Glossary (A)

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AC (Alternating Current) the standard electricity type found in North America.

AC Charger an accessory device that allows you to power and/or charge your phone from a wall outlet.

Access Point a base station in a wireless local area network that allows individuals to use wireless networking cards in their computers and other electronic devices. Access points are typically stand-alone devices that plug into an Ethernet hub or server. Depending on the radio environment of the specific building, one access point can provide up to 300 feet (100 meters) of wireless network coverage. Like a cellular phone network, users can roam between access points with their mobile devices and be handed off from one access point to another.

Activation the process by which a cell phone account is created, your phone number assigned, and your phone programmed so that you can make and receive calls.

Activation Fee the fee charged by service providers to create an account, assign a phone number and configure a phone with their network.

Active Flip/Keypad Cover a feature that will answer a call by opening the keypad cover and end a call by closing the keypad cover.

Active Matrix Display see TFT.

Advanced Mobile Phone Service see AMPS.

Aftermarket a term used to describe an accessory that is made by a company other than the original manufacturer of the product.

Air Interface a wireless network’s operating system, enabling communication between a cellular phone and its carrier. The main interface technologies are AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, GSM, and iDEN.

Air Time the actual time spent using a cellular system. Billing begins when the SEND key is pressed and finishes when the user presses END.

Alarm Clock an alarm feature which can be set for a specific time and date or can used as a daily alarm.

Alphanumeric Display a display capable of containing both letters (”alphas”) and numbers (”numeric”).

Alphanumeric Memory a special type of dial-from-memory option that displays both the name of individual and that individuals phone number on the cellular phone handset. The name also can be recalled by using the letters on the phone keypad. By contrast, standard memory dial recalls numbers from number-only locations.

AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service) the standard for analog cellular telephones which uses a frequency-modulated transmission and spacing to separate transmissions. Operates in the 800 megahertz (MHZ) band.

AMPS modem a wireless modem designed for analog cellular phones.

Analog a technology which utilizes a continuous “wave” of signal to carry information over radio channels. In contrast to digital technology, which allows upwards of 15 calls per channel, analog only permits 1 call per channel. Early cell phones all used analog technology. Although analog phones are still common, the majority of new handsets are digital and some carriers no longer offer analog service.

ANSI-41 a protocol standardized by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for enabling cdmaOne, cdma2000 and TDMA subscribers to roam between different wireless service operators’ systems to make and receive voice calls.

ANSI-136 another name for Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA).

Antenna a part of a cell phone that receives and transmits cellular radio-frequency transmissions.

Any-Key Answer a feature which enables a user to answer incoming calls easily by pressing any button on the keypad.

Any-Time Minutes refers to minutes which can be used anytime, without regard to peak/off-peak, day/night, or weekday/weeknight restrictions. Usually a specified number of these minutes are provided with a wireless plan.

ARM one of the three types of processors that can be found in Pocket PCS. Created by ARM Ltd., the ARM processor has a unique architecture compared to its two competitors (MIPS and SH3), and therefore can only run programs created specifically for it.

Asynchronous mode a transmission data standard, where data information is sent at non-regular intervals. Information is sent as necessary, instead of synchronized with a time signal.

Attenuation the decrease in signal strength as a result of absorption and scattering of energy by objects such as buildings, trees, people, etc.

Authentication a process that allows cellular phones and operators to confirm the identity of any phone that registers itself on the network trough doing or receiving a call.

Automatic Answer a feature that allows a user to answer incoming calls without pressing any keys. This feature is generally used in conjunction with a hands-free device.

Automatic Lock when activated the phone will automatically lock each time it is power is turned off to help prevent unauthorized use.

Automatic Redial automatically redials a busy number simply by pressing the send button.

See any errors? Have a suggestion for a wireless term? Please let us know.