Wireless and mobile

Terms related to wireless and mobile technology, including definitions about consumer mobile technology devices and communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX and LTE.

CIT - GSM

Citizen's Band Radio (CB) - The Citizen's Band (CB) Radio Service, also known simply as CB, is a public, two-way personal radio service.
Citrix X1 Mouse - The Citrix X1 Mouse is a small Bluetooth device that allows users to navigate Windows virtual desktops and applications on mobile devices.
Citrix XenMobile - Citrix XenMobile is mobile management software that provides mobile device management (MDM), mobile application management (MAM) and cloud file-sharing capabilities.
cloud radio access network (C-RAN) - C-RAN, or cloud radio access network, is a centralized, cloud computing-based architecture for radio access networks (RAN) that enables large-scale deployment, collaborative radio technology support and real time virtualization capabilities.
coaxial antenna - A coaxial antenna is a variant of the dipole antenna, designed for use with an unbalanced feed line.
coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (COFDM) - Coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (COFDM) is a telecommunications modulation scheme that divides a single digital signal across 1,000 or more signal carriers simultaneously.
coexistence testing - Coexistence testing, similar to compatibility testing, is a method of measuring the ability of multiple devices to interact in a single environment with limited bandwidth.
commodity - A commodity is a type of widely-available product that is not markedly dissimilar from one unit to another.
common short code (CSC) - Common short codes (CSC) are short telephone numbers, usually consisting of five digits, that are used to address SMS and MMS messages from cellular telephones.
communication portal - A communication portal is a service that allows individuals, businesses, schools and government agencies to share information from diverse sources using unified communications (UC) media.
configuration profile (CP) - A configuration profile (CP) is an XML file that an IT administrator can use to customize settings on an end user's Apple iOS or Mac OS X device.
contactless payment - A contactless payment is a wireless financial transaction in which the customer authorizes monetary compensation for a purchase by moving a security token in close proximity to the vendor's point of sale (PoS) reader.
context awareness - Context awareness is the ability of a system or system component to gather information about its environment at any given time and adapt behaviors accordingly.
COPE (corporate-owned, personally enabled) - COPE (corporate-owned personally-enabled) is a business model in which an organization provides its employees with mobile computing devices and allows the employees to use them as if they were personally-owned notebook computers, tablets or smartphones.
cord cutting - Cord cutting, in a telecommunications context, is the practice of stopping a cable or satellite television service in favor of less expensive options, or getting rid of your landline phone and relying solely on cellular or VoIP (voice over IP) service.
corporate mobility policy - A corporate mobility policy is a set of guidelines, established by a corporation, that govern the use and security of mobile devices such as smartphones, PDAs and tablets within the corporate network.
corporate VM (corporate virtual machine) - A corporate VM (corporate virtual machine) is a virtual computing environment (VM) that is allocated to an end user for business use.
Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) - Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) is an encryption protocol based on the U.
creative destruction - Creative destruction is a process through which something new brings about the demise of whatever existed before it.
CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance) - CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance) is a protocol for carrier transmission in 802.
customer proprietary network information (CPNI) - Customer proprietary network information (CPNI) in the United States is information that telecommunications services -- such as local, long-distance and wireless telephone companies -- acquire about their subscribers.
CYOD (choose your own device) - CYOD (choose your own device) is an alternative model to BYOD (bring your own device) that involves allowing employees to select the device they want from among a limited number of options.
data cap (broadband cap) - A data cap is a specific amount of mobile data that a user account can access for a given amount of money, usually specified per month.
data plan (mobile data plan) - Since the advent of the smartphone made mobile Internet possible, most carriers offer data plans at varying rates based on the amount of data transfer allowed before a data cap is imposed.
dead zone (Wi-Fi dead zone) - A dead zone (Wi-Fi dead zone) is an area within a wireless LAN location where Wi-Fi does not function, typically due to radio interference or range issues.
DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) - Unlike the analog cordless phones you may have in your home, DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) is a digital wireless telephone technology that is expected to make cordless phones much more common in both businesses and homes in the future.
dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) - Dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) is a wireless communication technology designed to allow automobiles in the intelligent transportation system (ITS) to communicate with other automobiles or infrastructure technology.
device ID (device identification) - A device ID (device identification) is a distinctive number associated with a smartphone or similar handheld device.
device-agnostic (device agnosticism) - Device agnosticism, or device-agnostic, is the capacity of a computing component to work with various systems without requiring any particular adaptations.
digital audio broadcasting (DAB) - .
