Glossary: mobile broadband technical terms explained

3G broadband: What is 3G broadband? It's how most of us access the internet via our phones or laptops, using a mobile signal from a mobile internet service provider. 3G, so called because it was the 'third generation' of mobile technology, has recently been improved by HSPA technology (see below). Most of the UK is now covered by 3G network signals from all the leading suppliers.

4G broadband: 4G broadband is set to gradually supersede 3G and trials of the fourth generation communication system are already being carried out in areas of the country. It is hoped that the eventual rollout of 4G broadband will give consumers better speeds and also ease congestion across mobile broadband networks. This could mean an end to, or at last a reduction, in the way services are affected at peak usage times.

Anti-spam: This term refers to computer software that helps protect your email inbox from unwanted 'spam' - the digital equivalent of junk mail. Remember - anti-spam software is only required if you use an email client (such as Microsoft Outlook) that downloads your messages directly to your computer or laptop. If you use webmail, such as Hotmail or Google Mail, they will have anti-spam software built in. It also worth looking into free anti-spam programs (such as Mailwasher Free) and checking that your anti-virus protection doesn't do the job for you already.

Anti-virus: This is software that attempts to protect your computer from malicious internet-transferred malware (malicious software normally designed to be intrusive or damaging such as computer viruses, Trojan horses and worms). Malware can damage your computer, steal your personal information or just be annoying, but whatever it does - you don't want it! Some kind of anti-virus software is pretty much essential on a broadband-enabled computer or laptop, and some mobile internet service providers will give you one of the better paid versions (such as Norton or McAfee) for free on some laptop deals. However, many people rely on free services such as Avast and AVG.

Anti-spyware: Spyware can implant itself on a PC via your broadband connection and is used to collect information without the owner's consent, such as details of sites visited. It can also do other nasty things such as slow your machine down and alter programs and settings. Some internet service providers include good quality anti-spyware in their free laptop mobile broadband packages, but there are other alternatives. For example, Microsoft now lets users of Windows 7, Vista and XP (Service Pack 2 or later) to download its own software, Windows Defender, for free. Also, many anti-virus packages include anti-spyware.

Capping: Capping in mobile broadband describes a cap, or limit, on how much you are allowed to download on a certain contract - if you exceed this cap, you may have to pay an excess charge. 

Dongle: In terms of mobile broadband, 'dongle' is the word that has been almost universally adopted to describe the small device that plugs into an internet-enabled device to receive your mobile broadband signal. Also sometimes called a 'stick', these devices plug easily into a USB port on your laptop or PC and contain a SIM card from your mobile broadband supplier, in the same way a mobile phone does. 

Download speed: This term describes how fast your broadband connection can receive data to your computer. A download can be anything from your emails or a web page to live, streaming television or entire computer programs. Anything that comes across the internet to your computer is considered to be 'downloaded'. Similarly, anything going the other way is being 'uploaded' (such as sending your photos to an online website or portal).

Evolved HSPA: See HSPA and HSPA Evolved (below).

Femtocells: A femtocell is a wireless access point that provides localised 3G coverage. None the wiser? Well, it basically means you buy a very small base station that receives your mobile ISPs signal and boosts it around a small area, such as your house. They look like a router and are easy to install, using your home broadband connection to boost your 3G signal to make your phone - and dongle - work better. This technology isn't on the market yet, but has obvious positive implications for boosting mobile broadband signals in all kinds of environments.

Firewall: A firewall is used as part of a computer system to stop unwanted traffic arriving on your computer via the internet. The firewall will evaluate everything that arrives at your machine, and if it doesn't meet the settings allocated to it the data will be stopped. A good firewall is pretty much essential to anyone with a broadband-connected machine. They are often included in anti-virus software bundles (see above), and there also some very good free options available (including one built into Microsoft Windows and another popular one called Zone Alarm). Also, remember a firewall alone is not sufficient to keep your computer safe - you'll still need anti-spyware and anti-virus cover, and perhaps anti-spam software (see above). This is because malicious data can sometimes get around a firewall's restrictions, as you may inadvertently let it through.

Fixed-line: Fixed-line broadband is a term used to describe either cable or ADSL internet connections that come into your home via either Virgin Media's cables or a BT telephone line. The term is mostly used to differentiate fixed-line broadband from mobile broadband, as the latter is wireless and uses a mobile signal network.

Free laptop: This term has been used throughout the mobile broadband industry to describe deals in which subsidised (not free) laptops are bought as part of a long mobile broadband contract (typically 18 or 24-month). It needs to be stressed that these laptops are not free; rather they are bought over time, like a hire purchase deal.

Gb (or gigabit): Gb is short for gigabit, which is a unit used to describe the speed at which data travels across an internet connection (also sometimes seem 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 give a better idea of usage, a small Notepad file could be measured in bytes, a basic Word document in kilobytes, a music file in megabytes and a DVD quality film in gigabytes.

HSPA, HSDPA, HSUPA: HSPA stands for 'high speed packet access' (the others are high speed 'download' and 'upload' packet access, describing the same technology either sending or receiving data). It is the latest advancement in quality for mobile broadband usage, working on the nation's various 3G and 4G (see above) mobile phone networks to improve the speed of data transfer whilst you're online. For this reason it is also sometimes known as 3.5G.

