Mobile Phone Glossary R to Z

Glossary of frequently used terms and acronyms

Roaming

The ability for a mobile phone network customer to make voice calls, send and receive data or access other services when traveling outside the geographical coverage area of the home network, using a visited network. Usage abroad depends upon the number of roaming agreements held by the network and the specification of the phone.

RS232

A connection that allows transfer of data. Suitably equipped phones can be connected to a PC using this method.

SAR

Specific Absorption Rate. Indicates the amount of radio-frequency
energy absorbed into human tissue by a radio transmitter. The permissible amount varies by country. In the EU the standard is currently 2 watts per kilogram averaged over 10 grams of tissue for the General Population for the head and trunk. This is set out in the R&TTE Directive

SIM

Subscriber Identity Module. A small card fitted inside a mobile phone. It has a processor and memory for storage of users identity (PIN), user added information and text messages.

SMS

Short Message Service. Two way text messaging service.

SMTP

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A protocol for sending e-mail messages between servers and from client to server.

Softkey

A button to simplify using a mobile phone by switching functions.

Standby time

The amount of time a battery at full charge will keep a mobile phone running, without making or receiving calls.

Talktime

The amount of time a battery at full charge will maintain continuous speech.

TDMA

Time Division Multiple Access. Allows a number of users to access a single radio frequency channel without interference by allocating unique time slots to each user within each channel. This enables multiple handsets to share the same frequency in the same area.

Telematics

Communications technology that combines wireless, voice and data to provide location-specific services.

Tri band

Mobile phones which are able to operate on three GSM frequency bands GSM900, GSM1800 and GSM1900.

T9

Text on 9 Keys. Also known as Predictive Text Input, this software allows users to easily enter text on a mobile phone by predicting what is being written. More information is available from www.T9.com

UMTS

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. A 3G mobile communications systems developed within the IMT-2000 framework as defined by the ITU. An eventual successor to GSM, it is intended to be capable of carrying voice and data at 2Mbit/sec.

Voice recognition

Enables some mobile phone functions to be controlled with voice commands.

WAP

Wireless Application Protocol. An application communication protocol that compatible mobile phones can use to access services and information. The Open Mobile Alliance now oversees standardisation of this protocol. The current version is WAP 2.0

WCDMA

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access. A 3G technology adopted as an ITU standard under the name IMT-2000 direct spread. It allows mobile devices to access multimedia and other applications requiring high capacity.

WML

Wireless Markup Language. A markup language based on XML intended for use in specifying content and user interfaces. Originally designed for narrowband mobile devices, it has now evolved to become part of WAP 2.0.

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