Mobile Media Toolkit

2G

2G refers to the second generation of mobile telephony.

2G used digital rather than analog transmission that 1G mobile telephony used. There are a family of technologies (including GSM) that are a part of 2G mobile telephony. 2G supports voice, and slow data-based transmissions like SMS messages. 2G is older than GPRS (which supports IM, and much faster SMS delivery), which is often referred to as "2.5G."

3G

3G refers to the third generation of mobile telephony and follows two earlier generations of mobile phone technology (1G and 2G).

3G is defined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to increase bandwidth and support diverse applications including mobile TV, video on demand, video conferencing, telemedicine, and location-based services. There are two distinct 3G "families": those that descend from GSM (3GPP technologies) and those that evolved from operators using CDMA2000 (3GPP2). EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) is one of the early 3G standards, but is typically differentiated from 3G services, which more commonly refer to UMTS and HSDPA systems. Bitrates range from 384 kbit/s - 14 Mbit/s.

4G

4G refers to the fourth generation of mobile standards.

4G is a successor to second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) standards. Analogue was considered first generation (1G). 4G is not yet an established set of standards, so features are currently goals rather than requirements. 4G mobile aims for enhanced security, reduced blips in transmission, and a network  based on the IP address system used for the Internet. It is also it is expected to use available radio spectrum more efficiently and provide end users with cable-modem transmission speeds which will support high-quality streaming video.

Cell Broadcast

Also known as Short Message Servce - Cell Broadcast (SMS-CB), cell broadcast is a mobile technology that is part of the GSM standard. Cell broadcast allows for simultaneous delivery to multiple users in a specified area.

Where a regular SMS message is a one-to-one or a one-to-a-few service, cell broadcast is a one-to-many service that is geographically focused. The image to the left shows a potential use for a cell broadcast which in this case was sent as a "cloud" of messages to mobiles in the geographic vicinity of an airport. However, not all mobile operators have a cell broadcast function activated and many handsets do not support cell broadcast.

CDMA

Code-Division Multiple Access, or CDMA, is a digital wireless "spread spectrum" technology that is an alternative to GSM.

With CDMA, there is no limit for the number of users who share one station or tower. This allows more subscribes to connect at any given time. In the U.S., for example, CDMA is used by Sprint and Verizon Wireless while GSM is used by AT&T and T-Mobile. Though it may be less widespread globally than GSM, CDMA offers higher rates of data transfer and greater potential connectivity to Internet and multimedia services. CDMA has a strong presence in Asia, especially in South Korea.

Data Connection

A "data connection" is an informal term used to refer to services like GPRS, EDGE, or 3G, which support IP (Internet Protocol).

While SMS is sometimes described as a data applicaiton, "data connection" usually refers to services that support IP. Data connections are mostly offered over packet-switched (where no connection is needed when there is no data to transmit) networks and are charged per kilobyte or other amount of data transferred, although circuit-switched (where a connection is made for a certain time) data connections do exist.

EDGE

Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution, or EDGE, is another wireless technology that support IP-based communication on GSM networks.

It is part of the 3G standard, faster than GPRS, but often branded separately from 3G (sometimes as 2.5G or 2.75G). EDGE bit-rates are typically around 400kbit/s, and can go up to 1Mbit/s. Newer and faster standards include those referred to as "3G" or "3.5G" standards.

GPRS

General packet radio service, or GPRS, is one of the wireless technologies that supports IP (Internet Protocol)-based communications on GSM networks. It is a packet-based service, and typically offers data rates of 56 to 114 Kbps.

The protocol only uses the network when there is data to transmit (as opposed to keeping a constant connection open), which means that users are charged per amount of data transmitted (like per kilobyte) rather than per time (like per second). It is one of the earliest standards to support IP and other packet-based services on mobile networks. Newer and faster standards include EDGE, other technologies known as "3G". GPRS is sometimes known as 2.5G mobile telephony technology.

GSM

Global System for Mobile Communications (originally Groupe Spécial Mobile), or GSM, is a second generation (2G) digital mobile phone technology standard.

GSM is now the most widely used mobile phone standard in the world, with an estimated 80% of the global mobile market using the standard. The GSM technology is older than CDMA, but it may have advantages of roaming readiness and fraud prevention. It has a strong presence in Europe.

HSDPA

High Speed Downlink Packet Access, or HSDPA, is one of the newer "3G" standards that is also sometimes referred to as "3.5G".

More frequently, it is branded as "3G" and supports bit-rates between 1.8 Mbit/s to 14 Mbit/s in current deployments. In December 2007, 154 HSDPA networks were operating in 71 countries. See "3G."

IMEI

The International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI, is a number that uniquely identifies many mobile phones. The IMEI number is usually found printed inside the phone's battery compartment.

The IMEI number is transmitted when a call, SMS or MMS message is sent or received, creating security and surveillance implications that mobile phone users should be aware of. The IMEI number is used to identify the phone device and, has a permanent relation to the phone rather than the subscriber. The IMEI number can be used to shut down service to specific handsets. India, for example, recently shut down phones without an IMEI number, which primarily affected "shinzhai" phones, or handsets that are made and sold for significantly less than mainstream brands. While more affordable to a greater number of people, many shinzhai phones are extremely basic, offering only voice and SMS features.

IVR

Interactive voice response, or IVR, is a technology that allows a computer to detect voice and keypad inputs.

IVR is often used in customer support lines but has many application for other services and uses. An established IVR system would allow a user to service their own inquiry by following recorded prompts and touching or saying specific numbers or keypad buttons. Essentially, IVR creates an interface which can be broken down into simple menu choices. For example, the prompted messages and directions you hear when you access your mobile voice mail is an IVR system.

