Glossary

3GPP — Third Generation Partnership Project

8-PSK — 8 Symbol Phase Shift Keying
A Interface — Interface between MSC and BSS. The interface is based on the use of
one or more E1/T1 digital links. The channels on these links can be used for traffic or
signalling.
A3 — Authentication algorithm that produces SRES, using RAND and Ki.
A38 — A single algorithm performing the function of A3 and A8.
A5 — Stream cipher algorithm, residing on an MS, that produces ciphertext out of
plaintext, using Kc.
A8 — Ciphering key generating algorithm that produces Kc using RAND and Ki.
AA — Anonymous Access
AAL-2 — ATM Adaptation Layer 2 (for real-time services) ( ITU-T I.363.2)
AAL-5 — ATM-Adaptation Layer 5 (non-real time) ( ITU-T I.363.5)
A-Bit — Acknowledgement Request Bit ( used in LLC-protocol Logical Link Control)
AB — See Access Burst.
Abis interface — Interface between a remote BSC and BTS. Motorola offers a GSM
standard and a unique Motorola Abis interface. The Motorola interface reduces the
amount of message traffic and thus the number of 2 Mbit/s lines required between
BSC and BTS.
ABM — Asynchronous Balanced Mode
ABR — Answer Bid Ratio. The ABR is the ratio of successful calls to total number of
calls. As a measure of effective calls, it reflects the performance of the total network
ac-dc PSM — AC-DC Power Supply module.
ac — Alternating Current. In electricity, AC occurs when charge carriers in a conductor
or semiconductor periodically reverse their direction of movement. Household utility
current in most countries is AC with a frequency of either 50 or 60 hertz (complete cycles
per second). The RF current in antennas and transmission lines is another example
of AC. An AC waveform can be sinusoidal, square, or sawtooth-shaped. Some AC
waveforms are irregular or complicated. Square or sawtooth waves are produced by
certain types of electronic oscillators, and by a low-end UPS when it is operating from
its battery.
AC — Access Class (C0 to C15).
AC — Application Context.
ACC — Automatic Congestion Control. A method by which congested switches
automatically communicate their congestion level to other switches. (3GTS 22.011)
Access Burst — The Access Burst is used by the MS to access the BTS. It carries
RACH uplink from the MS to the BTS to start a call.
ACCH — Associated Control CHannel. Control information associated with TCH or
DCCH.
ACK, Ack — ACKnowledgement.
ACM — Accumulated Call meter. The ACM is a function contained within the SIM.
It accumulates the total units (in the home currency) for both the current call and all
preceding calls. For security reasons, the SIM only allows the value of the ACM to be
incremented, not decremented. Resetting of the ACM is only possible after entering
PIN2.
ACM — Address Complete Message.
ACPIM — AC Power Interface Module. Used in M-Cell6 indoor ac BTS equipment.
AC PSM — AC Power Supply Module. Used in M-Cell6 BTS equipment.

GL-1
Glossary

ACSE — Association Control Service Element. The ACSE is one of the three
Application Service Elements (ASE) which reside in the application layer of the OSI
protocol and act as an interface to the lower layer protocols. It is used by applications
to create a title for identification. See also ASI and ROSE.
ACU — Antenna Combining Unit.
A/D — Analogue to Digital (converter). See ADC.
ADC — ADministration Centre.
ADC — Analogue to Digital Converter. A device that converts a signal that is a function
of a continuous variable into a representative number sequence carrying equivalent
information.
ADCCP — Advanced Data Communications Control Protocol. A bit-oriented
data-link-layer (DL) protocol used to provide point-to-point and point-to-multipoint
transmission of data frames that contain error-control information. Note: ADCCP
closely resembles high-level data link control (HDLC).
ADM — Asynchronous Disconnected Mode
ADM — ADMinistration processor.
ADMIN — ADMINistration.
ADN — Abbreviated Dialling Number. Abbreviated dialling is a telephone service
feature that (a) permits the user to dial fewer digits to access a network than are
required under the nominal numbering plan, and (b) is limited to a subscriber-selected
set of frequently dialled numbers.
ADPCM — Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation. Differential pulse-code
modulation (DPCM) in which the prediction algorithm is adjusted in accordance with
specific characteristics of the input signal.
AE — Application Entity. The system-independent application activities that are made
available as application services to the application agent.
AEC — Acoustic Echo Control. In a system, the reduction of the power level of an echo
or the elimination of an echo.
AEF — Additional Elementary Functions.
AET — Active Events Table. Alarms and events are sent to the Events Log in the GUI.
Different operators will have different subscription lists. All alarms and events are sent
to the AET before they are re-routed to different subscription lists.
AFC — Automatic Frequency Control. A device or circuit that maintains the frequency
of an oscillator within the specified limits with respect to a reference frequency.
AFN — Absolute Frame Number.
AGC — Automatic Gain Control. A process or means by which gain is automatically
adjusted in a specified manner as a function of a specified parameter, such as received
signal level.
AGCH — Access Grant CHannel. A GSM common control channel used to assign MS
to a SDCCH or a TCH.
AH — Authentication Header ( RFC 2402)
Ai — Action indicator.
AI — Acquisition Indicator
AI — Artificial Intelligence. A branch of computer science whose goal is to develop
electronic devices that can operate with some of the characteristics of human
intelligence. Among these properties are logical deduction and inference, creativity,
the ability to make decisions based on past experience or insufficient or conflicting
information, and the ability to understand natural language.
AIB — Alarm Interface Board.
AICH — Acquisition Indicator Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
AIO — A class of processor.

