Mobile Broadband and Mobile Internet Connection Glossary
Broadband: Broadband or high-speed Internet access gives users access to the internet and internet-related services. Broadband services for residential consumers typically provide faster dowload speeds (from the internet to computer) than upstream speeds (from computer to internet).
3G broadband: What is 3G broadband? It’s currently the most common manner most smartphones and mobile computers access the web via a signal from a mobile internet service provider. It is called 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 called junk e-mail or electronic junk mail. Email spam usually involves sending nearly 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 approaches can be broken into four general categories: those that need actions from individuals, those that can be 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 that attempts to guard computers, laptops, and smartphones from malicious internet (including email) transmitted malware. Malware is malicious software applications often designed to be intrusive or damaging. Computer viruses, Trojan horses and worms are typical forms of malware.
Malware is not just an annoyance, it typically damages computers and smartphones while potentially stealing personal data.
There are many bad people out there causing problems and some kind of anti-virus software program is mandatory on a broadband-enabled computers, laptops, and or mobile phones.
Namebrand anti-virus software applications such as Norton or McAfee are often bundled by mobile internet service providers and supplied for free. Many people rely on free versions of products like Avast and AVG. One way or another – the reality is an anti-virus software application is necessary to protect computers, laptops, and cell phones.
Anti-spyware: Spyware is broad category of malicious software that will implant itself on notebooks, and cell phones via 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 is nasty computer software programs that surreptitiously obtain, monitor and report information from a person’s computer without their knowledge or permission. This can include private information such as details of sites visited, and even e-mail.
Capping: In mobile data connection terminology capping describes a cap, or limit, on the data allowed to download under terms a specific contract. When the cap is exceeded, additional fees often apply.
Dongle: In mobile network terms dongle is the word that typically is used to to describe the small device that plugs into another internet-enabled device to receive 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 internet connection supplier, in the same way a mobile phone 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 network term describes how fast a connection can deliver data to a computer. To “download” something means to put it on your computer, typically by the internet. This is normally 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 other way from the computer to the internet is being ‘uploaded’ , such as sending photos to a website.
Femtocells: Femtocells use network 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 internet connection provider 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 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 smartphones over the internet. The firewall will analyze incoming 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 stopped.
Firewall virus software programs are often included with anti-virus software applications as well as sometimes being available free versions. Firewall software programs need to work with anti-spyware, anti-virus, and anti-spam software to be most effective.
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 describe 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 an abbreviation of 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 give a better idea of usage, 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 is an acronym 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 data connection 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 stands for internet service provider.
Kb (or kilobit): Kb is an abbreviation kilobit, which is a term used to describe the speed at which data travels across an internet connection also written as Kbps, or kilobits per second. It was typically used to measure dial-up internet speeds and still appears with slower mobile broadband connections.
LTE: LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, and is one of the next generation of mobile broadband technology. It is supposed to be capable of data transfer rates 15 to 100 times faster than current 3G mobile networks.
Mb (or Mbps, or megabit): Mb is short for 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 a contraction of for megabyte, which is a term used to describe the size of computer files and storage capacity.
Usage allowance: This expression describes how much 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 result in additional fees.
Wi-Fi: Pronounced ‘why-fye’, Wi-Fi is an abbreviation of 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, commonly it is taken by most to mean any electronics that function over a Wi-Fi network, technically but less likely referred to as a WLAN. Wi-Fi is the term more commonly used rather than the term technical IEEE 802.11 technology.
WiMAX: This expression is a contraction of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access – a new broadband technology that claims to offer a wireless broadband alternative without the need for cables. Similarly to LTE, WiMAX is being considered as the next generation of mobile broadband.
WLAN: WLAN is a contraction of for wireless local area network, and is more typically called Wi-Fi.
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