Long Codes

Long codes are also called long numbers or virtual mobile numbers. A long code enables an organization or application to receive inbound SMS messages or voice calls from almost any mobile phone user on any mobile phone network around the world.

A long code resembles an 11-digit mobile phone number and is able to receive information without a GSM terminal or SIM card.  Unlike short codes, long codes can be used across national borders. The codes can be assigned exclusively and can be obtained directly from an SMS provider. While a long code may be more difficult for users to remember than a short code, it allows businesses or organization to have their own number rather than a short code which is often shared across many groups.

MMS

Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a service like SMS which allows a user to send rich format multimedia content like videos, pictures, text pages or ring tones.

What multimedia is accepted, however, depends on the users' handset and carrier. Not all phones support all types of media and the service can be unreliable for sending messages to a large number of handsets. In personal communication, MMS can be used to send a breaking news image of a fire or a protest to a news outlet or blog site.

Mobile Security

The most secure way to use a phone is not to use one at all.

Even so, most organisations, even if they understand the risks involved, find that phones are too useful to discard completely. The best approach then becomes one of harm reduction: identifying and understanding the risks involved, and taking appropriate steps to limit exposure. For every phone currently on the network (receiving a signal, regardless of whether the phone has been used to call or send messages) the network operator has the following information: the IMEI number, the IMSI number, the TMSI number, the network cell and the location of the subscriber within that cell. See SaferMobile.org for more information on mobile security.

MXit

MXit is a free instant messaging (IM) application developed by MXit Lifestyle in South Africa.

MXit runs on General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and 3G mobile phones as well as on PCs. It requires Java and Internet connectivity. The application features many of the standard functions of other IM clients, including a contact list, tabbed conversations, message formatting, file transfers, and photo sharing via a mobile phone's built-in camera. MXit also supports gateways to other IM platforms such as MSN Messenger, ICQ, and Google Talk. MXit is supported on many phones and has a large youth user base, especially in South Africa. It can be used, for instance, to send a short text alert when news breaks.

Premium SMS

Where SMS can be used to chat with friends and send brief tidbits of information, premium SMS can be used to monetize mobile content.

When a user sends an SMS to a premium SMS service, he or she pays a fee above the cost of a regular SMS. This fee is relayed by the operator to the individual or group running the premium SMS service. Premium SMS is also used for services such as televoting (like a text-in vote to the U.S. television program American Idol), product promotions, micropayment, billing, and campaigns. Commercial companies and providers have sprung up to capitalize on this growing enterprise of mobile monetization.

Short Code

Short codes are telephone numbers that are significantly shorter (typically 3 to 7 digits) than full telephone numbers. Short codes are used to address SMS and MMS messages from mobile phones and can be used to dial or message. 

They are designed to be easy to read and remember and are often used in services such as voting, ordering ringtones, sending donations or making contributions, and mobile services. Short codes can be shared or dedicated. A dedicated short code is unique to an individual and can be costly and time-consuming to set up, while a shared short code is shared among many and is thus less expensive. Short codes, however, are often limited to national borders and must be activated in each country where a campaign will take place.

SIM

A subscriber identity module, or SIM, is used to identify a subscriber on mobile phones.

The SIM is located on a removable card, often called the SIM card. It securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), also called the service-subscriber key. The SIM card can be removed, which allows users to change phones by inserting the card into another phone. The SIM card contains several pieces of information, including: a unique serial number, an internationally unique number of the mobile user, security authentication and ciphering information, local (and temporary) information related to the network, a list of services accessed by the user and two passwords. SIM card use is mandatory in GSM devices. A similar Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) is more popular in CDMA-based devices.

SMS

Short Message Service, or SMS, is essentially the same as a text message.

SMS is a component of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard for mobile phone systems and allows a user to type and send brief messages. SMS messages are short by definition and design. For example, messages in the Latin alphabet must be 160 characters or less, including spaces, numbers, and symbols and messages in the Chinese alphabet must be 70 characters or less. SMS is a store-and-forward service, meaning that a handset does not have to be active to receive a text. Instead, the SMS message is stored on a SIM card until the mobile is activated and the message is checked. SMSs can also be broadcast to a large number of people at one time.

UMTS

Univeral Mobile Telecommunications System, or UMTS, is one of the "3G" standards.

It has a maximal bitrate of 21 Mbit/s, although today's networks experience bitrates around 384 kbit/s - 7.2 Mbit/s.

USSD

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, or USSD, is like an SMS message, except that USSD commands are sent from a user to a specific application hosted by the mobile operator.

USSD messages can be up to 182 alphanumeric characters and are composed of numerical digits and the * and # symbols. USSD messages are simple to create and easy to send. The message itself is created directly on the default mobile screen. There is no need to enter any menus or options. Most USSD messages begin with a * followed by digits and terminated with the # symbol; together they indicate an action to be performed.  Unlike an SMS message, a USSD offers a real-time connection. Because it is session-based, response times are typically shorter than for SMS. A USSD message, for example, could be used to check available prepaid balance on a mobile handset or for information services like weather forecasts and traffic information.

Check out video: Mobiletrix demonstrates mobile interactivity using USSD

Check out video: Logical demonstrates the capabilities of their USSD server in action

WAP

Wireless Application Protocol, or WAP, is a standerized way for delivering Internet data over wireless networks. Essentially, WAP is what allows mobile phone users to access Internet data.

WAP browsers simplify the services of a computer-based web browser to operate within the restrictions of a mobile phone (i.e., the smaller view screen). Wireless Markup Language, or WML, is the language used to create pages for WAP browsers. WAP is sometimes seen as a "lesser" version of HTML and most new phones support HTML-based mobile sites. However, nearly all phones in America today, for example, have a WAP compatible browser (or better) so if you design for WAP, you may potentially reach more mobile users.