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 Index

Air interface — The radio link between the BTS and the MS.
AL — See Application Layer.
ALCAP — Access Link Control Application Part ( ITU-T Q.2630.1 / Q.2630.2)
AM — Acknowledged Mode operation ( UMTS-RLC)
AM — Amplitude Modulation. Modulation in which the amplitude of a carrier wave is
varied in accordance with some characteristic of the modulating signal.
AMA — Automatic Message Accounting (processor). A service feature that
automatically records data regarding user-dialled calls.
AMD — Acknowledged Mode Data (UMTS RLC PDU-type)
AMR — Adaptive Multi-Rate. The capability of operating at gross bit-rates of 11.4 kbit/s
(half-rate) and 22.8 kbit/s (full-rate) over the air interface.
AM/MP — Cell broadcast mobile terminated message. A message broadcast to all
MSs in a cell.
ANSI — American National Standards Institute. ANSI is the primary organisation for
fostering the development of technology standards in the United States. ANSI works
with industry groups and is the U.S. member of ISO and the IEC. Long established
computer standards from ANSI include ASCII and SCSI.
Antenna — A transmitter/receiver which converts electrical currents into RF and vice
versa. In GSM systems, transmits and receives RF signals between the BTS and MS.
AoC — Advice of Charge.
AoCC — Advice of Charge Charging supplementary service.
AoCI — Advice of Charge Information supplementary service.
AOC — Automatic Output Control.
AP — Application Process.
AP-AICH — CPCH Access Preamble Acquisition Indicator Channel (UMTS Physical
Channel)
API — Access Preamble Acquisition Indicator
APN — Access Point Name ( Reference to a GGSN)
Application Layer — See OSI RM. The Application Layer is the highest of seven
hierarchical layers. It interfaces directly to, and performs common application services
for, the application processes. It also issues requests to the Presentation Layer.
The common application services provide semantic conversion between associated
application processes.
ARFCN — Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number. The GSM available frequency
is divided in two bands. Each band is divided into 200kHz slots called ARFCN. Each
ARFCN is shared between 8 mobiles, each using it in turn. Each mobile uses the
ARFCN for one TS (Timeslot) and then waits for its turn to come around again. A
mobile has use of the ARFCN once per the TDMA frame. The combination of a TS
number and ARFCN is called a physical channel.
ARQ — Automatic Repeat-reQuest. Error control for data transmission in which
the receiver detects transmission errors in a message and automatically requests a
retransmission from the transmitter.
ARP — Address Resolution Protocol. A Transmission Control Protocol / Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol that dynamically binds a Network Layer (NL) IP address to
a Data Link Layer (DL) physical hardware address, e.g., Ethernet address.(RFC 826)
AS — Application Server
AS — Access Stratum ( UMTS)
ASC — Access Service Class
ASCE — Association Control Service Element. An ASE which provides an AP with
the means to establish and control an association with an AP in a remote NE. Maps
directly onto the Presentation layer (OMC).

GL-3
Glossary

ASCII — American Standard Code for Information Interchange. ASCII is a standard

developed by ANSI to define how computers write and read characters. It is the
most common format for text files in computers and on the Internet. In an ASCII
file, alphabetic, numeric, and special characters are represented with a 7-binary
digit binary number. 128 possible characters are defined. UNIX and DOS-based
operating systems (except for Windows NT) use ASCII for text files. Windows NT
uses a newer code, Unicode. IBM’s System 390 servers use a proprietary 8-bit code
called extended binary-coded decimal interchange code. Conversion programs allow
different operating systems to change a file from one code to another.
ASE — Application Service Element (OMC). A coherent set of integrated functions to
help accomplish application communication, e.g., within an application entity (AE).
ASE — Application Specific Entity (TCAP).
AS-ILCM — Application Server - Incoming Leg Control Model
ASN.1 — Abstract Syntax Notation One. A formal notation used for describing data
transmitted by telecommunications protocols, regardless of language implementation
and physical representation of these data, whatever the application, whether complex
or very simple.( ITU-T X.680 / X.681)
AS-OLCM — Application Server - Outgoing Leg Control Model
ASP — Alarm and Status Panel.
ASR — Answer Seizure Ratio. The percentage of calls that are completed successfully.
ATB — All Trunks Busy. An equipment condition in which all trunks (paths) in a given
trunk group are busy.
AT-Command — Attention-Command
Ater — The interface between XCDR and BSC.
ATI — Antenna Transceiver Interface.
ATM — Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A high-speed multiplexing and switching
method utilising fixed-length cells of 53 octets to support multiple types of traffic. (
ITU-T I.361)
ATT (flag) — ATTach.
ATTS — Automatic Trunk Testing Subsystem. Ensures the quality of telephone lines
by means of a series of tests. ATTS can be initiated by either an operator command or
by a command file, which can be activated at a predetermined time.
AU — Access Unit.
AUC — Authentication Centre. A GSM network entity which provides the functionality
for verifying the identity of an MS when requested by the system. Often a part of the
HLR.
AUT(H) — AUThentication.
AUTO — AUTOmatic mode.
B Interface — Interface between MSC and VLR.
BA — BCCH Allocation. The radio frequency channels allocated in a cell for BCCH
transmission.
BAIC — Barring of All Incoming Calls supplementary service.
BAOC — Barring of All Outgoing Calls supplementary service.
Baud — The unit in which the information carrying capacity or signalling rate of a
communication channel is measured. One baud is one symbol (state transition or
level-transition) per second. This coincides with bits per second only for two-level
modulation with no framing or stop bits
BBBX — Battery Backup Board.
BBH — Base Band Hopping. Method of frequency hopping in which each transceiver
at the base station is tuned to a different frequency, and the signal is switched to a
different transceiver for each burst.

GL-4
 Index

BCC — Base station Colour Code. The BCC and the NCC are part of the BSIC. The
BCC comprises three bits in the range 000 to 111. See also NCC and BSIC.
BCCH — Broadcast Control CHannel. A GSM control channel used to broadcast
general information about a BTS site on a per cell or sector basis.
BCD — Binary Coded Decimal. The representation of a decimal digit by a unique
arrangement of no fewer than four binary digits.
BCF — Base station Control Function. The GSM term for the digital control circuitry
which controls the BTS. In Motorola cell sites this is a normally a BCU which includes
DRI modules and is located in the BTS cabinet.
B channel — Bearer channel. Used in ISDN services to carry 64kbit/s of data, when
used at full capacity.
BCH — Broadcast Channel (UMTS Transport Channel)
BCIE — Bearer Capability Information Element. Specific GSM parameters in the Setup
message are mapped into a BCIE for signalling to the network and within the PLMN.
The BCIE is used to request a bearer service (BS) from the network.
BCTP — Bearer Control Tunneling Protocol ( ITU-T Q.1990)
BCU — Base station Control Unit. A functional entity of the BSS which provides the
base control function at a BTS site. The term no longer applies to a type of shelf (see
BSC and BSU).
BCUP — Base Controller Unit Power.
BEC — Backward Error Correction
BEG — BEGin Message ( TCAP)
BEP — Bit Error Probability.
BER — Bit Error Rate. The number of erroneous bits divided by the total number of bits
transmitted, received, or processed over some stipulated period. The BER is usually
expressed as a coefficient and a power of 10; for example, 25 erroneous bits out of
100,000 bits transmitted would be 25 out of 105 or 25 x 10-5.
BES — Business Exchange Services.
BFI — Bad Frame Indication. An indication of unsuccessfully decoded speech frames.
See FER.
BG — Border Gateway
BGCF — Breakout Gateway Control Function
BH — Busy Hour. In a communications system, the sliding 60-minute period during
which occurs the maximum total traffic load in a given 24-hour period.
BHCA — Busy Hour Call Attempt. A statistic based on call attempts that a switch
processes during a BH. See also BH.
BI — Barring of all Incoming call supplementary service.
BIB — Backward Indicator Bit
BIB — Balanced-line Interconnect Board. Provides interface to 12 balanced (6-pair)
120 ohm (37-pin D-type connector) lines for 2 Mbit/s circuits. See also T43.
BICC — Bearer Independent Call Control ( ITU-T Q.1902.1 Q.1902.6)
BIC-Roam — Barring of all Incoming Calls when Roaming outside the Home PLMN
Country supplementary service.
Bi-directional neighbour — See Reciprocal neighbour..
BIM — Balanced-line Interconnect Module.
Bin — From BINary. An area in a data array used to store information. Also, a name
for a directory that contain files stored in binary format.
BL — BootLoad. Also known as download. For example, databases and software can
be downloaded to the NEs from the BSS.

