Wireless technologies
Terms related to wireless technologies, including definitions about wireless devices and words and phrases about radio, microwave and infrared communication.GLO - PUB
- Global Positioning System (GPS) - Global Positioning System (GPS) technology enables the user, through approximately 30 well-spaced, earth-orbiting satellites, to pinpoint one's geographic location through ground receivers and mobile devices.
- GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) - GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a satellite system that is used to pinpoint the geographic location of a user's receiver anywhere in the world.
- Google Fi - Google Fi is virtual carrier network service for pervasive Wi-Fi.
- GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) - General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) is a packet-based wireless communication service that promises data rates from 56 up to 114 Kbps and continuous connection to the Internet for mobile phone and computer users.
- GPS messaging (Global Positioning System messaging or mid-air messaging) - GPS (Global Positioning System) messaging is a wireless messaging system for location-specific rather than recipient-specific messages.
- ground-plane antenna - A ground-plane antenna is a variant of the dipole antenna, designed for use with an unbalanced feed line such as coaxial cable.
- handie talkie (HT, walkie talkie, handheld) - A handie talkie, often referred to by its abbreviation, HT, is a handheld, portable two-way radio transceiver.
- handoff - In a cellular telephone network, handoff is the transition for any given user of signal transmission from one base station to a geographically adjacent base station as the user moves around.
- helical antenna - A helical antenna is a specialized antenna that emits and responds to electromagnetic fields with rotating (circular)polarization.
- Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6) - Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6) is the proposed enhancement of Mobile Internet Protocol versions 6 (MIPv6) that is designed to reduce the amount of signaling required and to improve handoffspeed for mobile connections.
- high availability (HA) - High availability (HA) is the ability of a system or system component to be continuously operational for a desirably long length of time.
- High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data (HSCSD) - High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data (HSCSD) is circuit-switched wireless data transmission for mobile users at data rates up to 38.
- HiperLAN - MEO satellite"HiperLAN is a set of wireless local area network (WLAN) communication standards primarily used in European countries.
- home address - In the Mobile Internet Protocol (Mobile IP), a home address is the relatively permanent IP address given to a mobile node.
- home agent - In Mobile Internet Protocol (Mobile IP), a home agent is a router on a mobile node's home network that maintains information about the device's current location, as identified in its care-of address.
- Home Location Register (HLR) - The Home Location Register (HLR) is the main database of permanent subscriber information for a mobile network.
- home network - Using Mobile IP (Mobile Internet Protocol), the home network is where a mobile device has its permanent IP address.
- HomeRF (home radio frequency) - HomeRF (for home radio frequency) is a home networking standard developed by Proxim Inc.
- hop off - Hop off is a term used in telecommunications that refers to a point at which a signal or call leaves a network and moves to another network.
- horn antenna - A horn antenna is used for the transmission and reception of microwave signals.
- hot spot - For users of portable computers equipped for wireless, a hot spot (or hotspot) is a wireless LAN (local area network) node that provides Internet connection and virtual private network (VPN) access from a given location.
- Hot Spot 2.0 (HS 2.0) - Hot Spot 2.0 (HS 2.
- hot zone - A hot zone is a wireless access area created by multiple hot spots located in close proximity to each other.
- HotSync - HotSync is the registered trade name for a sophisticated method of linking between a Palm handheld computer and a more substantial notebook, desktop, or other computer.
- HSPA (high speed packet access) - HSPA (high speed packet access) is a third-generation (3G) mobile broadband communications technology.
- i-Mode - i-Mode is the packet-based service for mobile phones offered by Japan's leader in wireless technology, NTT DoCoMo.
- iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) - iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) is a wireless technology from Motorola combining the capabilities of a digital cellular telephone, two-way radio, alphanumeric pager and data/fax modem in a single network.
- inductive charging - Inductive charging is a wireless charging method used for charging mid-sized items such as cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs.
- infrared transmission - Infrared transmission refers to energy in the region of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum at wavelength s longer than those of visible light, but shorter than those of radio.
- interconnection - Interconnection is a strategy for ensuring that businesses can privately, securely and directly exchange digital information.
- IP PBX (private branch exchange) - An IP PBX is a private branch exchange (telephone switching system within an enterprise) that switches calls between VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol or IP) users on local lines while allowing all users to share a certain number of external phone lines.
- iPad - The iPad is a touchscreen tablet PC made by Apple.
- iPhone 3G - iPhone 3G is the second generation of iPhone, a smartphone made by Apple that combines an iPod, a tablet PC, a digital camera and a cellular phone.
- iPhone Configuration Utility - The iPhone Configuration Utility is free software for Windows and Mac OS X that lets an administrator control how an iOS device works within an enterprise IT network.