HSPA Evolved, HSPA+: The next generation of HSPA, Evolved HSPA (or HSPA+) promises mobile broadband speeds of up to 42Mb. HSPA+ is fast becoming a reality in countries such as Australia and Hong Kong. Already rolling out in Greece and Portugal, expect HSPA+ networks to be springing up across Europe throughout 2010. 

IM: IM is the abbreviation for instant messaging or instant messenger. These terms refer to computer software that lets people chat (via typing on a keyboard) to each other instantaneously. These are often connected to web-based email accounts (such as Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo Mail) and social networking sites (such as Facebook and MySpace), but there are also popular dedicated programs such as eBuddy, Skype and ICQ.

ISP:ISP stands for internet service provider - basically, the company responsible for billing you for your internet connection. So, if you get your broadband down a BT line but you pay your bills to O2, O2 is your internet service provider. It's exactly the same for mobile broadband, where your mobile broadband ISP is usually the company that operates the mobile network you receive your service from. 

Kb (or kilobit): Kb is an abbreviation of kilobit, which is a term used to describe internet speeds - you may also so it written as Kbps, or kilobits per second. This was commonly used to measure dial-up internet speeds (dial-up has largely now been replaced by broadband in the UK) and still crops up with slower mobile broadband connections and slow uploads and downloads of internet files. There are 1024Kb in an Mb.

KB (or Kbps, or kilobyte): KB is short for kilobyte, which is a term used to describe the size of computer files and storage capacity. See 'GB' above for more details.

LTE: LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, one of the next generation of mobile broadband technologies (alongside WiMAX). It is said to be capable of data transfer rates 15 to 100 times faster than current 3G mobile networks, which could see it seriously competing with fixed-line broadband in the not too distant future. LTE may become available in some parts of the world as early as late 2009, but don't hold your breath for a reliable UK service for a while yet.

Mb (or Mbps, or megabit): Mb is an abbreviation of Megabit. You may also see written as Mbps, which stands for megabits per second, as Mb is currently the term most often linked with the measurement of internet speeds. A Mb is 1024Kb, while there are 1024Mb in a Gb.

MB (or megabyte): MB is short for megabyte, which is a term used to describe the size of computer files and storage capacity. See 'GB' above for more details.

Mi-Fi (or MiFi): This is a little gadget that, like a dongle, receives a mobile broadband signal. However, unlike a dongle (which plugs directly into your laptop or other internet enabled device), the Mi-Fi device stands alone and distributes the signal wirelessly via Wi-Fi (see below) to several different machines. It is basically a wireless router for mobile broadband.

Modem: A modem is an electronic device that decodes data coming to and from computers, changing computer code into sounds that can be sent from one machine to another via either telephone lines or radio waves. This means modems can be wired, wireless or both.

MP3: There are several formats available for digitising music so that it can be stored and played from a computer, but MP3 is the most popular and common. An MP3 is essentially a digitised version of a song that can be played via an MP3 player and stored on a hard drive.

Phorm: Phorm is a company that has generated an online advertising program it calls Webwise. The system has come under heavy criticism as it tracks your internet usage habits (called 'behavioural targeting') to enable targetted advertising, which many allege breaches customer privacy. While ISPs BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk all expressed initial interested in Phorm, none have taken it on. If an ISP does link up with Phorm, and you do not opt out, your personal browsing habits can essentially be farmed out to a third party company.

Stick: See 'dongle' (above).

Upload speed: This term describes how fast your broadband connection can send data from your computer. A good example of uploading is sending your photos to an online website or portal, or sending emails. Anything that goes across the internet from your computer is considered to be 'uploaded'. Similarly, anything coming in the other way is being 'downloaded' (anything from getting your emails or a web page to live, streaming television or entire computer programs).

Usage allowance: This describes how much data you are allowed to download through your mobile broadband connection. This will either be a fixed monthly allowance, or a pay as you go allowance you can top-up. Beware - using more data than you're contracted for can prove costly. See our guide to mobile broadband usage for more details.

USB stick, or USB dongle: See 'dongle' (above).

Webmail: Webmail refers to services that store a customer's emails online, instead of downloading them to their machine via a program such as Outlook. The most common webmail services in the UK are Hotmail, Yahoo! and Gmail, but there are many around - most of them free. They are often seen as preferable to more static, ISP-based forms of email (known commonly as POP3) due to their flexibility - you can keep your email address when you change provider and can access your email from any internet connected computer. Webmail can also be set up to receive emails from POP3 email accounts, and often has built in anti-spam and anti-virus software.

Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi refers to products that have been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance as working in tandem with other Wi-Fi products. However, in common usage it is taken by most to mean electronic items that work wirelessly over a Wi-Fi network (which should correctly be referred to as WLAN, not that many of us do!). In mobile broadband terms, the most common usage is when referring to Wi-Fi hotspots: places such as hotels, airports and cafes which offer the internet in public areas, either for free or charged. In these places you use a wireless connection to get your data (usually from a fixed-line broadband connection), so can often save your dongle allowance for another time.

WiMAX: This term is short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access - a new broadband technology that claims to offer a wireless broadband alternative without the need for cables. Like LTE (see above) WiMAX is being touted as the next generation of mobile broadband, but could be a serious long-term threat to fixed-line broadband too.

WLAN: WLAN is the abbreviation for wireless local area network, and is more commonly known as Wi-Fi. For more details, see Wi-Fi (above).