GL-5
Glossary

BLER — Block Error Rate

BLLNG — BiLLiNG.
bit — Binary digit. A character used to represent one of the two states or digits (0 or
1) in the numeration system with a radix of two. Also, a unit of storage capacity.
bit/s — Bits per second (bps). A measure of data transmission speed. The number
of binary characters (1s or 0s) transmitted in one second. For example, an eight-bit
parallel transmission link which transfers one character (eight bits) per second is
operating at 8 bps.
block — A group of bits (binary digits) transmitted as a unit, over which a parity check
procedure is applied for error control purposes.
Bm — Full rate traffic channel. See also Full Rate.
BMC — Broadcast / Multicast Control ( 3GTS 25.324)
BN — Bit Number. Number which identifies the position of a particular bit period within
a timeslot.
BPF — Bandpass Filter. A filter that ideally passes all frequencies between two
non-zero finite limits and bars all frequencies not within the limits.
BPSM — BCU Power Supply Module.
BRI — Basic Rate Interface. An ISDN multipurpose user interface allowing
simultaneous voice and data services provided over two clear 64 kb/s channels (B
channels) and one clear 16 kb/s channel (D channel). The interface is also referred to
as 2B+D.
BS — Base Station. See BSS.
BS — Basic Service (group).
BS — Bearer Service. A type of telecommunication service that provides the capability
for the transmission of signals between user-network interfaces. The PLMN connection
type used to support a bearer service may be identical to that used to support other
types of telecommunication service.
BSC — Base Station Controller. A network component in the GSM PLMN which has
the digital control function of controlling all BTSs. The BSC can be located within a
single BTS cabinet (forming a BSS) but is more often located remotely and controls
several BTSs (see BCF, BCU, and BSU).
BS_CV_MAX — Maximum Countdown Value to be used by the mobile station (
Countdown Procedure)
BSG — Basic Service Group.
BSIC — Base Transceiver Station Identity Code. Each cell has a BSIC. It is a local
colour code that allows a mobile station to distinguish between different neighbouring
base stations. The BSIC is an octet, consisting of three bits for the Network Colour
Code (NCC) and three bits for the Base station Colour Code (BCC). The remaining
two bits are unused. See also NCC and BCC.
BSIC-NCELL — BSIC of an adjacent cell.
BSP — Base Site control Processor (at BSC).
BSN — Backward Sequence Number. A field in a signal unit (SU) that contains the
forward sequence number (FSN) of a correctly received signal unit being acknowledged
in the signal unit that is being returned to the sender. See also FSN and SU.
BSS — Base Station System. The system of base station equipment (Transceivers,
controllers and so on) which is viewed by the MSC through a single interface as
defined by the GSM 08 series of recommendations, as being the entity responsible for
communicating with MSs in a certain area. The radio equipment of a BSS may cover
one or more cells. A BSS may consist of one or more base stations. If an internal
interface is implemented according to the GSM 08.5x series of recommendations,
then the BSS consists of one BSC and several BTSs.

GL-6
 Index

BSSAP — BSS Application Part (part of SS7) . Protocol for LAPD or LAPB signalling
links on the A-interface. Comprises DTAP and BSSMAP messages. Supports
message communication between the MSC and BSS.
BSSGP — Base Station System GPRS Protocol
BSSC — Base Station System Control cabinet. The cabinet which houses one or two
BSU shelves at a BSC or one or two RXU shelves at a remote transcoder (RXCDR).
BSSMAP — Base Station System Management Application Part (part of SS7). Call
processing protocol for A-interface messages exchanged between the MSC and BSS.
The BSS interprets these messages.
BSSOMAP — BSS Operation and Maintenance Application Part (part of SS7).
BSU — Base Station Unit shelf. The shelf which houses the digital control modules for
the BTS (part of BTS cabinet) or BSC (part of BSSC cabinet).
BT — British Telecom.
BT — Bus Terminator. In order to avoid signal reflections on the bus, each bus segment
has to be terminated at its physical beginning and at its end with the characteristic
impedance.
BTC — Bus Terminator Card.
BTF — Base Transceiver Function.
BTP — Base Transceiver Processor (at BTS). One of the six basic task groups within
the GPROC.
BTS — Base Transceiver Station. A network component in the GSM PLMN which
serves one cell, and is controlled by a BSC. The BTS contains one or more Transceivers
(TRXs).
Burst — A period of modulated carrier less than one timeslot. The physical content of
a timeslot.
BVCI — BSSGP Virtual Connection Identifier
Byte — A sequence of adjacent binary digits operated upon as a unit. Generally
consists of eight bits, usually presented in parallel. A byte is usually the smallest
addressable unit of information in a data store or memory.
C/R-Bit — Command / Response Bit
C/T-Field — logical Channel / Transport channel identification Field
C — Conditional.
C Interface — Interface between MSC and HLR/AUC.
C7 — See SS7.
CA — Cell Allocation. The radio frequency channels allocated to a particular cell.
CA — Central Authority. Software process that controls the BSS.
CAB — Cabinet.
CADM — Country ADMinistration. The Motorola procedure used within DataGen to
create new country and network files in the DataGen database.
CAI — Channel Assignment Indicator
CAI — Charge Advice Information.
CAT — Cell Analysis Tool. The CAT is part of the Motorola Cell Optimization product.
It is intended for engineering staff and OMC administrators. CAT provides information
about GSM network cell performance.
CB — Cell Balancer. The CB process balances the cells configured for GPRS across
PRPs. In the event of a PRP outage, this process sends message(s) indicating that
GPRS service is unavailable to the appropriate CRM(s) for the cells that could not be
moved to an INS (IN Service) PRP.
CB — Cell Broadcast. See CBSMS.