- IR wireless (infrared wireless) - IR wireless is the use of wireless technology in devices or systems that convey data through infrared (IR) radiation.
- J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition) - J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition) is a technology that allows programmers to use the Java programming language and related tools to develop programs for mobile wireless information devices such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
- keitai - Keitai (pronounced k-tie) is a Japanese word meaning "portable.
- Lidar - Lidar typically uses a low-power, eye-safe pulsing laser working in conjunction with a camera.
- LiFi - LiFi is a wireless optical networking technology that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for data transmission.
- LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution System) - LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution System) is a system for broadband microwave wireless transmission direct from a local antenna to homes and businesses within a line-of-sight radius, a solution to the so-called last-mile technology problem of economically bringing high-bandwidth services to users.
- location awareness - Location awareness is a component of presence technology that delivers information about a device's physical location to another user or application.
- location-based service (LBS) - A location-based service (LBS) is a software application for a mobile device that requires knowledge about where the mobile device is located.
- LPWAN (low-power wide area network) - Low-power WAN (LPWAN) is a wireless wide area network technology that interconnects low-bandwidth, battery-powered devices with low bit rates over long ranges.
- LTE (Long Term Evolution) - Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a standard for 4G wireless broadband technology that offers increased network capacity and speed to mobile device users.
- MEO satellite (medium earth orbit satellite) - A medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite is one with an orbit within the range from a few hundred miles to a few thousand miles above the earth's surface.
- Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit - Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is a free utility IT can use to determine whether or not its infrastructure is prepared for a migration to a new operating system, server version or cloud-based deployment.
- MiFi - MiFi is a portable broadband device that allows multiple end users and mobile devices to share a 3G or 4G mobile broadband Internet connection and create an ad-hoc network.
- MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) - MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) is an antenna technology for wireless communications in which multiple antennas are used at both the source (transmitter) and the destination (receiver).
- MISO (multiple input, single output) - MISO (multiple input, single output) is an antenna technology for wireless communications in which multiple antennas are used at the source (transmitter).
- mLife - mLife is a multi-million dollar advertising campaign sponsored by AT&T to promote their wireless products and services.
- mobile application processor - A mobile application processor is a system on a chip (SoC) designed to support applications running in a mobile operating system environment such as Android, Apple iOS, Windows CE/Mobile or Symbian.
- mobile computing (nomadic computing) - Mobile computing is the use of portable computing devices in conjunction with mobile technology that enables users to access the internet and data on mobile devices anytime, anywhere.
- mobile hotspot - A mobile hotspot is wireless Internet connectivity that is enabled by a dedicated hardware device or a smartphone feature that shares the phone's cellular data.
- mobile Internet device (MID) - The mobile Internet device (MID) is a mini-tablet communications unit aimed at the consumer market and designed to provide entertainment, information and location-based services.
- Mobile IP - Mobile IP is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard communications protocol that is designed to allow mobile device users to move from one network to another while maintaining their permanent IP address.
- Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6 or Mobile Internet Protocol version 6) - Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) is a protocol developed as a subset of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) to support mobile connections.
- mobile middleware - Mobile middleware is software that connects disparate mobile applications, programs and systems.
- mobile node - A mobile node is an Internet-connected device whose location and point of attachment to the Internet may frequently be changed.
- mobile operating system - A mobile operating system (OS) is software that allows smartphones, tablet PCs and other devices to run applications and programs.
- mobile phone virus - A mobile phone virus is a computer virus specifically adapted for the cellular environment and designed to spread from one vulnerable phone to another.
- mobile satellite services (MSS) - Mobile satellite services (MSS) refers to networks of communications satellites intended for use with mobile and portable wireless telephones.
- mobility agent - In Mobile Internet Protocol (Mobile IP), a mobility agent is a router that facilitates Internet traffic forwarding for a mobile node when its location is changed to somewhere other than its home network.
- Mobitex - Mobitex is a wireless network architecture that specifies a framework for the fixed equipment necessary to support all the wireless terminals in a packet-switched, radio-based communication system.
- moonbounce or Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) - Moonbounce, also called Earth-Moon-Earth (EME), is a form of wireless communication in which the moon is used as a passive satellite.
- Morphis - Morphis is a Java -based open source wireless transcoding platform from Kargo, Inc.
- mPOS (mobile point of sale) - An mPOS (mobile point-of-sale) is a smartphone, tablet or dedicated wireless device that performs the functions of a cash register or electronic point-of-sale terminal (POS terminal) wirelessly.
- multi-tapping - Multi-tapping is an older procedure used to enter text using a telephone keypad.
- multi-user MIMO - Multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) is a wireless communication technology that uses multiple antennas to improve communication by creating multiple connections to the same device at the same time.
- Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) - Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) is a broadcasting and communications service that operates in the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) portion of the radio spectrum between 2.
- Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) - Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) is a digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard intended to combine digital television (DTV) with the Internet and the World Wide Web.
- Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) - Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) - sometimes called Multimedia Messaging System - is a communications technology developed by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) that allows users to exchange multimedia communications between capable mobile phones and other devices.
- netbook - A netbook is a small, light, low-power notebook computer that has less processing power than a full-sized laptop but is still suitable for word processing, running a Web browser and connecting wirelessly to the Internet.
- network protocols - Network protocols are sets of established rules that dictate how to format, transmit and receive data so computer network devices -- from servers and routers to endpoints -- can communicate regardless of the differences in their underlying infrastructures, designs or standards.
- no-swipe credit card - A no-swipe credit card is a credit card equipped with a radio frequency (RF) transponder that allows for purchases without the need for passing the card through a traditional magnetic-stripe detection machine.
- nomadicity - Nomadicity is the tendency of a person, or group of people, to move with relative frequency.
- OFDMA (orthogonal frequency-division multiple access) - Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) is a feature of Wi-Fi 6 (802.
- Open Handset Alliance (OHA) - The Open Handset Alliance (OHA) is a coalition of more than 30 technology and mobile companies that introduced Android, an open source mobile phone operating system.
- Orbi Outdoor Satellite - Orbi Outdoor Satellite is a device used to extend Wi-Fi network coverage and signal strength for Netgear’s Orbi Wi-Fi router, allowing the use of mobile devices from beyond a house and into a bigger area, such as a large backyard.
- ORTC (Object Real-Time Communications) - ORTC (object real-time communications) is an open source component of WebRTC that enables mobile endpoints to talk to servers and Web browsers with real-time communications capabilities.
- orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) - Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a digital modulation method that splits a signal into several narrowband channels carried on different frequencies to reduce interference.
- Over the Air (OTA) - Over The Air (OTA) (or Over-The-Air) is a standard for the transmission and reception of application-related information in a wireless communications system.
- pager - A pager is a small telecommunications device that receives (and, in some cases, transmits) alert signals and/or short messages.
- Palm - Palm is the trade name for a popular personal digital assistant (PDA), a form of handheld device that is also known as a palmtop computer.
- PCS (personal communications service) - PCS (personal communications service) is a wireless phone service similar to cellular telephone service but emphasizing personal service and extended mobility.
- PEAP (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol) - PEAP (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol) is a version of EAP, the authentication protocol used in wireless networks and Point-to-Point connections.
- Personal Access Communications System (PACS) - Personal Access Communications System (PACS) is a type of wireless telephone network compatible with telephone sets, answering machines, fax machines, and computers.
- personal operating space (POS) - A personal operating space (POS) is a roughly spherical region that surrounds a portable or handheld digital wireless device operated by a person.
- Personal Response System (PRS) - In education, the Personal Response System (PRS) is an instructional technology tool composed of a proprietary software application that is installed on the facilitator's computer, a wireless receiver, and hand-held infrared transmitters that have been assigned to students to record their responses to multiple choice or yes/no questions.
- pervasive computing (ubiquitous computing) - Pervasive computing, also called ubiquitous computing, is the growing trend of embedding computational capability (generally in the form of microprocessors) into everyday objects to make them effectively communicate and perform useful tasks in a way that minimizes the end user's need to interact with computers as computers.
- pervasive Wi-Fi - Pervasive Wi-Fi is the intercommunication of wireless networks in order to form a communications network that permeates the networked world.
- phantom dialing - In mobile wireless communication, phantom dialing is a term used to describe what occurs when a user unintentionally presses a pre-programmed auto-dial number on their cellular telephone keypad and unintentionally initiates a phone call.
- phase-locked loop - A phase-locked loop (PLL) is an electronic circuit with a current-driven oscillator that constantly adjusts to match the frequency of an input signal, often used in wireless systems.
- phased antenna system - .
- picocell - A picocell is a small mobile base station that improves in-building cellular coverage.
- picture messaging (photo messaging) - Picture messaging (sometimes called photo messaging) is the practice of taking a picture with a built-in camera on a mobile phone or other handheld device and sending it to another mobile device or an e-mail recipient.
- portable keyboard (handheld keyboard) - A portable keyboard (or handheld keyboard) is one that is designed to be used with wireless devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smartphones.
- presence leveraging - Presence leveraging refers to any technology that supports and expands presence, the ability of a network subscriber to locate and identify any other user's computing device as soon as the other user connects to the network.
- public land mobile network (PLMN) - (pu A public land mobile network (PLMN) is any wireless communications system intended for use by terrestrial subscribers in vehicles or on foot.