Case Study
Discover how "KORE-Inside" is empowering a variety of market segments.
Useful Information Resources
| DEFINITION OF WIRELESS SERVICES TERMS - © KORE WIRELESS 2006 | |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
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| Access Fee | A monthly charge for the ability to connect to a wireless network. This fee is assessed monthly whether the device is actually used or not. |
| Activation | Configuration of a wireless device so that it is ready to be used to transmit and receive calls on the wireless network. |
| Activation Fee | A one-time up-front charge for of a wireless device. |
| Airtime | Total time that a wireless device is in connected and in use for voice or data transmission. This includes use for calls both received and placed. |
| AMPS (Advanced Mobile Device Service) | An analog cellular device service standard used in the US and other countries. Under Sunset Clause, being phased out from February 2008 under FCC guidelines |
| Antenna | A device that facilitates the transmission and reception of radio signals. |
| APN (Access Point Name) | The simple name used to connect, authenticate and route a call from a mobile device to a service, usually embedded in a device configuration. In the GPRS backbone, an Access Point Name is a reference to a GGSN. To support inter-PLMN roaming, the internal GPRS DNS functionality is used to translate the APN into the IP address of the GGSN. |
| Authentication | A feature used to reduce fraud by confirming the identity of a device to the wireless network. |
| Automatic Call Delivery | A service feature that allows a user to receive calls when roaming outside of the device's home coverage area. |
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| Bandwidth | Describes the transmission capacity of a medium in terms of a range of frequencies. A greater bandwidth indicates the ability to transmit a greater amount of data over a given period of time. |
| Bluetooth | A short range wireless protocol meant to allow mobile devices to share information and applications without the worry of cables or interface incompatibilities. The name refers to a Viking King who unified Denmark. Operates at 2.4 GHz, see bluetooth.com. |
| BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless) | A QUALCOMM programming platform designed to facilitate the development and use of data applications that can function on any CDMA-based wireless device. Common applications include games and software for corporate functions. See J2ME for a similar technology from Sun Microsystems. |
| Broadband | Describes a communications medium capable of transmitting a relatively large amount of data over a given period of time. A communications channel of high bandwidth. |
| BTA (Basic Trading Area) | A geographic region defined by a group of counties that surround a city, which is the area's basic trading center. The boundaries of each BTA were formulated by Rand McNally & Co. and are used by the FCC determine service areas for PCS wireless licenses. The entire US and some of its territories is divided into 493 non-overlapping BTAs. |
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| Call Forwarding | A feature that allows the transfer of incoming calls to another number of the users choice. |
| Call Setup | Activity that occurs in order to establish a call connection between a wireless handset and the wireless system. |
| Call Waiting | A feature that allows a user to be notified of another incoming call while a call is already in progress, and gives the user the ability to answer the second call while the first call remains on hold. |
| Caller ID | A feature that displays a caller's telephone number and/or name before the call is answered. |
| Carrier | A company that provides telecommunications services. |
| CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) | A digital communication technology used by some carriers to provide PCS service. Also known as IS-95A or cdmaOne. Other technologies used are TDMA and GSM. |
| CDMA2000 1X (Also 1xRTT) | A 3G wireless communications standard evolved from CDMA technology. It has double the voice traffic capacity of CDMA and provides peak data rates of 153 kbps or a realistic rate of 70-110kbps |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (and 1xEV-DV) | A 3G wireless communications standard further evolved from CDMA2000 technology. It is a standard optimized for data transmission only providing a peak data rate of 2.4 Mbps with a typical user experience of 300 - 500 kbps. 1xEV-DV is optimized for both data and voice transmissions. |
| CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) | A technology for transmitting data over analog cellular networks. Completely phased out by mid 2007 in all markets |
| Cell | The area surrounding a cell site. The area in which calls are handled by a particular cell site. |
| Cell Site | The transmission and reception equipment, including the base station antenna, that connects a cellular device to the network. |
| Cellular | The type of wireless communication that is most familiar to mobile devices users. Called 'cellular' because the system uses many base stations to divide a service area into multiple 'cells'. Cellular calls are transferred from base station to base station as a user travels from cell to cell. |
| Coverage Area | The geographic area served by a wireless system. Same as Service Area. |
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| Digital | A method of encoding information using a binary code of 0s and 1s. All current wireless devices and networks use digital technology. |
| DNS (Domain Name Server) | DNS is the acronym for Domain Name Service, which are the machines responsible for maintaining lists that translate Internet names to numbers and vice versa. DNS allows you to reference domain names instead of their actual IP address for easier recollection. |
| Dual band | A feature required in North America that allows wireless devices to operate using either the 850 MHz or the 1900 MHz GSM frequencies. |
| Dual mode | A feature on some wireless devices that allows the handset to operate on both analog and digital networks. |
| Duplex | As in ordinary telephone service, a characteristic of a communications system where simultaneous transmission and reception is possible. |
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E |
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| The ability to send and receive text messages through a wireless handset. | |
| EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) | A further development of the GSM protocol designed to handle data at speeds up to 384 Kbps more realistically 90 – 120kbps. Considered to be 3G wireless technology. |
| ESMR (Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio) | Using frequency bands originally allocated for two-way dispatch services, companies such as Nextel and Southern LINC have built digital mobile device services similar to cellular and PCS systems. |
| ESN (Electronic Serial Number) | The unique serial number of a cellular device that identifies it to the CDMA system for the purpose and placing and receiving calls. |
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| FCC (Federal Communications Commission) | A US government agency responsible for regulating communications industries. |
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| GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node) | Gateway GPRS Support Node. One of the two main GPRS nodes, which provides the interface between the radio network and the IP network. |