GL-7
Glossary

CB — Circuit Breaker.
CBA — Cell Broadcast Agent.
CBC — Cell Broadcast Centre. The call processing centre for CBSMS messages.
CBCH — Cell Broadcast CHannel. The channel which is used to broadcast messages
to all MSs in a specific cell.
CBF — Combining Bandpass Filter.
CBL — Cell Broadcast Link. A bi-directional data link which allows communications
between the BSS and the CBC.
CBM — Circuit Breaker Module.
CBMI — Cell Broadcast Message Identifier.
CBS — Cell Broadcast Service. See CBSMS.
CBSMS — Cell Broadcast Short Message Service. CBSMS allows a number of
unacknowledged general messages to be broadcast to all MSs within a particular
region. The content may include information such as local traffic conditions, the
weather, the phone number of the local taxi company, etc. The messages are sent
from a CBC via a BSC to a BTS and from there on a special cell broadcast channel to
the MSs. The CBC is considered as a node outside the PLMN and can be connected
to several BSCs. However, a BSC is only connected to one CBC.
CBUS — Clock Bus.
CC — Connection Confirm. Part of SCCP network connectivity.
CC — Country Code. A one to three digit number which specifically identifies a country
of the world that an international call is being routed to (e.g., 1 = North America, 44 =
United Kingdom).
CC — Call Control. CC functions, such as number translations and routeing, matrix
path control, and allocation of outgoing trunks are performed by the MSC.
CCB — Cavity Combining Block, a three way RF combiner. There are two types of
CCB, CCB(Output) and CCB(Extension). These, with up to two CCB Control cards,
may comprise the TATI. The second card may be used for redundancy.
CCBS — Completion of Calls to Busy Subscriber supplementary service.
CCCH — Common Control CHannels. A class of GSM control channels used to control
paging and grant access. Includes AGCH, PCH, and RACH.
CCCH_GROUP — Group of MSs in idle mode.
CCPCH — Common Control Physical Channel (see also P-CCPCH and S-CCPCH)
CCD — Common Channel Distributor.
CCDSP — Channel Coding Digital Signal Processor.
CCF — Conditional Call Forwarding. See CFC.
CCH — Control CHannel. Control channels are channels which carry system
management messages.
CCH — Council for Communications Harmonization (referred to in GSM
Recommendations).
CCITT — Comit Consultatif International Tlgraphique et Tlphonique. This term has
been superseded. See ITU-TSS.
CCM — Current Call Meter.
CCP — Capability/Configuration Parameter.
CCPE — Control Channel Protocol Entity.
CCS — Hundred call-seconds. A single call lasting one hundred seconds is one CCS.
Also, a measure of traffic load obtained by multiplying the number of calls per hour
by the average holding time per call expressed in seconds, and dividing by 100. Often
used in practice to mean hundred call seconds per hour with per hour" implied; as such,
it is a measure of traffic intensity. See also erlang.

GL-8
 Index

CCTrCH — Coded Composite Transport Channel (UMTS)

CCU — Channel Codec Unit. The CCU performs the following functions: Channel
coding functions, including FEC and interleaving, Radio channel measurement
functions, including received quality level, received signal level, and information
related to timing advance measurements.
Cct — Circuit.
CD/CA-ICH — Collision Detection / Channel Assignment Indicator Channel (UMTS
Physical Channel)
CDB — Control Driver Board.
CDE — Common Desktop Environment. Part of the SUN software (crontab - cron job
file).
CDI — Collision Detection Indicator
CDMA — Code-Division Multiple Access. CDMA is a digital cellular technology that
uses spread-spectrum techniques. Unlike competing systems, such as GSM, that
use TDM, CDMA does not assign a specific frequency to each user. Instead, every
channel uses the full available spectrum. Individual conversations are encoded with a
pseudo-random digital sequence.
CDR — Call Detail Record. A record of voice or data SVCs, which includes calling and
called numbers, local and remote node names, data and timestamp, elapsed time, and
call failure class fields. This is the information needed to bill the customer for calls and
facility usage data for calls.
CD-ROM — Compact Disk-Read Only Memory.
CDUR — Chargeable DURation.
CEB — Control Equalizer Board (BTS).
CED — Called station identifier.
CEIR — Central Equipment Identity Register.
Cell — By GSM definition, a cell is an RF coverage area. At an omni-site, cell is
synonymous with site; at a sectored site, cell is synonymous with sector. This differs
from analogue systems where cell is taken to mean the same thing as site. (See below)
CEND — End of charge point. The time at which the calling, or called, party stops
charging by the termination of the call or by an equivalent procedure invoked by the
network or by failure of the radio path.
CEPT — Confrence des administrations Europennes des Postes et
Telecommunications.
CERM — Circuit Error Rate Monitor. Identifies when discontinuity is detected in a
circuit. An alarm is generated and sent to the OMC-R when the error count exceeds an
operator specified threshold. The alarm identifies the RCI or CIC and the path where
the error is detected.
CF — Conversion Facility.
CF — Call Forwarding. A feature available to the mobile telephone user whereby, after
initiation of the feature by an authorised subscriber, calls dialled to the mobile telephone
of an authorised subscriber will automatically be routed to the desired number. See also
CFC and CFU.
CF — Control Function. CF performs the SGSN mobility management functions and
OA&M functions for the GSN module.
CFB — Call Forwarding on mobile subscriber Busy supplementary service. Service
automatically redirects incoming calls for phone busy situations.
CFC — Call Forwarding Conditional supplementary service. Service automatically
redirects incoming calls for busy, no reply, or not reachable situations. See also CFB,
CFNRc, and CFNRy.
CFM — Configuration Fault Management RSS process.

