Activate
- Process of getting a new customer's phone connected to cellular
network.
Activation
- Term assigned to new cellular phone users by network companies in
contacts,
as " activations per month " or " each activation. "
Agent
- Authorized, independent full service agent of the cellular network
company
that can provide customers with cellular phones and installations,
customer service,
business and individual cellular consulting service.
Airtime
- The amount of time a subscriber uses the cellular phone.
Amplitude
Modulation
- The amplitude or range of the radio wave is modulated
while the frequency remains constant. Used for mobile radio - noisy.
AMPS
-
Advanced Mobile Phone Service. North American 800 Mhz analog cellular
system.
Analog
- The technological basis for the existing cellular systems.
Primarily designed to transmit sound waves for voice conversations.
Authentication
-
The process that enables cellular phones and cellular service providers
to confirm the identity of any phone placing or receiving a call,
allowing routing of calls,
accurate billing, and inhibiting fraudulent use of the system.
Basic
Fee
- Fee charged to cellular customer whether or not they use their
service.
Monthly network access charge.
Bits
per Second ( BPS )
- A measure of how binary digits can be sent through a channel;
the number of 0s and 1s that travel down the channel per second.
Blocking
- The effects that causes a user to get a busy signal indicating there
are no free channels.
Caller
I.D.
- A system whereby the phone number of the telephone making
a call is identified to the phone receiving the call.
CDMA
- Code Division Multiple Access
- A technology for conversion of sound into a digital bit stream
and decoding back into sound.
Cell
- The area controlled by one cell site. All calls made within the cell
go by radio to that cell site.
Cells are usually hexagonal and can be anywhere from 0.4 miles up to 15
or more miles in radius.
Cell
Site or Base Station
-
The local cellular tower and radio antenna
( including the radios, controller, switch interconnect, etc. )
that handles communication with subscribers in a particular area or
cell.
A cellular network is made up of many cell sites, all connected back to
the switch via landline or microwave.
Cell
Splitting
- When the phone call volume in a cell regularly exceeds its capacity
and blockage becomes a problem, the cell is subdivided, or split, into
two or more smaller cells.
The radio frequencies are then reassigned, and transmission power is
reduced.
Cell splitting is a way to increase the capacity of a system. A new
cell site must be constructed when a cell is split.
Channel
- Cellular channels are radio frequency channels composed of a pair of
frequency bands,
similar to an FM channel. These can be further subdivided to allow
multiple users on a single channel.
Churn
-
The percentage of customers who disconnect or are disconnected each
month.
Occurs because people move, don't pay their bills, go over to the
competition, etc.
Cross
Talk
- The problem of hearing voices from one channel imposed on another
channel.
CT2/Telepoint
- A U.K. digital system that allows callers with CT2 phones who are
within 200 yards
of a cell site to make outgoing calls.
Data
Interface
- Device that connects computer to cellular phone for data transmission.
Works similarly to a modem.
Dead
Spot
- An area of weak signal strength due to terrain or other obstructions.
Digital
Channel
- A radio channel that transmits voice in digital form.
Voice data is encoded as a stream of information bits before being
converted to a radio signal.
After reception, the data is decoded back into sound.
DTMF
( Dual Tone Multi Frequency )
- Tones generated when numeric keys on the phone are touched.
Pressing keys to send DTMF tones can convey information such as credit
card numbers or signal devices
such as automated answering devices.
Dual
Band
- A digital wireless phone that operates on both 800 MHz and 1900 MHz
( personal communications service or PCS networks.
Dual
Mode
- A digital wireless phone capable of operating on analog networks
when digital service is not available.
Electronic
Serial Number ( ESN )
- An 11-digit number that identifies each cellular phone to the
cellular system.
Elevated
Feed
- Refers to trunk or rear fender mount antenna about two feet tall.
Encryption
- A system for digitally scrambling voice data so that only a
pre-established code can unscramble it,
thus adding an extra measure of security to prevent eavesdropping.
Error
Correction
- Digital technology's ability to verify the validity of the
transmitted information
and to correct automatically for error caused by interference.
Fraud
Protection
- Prevention of illegal access to the ESN and additional means to
identify the cellular caller.
GSM
( Global System for Mobile Communication )
- GSM was originally designed for European markets
to provide the advantage of automatic, internationals roaming in
multiple countries.
Hand-off
- When a cellular phone moves out of one cell site's range and into
another;
the system hands the call from one cell site to the next, and from one
channel to another.
Home
- The cellular system where the cellular phone is subscribed for
service.
Mobile
Assisted Hand-off ( MAHO )
- A system that allows the cellular phone to inform the carrier
of the signal quality currently experiencing. This information assists
the hand-off by
allowing the carrier to determine which cell site channel is best
suited for hand-off.
Mobile
Telephone Switching Office ( MTSO )
- The switching and data processing equipment
that interconnect cellular telephones with the land telephone network.
Multiple
Access
- A digital technique allowing simultaneous access to a channel by
multiple subscribers.
Where each radio channel could accommodate one analog subscriber, three
digital channels
are used and up to 15 digital channels for each radio channel.
MVNO
(Mobile Virtual Network Operator),
meaning they do not own or operate a physical network,
but instead have an arrangement with another operator (cellular carrier
) to use their network.
NAM
- Refers to the " number assignment module." The NAM contains user
profile data
including identification number of the cell phone, the electronic
serial number,
and the registered system identification. One cellular phone can have
up to four different NAMS.
OEM
- Original Equipment Manufacturer
PCS
- Personal Communication Services, any of the wireless phone services
available using digital technology at the 1.9GHz frequency
Residuals
- An on-going commission paid by the network on the amounts billed to
the agent's or dealer's customers.
Roaming
- The status of any cellular phone that is not operating in it's home
system.
SOCS
-
Satellite linked Off-shore Cellular System.
Cellular network covering large areas of ocean usually associated with
the oil exploration, drilling,
and production industry.
Sleep
Mode
-
Digital Control Channel technology allows phone to power down ( sleep )
and wake up periodically to check your calls and messaging.
Smart
( SIM ) Card
- A credit card-like device capable of storing and transferring
information
regarding the card's user to communications device such as cell phones,
notebooks, computers,
and personal digital assistants. This information could include how the
user would like their phone calls handled,
method of payment and the user's personal number.
Standby
Time
- The time a battery can power a phone in the standby mode, ready to
make or receive a call,
without being used for an actual call.
System
ID
- the identity of the system currently in use.
System
A/B
- All cellular systems either provide wireline service, or they do not.
Non wireline systems communicate only through radio, and are on band "
A ."
Wireline systems provide communications through telephone wires, and
are on band " B ."
Talk
Time
- The total time a battery can power a phone for a cellular call.
TDMA
- Time Division Multiple Access
- A technology conversion of sound into
a digital bit stream and decoding back into sound.
Tri-mode
- The ability of a phone to operate in 800MHz analog, 800MHz digital
and 1.9GHz digital.
Video
Mail
-
The electronic storage and transfer of voice and motion video messages.
Voice
Mail -
The electronic storage and transfer of audible messages.