digital pen - A digital pen is a battery-operated writing instrument that allows the user to digitally capture a handwritten note or drawing.
digital tattoo - With more than one meaning, a digital tattoo is to a temporary tattoo that is outfitted with electronics, such as sensors or a near field communication (NFC) chip.
digital wallet - A digital wallet is a software application that serves as an electronic version of a physical wallet, digitizing credit and debit card information to enable consumers to make purchases from their smartphones.
digital wellness (digital wellbeing) - Digital wellness (digital wellbeing) is the use of technology to ensure an employee's physical and mental health.
direct broadcast satellite (DBS) - Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) refers to satellite television (TV) systems in which the subscribers, or end users, receive signals directly from geostationary satellites.
direct mobile billing - Direct mobile billing is a method of paying for merchandise by charging the purchase to a cellular telephone (mobile phone) account.
directional antenna - A directional antenna is a radio-frequency (RF) wireless antenna designed to function more effectively in some directions than in others.
discontinuous transmission (DTX) - Discontinuous transmission (DTX) is a method of momentarily powering-down, or muting, a mobile or portable wireless telephone set when there is no voice input to the set.
disposable phone number - A disposable phone number is a virtual phone number that is usable temporarily.
distributed antenna system (DAS) - A distributed antenna system (DAS) is a way to deal with isolated spots of poor coverage inside a large building by installing a network of relatively small antennas throughout the building to serve as repeaters.
distributor - A distributor is an intermediary entity between a the producer of a product and another entity in the distribution channel or supply chain, such as a retailer, a value-added reseller (VAR) or a system integrator (SI).
downlink and uplink - These terms should not be confused with downstream and upstream.
driver assistance - Driver assistance, also known as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), are technologies used to make motor vehicle travel safer by automating, improving or adapting some or all of the tasks involved in operating a vehicle.
dual persona (mobile device management) - Dual persona, in a mobile management context, is the provisioning and maintenance of two separate and independent end user environments on a single mobile device.
dual Wi-Fi antenna - A dual Wi-Fi antenna is a pair of identical antennas on a wireless router or Wi-Fi-equipped device, intended to eliminate signal fading and dead spots.
dual-SIM phone - A dual SIM phone is a mobile phone, typically a smart phone, with the capacity to use two subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.
dumbphone (dumb phone) - A dumbphone (also seen as dumb phone) is a mobile telephone that, unlike a smartphone, has little-to-no computing or internet capacity.
E.164 - E.164 is an international numbering plan for public telephone systems in which each assigned number contains a country code (CC), a national destination code (NDC), and a subscriber number (SN).
E911 (Enhanced 911) - In the United States, E911 (Enhanced 91 is support for wireless phone users who dial 911, the standard number for requesting help in an emergency.
electret microphone - An electret microphone is a widely-used electronic communications and audio recording device.
electric vehicle charging station - An electric vehicle charging station is equipment that connects an EV to a source of electricity to recharge electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
electronic paper display (EPD) - An electronic paper display (EPD) is an electrically-charged surface that replicates the look and experience of ink on paper.
embedded device - An embedded device is an object that contains a special-purpose computing system.
emoji - An emoji is a small image, either static or animated, that represents an emotion, an item or a concept (among other possibilities) in digital communications.
enterprise mobility management (EMM) - Enterprise mobility management (EMM) is software that allows organizations to securely enable employee use of mobile devices and applications.
enterprise wipe - Enterprise wipe is a security feature offered by many Mobile Device Management (MDM) products which selectively erases only those device settings, user data, applications, and application data that were previously installed by that MDM.
enterprise-mobile integration (EMI) - Enterprise-mobile integration (EMI) is a form of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) that provides integration between communications carriers and enterprise networks.
ephemeral messaging - Ephemeral messaging is the mobile-to-mobile transmission of multimedia messages that automatically disappear from the recipient's screen after the message has been viewed.
EUTELSAT (European Telecommunications Satellite Organization) - EUTELSAT (European Telecommunications Satellite Organization) refers to both the organization and its set of satellites that were placed in geostationary orbits over Europe beginning in 1983.
evil twin attack - An evil twin attack is a rogue Wi-Fi access point (AP) that masquerades as a legitimate one, enabling an attacker to gain access to sensitive information without the end user's knowledge.
Evolved Packet Core (EPC) - Evolved Packet Core (EPC) is a flat architecture that provides a converged voice and data networking framework to connect users on a Long-Term Evolutio (LTE) network.
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) - The Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is a protocol for wireless networks that expands the authentication methods used by the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), a protocol often used when connecting a computer to the internet.
Facebook Messenger - Facebook Messenger is a mobile app that enables chat, voice and video communications between Facebook web-based messaging and smartphones.
