2G |
2nd Generation Mobile Networks: circuit switched voice and data |
| 2.5G |
Evolution of 2G to give packet data in the shape of GPRS and later EDGE |
3G |
3rd Generation Mobile Networks, syncronised voice and video |
| 3.5G |
Evolution of 3G UMTS in the shape of HSDPA, finally giving the 3G speeds often promised |
4G |
4th Generation Networks; essentially evolution of mobile and wireless to fixed internet speeds |
| 802.11a,b,g,n & y |
WLAN or Wi-FI standard with letters being evolutions thereof; currently pre-n |
| 802.16d,e & y |
Essentially WiMAX and evolutions thereof |
| APN |
Access Point Name; name or address in GPRS access: e.g wap.orange.ne;t "Orange WAP" |
ADSL |
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line |
ARPU |
Average Revenue per User; Longer term KPI for mobile networks |
BAN |
Body Area Network: e.g a bluetooth heart-rate monitor and GPS connected to your phone |
BSC/RNC |
Base Station or Radio Network Controller |
BSS |
Billing Support Systems |
CAGR |
Compound Annual Growth Rate |
CAPEX |
Capital Expenditure |
CDMA |
Code Division Multiple Access |
CDR |
Customer Data Record: a data file with billing data for each voice or data transaction |
CFG |
Charging Gateway Function |
CLEC |
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier |
CRM |
Customer Relationship Management |
DECT |
Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (European cordless phone standard) |
DMSP |
Discount Mobile Service Provider |
DSL |
Digital Subscriber Line |
DVB-H (-T, -C, -S) |
Digital Video Broadband for Handhelds (-Terrestrial, -Cable, -Satellite) |
EBPP |
Electronic Bill Presentation and Payment |
EDGE |
Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution |
| EIR |
Equipment Identity Register: database in mobile network of IMEIs |
ESPs |
Enhanced Service Providers |
EU |
European Union |
EVDO |
Evolution Data Only (CDMA) |
OFDM |
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing |
| FMC |
Fixed-Mobile Convergence |
GGSN |
Gateway GPRS Support Node |
GPRS |
General Packet Radio Service |
GPS |
Global Positioning System |
GSM |
Global System for Mobile Communications |
HLR |
Home Location Register |
HSCSD |
High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data |
HSDPA |
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access |
ICT |
Information and Communication Technologies |
iDEN |
Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (Motorola variant of TDMA wireless) |
| IMEI |
International Equipment Identity; serial number for mobile phones, registered in EIR |
IMS |
IP Multimedia Subsystem |
IMSI |
International Mobile Subscriber Identity; SIM card Network specific ID |
IM |
Instant Messaging |
IOT |
Interoperator Tariff |
IP |
Internet Protocol |
IPDC |
IP Datacasting |
ISDN |
Integrated Services Digital Network |
ISP |
Internet Service Provider |
KPI |
Key Performance Indicator |
LAN |
Local Area Network |
M2M |
Machine to Machine; Telemerty |
MMS |
Multimedia Messaging |
MNO |
Mobile Network Operator |
MSC |
Mobile Switching Center |
MSP |
Mobile Service Provider |
| MVNA |
Mobile Virtual Network Aggregator |
MVNE |
Mobile Virtual Network Enabler |
MVNO |
Mobile Virtual Network Operator |
| NFC |
Near Field Communication; short range radio ID |
NRA |
National Regulatory Authority |
| OEM |
Original Equipment Manufacturer |
| ODP |
On Device Portal; mobile application for managing access to information and services |
ODMs |
Original Device Manufacturers |
OMA |
Open Mobile Alliance |
OPEX |
Operating Expenditure |
OSS |
Operational Support System |
PDA |
Personal Digital Assistant |
PIM |
Personal Information Management (calendar, contacts, notes, reminders, etc) |
| P2P |
Peer to Peer; transmission from client to client (rather than client server client, client to server) |
PoS |
Point of Sale; equipment used to charge a customer at a physical point of sale |
PPM |
Price per Minute |
PSTN |
Public Switched Telephone Network |
PTT |
Push to Talk; usually assumes Nextel pioneered model, using another radio frequency |
PTToC, PoC, P2C |
Push to Talk over Cellular: PTT using celular as opposed to other radio network |
| PVR |
Personal Video Recorder (device that schedules and records video, usually TV) |
QoS |
Quality of Service; essential for delivery voice over internet and/or realtime applications |
| RFID |
Radio Frequency ID (Identification) |
ROI |
Return on Investment |
SAC |
Subscriber Acquisition Costs |
SGSN |
Serving GPRS Support Node |
SIM |
Subscriber Identity Module |
SI |
Systems Integrator |
SIP |
Session Initiation Protocol |
SLA |
Standard/Service Level Agreement |
SME |
Small to Medium Enterprise |
SMP |
Significant Market Power |
SMS |
Short Messaging Service; text messaging |
SOHO |
Small Office, Home Office; customer segmentation grouping, smaller than SME |
SP |
Service Providers |
TSP |
Telematics Service Provider |
UMA |
Unlicensed Mobile Access |
UMTS |
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System |
| UWB |
Ultra Wide Band; short range data standard to be incorporated into Bluetooth |
VoIP |
Voice over Internet Protocol |
VPN |
Virtual Private Network |
WAP |
Wireless Application Protocol |
WCDMA |
Wideband Code Division Multiple Access |
| Wibree |
Low powershort range data standard to be incorporated into Bluetooth |
WiMAX |
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access; often assciated with WMAN |
WLAN, Wi-Fi |
Wireless Local Area Network; also Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) |
| WMAN |
Wireless Metropolitan Area Network |
WWAN |
Wireless Wide Area Network |
YE |
Year End |