GL-9
Glossary

CFNRc — Call Forwarding on mobile subscriber Not Reachable supplementary

service. Service automatically redirects incoming calls for not reachable situations.
CFNRy — Call Forwarding on No Reply supplementary service. Service automatically
redirects incoming calls for no reply situations.
CFU — Call Forwarding Unconditional supplementary service. Service automatically
redirects all incoming calls.
CG — Charging Gateway.
CGF — Charging Gateway Function.
Channel — A means of one-way transmission. A defined sequence of periods (for
example, timeslots) in a TDMA system; a defined frequency band in an FDMA system;
a defined sequence of periods and frequency bands in a frequency hopped system.
CHAP — Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol ( RFC 1334)
CIM — Coaxial Interconnect Module.
Channel Mode — See Full Rate and Half Rate. These are the channel modes that are
currently used.
CHP — CHarging Point.
CHV — Card Holder Verification information.
CKSN — Ciphering Key Sequence Number. The CKSN is a number which is
associated with the ciphering key, Kc. It is used to ensure authentication consistency
between the MS and the VLR.
CI — Cell Identity. A block of code which identifies a cell within a location area.
CI — CUG Index.
C/I — Carrier to Interference ratio.
CIC — Circuit Identity Code. The unique identifier of the terrestrial portion of a circuit
path. A CIC is either a 64 kbit/s or 16 kbit/s connection depending on whether a site has
local or remote transcoding. A CIC with local transcoding occupies a complete E1/T1
timeslot. A 16 kbit/s CIC, at a site with remote transcoding, occupies a sub-channel of
an E1/T1 timeslot.
CIC — Call Instance Code ( BICC)
CID — Channel Identity ( ATM)
CIDR — Classless Inter-Domain Routing ( RFC 1519)
CIO — Cell Individual Offset ( 3GTS 25.331)
CIR, C/I — Carrier to Interference Ratio. Indicates the received signal power level
relative to the interference power level.
Ciphertext — Unintelligible data produced through the use of encipherment.
CKSN — Ciphering Key Sequence Number.
CLI — Calling Line Identity. The identity of the caller. See also CLIP and CLIR.
CLIP — Calling Line Identification Presentation supplementary service. Allows the
called party to identify the caller. See also CLIR.
CLIR — Calling Line Identification Restriction supplementary service. Allows the caller
to withhold their identity from the called party. See also CLIP.
CLK — Clock.
CLKX — Clock Extender half size board. The fibre optic link that distributes GCLK to
boards in system (part of the BSS, etc).
CLM — ConnectionLess Manager. Coordinates global control over the BSS by
handling of all connectionless messages (that is, messages that are not directly
concerned with a connected call). This includes such messages as global resets, load
limiting and circuit blocking.
CLR — CLeaR.

GL-10
 Index

CM — Configuration Management. Configuration management allows the operator

to perform network configuration tasks, and to maintain all details of the network
configuration at the OMC.
CM — Connection Management. See CLM.
CM — Connectionless Manager. See CLM.
CMD — CoMmanD.
CMM — Channel Mode Modify. Message sent to an MS to request a channel mode
change. When it has received the CMM message, the MS changes the mode to the
indicated channel and replies with a Channel Mode Modify Acknowledge message
indicating the new channel mode.
CMIP — Common Management Information Protocol. Protocol used for
communication over the OML.
CMISE — Common Management Information Service Element. An ASE which
provides a means to transfer management information via CMIP messages with
another NE over an association established by ASCE using ROSE (OMC).
CMR — Cellular Manual Revision. Documentation updates.
CNG — CalliNg tone.
Codec — Coder/Decoder. A speech coding unit that converts speech into a digital
format for radio broadcast, and vice versa.
CODEX — Manufacturer’s name for a type of multiplexer and packet switch commonly
installed at the Motorola OMC-R.
Coincident Cell — A cell whose cell boundary follows the boundary of a co-located
neighbour cell. The coincident cell has a different frequency type, but the same BSIC,
as that of the neighbour cell.
COLI — COnnected Line Identity. Identity of the connected line. See also COLP and
COLR.
Collocated — Placed together; two or more items together in the same place.
Colour Code — An 8-bit code assigned to a BTS to distinguish interfering signals from
another cell.
COLP — COnnected Line Identification Presentation supplementary service. Allows
the calling party to identify the line identity of the connected party. See also COLR.
COLR — COnnected Line Identification Restriction supplementary service. Allows the
connected party to withhold its line identity from the calling party. See also COLP.
COM — Code Object Manager (software).
COM — COMplete.
COMB — Combiner. The purpose of a combiner in the BSS is to combine transmitter
outputs from the RCUs onto an antenna.
COMM, Comms — COMMunications.
CommHub — Communications Hub. Provides Ethernet switching and IP routeing for
the GSN complex local networking and GSN complex E1 interfaces to the public data
network.
CommsLink — Communications Link. See also 2 Mbit/s link.
Compact PCI — See cPCI.
CON — CONtinue Message ( TCAP)
CONF — CONFerence circuit. Circuit used for multi-party conference calls.
CONFIG — CONFIGuration Control Program.
Congestion — Situation occurring when an element cannot receive all the service it is
requesting.

GL-11
Glossary

CONNACK — CONNect ACKnowledgement. Part of the synchronization process.

After a connection has been established, the CONNACK message indicates that traffic
channels are available.
CP — Call Processing. The CP process in the BTS controls the MS to BSS to
MS signalling link, MS originated and terminated calls and inter-BSS and inter-BTS
handovers.
CPCH — Common Packet Channel (UMTS Transport Channel) FDD only
cPCI — Compact Peripheral Component Interconnect. A set of standards that define
a common card cage, power supplies, and processor boards.
CPCS — Common Part Convergence Sublayer
CPGM — CCCH Paging Manager. The CPGM processes the paging messages sent
from the SGSN to the BSC/BTS.
CPICH — Common Pilot Channel (UMTS Physical Channel / see also P-CPICH and
S-CPICH)
CPS — Code and Puncturing Scheme.
CPU — Central Processing Unit. The portion of a computer that controls
the interpretation and execution of instructions. Also, the portion of a digital
communications switch that executes programmed instructions, performs arithmetic
and logical operations on signals, and controls input/output functions.
C/R — Command/Response field bit.
CR — Carriage Return (RETURN).
CR — Connection Request (Part of SCCP network connectivity). An SCCP Connection
Request message is sent from the BSS to the MSC to establish a connection. See also
CREF.
CRC — Cyclic Redundancy Check (3 bit). An error-detection scheme that (a) uses
parity bits generated by polynomial encoding of digital signals, (b) appends those parity
bits to the digital signal, and (c) uses decoding algorithms that detect errors in the
received digital signal.
CRE — Call RE-establishment procedure. Procedure for re-establishing a call in the
event of a radio link failure.
CREF — Connection REFused (Part of SCCP network connectivity). In a number of
operating circumstances, a CREF message may be sent from the MSC to the BSS in
response to a Connection Request (CR).
CRM — Cell Resource Manager. The CRM allocates and activates timeslots and
subchannels on the available carriers.
CRM — Cell Resource Machine.
CRM-LS/HS — Cellular Radio Modem-Low Speed/High Speed. Low speed modem
used to interwork 300 to 2400 bit/s data services under V.22bis, V.23, or V.21 standards.
High speed modem used to interwork 1200 to 9600 bit/s data services under V.22bis,
V.32, or V.29/V.27ter/V.21 standards.
CNRC — Controlling RNC
CRO — Motorola Controlled Roll Out Group. A CRO consists of a customer
site implementation of a new product, software release, or combination of
products/releases.
CRT — Cathode Ray Tube (video display terminal).
CS — Coding Scheme
CS — Circuit Switched.
CS-1 — GPRS Coding Scheme-1 (9.05 kbit/s per TCH).
CS-2 — GPRS Coding Scheme-2 (13.4 kbit/s per TCH).
CS-3 — GPRS Coding Scheme-3 (15.6 kbit/s per TCH).
CS-4 — GPRS Coding Scheme-4 (21.4 kbit/s per TCH).

