128 bit.

UA

User Agent. Software that interprets WML, WMLScript, WTAI, and other forms of code. Explorer, Netscape, and Opera are examples.

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)

The name for the third generation mobile telephone standard in Europe. Also described as 3G.

VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)

Describes the process of transmitting voice via data IP packages.

W3C

World Wide Web Consortium http://www.w3c.org.

WAE

Wireless Application Environment. WAE specifies an environment that allows operators and service providers to build applications and services that can reach a wide variety of different platforms. WAE is part of the Wireless Application Protocol.

WAP Server

A WAP server is a Web server. The computer programmers use WML instead of HTML.

WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access)

A technology for wideband digital radio communications of Internet, multimedia, video and others - described as 3G.

WDP

Wireless Datagram Protocol

WMLScript

Scripting language for WAP devices. Based on JavaScript, but less powerful.

WSP

Wireless Session Protocol. Provides the upper-level application layer of WAP with a consistent interface for two session services, a connection-mode service that operates above a transaction layer protocol, and a connectionless service that operates above a secure or non-secure datagram transport service.

WTLS

Wireless Transport Layer Security. The "equivalent" to SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) widely used in the HTML world, although it is not identical in functionality.

WTP

Wireless Transaction Protocol

WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get.

XML

Extensible Markup Language. W3C´s standard for Internet Markup Languages.