Glossary

Here you will find definitions for many of the technical terms used throughout the Cellhire website and the mobile phone industry.

Airtime

The word often used to describe the actual minutes used on a wireless phone. "Airtime is also used to describe the SIM card portfolio offered by Cellhire, i.e., Italian Airtime, UK Airtime, Chinese Airtime, etc.

Bluetooth

A wireless connection that enables devices to exchange information.

CDMA

Stands for Code Division Multiple Access, a mobile technology, operated in several countries including the USA and South Korea.

Data Cable

Sometimes referred to as an I/O cable, a data cable is used to connect a data enabled satellite phone to a laptop. As with other forms of mobile data, this enables the user to send and receive data, e-mails and also to browse the Internet. As the information is being received via a satellite phone, the data is accessible from the most remote regions of the planet.

Data Card

see "USB Modem"

EVDO

EVDO or Evolution Data Only/Evolution Data Optimized (often abbreviated as EVDO, EV-DO, EvDO, 1xEV-DO or 1xEvDO) provides fast wireless broadband (3G) internet service directly to your laptop. Revision A - the newest development in EVDO - provides dramatically increased upload speeds averaging 300-400kbps.

GB (Gigabyte)

Measurement of data transfer. 1 gigabyte equals 1billion bytes.

GSM

Stands for Global System for Mobiles and is the international standard for wireless technology. GSM allows users to utilize one phone and one number in many countries throughout the world. GSM is a digital technology and therefore the call quality is of a very high standard. Calls are always clear and the network is very secure.

GPRS

GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service. GPRS is one of the latest advancements in wireless data. It is a GSM Packet Based Bearer for the delivery of data services.

iDEN

Stands for Integrated Digital Enhanced Network. This technology is utilized by the Nextel network.

MB

( Megabyte)

measurement of data transfer. 1 megabyte equals 1million bytes.

Mobile Broadband

see "USB Modem"

PC Card

see "USB Modem"

Post-Paid

The term describes a pay-as-you-go program. Users are invoiced at the end of a specified period, typically one month, for airtime used during that period.

Pre-Paid

The term that describes payment in advance for airtime. These solutions require payment in advance, when account balance reaches $0 service will no longer work. Customers will "top up" their account and service will be restored.

Roam / Roaming

The ability to use networks overseas and cross geographical boundaries while using a single phone number and a single phone.

Satellite Phones

Handheld and fixed base phones which transmit and receive signals via satellites as opposed to land based cell towers. The advantage to these solutions is that they will work anywhere on the planet.

SIM card

Subscriber Identity Module card. This removable card is the chip inside a GSM phone with information such as the user's phone number, phone book as well as other information related to the subscriber. See "Airtime".

SIMSmart

Cellhire's name for it's local airtime SIM card solutions.

USB Modem

wireless high speed USD or PCMCIA cards which allow users to connect their laptops to high speed wireless data networks.

Voicemail

The term used for mobile and cellular voice message services. Calls are diverted to Voicemail when the user is unavailable or has the phone powered off. The phone alerts you to indicate the receipt of a message.

3G

High speed mobile communications technology designed to meet the wireless industry's need for increased speed and bandwidth.