| # |
| 3G | The third generation of wireless services that include high-speed data, video and music over high bandwidth access. |
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| A |
| Activation Fee | Charged by service providers to configure a phone to work on a carrier’s network. There is usually a charge to activate your phone, somewhere around $25. |
| Additional Features | Select extra features to get the most from your phone and plan, including free long distance, walkie-talkie and PDA functionality. |
| Additional Minutes | The rate per minute charged by the provider if you exceed your rate plan’s included minutes. |
| Advanced Mobile Phone Service | The traditional cellular phone system. |
| Air Interface | The operating system that a wireless phone is on. These include AMPS CDMA, GSM, and TDMA (see glossary terms for definitions). |
| Airtime | The amount of time customers spend talking over their wireless networks, for which they are billed by the carrier. Usually includes both incoming and outgoing calls. |
| Alphanumeric Display | A display screen on a phone, usually an LCD screen, for both text and numbers. |
| Alphanumeric Messaging | The capability to display messages on a phone in both text and numbers. |
| AMPS | See Advanced Mobile Phone Service. |
| Analog | The original cellular air interface, or technology, used to transmit voice from the wireless phone to the cellular antenna and base station. Analog waves are continuous sound waves that are transmitted from point to point. |
| Antenna | A device for transmitting and receiving radio signals. |
| Anytime Minutes | Refers to minutes used when Night & Weekend Minutes do not apply. If you call during peak times, you will be using your anytime minutes. |
| Area Code | A three-digit telephone number prefix assigned to a calling area. |
| Automatic Call Delivery | A service feature that allows a user to receive calls even when roaming outside of the phone’s home coverage area. |
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| B |
| Bandwidth | The amount of data you can send through a channel. Usually measured in bits-per-second (bps). The greater the bandwidth, the more data transmitted over a given period of time. |
| Battery Talk Time | The amount of time a battery can power a phone without being recharged. |
| Bluetooth | Technology that provides wireless data connections by enabling information exchange between devices such as computers, mobile phones and handheld PCs. |
| Bundling | Grouping various telecommunications services as a package. A bundled package could include long distance, cellular, Internet, and cable services. |
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| C |
| Call Blocking | Lets user prevent incoming calls from specified callers. |
| Call Forwarding | Allows callers to receive calls at another number when they know they will be away from their phone. |
| Call Return | Usually called *69, this feature allows the user to get the number of the last incoming call. |
| Call Waiting | Allows a user to be notified of another incoming call while a call is already in progress, and gives the user the ability to answer the second call while the first call remains on hold. |
| Caller ID | Displays a caller’s telephone number and/or name before the call is answered. |
| Calling Area | The geographic area where you can use included minutes and services without incurring roaming charges. |
| Camera/Video | Phone allows you to take digital pictures and record videos. |
| Cancellation Fee | A charge for canceling your cellular service contract before the contract has ended. This can be as much as $200. |
| Carrier | A company that provides telecommunications services. Same as Service Provider. |
| CDMA | See Code Division Multiple Access. |
| Cell | The geographic region that is serviced by one base station in either analog cellular or digital networks. |
| Cellular | The type of wireless communication that is most familiar to mobile phones users. Called cellular because the system uses many base stations to divide a service area into multiple cells. Cellular calls are transferred from base station to base station as a user travels from cell to cell. |
| Changeable Faceplate | Snap-on faceplate can customize the look of the phone. These accessories come in a variety of colors and designs. |
| Code Division Multiple Access | One method the digital technologies use for wireless phone service. CDMA encodes each call as a coded sequence across the entire frequency spectrum. Each conversation is modulated, in the digital domain, with a unique code that makes it distinguishable from the other calls in the frequency spectrum. |
| Color Screen | Color LCD displays can be used to view pictures and surf the Web. |
| Contract Term | Length of time the carrier requires customer to keep and pay for wireless service. Cancellation fees usually apply if service is stopped before a contract term expires. |
| Coverage Area | The area in which you can use your wireless service as determined by your service provider. It usually includes your service area around your home as well as some extended service areas where can use your service, but where you may be charged long distance and/or roaming charges. Same as Service Area. |
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| D |
