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Mobile Phones come with a dazzling array of technologies, features and mobile phone networks, often leaving consumers confused about what type of phone they should purchase. On this page Review Centre offers an easy to read glossary explaining what all that jargon actually means while also offering advice on what to look for when buying a new mobile phone.
Wireless LAN stands for Wireless Local Area Network, a local area network that transmits over the air. Wireless Local Area Network allows you to wirelessly connect to your email and Internet at super fast speeds. Wireless base stations are wired to an Ethernet network and transmit a radio frequency over several hundred feet through walls and other non metal barriers. Roaming users can jump from one access point to another like a cellular phone system. The major wireless LAN standard today is Wi-Fi. Wireless Wi-Fi adapters (Wi-Fi transceivers) are built into most new laptops or added via a PC card slot or USB ensuring their wireless capabilities for Internet connection. Newer mobile phone handsets now often have built-in Wi-Fi creating 'dual mode' phones which operate like normal mobiles phones but have the option of switching to cheaper Wi-fi connections when they are available.
The Generic Access Network (GAN) was formerly known as Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA). It's a system offering roaming between local area networks and wide area networks using the same dual mode mobile phone and it relieves congestion on the GSM/GPRS network. With GAN the phone detects a Local Area Network (LAN) and establishes a connection so instead of erecting expensive base stations GAN allows carriers to add coverage using low cost Wi-Fi points. At home subscribers get superb coverage.
2G means 2Nd Generation wireless mobile telephone technology. The main difference to previous mobile telephone systems which are now known as 1G (First Generation) is that 2G networks uses digital radio signals while 1G phones operated on analogue radio signals.
2G services are often known as Personal Communications Service or PCS in the United States.
GSM is the standard 2G technology in the UK and one of its great advantages over 3G (Third Generation) phones is that 2G phones consume less battery power than 3G phones. 2G phones they can be prone to connection difficulties though especially in remote areas.
GSM phones use Subscriber Identity Module smart cards containing user account info. After plugging in SIM cards GSM phones become automatically programmed with user info. This means SIM cards can be programmed to display customized menus for individual services. Your SIM Card is basically the brain of any mobile device. It stores all information for you and your supplier and without one your phone wont work. When your SIM Card is inputted and your phone is on it helps your network provider identify what types of calls you can make from your mobile. If you have a mobile phone and you want to keep it but change tariffs you can buy a SIM Card from another provider and replace the existing one.
Talk Time refers to the length of time you can talk on your phone without battery recharge. The battery capacity is usually listed in talk time hours and standby time. When you are talking the phone uses up additional power compared to when on standby.
Originally a pan European system but now used worldwide 3G enables data transfer on mobiles to work at a higher capacity and speed. Data transfer was initially very slow based on old fashioned dial up technology until GPRS speeded it up. Now 3G (Third Generation) phones offer even higher data transfer rates, wider bandwidth and increased capacity to send data. Internet access and global roaming are the benefits of 3G and this includes video calls, video messaging, voice calls, SMS, multimedia music players, pictures, video and gaming in real time. Download speeds surpass that of GPRS by a big margin and this has revolutionised the mobile phone market making the multi media smartphone an accessible purchase. The 3G set of technologies, including use of 3g data cards, in the most up to date phones allows delivery of multimedia content to you in a device resting in the palm of your hand.
3G technology used in the UK is called UMTS - Universal Mobile Telecommunication System. The results of this technology are what we are already seeing as consumers - making the use of video phones and multimedia smartphone technology the standard.
Time Division Multiple Access is a satellite and mobile phone technology, a digital processing system allowing several phones to use the same frequency. TDMA works multiple digital signals into a single high speed channel. TDMA basically triples the capacity of mobile phones compared to the original analogue method. It divides each channel into three sub-channels providing service to three users instead of one. The GSM system is based on TDMA but GSM defines the entire network.
General Packet Radio Service, sometimes referred to as 2.5G, ensures customers remain connected to the network between calls for the fast receipt and transmission of data. Useful for checking emails regularly and Web browsing while on the go. When using GPRS charges are made on the volume of data which is transferred. GPRS is a modification to GSM. Mobile service providers offer GPRS service as an always on connection rather than traditional dialup. Messenger style applications work on GPRS too.
