Wireless Glossary of Terms

   A-B                C-D                E-F                G-I                L-M                N-P                Q-S                T-V                W-Z 


3G / 4G: A general term that refers to new wireless technologies which offer increased capacity and capabilities delivered over digital wireless networks.
 
Air Interface: The operating system of a wireless network. Technologies include AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, GSM and iDEN.
 
AMPS: Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) is the original analog “cellular” service transmission standard first deployed in the United States, still used as a default standard for cellular systems in the U.S., and in some regions around the world.
 
Analog: The traditional method of adapting radio signals so they can carry information. AM (Amplitude Modulation) and FM (Frequency Modulation) are the two most common analog systems.  Analog has largely been replaced by digital technologies, which are more secure, more efficient and provide better quality.
 
Antenna: A device for transmitting and receiving radiofrequency (RF) signals. Often camouflaged on existing buildings, trees, water towers or other tall structures, the size and shape of antennas are generally determined by the frequency of the signal they manage.
 
App (Application): Downloadable tools, resources, games, social networks or almost anything that adds a function or feature to a wireless handset which are available for free or a fee.
 
Base Station: The central radio transmitter/receiver that communicates with mobile telephones within a given range (typically a cell site).
 
Bluetooth: The name for a technological standard (a communications protocol) that enables mobile devices equipped with a special chip to send and receive information wirelessly.  Using Bluetooth, electronic devices such as desktop computers, wireless phones, electronic organizers and printers can communicate over short-ranges using the 2.4 GHz spectrum band.  
 
Bonded copper: Aggregating DSL circuits together to boost throughput.
 
BREW: Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless is a service application developer’s platform. The BREW platform was introduced by QUALCOMM in 2001 to provide developers with the ability to create a wide variety of applications that users can download wirelessly via any BREW-enabled handset. Thanks to common standards, software applications will automatically work on new device models.
 
Broadband: A transmission facility having a bandwidth (capacity) sufficient to carry multiple voice, video or data channels simultaneously. Broadband is generally equated with the delivery of increased speeds and advanced capabilities, including access to the Internet and related services and facilities. 
 
BTA (Basic Trading Area): A geographic area designed by Rand McNally to reflect business centers, and adopted by the FCC for the licensing of Personal Communications Services and some other wireless services. BTAs are composed of several neighboring counties associated by business and commuting patterns. The U.S. is divided into 493 BTAs.

Last Updated: September 2010