GL-12
 Index

CSCF — Call Session Control Function ( SIP)

CSD — Circuit Switched Data
CSFP — Code Storage Facility Processor (at BSC and BTS). A GPROC device which
facilitates the propagating of new software instances with reduced system down time.
See also IP.
CSICH — CPCH Status Indicator Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
CSP — Central Statistics Process. The statistics process in the BSC.
CSPDN — Circuit Switched Public Data Network. A publicly available communications
network using circuit switched digital data circuits.
CT — Call Transfer supplementary service.
CT — Channel Tester.
CT — Channel Type.
CTCH — Common Traffic Channel (Logical) PTM
CTP — Call Trace Product (Tool). The CTP is designed to help operators of GSM900
and DCS1800 communication networks tune and optimize their systems. CTP allows
Call Trace data to be analysed and decoded.
CTP — Control Terminal Port.
CTR — Common Technical Regulation.
CTS — Clear to Send. A handshake signal used with communication links, especially
RS232 or CCITT Rec. V.24, to indicate (to a transmitter from a receiver) that
transmission may proceed. Generated in response to a request to send signal. See
also RTS.
CTU — Compact Transceiver Unit (M-Cellhorizon radio).
CUG — Closed User Group supplementary service. A CUG is used to control who can
receive and/or place calls, by creating a unique group. When a CUG is configured for an
interface, only those subscribers that are members of the same CUG can receive/place
calls.
Cumulative value — The total value for an entire statistical interval.
CV — Countdown Value
CW — Code Word
CW — Call Waiting supplementary service. A subscriber feature which allows an
individual mobile telephone user currently engaged in a call to be alerted that another
caller is trying to reach him. The user has a predetermined period of time in which to
terminate the existing conversation and respond to the second call.
cwnd — Congestion window
D Interface — Interface between VLR and HLR.
D/A — Digital to Analogue (converter). See DAC.
DAB — Distribution Alarm Board (in BTS6 cabinet).
DAC — Digital to Analogue Converter. A device that converts an input number
sequence into a function of a continuous variable.
DACS — Digital Access Cross-connect System. A data concentrator and organizer for
Tl / El based systems.
DAK — Downlink Acknowledgement
DAN — Digital ANnouncer (for recorded announcements on MSC).
DAS — Data Acquisition System.
DAT — Digital Audio Tape. Audio-recording and playback medium/format that
maintains a signal quality equal to that of the CD-ROM medium/format.
DataGen — Sysgen Builder System. A Motorola offline BSS binary object configuration
tool.

GL-13
Glossary

Data Link Layer — See OSI RM. This layer responds to service requests from the
Network Layer and issues service requests to the Physical Layer. It provides the
functional and procedural means to transfer data between network entities and to
detect and possibly correct errors that may occur in the Physical Layer.
dB — Decibel. A unit stating the logarithmic ratio between two numeric quantities. See
also dBm.
DB — DataBase.
DB — Dummy Burst (see Dummy burst).
DBA — DataBase Administration/Database Administrator.
dBm — A dB referenced to 1 milliwatt; 0 dBm equals one milliwatt.
DBMS — DataBase Management System.
dc — Direct Current. DC is the unidirectional flow or movement of electric charge
carriers, usually electrons. The intensity of the current can vary with time, but the
general direction of movement stays the same at all times. As an adjective, the term
DC is used in reference to voltage whose polarity never reverses.
DCB — Diversity Control Board (part of DRCU).
DCCH — Dedicated Control CHannel. A class of GSM control channels used to set up
calls and report measurements. Includes SDCCH, FACCH, and SACCH.
DCD — Data Carrier Detect signal. Hardware signal defined by the RS-232-C
specification that indicates that a device such as a modem is on-line and ready for
transmission.
DCE — Data Circuit terminating Equipment. The DCE performs functions such as
signal conversion and coding, at the network end of the line between the DTE and the
line.Also, The RS232 configuration designated for computers. DCE equipment can be
connected to DTE equipment with a straight cable, but to other DCE equipment only
with a null modem cable.
DCF — Data Communications Function.
DCF — Duplexed Combining bandpass Filter. (Used in Horizonmacro).
DCH — Dedicated CHannel (Transport)
D channel — Data channel. Used in ISDN to perform call signalling and connection
setup functions. In some circumstances, the channel can also be used to carry user
data.
DCN — Data Communications Network. A DCN connects Network Elements with
internal mediation functions or mediation devices to the Operations Systems.
DC PSM — DC Power Supply Module.
DCS1800 — Digital Cellular System at 1800 MHz. A cellular phone network using
digital techniques similar to those used in GSM 900, but operating on frequencies of
1710 - 1785 MHz (receive) and 1805-1880MHz (transmit).
DDF — Dual-stage Duplexed combining Filter. (Used in Horizonmacro). The DDF is
an integrated combiner, filter and duplexer.
DDS — DataGen Data Store. Store area for DataGen input and output files.
DDS — Data Drive Storage.
DDS — Direct Digital Synthesis. A technology for generating highly accurate and
frequency-agile (rapidly changeable frequency over a wide range), low-distortion output
waveforms.
DEQB — Diversity Equalizer Board.
DES — Data Encryption Standard
DET — DETach.
DFE — Decision Feedback Equalizer. A receiver component/function. The DFE results
in a very sharp Bit Error Rate (BER) threshold by using error feedback.

