Mobile Broadband and Mobile Network Glossary

Mobile Broadband  and  Mobile Internet Connection Glossary

Broadband:  Broadband or high-speed Internet access allows users access to the internet and internet-related services. Broadband services for residential consumers typically provide faster downstream speeds (from the internet to computer) than upload speeds (from computer to internet).

3G broadband: What is 3G broadband? It’s currently the most favored method nearly all mobile phones and mobile computers access the internet via a signal from a mobile internet service provider. It is referred to as 3G because it is the ‘third generation’ of mobile technology.  Most of the US, UK and Europe is now supported by 3G network signals from the leading suppliers.

Anti-spam: Used to prevent e-mail spam; which is also referred to junk e-mail or electronic junk mail.   Email spam typically involves sending almost identical messages sent to numerous recipients by e-mail. A common synonym for spam is UBE which stands for unsolicited bulk e-mail. There are various anti-spam techniques.
Anti-spam solutions are divided into four general categories: those that require actions by individuals, those that are automated by systems administrators, those that are automated by e-mail senders and those utilized by researchers and law enforcement officials.

Anti-virus: This is software used to guard computers, laptops, and cell phones from malicious internet (including email) transferred malware.  Malware is malicious software applications normally intended to be intrusive or damaging.  Computer viruses, Trojan horses and worms are common types of malware.

Malware is not just an annoyance, it often damages computers and mobile phones while potentially copying personal data.

There are a lot of bad people out there causing problems and some kind of anti-virus software program is required on a broadband-enabled computers, laptops, and or mobile phones.   

Namebrand anti-virus software programs such as Norton or McAfee are often bundled by mobile internet service providers and offered for free.  Many people rely on free versions of products such as Avast and AVG.  One way or another – the reality is an anti-virus software application is essential to protect computers, laptops, and smartphones.

Anti-spyware: Spyware is wide category of malicious software that can insert itself on notebooks, and smartphones via broadband internet connections. Spyware is designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer or cell phone operation without permission from the device’s owner or legitimate user.  Spyware can also do other spiteful things like as slow down processes and alter programs and settings. Some internet service providers include good quality anti-spyware in broadband packages.  Many anti-virus packages include anti-spyware.

Capping:  In mobile broadband  terms capping describes a cap, or limit, on the allowable quantity of data to download on a specific contract.  When the cap is exceeded, additional fees often apply.

Dongle: In mobile internet connection  terminology dongle has been almost universally adopted to describe the small device that plugs into another internet-enabled device to pick-up a mobile internet connection  signal.  Also sometimes called a ‘stick’, these devices plug easily into a USB port on a laptop or PC and contain a SIM card from a mobile data connection supplier, in the same way a smartphone accesses data and the internet.

Bandwidth Download speed: Bandwidth Download speed refers to how quickly a file (of data) can be downloaded from a remote source.  This mobile data connection term  describes how fast a connection can deliver data to a computer.  To “download” something means to put it on your computer, commonly over the internet.    This is typically from a website that has the file that you want, or from another user that allows you to download the file directly from them.  Similarly, anything going the opposite direction from the computer to the internet is being ‘uploaded’ , for example sending  images to a website.

Femtocells: Femtocells use broadband and boost the 3G signal to make cell phones – and devices with a dongle – perform better.   A femtocell is a wireless access point that provides localized 3G broadband coverage.  Typically it is very small base station that receives network supplier or ISP signals and boosts it around a small area, such as your house, office or event center.  They very likely are going to become very common and will be important in location based services and marketing.

Firewall: A firewall is a software component used to stop unwanted traffic arriving on computers, laptops or handsets over the internet. The firewall will evaluate arriving data that connect to the computers, laptops or handsets, and if it doesn’t meet the settings allocated to it, the data connection will be stopped.

Firewall virus software applications are often included with anti-virus software applications as well as sometimes being available free versions.  Malicious software can sometimes get around  firewall protection and a firewall alone is not sufficient to  keep computer  and smartphone safety.

Fixed-line: Fixed-line broadband is a term used to describe either cable or ADSL internet connections.  The term is mostly used to differentiate fixed-line broadband from mobile broadband which is wireless and uses a mobile internet connection signal network.

Gb (or gigabit): Giga means one billion. Gb  (note the small b) an abbreviation of   gigabit, a unit used to express internet data speed (also sometimes written as Gbps, or gigabits per second). Current broadband connections are measured in Mb (megabits per second) – there are 1024Mb in 1Gb.

GB (or Gbps, or gigabyte): GB is short for  gigabyte, which is often used to express the size of computer files and memory storage capacity. There are 1024 bytes in a kilobyte (KB), 1024 kilobytes in a megabyte (MB), and 1024 megabytes in a gigabyte. To provide and example, a small Notepad file is typically measured in bytes, a basic Word document in kilobytes, a music file in megabytes and a DVD movie in gigabytes.

HSPA, HSDPA, HSUPA: HSPA is an acronym for ‘high speed packet access’. HSDPA stands for ‘high speed download packet access’ and HSUPA is an acronym ‘high speed upload’ packet access’, each describes the same technology either sending or receiving data.  It is the latest advancement in quality for mobile broadband usage, working on various 3G mobile network networks to improve the speed of data transfer.

HSPA Evolved, HSPA+: The next generation of HSPA is Evolved HSPA (or HSPA+) with possible mobile broadband speeds up to 42Mb.

ISP:ISP is an acronym for internet service provider.

KB (or Kbps, or kilobyte): KB is short for  kilobyte, which is a term used to describe  the size of computer files and storage capacity.

LTE: LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, and is one of the next generation of mobile broadband technologies.  It is said to be capable of data transfer rates 15 to 100 times faster than current 3G mobile networks.

Mb (or Mbps, or megabit): Mb is a contraction of Megabit, and also written as Mbps, which stands for megabits per second.  Mb commonly is used to express the measurement of internet speeds. A Mb is 1024Kb, while there are 1024Mb in a Gb.

MB (or megabyte): MB is a contraction of for megabyte, which is a term used to express the size of computer files and storage capacity.

Usage allowance: This expression describes the quantity data allowed to transmit through a mobile broadband connection. Typically it is either a fixed monthly quota, or a pay as you go. Using more data than contracted can be subject to surcharges.

Wi-Fi: Pronounced ‘why-fye’, Wi-Fi is an abbreviation of Wireless Fidelity. It is a trademarked term of the Wi-Fi Alliance certified as working in tandem with additional products that belong to a class of wireless local area network (WLAN) devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards.

In mobile network terms, the most common usage is when referring to Wi-Fi hotspots:  places such as hotels, airports and cafes that provide internet connectivity either free or for a charge.  Wi-Fi is the term more often referred to rather than the term technical IEEE 802.11 technology.

WiMAX: This term is short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access – a new broadband technology that has potential to offer a wireless broadband alternative without the need for cables. Like LTE, WiMAX is being touted as the next generation of mobile broadband.
WLAN: WLAN is an abbreviation of for wireless local area network, and is more commonly called Wi-Fi.

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