First digital generation of mobile systems, includes GSM, TDMA, PDC and cdmaOne.
3G
3rd generation mobile system, includes WCDMA/HSPA, EDGE, CDMA2000 and TD-SCDMA.
All-IP
A single, common IP infrastructure that can handle all network services, including fixed and mobile communications, for voice and data services and also video services such as TV.
ARPU
Average Revenue Per User.
ATM
(Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
A communication standard for transmission and management of high-speed packet-switched networks.
Broadband
Data speeds that are high enough to allow transmission of multimedia services with good quality.
Capex
Capital expenditure.
CATV
Cable-TV.
Centrex solutions
Centrex is a telephony service for enterprises, delivered by a service provider.
Downlink
= to your device.
DSL access
Digital Subscriber Line technologies for broadband multimedia communications in fixed line networks. Examples: IP-DSL, ADSL and VDSL.
EDGE
A 3G mobile standard, developed as an enhancement of GSM. Enables the transmission of data at speeds up to 250 kbps.
Emerging market
Defined as a country that has a GNP per capita index below the World Bank average and a mobile subscription penetration below 60 percent.
Exabyte
= billion gigabytes.
FTTx
Fiber-To-The-x, e.g. FTTH (Fiber-to-the-home) refers to fiber optic broadband connections to individual homes.
GbE (Gigabit Ethernet)
Ethernet is a key technology for high-performance broadband networks.
GDP
Gross domestic product the total annual cost of all finished goods and services produced within a country.
GPON
(Gigabit Passive Optical Network)
Used for fiber-optic communication to the home (FTTH).
GPRS
(General Packet Radio Service)
A packet-switched technology (2.5G) that enables GSM networks to handle mobile data communications at rates up to 115 kbps.
HSPA
(High Speed Packet Access)
Enhancement of 3G/WCDMA that enables mobile broadband. A subscriber can download files to a 3G mobile device at speeds of several Mbps.
IMS
(IP Multimedia Subsystem)
A standard for offering voice and multimedia services over mobile and fixed networks using Internet technology (IP).
IP
(Internet Protocol)
Defines how information travels between network elements across the Internet.
IPTV
(IP Television)
A technology that delivers digital television via fixed broadband access.
IPX
(Internet Payment eXchange)
The global payment and messaging delivery solution for SMS, MMS, Web and WAP.
LTE
(Long-Term Evolution)
the next evolutionary step of mobile technology beyond HSPA, allowing data rates above 100 Mbps.
Managed services
Management of operator networks and/or hosting of their services.
MOU
Minutes of use.
Opex
Operating expenses.
PBX
(Private Branch eXchange) A telephone exchange that serves a particular business or office.
Packet switching
A method of switching data in a network where individual packets are accepted by the network and delivered to their destinations. The method is used by the Internet and replaces traditional circuit switching.
Penetration
The number of subscriptions divided by the population in a geographical area.
Softswitch
A software-based system for handling call management functionality. Integrates IP-telephony and the legacy circuit-switched part of the network.
TDM
Time division multiplexing, legacy technology for circuit switching.
Telecom grade
99.999 percent availability; performance requirement on telecom networks.
VoIP
Voice over IP, same as IP telephony.
WCDMA
(Wideband Code Division Multiple Access)
A 3G mobile communication standard. WCDMA builds on the same core network infrastructure as GSM.
WDM
(Wavelength division multiplexing) Uses multiple light wavelengths to increase the transmission capacity of fiber cables for optical networks.
