S
SACCH
Slow Associated Control Channel; transmits continuous measurements in parallel with operation of TCH or SDCCH; needed for handover decisions
SAR
Specific Absorption Rate
SB
Synchronisation Burst; used for time synchronisation of the mobile
S-CDMA
Synchronous CDMA (see CDMA)
SCH
Synchronisation Channel; downlink only frame synchronisation and identification of base station
SCP
Switching/Service Control Point
SDCCH
Stand-alone Dedicated Control Channel; communications channel between the MS and the BTS. Used for signalling during call set-up before a TCH is allocated
SDLC
Synchronous Data Link Control
SDMA
Spatial Division Multiple Access
SGSN
Serving GPRS Support Node; the gateway between the RNC and the core network in a GPRS/UMTS network
SIM
Subscriber Identity Module; A smart card containing the telephone number of the subscriber, encoded network identification details, the PIN and other user data such as the phone book. A user’s SIM card can be moved from phone to phone as it contains all the key information required to activate the phone
SoHo
Small Office/Home Office
Streaming
An Internet derived expression for the one-way transmission of video and audio content
STK
SIM ToolKit: specified within the GSM standard, this allows operators to add additional functions to the phone menu in order to provide new services such as mobile banking or email
SMR
Specialised Mobile Radio; the US term for private mobile radio (See PMR)
SMS
Short Message Service; a text message service which enables users to send short messages (160 characters) to other users. A very popular service, particularly amongst young people, with 400 billion SMS messages sent worldwide in 2002
SMSC
SMS Centre-the network entity which switches SMS traffic
SMSCB
SMS Cell Broadcast
SMS-MO
SMS Mobile Originated
SMS-MT
SMS Mobile Terminated
SMS-PP
SMS Point to Point
SP
Service Provider
SQAM
Staggered Quadrature Amplitude Modulation
SQPSK
Staggered Quadrature Phase Shift Keying
SS
Supplementary Service Support; handles special services
SS7
Signalling System Number 7 (See CCS7)
SSP
Service Switching Point
STM
Synchronous Transfer Mode
Symbian
A company created by Psion, Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola in 1998 with the aim of developing and standardising an operating system which enable mobile phones from different manufacturers to exchange information.
The operating system is known as EPOC. Matsushita has subsequently joined Symbian
The Consumer Mobile Glossary
Smartphone
a combination of mobile phone and personal digital assistant
SND
Send; The key on a cellular phone which initiates a call or answers an incoming call
Speed dialling
See One-touch dialling
Standby time
The length of time a battery can power a mobile phone when it is switched on but not making or receiving calls