| GSM (Global Standard for Mobile) | A digital communication technology used by some carriers to provide PCS service. Other technologies used are CDMA and TDMA. |
| GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) | The technology standard for high speed data transmission over GSM networks. Capable of throughputs up to 8okbps, but more realistically 30-45kbps |
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| Handoff | The transfer of a wireless call in progress from one transmission site to another site without disconnection. |
| Handset | Any device used to transmit and receive calls from a wireless system. Also known as a wireless device, a cellular device, a mobile device, a PCS device and many other terms. |
| Handshake(ing) | Signals between a wireless device and a wireless system to accomplish call setup. |
| Home Coverage Area | A designated area within which cellular calls are local and do not incur roaming or long distance charges. |
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| J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) | A Java environment optimized to run applications on devices small devices with limited processing power and memory. See BREW for a similar technology from QUALCOMM |
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M |
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| MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) | Similar to SMS, but in addition to plain text, MMS messages may include multimedia elements such as pictures, video and audio. These multimedia elements are included in the message, not as attachments as with email. |
| MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) | An area defined by the
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| MTA (Major Trading Area) | An area consisting of two or more Basic Trading Areas as defined by Rand McNally & Co. These large areas are used by the FCC determine service areas for some PCS wireless licenses. The US is divided into 51 MTAs. |
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| NAM (Number Assignment Module) | A component of a wireless device that holds in electronic memory the device number and ESN of the device. |
| No Answer Transfer | A feature of a wireless service that if a call is not answered in a specified number of rings, it will be transferred to another device number of the user's choice. |
| No Service Indicator | A feature of wireless devices that tells the user that wireless service is unavailable in a particular location. Usually an LED on the handset. |
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| PRL (Preferred Roaming List) | A database in a CDMA based wireless device that tells it how to find and connect to locally available wireless network(s). The function of the PRL is most important when a device is outside its home network and must seek out an alternate network. The PRL in a device can be periodically updated to account for changes in wireless networks that the device may encounter. |
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| Quad Band | A feature required when roaming Internationally that allows wireless devices to operate using either the 850, 900, 1800 MHz or 1900 MHz GSM frequencies |
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| Radio-frequency fingerprinting | An electronic process that identifies each individual wireless handset by examining its unique radio transmission characteristics. Fingerprinting is used to reduce fraud since the illegal device can not duplicate the legal device's radio-frequency fingerprint. |
| RF (Radio Frequency) | A radio signal. |
| Roaming | Using your wireless device in an area outside its home coverage area. There is usually an additional charge for roaming. |
| Roaming Agreement | A agreement among wireless carriers allowing users to use their device on systems other their own home systems. Roaming Fee charged for roaming. |
| RSA (Rural Service Area) | Areas not included in MSA s are divided into RSAs. Generally these are the rural areas of the US. The FCC used RSAs to license cellular carriers in areas not included in MSAs. There are 428 RSAs in the
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| Service Area | The geographic area served by a wireless system. Same as Coverage Area. |
| SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) | The SGSN is the local point of connection by a device to the network and is responsible for the delivery of data packets from and to the mobile stations within its geographical service area |
| Short Code | A special 5-8 digit number which is used for any "machine" to person and person to "machine" text messaging in USA and Canada. The use of these numbers is mandated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in
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| Signal-to-noise ratio | A measure of the power of a signal versus noise. A lower ratio means there is more noise relative to signal. |
| SMS (Short Messaging System) | A feature of PCS devices (primarily GSM) that allows users to receive and sometimes transmit short text messages using their wireless device. |
| SMSC (Short Message Service Center) | The machine that provides the routing of all SMS or text messages. Much like an email server, the SMSC handles large volumes of messages sent between two mobile device and a software application |
| SMPP (Simple Mail Peer to Peer Protocol) | A telecommunications industry protocol for exchanging SMS messages between SMS peer entities such as short message service centres. It is often used to allow third parties to submit messages, often in bulk. The protocol is based on pairs of request/response PDUs (protocol data units, or packets) exchanged over OSI layer 4 IP session or X.25 SVC3) connections. The most commonly used versions of SMPP are v3.3, the most widely supported standard, and v3.4, which adds transceiver support (single connections that can send and receive messages). |
| Subscriber | A cellular device user. |
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| Tri-Band | A feature required when roaming Internationally that allows wireless devices to operate using either the 900, 1800 MHz or the 1900 MHz GSM frequencies. |
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| UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) | An evolution of GSM technology to 3G. The underlying transmission standard is WCDMA. |
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| Virtual Number | Used in SMS transmissions, a Virtual Number is similar to a Short Code, as it provides a routing connection between mobile devices and applications servers. Unlike Short Codes, however, it allows connection between different carrier networks using different technologies |
| VPN (Virtual Private Network) | A VPN utilizes the public telecommunications networks to conduct private data communications. Most VPN implementations use the Internet as the public infrastructure and a variety of specialized protocols to support private communications through the Internet. |
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| WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) | A global protocol used in many newer wireless devices that allows the user to view and interact with data services. Generally used as a means to view Internet web pages using the limited transmission capacity and small display screens of portable wireless devices. |
| WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) | A 3G wireless communications standard evolved from CDMA. The standard, often called UMTS, uses wider 5 MHz channels(vs. 1.25 MHz for CDMA) for increased voice traffic capacity and peak data rates of 384 kbps. |
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