| Digital | A technology that transmits phone signals across long distances by converting voice and data into binary codes of zeros and ones and sending it across networks of small regions, one region at a time, at a certain wavelength. These networks are also known as Personal Communications Service (PCS) networks, a name branded by Sprint. |
| Digital Camera | Phone comes with a built-in digital camera. |
| Digital Capable | Phone is capable of wireless connection to the Internet. |
| Directory Assistance | The amount you will be charged for 411 calls. |
| Downloadable Ring Tones | A feature that lets the user download ring tones to the phone, such as a favorite song, sound effect or celebrity’s voice. |
| Dual Band | A feature on some digital phones that allows it to operate on analog networks when digital service is not available and vice versa. |
| Dual Mode | Describes a phone that works on both analog and digital networks. |
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| E |
| Early Termination Fee | The maximum fee for canceling service before the end of your carrier’s contract term. |
| Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio | Systems that use digital radio transmission similar to other digital technologies. Spread-spectrum modes, such as frequency hopping, are common. One major difference from other networks is that in an ESMR system, connection between users is almost instantaneous, compared with the typical delay required to dial and set up a call in a public cellular network. |
| ESMR | See Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio. |
| Exclusive Online Offer | Some limited time offers are available only online. |
| Extended Service Area | The part of the carrier’s coverage area where you can use the network; you may be charged roaming and/or long distance charges, however. |
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| F |
| FCC | (Federal Communications Commission) A U.S. government agency responsible for regulating communications industries. |
| First Incoming Minute Free | Applies to incoming phone calls within your home calling area. |
| FM Radio | A built-in FM radio can be listened to through a headset or speakerphone. |
| Frequency | A measure of the energy, as one or more waves per second, in an electrical or light wave information signal. A signal’s frequency is stated in either cycles-per-second or Hertz (Hz). |
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| G |
| GHz | (gigaHertz) Billions of Hertz. |
| Global Positioning System | A series of 24 geosynchronous satellites that continuously transmit their position. Used in personal tracking, navigation, and automatic vehicle location technologies. |
| Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) | The main technology used by the European systems. Used by only a small percentage of wireless carriers in the United States. |
| GPS | See Global Positioning System. |
| GSM | See Global System for Mobile Communications. |
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| H |
| Handheld Device Markup Language | A language used to create Web sites accessible to wireless devices. |
| Hands-Free | An important safety feature for mobile phones that allows drivers to use their car phone without lifting or holding the handset to their ears. |
| Hands-Free Speakerphone | A feature of some wireless phones that allows users to talk and listen to calls hands-free. |
| Handset | Any handheld device used to transmit and receive calls from a wireless system. Also known as a wireless, cellular, mobile, or PCS phone. |
| HDML | See Handheld Device Markup Language. |
| Hertz | A measurement of electromagnetic energy, equivalent to one "wave" or cycle per second. |
| Home Coverage Area | The part of the wireless carrier’s coverage area where the rates are lowest, with no long distance or roaming fees. |
| Hz | See Hertz. |
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| I |
| Incremental Charge | The method of rounding used by wireless carriers to compute your bill. Carriers usually round up to the next full minute of airtime, although some providers round to the closest six seconds or one second. |
| Integrated Digital Enhanced Network | A Motorola-enhanced, specialized mobile radio network technology that combines two-way radio, telephone, text messaging, and data transmission into one network. |
| Integrated Services Digital Network | An advanced, high-capacity landline technology used for high-speed data transfer. |
| Internationally Capable | Phone can be used for international calls to certain destinations. Note: Please check rate plan for details. |
| Internet Access | See Wireless Internet. |
| ISDN | See Integrated Services Digital Networking. |
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| K |
| Kbps | Stands for kilobytes-per-second, and is used for measuring the speed at which data is transmitted. |
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| L |
| LCD | See Liquid Crystal Display. |
| Legal Agreement | Your carrier’s contract with you that spells out the terms of your service. |
| LEO | See Low-Earth Orbit. |
| Liquid Crystal Display | A flat-panel screen used to display numbers and/or characters. Often found on a wireless handset. |
| LNP | See Local Number Portability. |
| Local Calling Area | The region across which the call is truly local, involving no toll charges. |
