mobile technology glossary

Here are the results for GSM

1G

The first generation of analogue mobile phone technologies including AMPS, TACS and NMT

2.5G

The enhancement of GSM which includes technologies such as GPRS

2G

The second generation of digital mobile phone technologies including GSM, CDMA IS-95 and D-AMPS IS-136

3G

The third generation of mobile phone technologies covered by the ITU IMT-2000 family

3GPP

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project, a grouping of international standards bodies, operators and vendors with the responsibility of standardising the WCDMA based members of the IMT-2000 family

3GPP2

The counterpart of 3GPP with responsibility for standardising the CDMA2000-based members of the IMT-2000 family. 3GPP2 is spearheaded by ANSI

8PSK

Octantal Phase Shift Keying

A-bis

Interface between the BSC and BTS in a GSM network

A-interface

Interface between the MSC and BSS in a GSM network

A5/1/2/3/8X

Encryption algorithms for GSM networks

AMR

Adaptive Multi-Rate codec. Developed in 1999 for use in GSM networks, the AMR has been adopted by 3GPP for 3G

AUC

Authentication Centre; the element within a GSM network which generates the parameters for subscriber authentication

CAMEL

Customised Application for Mobile network Enhanced Logic; an IN feature in GSM networks that enables users to carry personal services with them when roaming into other networks that support CAMEL

CEPT

Conference of European Posts and Telecommunications. A organisation of national posts, telegraphs and telephone administrations. Until 1988, when this work was take over by ETSI, the main European body for telecommunications standardisation. CEPT established the original GSM standardisation group

Codec

A word formed by combining coder and decoder the codec is a device which encodes and decodes signals. The voice codec in a cellular network converts voice signals into and back from bit strings. In GSM networks, in addition to the standard voice codec, it is possible to implement Half Rate (HR) codecs and Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) codecs

DCS1800

Digital Cellular System at 1800MHz, now known as GSM1800

Dual Band

The capability of GSM infrastructure elements and handsets to work across both the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands. The capability to seamlessly handover between the two bands offers operators major capacity gains

EDGE

Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution; effectively the final stage in the evolution of the GSM standard, EDGE uses a new modulation schema to enable theoretical data speeds of up to 384kbit/s within the existing GSM spectrum. An alternative upgrade path towards 3G services for operators, such as those in the USA, without access to new spectrum. Also known as Enhanced GPRS (E-GPRS)

EFR

Enhanced Full Rate; a alternative voice codec that provides improved voice quality in a GSM network (see codec)

EFR

Enhanced Full Rate (codec); an improved version of the standard voice codec used in GSM phones; offers improved speech quality without impacting on network capacity

EGSM

Extended (frequency range) GSM

ERMES

Enhanced Radio Messaging System; a paging technology developed by ETSI which was intended to allow users to roam throughout Europe. Adopted by a number of European and Middle Eastern countries, ERMES, like paging in general, was overtaken by the ubiquity of GSM

FSS

Fixed Satellite ServiceGb The interface between the PCU and the SGSN in a GSM/GPRS network

GAIT

GSM/ANSI 136 Interoperability Committee

Gc

The interface between the GGSN and the HLR in a GSM/GPRS network

Gd

The interface between the SGSN and the SMSC in a GSM/GPRS network

GERAN

GSM-EDGE Radio Access Network; the name for the evolution of GSM towards 3G based on EDGE

Gf

The interface between the SGSN and the EIR in a GSM/GPRS network

GGRF

GSM Global Roaming Forum

GPRS

General Packet Radio Service; standardised as part of GSM Phase 2+, GPRS represents the first implementation of packet switching within GSM, which is a circuit switched technology. GPRS offers theoretical data speeds of up to 115kbit/s using multislot techniques. GPRS is an essential precursor for 3G as it introduces the packet switched core required for UMTS

Gs

The interface between the SGSN and the MSC in a GSM/GPRS network

GSM

Global System for Mobile communications, the second generation digital technology originally developed for Europe but which now has in excess of 71 per cent of the world market. Initially developed for operation in the 900MHz band and subsequently modified for the 850, 1800 and 1900MHz bands. GSM originally stood for Groupe Speciale Mobile, the CEPT committee which began the GSM standardisation process

GSM MoU

The GSM Memorandum of Understanding, an agreement signed between all the major European operators to work together to promote GSM. The precursor of the GSM Association

GSM-R

GSM-Railway, A variant of GSM designed to meet the special communications needs of international train operators

HLR

Home Location Register; the database within a GSM network which stores all the subscriber data. An important element in the roaming process

HSCSD

High Speed Circuit Switched Data; a special mode in GSM networks which provides higher data throughput By cocatenating a number of timeslots, each delivering 14.4kbit/s, much higher data speeds can be achieved

Iucs

The connection between the RNC and the circuit switched network in a GSM/GPRS/UMTS network

Iups

The connection between the RNC and the packet switched network in a GSM/GPRS/UMTS network

MoU

Memorandum of Understanding-see GSM MoU

Node B

The element in a UMTS network which interfaces with the mobile station, analogous to a BTS in a GSM network

PCN

Personal Communications Networks; an outdated term for GSM services in the 1800MHz band

PEDC

Pan European Digital Communications; A designation occasionally used in the early 1990?s to describe GSM. No longer in use

RNC

Radio Network Controller; the element which controls the Node Bs within a UMTS network. It is roughly analogous to a BSC in a GSM network

Roaming

A service unique to GSM which enables a subscriber to make and receive calls when outside the service area of his home network e.g. when travelling abroad

STK

SIM ToolKit: specified within the GSM standard, this allows operators to add additional functions to the phone menu in order to provide new services such as mobile banking or email

TAP

Transferred Account Procedure; the essential charging methodology for international GSM roaming. There have been four TAP standards, TAP1, TAP2, TAP2+ and TAP3. The latter offers variable record length and is sufficiently flexible to support all future requirements arising from the move to 3G

Tri-band

Refers to a mobile phone able to operate on the three internationally designated GSM frequencies- 900, 1800 and 1900MHz

Um

The air interface between the BTS and the MS in a GSM network

USIM

Universal Subscriber Identity Module; the 3G equivalent of the GSM SIM