GL-14
 Index

DGT — Data Gathering Tool. The DGT collects all the relevant data relating to a
specified problem and copies it to tape or file, together with a problem description.
The file or tape is then sent to Motorola for analysis.
DHCP — Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol ( RFC 2131)
DHP — Digital Host Processor. A hard GPROC based device located at Horizonmicro2
BTS sites. It represents the MCU of a slave Horizonmicro2 FRU. The MCU that the
DHP represents is responsible for providing DRI and carrier support.
DIA — Drum Intercept Announcer.
Digit — 4 Bit
DINO E1/HDSL — Line termination module (part of Horizonmicro).
DINO T1 — Line termination module (part of Horizonmicro).
DISC — DISConnect.
Discon — Discontinuous.
DIQ — Diversity In phase and Quadrature phase.
DIR — Device Interface Routine. Software routine used in the BSS.
DL — Data Link (layer). See Data Link Layer.
DL — See Downlink.
DLCI — Data Link Connection Identifier. In frame-relay transmission systems, 13-bit
field that defines the destination address of a packet. The address is local on a
link-by-link basis.
DLD — Data Link Discriminator.
DLNB — Diversity Low Noise Block.
DLR — Destination Local Reference
DLS — DownLink Segmentator. The DLS segments LLC frames into RLC data blocks
to be transmitted over the air interface.
DLSP — Data Link Service Process. Handles messages for an OMP and a shelf
GPROC.
DLSP — Digital Link Signalling Processor.
Dm — Control channel (ISDN terminology applied to mobile service).
DMA — Deferred Maintenance Alarm. An alarm report level; an immediate or deferred
response is required (see also PMA).
DMA — Direct Memory Access. Transfer of data from a peripheral device, such as
a hard disk drive, into memory without that data passing through the microprocessor.
DMA transfers data into memory at high speeds with no processor overhead.
DMR — Digital Mobile Radio.
DMX — Distributed Electronic Mobile Exchange (Motorola’s networked EMX family).
DN — Directory Number.
DNIC — Data Network Identifier Code. In the CCITT International X.121 format, the
first four digits indicate the international data number, the next three digits are the data
country code, and the final digit is the network code.
DNS — Domain Name Service. A service that translates from logical domain or
equipment names to IP addresses.
Downlink — Physical link from the BTS towards the MS (BTS transmits, MS receives).
DP — Dial/Dialled Pulse. A dc pulse produced by an end instrument that interrupts
a steady current at a sequence and rate determined by the selected digit and the
operating characteristics of the instrument.
DPC — Destination Point Code. A part of the label in a signalling message that uniquely
identifies, in a signalling network, the (signalling) destination point of the message.

GL-15
Glossary

DPC — Digital Processing and Control board.

DPCCH — Dedicated Physical Control Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
DPCH — Dedicated Physical Channel (UMTS / Term to combine DPDCH and DPCCH)
DPDCH — Dedicated Physical Data Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
DPCM — Pulse-code modulation (PCM) in which an analog signal is sampled and the
difference between the actual value of each sample and its predicted value, derived
from the previous sample or samples, is quantified and converted, by encoding, to a
digital signal. Note: There are several variations of differential pulse-code modulation.
DPNSS — Digital Private Network Signalling System (BT standard for PABX interface).
DPP — Dual Path Preselector. BTS module.
DPR, DPRAM — Dual Port Random Access Memory.
DPROC — Data PROCessor.
DPSM — Digital Power Supply Module.
DRAM — Dynamic Random Access Memory. A type of semiconductor memory in
which the information is stored in capacitors on a integrated circuit.
DRC — Data Rate Converter board. Provides data and protocol conversion between
PLMN and destination network for 8 circuits. Part of IWF.
DRCU — Diversity Radio Channel Unit. Contains transceiver, digital control circuits,
and power supply. Part of the BSS.
DRI — Digital Radio Interface. Provides encoding/decoding and encryption/decryption
for radio channels. Part of BSS.
DRIM — Digital Radio Interface extended Memory. A DRI with extra memory.
DRIX — DRI Extender half size board. Fibre optic link from DRI to BCU. Part of the
BSS.
DRNC — Drift Radio Network Controller
DRX, DRx — Discontinuous reception (mechanism). A means of saving battery power
(for example in hand-portable units) by periodically and automatically switching the MS
receiver on and off.
DS-1 — Digital transmission System 1 (or Digital Signal level 1). Term used to refer to
the 1.44 Mbit/s (U.S.) or 2.108 Mbit/s (Europe) digital signal carried on a T1 facility.
DS-2 — German term for 2 Mbit/s line (PCM interface).
DSCH — Downlink Shared Channel (UMTS Transport Channel)
DSE — Data Switching Exchange.
DSI — Digital Speech Interpolation. A compression technique that relies on the pauses
between speech bursts to provide additional compression. DSI enables users to gain
an additional 2:1 compression on the average on their line.
DSN — Digital Switching Network
DSO — 64 kbit/s timeslot on an E1/T1.
DSP — Digital Signal Processor. A specialized, programmable computer processing
unit that is able to perform high-speed mathematical processing.
DSS1 — Digital Subscriber Signalling No 1. N-ISDN user network interface signalling.
DSSI — Diversity Signal Strength Indication.
DTAP — Direct Transfer Application Part (Part of SS7). Call processing protocol for
A-Interface messages exchanged directly between the MSC and the mobile unit without
interpretation by the BSS.
DTCH — Dedicated Traffic Channel (UMTS Logical Channel)

GL-16
 Index

DTE — Data Terminal Equipment. An end instrument that converts user

information into signals for transmission or reconverts the received signals into user
information.Also, the RS232 configuration designated for terminals. DTE equipment
can be connected to DCE with a straight cable, but to other DTE equipment only with
a null modem.
DTF — Digital Trunk Frame. A frame or electronic rack of digital trunk interface
equipment.
DT1 — DaTa form 1 (Part of SCCP network connectivity).
DTI — Digital Trunk Interface.
DTM — Dual Transer Mode.
DTMF — Dual Tone Multi-Frequency. Multifrequency signalling in which specified
combinations of two voice band frequencies, one from a group of four low frequencies
and the other from a group of four higher frequencies, are used. The sounds a push
button tone telephone makes when it dials a number.
DTR — Data Terminal Ready signal. Method of flow control (RS232 Interface). A
modem interface control signal sent from the DTE to the modem, usually to indicate to
the modem that the DTE is ready to transmit data.
DTRX — Dual Transceiver Module. (Radio used in Horizonmicro (M-Cellarena) and
Horizonmacro (M-Cellarenamacro)).
DTX, DTx — Discontinuous Transmission (mechanism). A means of saving battery
power (for example in hand-portable units) and reducing interference by automatically
switching the transmitter off when no speech or data are to be sent.
Dummy burst — A period of carrier less than one timeslot whose modulation is a
defined sequence that carries no useful information. A dummy burst fills a timeslot
with an RF signal when no information is to be delivered to a channel.
DYNET — DYnamic NETwork. Used to specify BTSs sharing dynamic resources.
E — See Erlang.
E1 — Also known as CEPT1. The 2.048 Mbit/s rate used by European CEPT carrier to
transmit 30 64 kbit/s digital channels for voice or data calls, plus a 64 kbit/s signalling
channel and a 64 kbit/s channel for framing and maintenance.
E Interface — Interface between MSC and MSC.
EA — External Alarm. See EAS. Typical external alarms are: Door open, High humidity,
Low humidity, Fire, Intruder.
EAS — External Alarm System. The EAS is responsible for the monitoring of all
customer-defined environmental alarms at a site. The customer defines the alarm
string and the severity of the alarms based on the individual requirements of the site.
Indications are provided when the alarms are set or cleared.
Eb/No — Energy per Bit/Noise floor, where Eb is the signal energy per bit and No is
the noise energy per hertz of noise bandwidth.
EBCG — Elementary Basic Service Group.
EC — Echo Canceller. Performs echo suppression for all voice circuits. If cancellation
does not take place, the PLMN subscriber hears the voice signal as an echo, due to
the total round-trip delay introduced by the GSM system (typically 180 ms).
ECB — Provides echo cancelling for telephone trunks for 30 channels (EC).
ECID — The Motorola European Cellular Infrastructure Division.
ECM — Error Correction Mode. A facsimile mode, in which the sending machine will
attempt to send a partial page up to four times.
Ec/No — Ratio of energy per modulating bit to the noise spectral density.
ECSD — Enhanced Circuit Switched Data ( HSCSD + EDGE)

