There are a lot of technical terms used in relation to mobile phones (and many non-technical ones too). This list cannot claim to be complete.

For more information about the terms described here, look in the relevant section of the site. If you're not sure where that is, try the Search page.

For entries marked*, the explanation is in the How It Works section. Entries marked* are described in the GSM codes page of the Using it section

If you find a word that you'd like explained here, please let us know. See the comment page to contact us.

3G	Third Generation - a new system giving high-speed data links (UMTS)
A3	Authentication algorithm
A5	Ciphering algorithm*
A8	Ciphering key computation*
AGCH	Access Grant CHannel*
ALS	Alternate Line Service - gives a second "line" with a separate phone number (only supported by Orange in the UK)
AMPS	Advanced Mobile Phone Service - US analogue phone system
Answerphone	A service that greets callers and takes messages when you can't answer your phone messages
ARQ	Automatic Repeat reQuest mechanism
AUC	Authentication Center*
BAIC	Barring All Incoming Calls*
BAOC	Barring All Outgoing Calls*
BOIC	Barring Outgoing International Calls*
BOIC-exHC	Barring Outgoing International Calls except to the Home Country*
BCCH	Broadcast Control CHannel*
BCH	Broadcast CHannel*
BER	Bit Error Rate*
bps	bits per second
BSC	Base Station Controller*
BSS	Base Station Subsystem*
BTS	Base Transceiver Station*
CC	Call Control
CCCH	Common Control CHannel*
CDMA	Code Division Multiple Access*
CEPT	Conference of European Posts and Telecommunications
CFB	Call Forwarding on mobile Busy*
CFNRc	Call Forwarding on mobile Not Reachable*
CFNRy	Call Forwarding on No Reply*
CFU	Call Forwarding Unconditional*
CLI	Calling Line Identification*
CLIP	Calling Line Identification Presentation*
CLIR	Calling Line Identification Restriction*
CSP	Custom Sim Profile - selectively hides phone menu options
CSP Override	Custom Sim Profile Override - keeps all phone menu options
CUG	Closed User Group
CW	Call Waiting*
DCS	Digital Cellular System
DCCH	Dedicated Control CHannel*
DTX	Discontinuous transmission
EFR	Enhanced Full Rate*
EIR	Equipment Identity Register*
ETSI	European Telecommunications Standards Institute
FACCH	Fast Associated Control CHannel*
FCCH	Frequency-Correction CHannel*
FDMA	Frequency Division Multiple Access*
FEC	Forward Error Correction code*
FER	Frame Erasure Rate
GIWU	GSM Interworking Unit
GMSC	GSM Mobile services Switching Center
GMSK	Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying*
GP	Guard Period*
GPRS	General Packet Radio System - always-on data connection
GSM	Global System for Mobile communications
HLR	Home Location Register*
HSCSD	High Speed Circuit Switched Data
IMEI	International Mobile Equipment Identity*
IMSI	International Mobile Subscriber Identity
ISDN	Integrated Services Digital Network*
JDC	Japanese Digital Cellular
LA	Location Area*
LAI	Location Area Identity*
LOS	Line-Of-Sight
MM	Mobility Management
MoU	Memorandum of Understanding
MS	Mobile Station*
MSC	Mobile Switching Center*
MSISDN	Mobile Station ISDN number*
MSRN	Mobile Station Roaming Number*
NADC	North American Digital Cellular
NMT	Nordic Mobile Telephone
PCH	Paging CHannel*
PCN	Personal Communications Network
PCS	Personal Communications Services
PDC	Personal Digital Cellular
PIN	Personal Identification Number
PLMN	Public Land Mobile Network
PSPDN	Packet Switched Public Data Network
PSTN	Public Switched Telephone Network
RACH	Random Access CHannel
RF	Radio Frequency
RPE-LTP	Regular Pulse Excitation Long-Term Prediction*
RR	Radio Resources management
SACCH	Slow Associated Control CHannel*
SCH	Synchronisation CHannel*
SDCCH	Standalone Dedicated Control CHannel*
SIM	Subscriber Identity Module
SMS	Short Message Services
SMS-CB	Short Message Services Cell Broadcast
SMS-MO/PP	Short Message Services Mobile Originating/Point-to-Point
SMS-MT/PP	Short Message Services Mobile Terminating/Point-to-Point
SRES	Signed RESult*
SS	Supplementary Services
TACS	Total Access Communication System
TCH	Traffic CHannel*
TCH/F	Traffic CHannel/Full rate*
TCH/H	Traffic CHannel/Half rate*
TDMA	Time Division Multiple Access*
TMSI	Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity*
UMTS	Universal Mobile Telecommunications System*
VLR	Visitor Location Register*

See also [ How It Works ] : [ User Tech ]

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