FaceTime - FaceTime is an Apple video telephony application that allows users to make a video call over the internet with a forward-facing camera on iOS and macOS devices.
Fairphone - Insofar as possible, Fairphone is made from recycled, recyclable and responsibly-sourced goods as well as minimal packaging.
Family Link - Family Link is the parental control app for Android devices.
FDMA (frequency division multiple access) - .
feed line - In a wireless communications or broadcasting antenna system, the feed line connects the antenna to the receiver, transmitter, or transceiver.
FeliCa - .
field of view (FOV) - Field of view (FOV) is the open, observable area a person can see through their eyes or via an optical device, such as a camera.
field-effect transistor (FET) - A field-effect transistor (FET) is a type of transistor commonly used for weak-signal amplification (for example, for amplifying wireless signals).
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) - Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM), formerly called Google Cloud Messaging (GCM), is a free cloud service from Google that allows app developers to send notifications and messages to users across a variety of platforms, including Android, iOS and web applications.
Firefox OS - Firefox OS is a Linux-based mobile operating system designed for smartphones, tablets and smart TVs.
Firesheep - Firesheep is a Firefox plug-in that automates session hijacking attacks over unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
fixed wireless - Fixed wireless networking refers to the operation of wireless devices in fixed locations such as homes and offices.
fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) - Fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) is the trend towards seamless connectivity between fixed and wireless telecommunications networks.
FlashMob supercomputer - A FlashMob supercomputer is a group of computer enthusiasts who gather together in one physical location for a brief time period in order to function as a supercomputer and work on a single problem.
FOMO (fear of missing out) - The fear of missing out (FOMO) is an emotional response to the belief that other people are living better, more satisfying lives or that important opportunities are being missed.
FPV drone (first-person view drone) - An FPV drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a camera that wirelessly transmits video feed to goggles, a headset, a mobile device or another display.
free-space optics (FSO) - Free-space optics (FSO), also called free-space photonics (FSP), refers to the transmission of modulated visible or infrared (IR) beams through the atmosphere to obtain broadband communications.
frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) - In frequency-division multiplexing (FDM), multiple signals are combined for transmission on a single communications line or channel, with each signal assigned to a different frequency (subchannel) within the main channel.
frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) - Frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) transmission is the repeated switching of the carrier frequency during radio transmission to reduce interference and avoid interception.
fronthaul - Fronthaul, also known as mobile fronthaul, is a term that refers to the fiber-based connection of the cloud radio access network (C-RAN), a new type of cellular network architecture of centralized baseband units (BBUs) and remote radio heads (RRHs) at the access layer of the network.
full-disk encryption (FDE) - What is full-disk encryption (FDE)?Full-disk encryption (FDE) is encryption at the hardware level.
gamification - Gamification is the application of game theory concepts and techniques to non-game activities.
geo-fencing (geofencing) - Geo-fencing is a feature in a software program that uses the global positioning system (GPS) or radio frequency identification (RFID) to define geographical boundaries.
geolocation - Geolocation is the detection of the physical location of an Internet connected computing device.
geolocation data - Geolocation data is information associated with an electronic device that can be used to identify its physical location.
geostationary satellite - A geostationary satellite is an earth-orbiting satellite, placed at an altitude of approximately 35,800 kilometers (22,300 miles) directly over the equator, that revolves in the same direction the earth rotates (west to east).
Global Positioning System (GPS) - The GPS (Global Positioning System) is a 'constellation' of approximately 30 well-spaced satellites that orbit the Earth and make it possible for people with ground receivers to pinpoint their geographic location.
Good Technology - Good Technology is a mobile security platform provider headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Google Fi - Google Fi is virtual carrier network service for pervasive Wi-Fi.
Google Maps - Google Maps is a Web-based service that provides detailed information about geographical regions and sites around the world.
Google Pay (Android Pay) - Google Pay is the search company’s electronic wallet and payment service offering.
Google Voice - Google Voice allows registered members to link their mobile phones, IP telephony applications and land line phones to a single Google Voice phone number.
Gorilla Glass - Gorilla Glass is a scratch-resistant and durable glass product from Corning that is used to protect the screens of tablets, smartphone and other mobile devices.
GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) - General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) is a best-effort packet-switching protocol for wireless and cellular network communication services.
GPS coordinates - GPS coordinates are a unique identifier of a precise geographic location on the earth, usually expressed in alphanumeric characters.
GPS navigation system - A GPS navigation system is a GPS receiver and audio/video (AV) components designed for a specific purpose such as a car-based or hand-held device or a smartphone app.
GPS tracking - GPS tracking is the surveillance of location through use of the Global Positioning System (GPS ) to track the location of an entity or object remotely.

1XR - CIT

GYR - MOB