(Manu Fernandez/Associated Press)

2G:

The second generation of cellular technology, which uses digital as opposed to old-style analogue signals. Technologies used by 2G cellular networks are based on either CDMA or GSM (see definitions, below). Although frequencies used in North America for both of these technologies include the 850 MHz, 900 MHz and 1900 MHz bands, the technologies are incompatible except when bridged by their carriers.

2.5G:

An interim step between 2G and 3G technology. It allows wireless data services, such as streaming audio and video, but at relatively slow speeds, or low data rates.

3G:

The third generation of cellphones and wireless services. 3G includes a range of "true" multimedia capabilities (sound, video, etc.), as well as increased bandwidth and transfer rates to accommodate the new multimedia functions of the phones.

Analog:

The traditional method of mobile telecommunications, analog cellphones use a continuous electrical signal, as opposed to pulses, in which the radio-frequency waves change in response to changes in the sound going into the phone. In contrast, digital technology, which is used by most modern cellphones, uses distinct electronic pulses to transmit the bits representing digitized sound, video and other data.

ARPU:

Average revenue per user, a key industry measure of how much customers pay for their services each month.

Bandwidth:

Also known as spectrum, bandwidth describes the capacity of a telecom line or a wireless signal to carry information. A greater bandwidth indicates the ability to transmit a greater amount of data over a given period of time.

Base Station:

A collection of equipment, including a transmitter, a receiver, and an antenna, that handles mobile telecommunications within a given physical area, or "cell." Base stations are often mounted on buildings or cellphone towers to increase their coverage area.

BlackBerry:

A trademarked handheld device made by Waterloo, Ont.-based Research In Motion (RIM) that allows users to store information, access e-mail, browse the internet and run programs, as well as send and receive phone calls.

Bluetooth:

A trademarked, low-power wireless technology designed to replace wires when connecting a variety of electronic devices. It's widely used to link gear such as cellphones, headsets, computers, printers, keyboards and mice.

Bricking:

Slang for an unlocked phone that is rendered useless (i.e. turned into a "brick") when the manufacturer releases a software or network upgrade.

Carrier:

A company that owns or operates transmission facilities, such as base towers, and offers telecommunication services to the general public.

CDMA:

Code Division Multiple Access, a technology that allows voice and data to be transmitted on the same frequency. Widely used in North America, it allows communications from numerous wireless users to simultaneously occupy a radio channel, but still be separated at the receiving end of the transmission link. Bell and Telus are the primary CDMA network operators in Canada.

Cellphone:

A portable radio device that uses electromagnetic radiation to transmit and receive signals through a network of fixed, low-power base stations.

Channel:

A radio-frequency pathway for the transmission of information between a sending point and a receiving point. Channels are often measured in terms of the amount of spectrum they occupy, measured in hertz.

Churn:

Percentage of a cellphone company's customers that terminate their services each month.

CRTC:

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, which regulates Canadian telecommunications service providers.

Data rate:

The speed at which information is transmitted over a network connection, usually measured in bits per second.

Digital:

Introduced in Canada in 1997, digital technology is now used by most modern cellphones. It stores, processes and transmits information using distinct electronic or optical pulses, as opposed to the continuous signal used by analog.

Dual-mode:

A cellphone that generally defaults to using a digital network connection, but is capable of communicating with an analog network if that's the only wireless service available in an area. This type of device is useful in remote areas that don't have digital PCS technology.

RF fields:

Radio-frequency fields are the type of electromagnetic radiation used by cellphones to transmit information. All electromagnetic waves are carried by particles called quanta. Particles that carry electromagnetic waves of lower-frequency (longer wavelength) fields, such as the ones emitted by mobile phones, carry less energy than those of higher-frequency (shorter wavelength) fields.

ESN:

An Electronic Serial Number identifies the cellphone to the cellular system for the purpose of placing and receiving calls. The ESN is broadcast to local base stations by the handset so that the phone can be located on the cellular network and traffic can be routed to it.

Frequency:

A specified band or range within the overall spectrum of electromagnetic radio waves used as a channel for sending or receiving communications. In practice, the term is used to describe the rights granted to carriers by Industry Canada to operate a radio-communications system using a given band in a specified area.

GSM:

Global System for Mobile communications is the most-used digital cellphone technology in the world, and is widely operated in the 900 MHz band. Rogers, which also owns Fido, is the only GSM network operator in Canada.

GPRS:

General Packet Radio Service, a data transmission technique that transmits and receives data in packets over GSM networks. It allows providers to charge for the amount of information the user downloads, rather than the duration of the connection. It also allows a continuous connection to the network.

Handset:

A hand-held device used to send and receive calls from a wireless system. The most common is a cellphone or smart phone.

Headset:

An accessory consisting of an earpiece and/or a microphone, which enables wearers to carry on conversations without holding cellphones in their hands. The headset can be connected to the cellphone by a wire, or may be wireless, as are Bluetooth-enabled phones and headsets.