Short Message Service (SMS) is an official term for text messaging. SMS is a quick and simple way to send and receive short messages via mobile phones, handheld devices and even landline telephones. Commonly known as text messages or 'texting' SMS is amazingly popular and forms a major part of the modern mobile phone revolution. Over 500 billion SMS messages are sent each year.
Bluetooth is an increasingly popular branded wireless technology which is used to provide data transfer for short distances between different types of devices. It does not support roaming but allows mobile phones, computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and a wide range of other devices to be integrated over a distance of a metre. The most popular Bluetooth headsets and accessories have been for mobile phones, providing a wireless connection to a headset and to an automobile's audio system for hands-free usage. It's also useful for things like downloading photos taken with your mobile to your PC. You can also use it to synchronize your mobile's personal organizer with the one on your PC.
Bluetooth is a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) technology
WAP pages are essentially web pages adapted for the smaller screen. WAP pages are frequently accessed by mobile phone users to get the latest news items about sports, for instance. WAP is a standard system for providing smartphones and other handheld devices with this access to Web pages and e-mail. WAP uses Wireless Markup Language (WML), a simplified version of HTML ideal for small screen displays. It supports both keypad and voice recognition. WAP works for major wireless networks and most makes of phones and handheld units, and is available via GSM and GPRS.
The term Roaming or Global Roaming means using your mobile phone abroad or on another network. This applies to making or receiving calls, text and other data.
Polyphonic comes from 'polyphony', meaning 'many sounds' and applies to music that has varied notes and sounds operating together, adding depth and greater musicality to the music. Polyphonic Ringtones are a big fashion aspect to mobile phones which offer the possibility of downloaded them to your phone and even linking them to specific callers if you wish.
GSM is an international standard for digital cellular mobile phone devices. It makes mobile phones work across international boundaries. GSM stands for Global system for Mobile Communications. GSM is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world and offers high digital voice quality and good levels of connection between different networks. When you use GSM you are charged for the duration of the call you make. You must remember when you are calling overseas you will be charged at an international rate.
Like any purchase you have to decide what it is you need from your mobile phone. Remember to read Review Centre's mobile phone reviews and follow links for other useful information from suppliers but like anything you buy it is best to buy what you need rather than what you are told you need. Think about how much you are going to use your mobile phone and for exactly what purpose. Issues such as style, size, weight, battery power, screen size are all important. Lots of features take up batter power and in general batter life can vary wildly. Do you want a camera phone? If so check the quality of the camera is OK for your needs. Predictive text is a good feature if you do a lot of texting. Java enabled phone offer the best options for gaming. You may also want to consider what accessories you want such as headsets, car kits, hands free kits, speakers. Do these come with your phone? Check the range of extras available on different phones. Many high quality and reliable products are available.
Mobile phones or mobiles as they are known in the UK are known in the US as cellphones. Mobile phones or cell phones are wireless telephones, originally using analogue technology to send and receive texts and voice messages. The latest digital technology allows mobiles to become smartphones though, offering a range of technology. Smartphones can access the Internet and send files, including digital photos, via email. Smartphones typically allow other features too, such as camera technology, voice recognition and personal information management systems.
There's usually nothing stopping you taking out a new contract but you will remain liable for line rental on your original one for whatever the remaining period is. Once you settle up what you owe for the final period the best two options then are:
Take out a new contract with any network and grab yourself a new mobile number. Good because you get a better choice on deals.
Or - take out a new contract with a different network and port your existing number. This is good because you get to keep your original number.
You should be able to receive and make calls and texts abroad with any mobile phone just the same as you would in the UK but it is worth considering what your charges will be. You will be charged for any overseas calls and many people feel the current charges are excessive. Always check with your provider what the actual costs of calls and texts are when overseas.
The main thing with choosing from the wide range of mobile phone tariffs is predicting the pattern of your calls. Do you use your phone mainly in the daytime or evening or weekend? Do you use a lot of texts or voicemail? You need to think if you use your phone a lot or a little.
There are two basic types:
Pay-As-You Go - This is actually a pre-paid system based on topping up your credit with increasingly your credit card. The advantage is you only pay for services you actually use and there's no surprise bill at the end of the month. Call rates are higher than contracts though and you may have restrictions on the choice of phone.
Monthly Contract - Offers cheaper call rates but you are tied in often for 12 months minimum and usually pay monthly on your direct debit. You will have more choice of handsets but you must check carefully what the actual deal is.
