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 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 favored way most mobile phones and mobile computers access the internet using 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 internet service providers.

Anti-spam: Used to prevent e-mail spam; which is also called junk e-mail or electronic junk mail.   Email spam typically involves sending nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by e-mail. A common acronym for spam is UBE which stands for unsolicited bulk e-mail. There are numerous anti-spam techniques.
Anti-spam techniques can be divided into four broad categories: those that need actions from individuals, those that can be automated by e-mail administrators, those that can be automated by e-mail senders and those used by researchers and law enforcement officials.

Anti-virus: This is software used to protect computers, notebooks, and mobile phones from malicious internet (including email) transmitted malware.  Malware is malicious software applications typically designed to be intrusive or damaging.  Computer viruses, Trojan horses and worms are typical forms of malware.

Malware will often damage your computer, notebook or cell phone and may copy your personal information or just be annoying.

There are many bad people out there looking to make trouble and some kind of anti-virus software program is required on a broadband-enabled computers, laptops, and or cell phones.   

Namebrand anti-virus software applications such as Norton or McAfee are often included by mobile internet service providers and supplied for free.  Many people rely on free versions of services such as Avast and AVG.  One way or another – the reality is an anti-virus software application is needed to protect computers, notebooks, and smartphones.

Anti-spyware: Spyware is wide category of malicious software that will 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 is nasty computer software programs that surreptitiously obtain, monitor and report information from a user’s computer without their knowledge or permission.  This can include private data such as details of sites visited, and even e-mail.

Capping:  In mobile network  terms capping describes a cap, or limit, on the data allowed to download per conditions a specific 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 laptop or PC and contain a SIM card from a mobile data 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 broadband term  describes how fast a connection can deliver data to a computer.  A download can be anything from emails or a web page to live, streaming television, video or a software program.    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’ , such as sending  photos to a website.

Femtocells: Femtocells use data connection and boost the 3G signal to make mobile phones - and devices with a dongle – work better.   A femtocell is a wireless access point that provides localized 3G broadband coverage.  Typically it is very small base station that receives internet connection 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 unwanted traffic arriving on computers, laptops or handsets over the internet. The firewall will evaluate arriving data that connect to the computers, laptops or smartphones, and if it doesn’t meet the settings allocated to it, the data connection will be suspended.

Firewall virus software programs are often bundled 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 data connection signal network.

Gb (or gigabit): Giga means one billion. Gb  (note the small b) a contraction of   gigabit, a unit used to express the speed at which data travels across an internet connection (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 describe 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 could be 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 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 data connection networks to improve the speed of data transfer.

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

ISP:ISP stands 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 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 express the size of computer files and storage capacity.

Usage allowance: This expression describes how much data allowed to transmit through a mobile broadband connection. Usually 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 a contraction of Wireless Fidelity. It is a trademarked term of the Wi-Fi Alliance that manufacturers may use to brand certified 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:  public areas that offer internet connectivity either free or for a fee.  Because of the close relationship with its underlying standard, the the term Wi-Fi is often used synonymously for IEEE 802.11 technology.

WiMAX: This term is an abbreviation of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access - a new broadband technology that claims to provide a wireless broadband alternative without the need for cables. Like LTE, WiMAX is being promoted 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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