| Local Number Portability | What this means is that you can sign up for the new service that you have chosen, and keep a number that you already have on an existing account! Starting 5/24/04, the FCC is requiring wireless carriers to allow customers to carry existing phone numbers over from wireless carriers to wireless carriers, and from land line carriers to wireless carriers within the same local area. |
| Long Distance Per Minute | Applies to long distance calls made to numbers within the domestic United States. |
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| M |
| Memory Dialing | A feature that allows you to store frequently called numbers and access them by dialing one number. |
| Message Alert | A light or other indicator on a wireless phone that notifies a user that a call has come in. A useful feature especially if the wireless subscriber has voice mail. |
| Metropolitan Service Area | (MSA) An area defined by the U.S. government for use in grouping census data and other statistics. MSA’s include a city of at least 50,000 people or an urbanized area of at least 100,000 people and the counties that include these areas. Not all areas of the United States are in an MSA. The FCC used these area definitions to license cellular telephone service carriers. There are 306 regions of the United States designated as MSA’s. |
| MHz | Megahertz, which equals 1 million cycles per second. |
| Micro-Browser | Software loaded onto some wireless phones that is analogous to the Web browser you use to access the Internet from your home or work PC. |
| MIN | See Mobile Identification Number. |
| Mobile Identification Number | The 10-digit phone number assigned to your cellular phone. |
| Mobile-to-Mobile Calling | Calls made or received from people on your family plan or others using the same carrier. See your rate plan for details. |
| Mode | Designates the number of networks needed for the phone to operate. Single mode phones operate on only one type of network (e.g., analog or digital); dual mode phones on both analog and digital; and tri-mode phones on analog, digital and digital PCS. |
| Monthly Fee | The monthly cost to have service from a wireless carrier. Does not include charges if you exceed your monthly minutes or other fees. See your rate plan for details. |
| MP3 Player | Digital music files can be transferred from a computer to the phone and played back through a telephone headset. |
| MSA | See Metropolitan Service Area. |
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| N |
| NAMPS | See Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service. |
| Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service | Wireless technology that incorporates some digital technology to allow the system to carry about three times as many calls as the original version of AMPS. |
| Nationwide Long Distance | Calling to anywhere in the United States from anywhere in the United States. An additional per-minute fee typically is charged. |
| NiCad | See Nickel Cadmium Battery. |
| Nickel Cadmium Battery | The earliest form of rechargeable battery for wireless phones. |
| Night & Weekend Minutes | Minutes used weeknights (hours designated by carrier), Saturday and Sunday. |
| No Service Indicator | A feature of wireless phones that tells the user that wireless service is unavailable in a particular location. Usually an LED on the handset. |
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| O |
| Off-Peak | Designated times when calling rates are low - generally evenings and weekends. |
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| P |
| Paging | A feature of a wireless device that allows reception of a signal or alphanumeric message. |
| PCS | See Personal Communication Services. |
| PDA | See PDA Functionality. |
| PDA Functionality | Phone includes Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) functionality, enabling the user to receive and send e-mails, create schedules, organize lists and other tasks. |
| Peak Period(s) | Any time of day, as determined by a wireless carrier, when there are high levels of communications traffic on the system. |
| Personal Communications Services | A two-way, 1900 MHz digital voice, messaging and data service designed as the second generation of cellular. |
| Personal Digital Assistant | See PDA Functionality. |
| Plan Type | Identifies whether the plan is designed for individual use or for calling within a family or shared plan. |
| Prepaid Cellular | A system allowing subscribers to pay in advance for wireless service. Prepaid is generally used for customers with little or no credit history, students, or those who want to adhere to a budget. |
| Price After Savings | Amount you will be charged after instant savings are deducted. All pricing on Best Buy Cellular Solutions is now instant savings. |
| Primary Calling Area | The part of the wireless carrier’s coverage area where the rates are lowest, with no long distance or roaming fees. Also called Home Coverage Area. |
| Promotions | Many of our service providers have special offers when you order their products and services. Some discounts or additional benefits (free long distance minutes, for example) are applied directly to your bill. For a rebate, you may be required to send in a form. |
| Push-to-Talk Enabled | A subscription service that enables communication with the touch of a button. A special handset and subscription are required for both the originating and terminating parties. |
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| R |
