JPL's Wireless Communication Reference Website
Chapter: Capita Selecta
Glossary
ALOHA
Algorithm that allows multiple terminals to share the same communication channel.
AMPS
American Mobile Phone System
Cellular
Reuse
A method to
reuse
frequencies in large geographical area, in a regula pattern, usually of hexagonal shape
Cell Splitting
A method of increasing capacity by reducing the size of the cell.
CDMA
Code Division Multiple Access
circuit-switching
:
the allocation of network resources (link capacity, switches) for the entire duration of a communication session.
DECT
Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephone
Downlink
Originally: A radio link from a satellite to a receiving site on earth or in an aircraft. Now also used for the (forward) link from base station to portable terminal
fading
Time variations of the signal strength received over a radio link
Duplex Operation:
Operating method in which transmission is possible simultaneously in both directions of a telecommunications channel.
Frequency Management
Frequency allocation
:
A band of radio frequencies identified by an upper and lower frequency limit earmarked for use by one or more of the 38 terrestrial and space radiocommunications services defined by the
International Telecommunication Union
under specified conditions.
Frequency allotment:
The designation of portions of an allocated frequency band to individual countries or geographical areas for a particular radiocommunication service; for a satellite service, specific orbital positions may also be alloted to individual countries.
Frequency assignment
:
Authorization given by a nation's government for a station or an operator in that country to use a specific radio frequency channel under specified conditions.
GSM
Global System for Mobile Communication
Handover (
Am.
: Handoff)
Change of operation on frequency channel to a new frequency channel as the user moves from from one cell to another.
Intelligent Network (IN)
A secondary network used to create and deliver advanced services to subscribers to public telephone networks (fixed or mobile)
ISM
Industrial, Scientific and Medical bands of the radio spectrum.
multiple access
method that allows multiple users to share the same communication channel
NMT
Nordic Mobile Telephone
packet
message or a piece of a message, treated as an independent segment of data by the network.
packet-switching
the assignment of network resources by splitting the information flow into packets. These are sent from node to node in the network without prior reservations
paging
Communication service that offers one-way transmission of short messages. Typically a paging device (pager) produces an audible 'bleep' when a message arrives.
PCS
Personal Communication Service
TDMA
Time Division Multiple Access
Uplink
Originally: A radio link from a site on the earth or from an aircraft to a satellite. Now also used for the (reverse) link from mobile user terminal to base station.
Other Glossaries and lists of Acronyms
Acronyms on
Road Transportation Informatics
Glossary on
video and television
JPL's Wireless Communication Reference Website
© 1993, 1996.