Mobile Broadband and Mobile Data Connection Glossary
Broadband: Broadband or high-speed Internet access allows users access to the internet and internet-related services. Broadband services for residential customers 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 preferred way nearly all cell 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. [LeadingPrimary] European and American internet service providers have 3G available for mobile subscribers.
Anti-spam: This term refers to computer software applications that help protect mobile phone and computer email inboxes from unwanted ’spam’ electronic junk mail. Anti-spam applications are only required if using an email client, like Microsoft Outlook, that downloads email directly to the computer, laptop or mobile phone. On the other hand, webmail, such as Hotmail or Google Mail, should have anti-spam software features already included.
Anti-spam approaches are broken into four broad categories: those that require actions from individuals, those that are automated by e-mail administrators, those that are automated by e-mail senders and those employed by researchers and law enforcement officials.
Anti-virus: This is software that attempts to protect computers, notebooks, and smartphones from malicious internet (including email) transferred malware. Malware is malicious software programs often intended to be intrusive or damaging. Computer viruses, Trojan horses and worms are typical types of malware.
Malware is not just an annoyance, it typically damages computers and smartphones while potentially copying personal data.
There are a lot of bad people out there making problems and some kind of anti-virus software application is essential on a broadband-enabled computers, laptops, and or cell phones.
Namebrand anti-virus software programs such as Norton or McAfee are sometimes bundled by mobile internet service providers and supplied for free. Other people rely on free versions of products like Avast and AVG. One way or another – the reality is an anti-virus software program is essential to protect computers, laptops, and smartphones.
Anti-spyware: Spyware is wide category of malicious software that can implant itself on notebooks, and smartphones from broadband internet connections. Spyware is designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer or smartphone operation without permission from the device’s owner or legitimate user. Spyware does other malicious things such as slow down processes and change programs and settings. Some internet service providers provide good quality anti-spyware in broadband packages. Many anti-virus packages include anti-spyware.
Capping: In mobile network terms capping describes a cap, or limitation, on the data allowed to download under terms a certain contract. When the cap is exceeded, additional fees often apply.
Dongle: In mobile data connection terminology dongle has been almost universally adopted to describe the small device that plugs into another internet-enabled device to receive a mobile broadband signal. Also sometimes called a ’stick’, these devices plug easily into a USB port on a notebook or PC and contain a SIM card from a mobile internet connection provider, 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 internet connection term describes how fast a connection can deliver data to a computer. To “download” something means to put it on your computer, typically through the internet. The download speed is measured by how much of the file is transferred to you over a certain amount of time. It used to be most download speeds were measured in kb/s, kilobytes per second, or thousands of (data) bytes per second; but fortunately currently it is more common to measure this connection speed it megabytes or millions of bytes per second.
Femtocells: Femtocells use data connection and boost the 3G signal to make cell phones - and devices with a dongle – work better. A femtocell is a wireless access point that provides localized 3G broadband coverage. Often 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 are expected to become quite common and will play an integral role in location based services and marketing.
Firewall: A firewall is a software component used to stop outside access on computers, laptops or smartphones via the internet. The firewall will analyze arriving data that connect to the computers, laptops or handsets, and if it doesn’t meet the settings allocated to it, the data transfer will be suspended.
Firewall virus software programs 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 assure computer and mobile phone safety.
Fixed-line: Fixed-line broadband is a term used to describe either cable or ADSL internet connections. The term is primarily used to differentiate fixed-line broadband from mobile broadband which is wireless and uses a mobile broadband signal network.
Gb (or gigabit): Giga means one billion. Gb (note the small b) short for 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. For comparison, 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 stands for ‘high speed packet access’. HSDPA stands for ‘high speed download packet access’ and HSUPA stands ‘high speed upload’ packet access’, each expresses the same technology either sending or receiving data. It is the latest advancement in quality for mobile broadband usage, working on various 3G mobile broadband networks to improve the speed of data transfer.
HSPA Evolved, HSPA+: The next generation of HSPA is Evolved HSPA (or HSPA+) with potential mobile broadband speeds up to 42Mb.
ISP:ISP is an acronym for internet service provider.
KB (or Kbps, or kilobyte): KB is an abbreviation 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 technology. It is reputed 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 describe the measurement of internet speeds. A Mb is 1024Kb, while there are 1024Mb in a Gb.
MB (or megabyte): MB is short for for megabyte, which is a term used to describe the size of computer files and storage capacity.
Upload speed: This term describes how fast a broadband connection can send data from computers or smartphones. Anything that goes across the internet from a computer, laptop, or mobile phone is considered to be ‘uploaded’.
Wi-Fi: Pronounced ‘why-fye’, Wi-Fi is short for Wireless Fidelity. It is a trademarked term of the Wi-Fi Alliance that refers to certified products that belong to a class of wireless local area network (WLAN) devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards.
But, in common usage it is taken by most to mean any electronics that work wirelessly over a Wi-Fi network, technically but seldom referred to as a WLAN. Wi-Fi is the term more commonly used 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 provide a wireless broadband alternative without the need for cables. Similarly to LTE, WiMAX is being touted as the next generation of mobile broadband.
WLAN: WLAN is a contraction of for wireless local area network, and is more commonly known as Wi-Fi.
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