Glossary of Cellular Phone Service Related Terms

A/B Switching

Most cellular phones have the ability to switch to the "A" or the "B" frequency bands. This feature is useful when roaming outside Canada.

AC Wall Charger

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

Accelerated Life Testing (ALT)

The process of simulating five years of use within four weeks. Testing includes exposing the phone to a variety of extreme environmental conditions as well as cycles that mimic several years of use.

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.

Activation

The act of programming a wireless phone, allowing it to be active on the wireless network and giving it the ability to make and receive calls.

Activation Fee

A one-time charge for activation of a cellular phone and plan. Most carriers charge this fee, although the amount often varies.

Active Keypad Cover/Hinge Mechanism

Opening the keypad cover will answer a call, closing the keypad cover will end a call. Provides proper ear-to-mouth relation and optimizes the compact, pocketable form.

AGPS-- (Assisted Global Positioning System)

is a method used for determining mobile station (MS) location in terms of universal latitude and longitude coordinates. This capability has been mandated for wireless carriers in the United States by the Federal Communication Commission so emergency callers can be easily located in times of crisis. AGPS implies that the mobile not only has GPS hardware and software but that the wireless network is providing the mobile with short assistance messages.

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.

Alarm Clock

Your pager alarm can be set for a specific time and date or can used as a daily alarm.

Alert Call

The tactful method by which a user can contact another Push To Talk recipient without barging-in and automatically speaking. The recipients handset plays an audible tone and displays a message indicating someone wants to speak with them.

Alkaline

A battery technology used in personal cellular telephones.

Alphabetic Directory

Allows storage of names and phone numbers in alphabetic order for easy retrieval.

Alphabetic Scroll

Similar to a built-in phone book, this feature allows scrolling alphabetically through the names in the directory for easy retrieval.

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.

Alphanumeric Directory

Allows storage of names and phone numbers for easy retrieval.

Alphanumeric Display

A display, usually LCD, that has the ability to display both text and numbers. Most often found on the front of a wireless handset or pager.

Alternate Phone Line/Line Service

The phone allows you to have two phone numbers to keep business and personal calls separate.

AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service)

AMPS is used in North and South America. It is also the most common system in the Asia/Pacific region and can be found in countries such as Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Israel.

Analog

The original form of cellular service using waveform transmissions.

Analog Only

A digital feature allowing the sending of voice channel operations (i.e., fax machines, personal computers with modems, etc.) without having to manually seek an analog channel each time.

Answering Machine

The phone's internal memory allows callers to leave a personal message.

Any-Key Answer

A phone feature that lets you answer an incoming call by pressing any key on the keypad.

Anytime Minutes

Also known as "any time" minutes and "whenever" minutes. The number of minutes in a specific calling plan that can be used at any time on any day of the week. If a user exceeds this specified number, he/she is usually charged for these additional minutes at another (usually higher) rate.

Audible Call Timer

A phone feature that helps you track your airtime usage by alerting you 10 seconds before the end of each minute of use. This allows you to hang up before you’re charged for a full minute of airtime.

Audible Keypad Tone

Confirms that a key has been pressed properly. Helps avoid airtime charges to incorrect numbers.

Authentication

A fraud prevention technology that takes a number of values to create a shared, secret value used to verify a user's authenticity.

Authentication Capable

Your phone is equipped with an A-Key which acts as a PIN number that offers you and the cellular service provider an additional level of security against cellular fraud.

Auto Answer

A phone feature that lets you answer an incoming call after a set number of rings without you having to press a single key.

Auto Redial

A phone feature that automatically redials a busy number.

Automatic Answer

Allows call answering without pressing the SND button. After a brief ring, simply lift the unit to your ear and begin the conversation.

Automatic Backlighting

Touching any key will illuminate the display and keypad for viewing ease.

Automatic Display Timer

Set On to automatically display the Last Call Timer at the end of each phone call.

Automatic Hands Free

When this feature is enabled, simply hang up the phone to begin a hands free conversation.

Automatic Lock

When activated the phone will automatically lock each time it is turned off to help prevent unauthorized use.

Automatic Redial (on system busy)

Upon a System Busy signal, simply press the SND button and the phone will redial the call.

Automatic Tone Altering (mobiles)

In areas where quality phone connections cannot be made, the phone will sound a series of beeps to signal that an incoming call was attempted.

Auxiliary Alert

When activated, incoming calls will cause the vehicle horn to sound or (installation option) headlights to flash to alert the user to return to the vehicle.