Glossary

Common Industry Terms

1.5-Way Paging: Refers to guaranteed message receipt or advanced messaging, ensuring subscribers receive messages sent when they're out of range, but users cannot send text pages. Two-way paging allows users to send and receive.
1.7-Way Paging: A paging service that offers more than guaranteed messaging but not as much as full two-way paging. The subscriber has limited response messaging, such as canned messages, rather than the ability to create responses.
1G: First generation of mobile wireless that utilizes analog air interface technology.
2.5G: Interim step building up to 3G involving overlay of higher-capacity data transmission capability to existing 2G digital wireless networks.
2G: Second generation of mobile wireless, which utilizes various digital protocols, including GSM, CDMA, TDMA, iDEN, and PDC.
711: The nationwide number to reach the telecommunications relay service (TRS). TRS enables telephone conversations between people with speech or hearing disabilities and people without speech or hearing disabilities.
802.11: IEEE standards for wireless LANs with specs for 1mbps, 2mbps, 11mbps, and 24mbps.
A and B PCS Blocks: The first two PCS licenses that were auctioned by the FCC in March 1995. Each contains 30 MHz of spectrum in the 1900 MHz band and is based on MTA geographic partitions.
A Block: In early 1981, the FCC announced that it would approve two licenses in each wireless market: a non-wireline company (which became known as the "A" side carrier), and a wireline company (the "B" side carrier).
A-Key: A secret number issued to a cellular phone that is used in conjunction with a subscriber's shared secret data information for authentication.
A/B Switch: A feature found on cellular telephones permitting the user (when roaming away from home) to select either the "A" (non-wireline) carrier or the "B" (wireline) carrier.
Access Fee: A special fee that local telephone companies are allowed to charge all telephone customers for the right to connect with the local phone network. Cellular subscribers pay this fee along with a 3 percent federal telephone excise tax.
Access Line: A telephone line reaching from the telephone company central office to a point on a private premise. Usually equates to one customer line.
Adjacent Channel Interference: Signal impairment to one frequency due to presence of another signal on a nearby frequency.
Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN): A system that allows a wireless user to make and receive phone calls while roaming in areas outside the user's "home" network. AINs enable service providers to define, test and introduce new multimedia messaging, PCS and cell routing.
Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS): An analog cellular radio standard that serves as the foundation for the U.S. cellular industry. AMPS represents the first generation of wireless networks.
Affiliate: Companies that assist carriers with building a wireless network. The affiliate may use the primary carrier's brand name, network operations, customer service or other facilities.
Air Interface: The standard operating system of a wireless network. Technologies include AMPS, TDMA, CDMA and GSM.
Airtime: Actual time spent talking on the cellular telephone. Most carriers bill customers based on how many minutes of airtime they use each month. Airtime charges during peak periods of the day vary from about 20 cents to more than 40 cents per minute, depending on the service plan selected. Most carriers offer reduced rates for off-peak usage.
Alphanumeric: A message or other type of readout containing both letters ("alphas") and numbers ("numerics"). In cellular, "alphanumeric memory dial" is a special type of dial-from-memory option that displays both the name of the individual and that individual's 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.