Hz:

Hertz is the dimensional unit for measuring the frequency of electromagnetic signal cycles — one hertz equals one cycle per second. MHz, which stands for millions of hertz, is the unit used to measure cellphone frequencies.

Industry Canada:

The federal department responsible for the regulation, management and allocation of radio spectrum. It dictates the technical requirements for various wireless systems.

Landline:

The traditional telephone services provided over wires to homes and businesses. A cordless phone is still referred to as a landline phone, because it needs its charging stand/base station (which is connected to a landline) to work.

Location-based services:

Targeted advertising, proposed for cellphones, which would focus on marketing products or services in the same geographic area as the user. For example, a coupon for a certain product might be beamed to people's phones as they walk near a store carrying that product. For the technology to work, mobile devices would have to have Global Positioning System capability, and customers would have to willingly transmit their locations for advertisement purposes.

mAh:

Milliampere-hours is the unit used to measure the capacity of a wireless phone battery — a larger mAh number potentially indicates longer battery life.

MMS:

Multimedia Messaging Service is a newer version of SMS designed to send photos, video and audio clips, as well as text.

Multi-band (or multiple band):

A phone that has multi-band (or multiple-band) capability can switch between frequencies. Dual-band, tri-band and quad-band phones are all multi-band devices.

MVNO:

Mobile Virtual Network Operator. A company that does not own a cellphone network, but instead buys airtime from an owner to resell to customers. Canadian MVNOs include Virgin Mobile, which buys airtime from Bell, and Videotron, which buys from Rogers.

Non-ionizing radiation:

Radiation on the lower end of the electromagnetic spectrum, including the type emitted by mobile telecommunication devices. Frequencies in this category do not emit enough energy to break chemical bonds, and are believed not to cause ionization or radioactivity in the body.

PCS:

A Personal Communications Service is a mobile communications system connected with the public switched telephone network (PSTN). In Canada and the United States, PCS spectrum has been allocated for use at the 2 GHz frequency range.

PDA:

A Personal Digital Assistant is a hand-held device with functions for organizing data and contacts, maintaining a calendar, and basic computing.

Per-minute billing:

Any call that uses a portion of a minute is rounded up and billed as a whole minute under this system. For example, if you make a call that lasts two minutes and two seconds, you are billed for a three-minute call.

Per-second billing:

Airtime for each call is calculated and billed to the second and not to the minute. For example, if you make a call that lasts two minutes and two seconds, you are billed for a call of that length.

Postpaid:

A service where the customer is on a contract and receives a monthly bill. The bill usually includes a standard monthly rate, plus charges for any additional minutes or data used above the contracted terms.

Prepaid:

A service where the customer buys minutes up front, usually through a card purchased in a retail store.

PSTN:

The Public Switched Telephone Network, also referred to as the Plain Old Telephone Service, or POTS, is the global collection of interconnected public telephone networks.

Roaming:

A service offered by mobile communications network operators that allows subscribers to use their cellphones while in an area covered only by another service provider's wireless network. Roaming requires an agreement between operators of technologically compatible systems.

Service Plan:

The rate plan selected when choosing a wireless phone service. In Canada, a service plan typically consists of a fixed number of minutes per month. Service plans are designed to provide cost-effective rates for different types and amounts of use.

SIM:

A Subscriber Identity Module card is a small printed circuit board that must be inserted in any GSM-based mobile phone to allow the phone to access the global network. It contains subscriber details, security information and memory. The SIM card also stores data that identifies the caller to the network service provider, and the card is transferable to other GSM phones.

Smart phone:

A hand-held device that integrates various cellphone and PDA capabilities. Besides sending and receiving phone calls, a smart phone can also allow users to store information, access e-mail, and run programs.

SMS:

Short Message Service, or text messaging, is the term for using keypads of mobile telecommunications devices to compose written notes, then sending and receiving messages using wireless handsets.

Spectrum:

A term generally applied to radio frequencies. In the United States and Canada, PCS spectrum has been allocated by the government for use at the 2 GHz frequency range. In December 1995, Industry Canada awarded two 30 MHz licences and two 10 MHz licences for wireless communications systems, and also reserved one 30 MHz licence and one 10 MHz licence.

TDMA:

Time Division Multiple Access is a digital wireless transmission procedure in which each user's information is identified by a unique time-slot in a digital data stream. This technique allows separation of the data during transmission to make efficient use of the network's bandwidth, then reconstruction of that data into a complete message at the receiving end of the transmission link. GSM and PCS-1900 (a GSM variant) are both examples of TDMA systems.

Trunking:

Allows a larger number of users to access frequencies simultaneously by assigning customer calls to the first available frequency, providing faster access to the system and reducing chances of a blocked call.

Unlocked:

Handsets that aren't locked to a specific carrier's service package. Carriers often cover part of the cost of a handset in order to get people to buy a long-term service plan, and they "lock" the phone to make sure the customer can't easily switch to a competing carrier or use it on another company's network.

World phone:

A quad-band cellphone that works in countries all around the world, assuming the person's carrier has a roaming agreement with a provider in each country.

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