| Roadside Assistance | An added feature that gives you roadside emergency help. |
| Roaming | Using your phone outside of your local service area. You usually are charged an additional per-minute fee for this service, and may also be charged an additional monthly roaming fee for the first use per month. |
| Roaming Indicator | The symbol on your phone that indicates that you are outside of your home area. |
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| S |
| Security Deposit | Some carriers may require a security deposit for customers with poor or no credit ratings. |
| Service Area | The geographic area served by a wireless system. Same as Coverage Area. |
| Service Charge | The amount you pay each month to receive wireless service. This amount is fixed, and paid monthly regardless of how much or how little you use your wireless phone. |
| Service Plan | Rate or calling plan provided by a wireless carrier. Calling rates, allotted minutes per month, and monthly fees vary by the service plan. |
| Service Provider | Synonymous with Wireless Carrier. A company that supplies telecommunication services (examples include AT&T, Sprint PCS, Verizon). |
| Short Message Service | The ability to send and receive text messages on your wireless phone. Works much like e-mail with a limitation to the number of characters you can send and receive, usually 100 to 200 characters maximum. |
| Single Band Phone | A wireless phone that operates on only one frequency (for example only analog or digital). |
| Single Mode | A wireless phone that operates on only one frequency. |
| Smart Phone | A class of wireless phones typically used to describe handsets with many features and often a keyboard. What makes the phone "smart" is its ability to handle data, not only voice calls. |
| SMS | See Short Message Service. |
| Speakerphone | Telephone equipped with speaker and microphone so conversations can be conducted without a handset. |
| Standby Time | The amount of time you can leave your phone on before you will need to recharge your battery. |
| Style | Commonly refers to the phone’s design. Style usually falls into one of these categories: open-faced (no keypad/display cover) or flip or clamshell phones (with a keypad/display cover). |
| Subscriber | A cellular phone user. |
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| T |
| Talk Time | The amount of time you can actually talk on your phone before you have to recharge your battery. |
| TDMA | See Time Division Multiple Access. |
| Technology | Refers to the operating system that enables communication between a wireless phone and its carrier (e.g., AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, GSM, and ESMR). |
| Termination Charges | Fees that wireless telephone companies pay to complete calls on landline phone networks, or vice versa. |
| Text Messaging | A service that enables the user to send, receive and reply to short text messages, usually under 150 characters in length. This feature requires a subscription. |
| Three-Way Calling | Lets you talk to two people at the same time, even if you didn’t initiate the call. |
| Time Division Multiple Access | A method of digital wireless communications transmission that allows a large number of users to access (in sequence) a single radio frequency channel without interference by allocating unique time slots to each user within each channel. |
| Toll Charges | Charges for placing long distance calls. |
| Toll-Free Calling Area | An area in which calls can be placed without incurring long distance charges. |
| Tri-Mode Phone | Phones that work on three frequencies, typically using 1900 MHz, 800 MHz digital, or reverting to 800 MHz analog cellular when digital is not available. Also, these phones may have the ability to work on 900 MHz networks overseas. |
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| V |
| Vibrating Alert | A feature that causes the phone to vibrate instead of ring to indicate an incoming call. |
| Voice Mail | A system that answers phone calls and records incoming messages. |
| Voice Recognition | The capability for cellular phones, PCs, and other communications devices to be activated or controlled by voice commands. |
| Voice-Activated Dialing | A feature that allows callers to use their voice to dial a number. The feature contributes to convenience as well as safe driving. |
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| W |
| Walkie-Talkie | A subscription service that enables communication with the touch of a button. A special handset and subscription are required for both the originating and terminating parties. |
| WAP | See Wireless Application Protocol. |
| Warranty | Length of phone manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase. |
| Web Features | Features that enable wireless connection to the Internet. |
| Web-Enabled | A feature that enables wireless connection to the Internet. |
| Wireless | Use of the radio-frequency spectrum for transmitting and receiving voice, data, and video signals for communications. |
| Wireless Application Protocol | A universal standard created to allow access to the wireless Internet. |
| Wireless Carrier | A company that provides wireless telecommunications services. Same as Service Provider. |
| Wireless Internet | An RF-based service that provides access Internet e-mail and/or the World Wide Web. |
| WLNP | See Local Number Portability. |
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