GL-17
Glossary

ECT — Event Counting Tool. The ECT provides information about the number and
type of events and alarms generated throughout the network. It extracts data from the
event log files for specified dates, allowing the user to generate reports on individual
network elements, groups of elements, or the whole network.
ECT — Explicit Call Transfer supplementary service. ECT enables a user to connect
two other parties with which he is engaged in a telephone call and leave the connection
himself.
EDGE — Enhanced Data-rates for Global Evolution.
EEL — Electric Echo Loss.
EEPROM — Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. An EEPROM is
a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to an electrical charge. Like
other types of PROM, EEPROM retains its contents even when the power is turned off.
EGPRS — Enhanced GPRS.
EGSM900 — Extended GSM900. EGSM900 provides the BSS with a further range of
frequencies for MS and BSS transmit. EGSM MSs can use the extended frequency
band as well as the primary band, while non-EGSM MSs cannot use the extended
frequency band. A GSM900 cell can contain both GSM900 and EGSM900 carrier
hardware. EGSM operates on the frequency range, 880 - 915 MHz (receive) and
925-960MHz (transmit).
EI — Events Interface. Part of the OMC-R GUI.
EIA — Electronic Industries Alliance.
EIR — Equipment Identity Register. The EIR contains a centralized database for
validating the IMEI. The register consists of lists of IMEIs organised as follows: White
List - IMEIs which are known to have been assigned to valid MS equipment. Black List
- IMEIs which have been reported stolen or which are to be denied service for some
other reason. Grey List - IMEIs which have problems (for example, faulty software).
These are not, however, sufficiently significant to warrant a black listing.
EIRP — Effective Isotropically Radiated Power. The arithmetic product of the power
supplied to an antenna and its gain.
EIRP — Equipment Identity Register Procedure.
EL — Echo Loss.
EM — Event Management. An OMC-R application. It provides a centralised facility for
reporting network-wide generated events and alarms, and for monitoring the status of
the Network.
EMC — ElectroMagnetic Compatibility. The ability of systems, equipment, and devices
that utilize the electromagnetic spectrum to operate in their intended operational
environments without suffering unacceptable degradation or causing unintentional
degradation because of electromagnetic radiation or response.
EMF — Electro Motive Force. The rate at which energy is drawn from a source that
produces a flow of electricity in a circuit; expressed in volts.
EMI — Electro Magnetic Interference. Any electromagnetic disturbance that
interrupts, obstructs, or otherwise degrades or limits the effective performance of
electronics/electrical equipment.
eMLPP — enhanced Multi-Level Precedence and Pre-emption service. This service
has two parts: precedence and pre-emption. Precedence involves assigning a priority
level to a call in combination with fast call set-up. Pre-emption involves the seizing
of resources, which are in use by a call of a lower precedence, by a higher level
precedence call in the absence of idle resources. Pre-emption can also involve the
disconnection of an on-going call of lower precedence to accept an incoming call of
higher precedence.
EMMI — Electrical Man Machine Interface.
EMX — Electronic Mobile Exchange (Motorola’s MSC family).

GL-18
 Index

en bloc — Fr. - all at once (a CCITT #7 Digital Transmission scheme); En bloc sending
means that digits are sent from one system to another ~ (that is, all the digits for a
given call are sent at the same time as a group). ~ sending is the opposite of overlap
sending. A system using ~ sending will wait until it has collected all the digits for a given
call before it attempts to send digits to the next system. All the digits are then sent as
a group.
END — END Message ( TCAP)
EOP — Enhanced One-Phase
EOT — End of Tape.
EPCR — EGPRS Packet Channel Request.
EPROM — Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. EPROM is a type of memory
that retains its contents until it is exposed to ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light clears
its contents, making it possible to re-program the memory.
EPSM — Enhanced Power Supply Module. Used in +27 V positive earth cabinets.
EQ50 — Static model against which the performance of the equalizer is tested to
extremes. See also TU3, TU50, HT100 and RA250.
EQB — Equalizer Board. Control circuit for equalization for 8 time slots each with
equalizing circuitry and a DSP.
EQCP — Equalizer Control Processor.
EQDSP — Equalizer Digitizer Signal Processor.
Equalization — The process by which attenuation and/or phase shift is rendered
essentially constant over a band of frequencies, even though the transmission medium
or the equipment has losses that vary with frequency.
Equalizer — An electrical network in which attenuation (or gain) and/or phase shift
varies as a function of frequency. Used to provide equalization.
Erlang — International (dimensionless) unit of traffic intensity defined as the ratio of
time a facility is occupied to the time it is available for occupancy. One erlang is equal
to 36 CCS. In the US this is also known as a traffic unit (TU).
ERP — Ear Reference Point. Facility for assessing handset and headset acoustic
responses.
ERP — Effective Radiated Power. The power supplied to an antenna multiplied by the
antenna gain in a given direction.
ERR — ERRor.
ESN — Electronic Serial Number (North American Market)
ESP — Encapsulating Security Payload ( RFC 2406)
ESP — Electro-static Point. Connection point on the equipment for an anti-static wrist
strap.
ESQL — Embedded SQL (Structured Query Language). An RDBMS programming
interface language.
E-TACS — Extended TACS (analogue cellular system, extended).
Ethernet — A standard protocol (IEEE 802.3) for a 10 Mbit/s baseband local area
network (LAN) bus using carrier-sense multiple access with collision detection
(CSMA/CD) as the access method, implemented at the Physical Layer in the OSI RM,
establishing the physical characteristics of a CSMA/CD network.
ETR — ETSI Technical Report.
ETS — European Telecommunication Standard.
ETSI — European Telecommunications Standards Institute.
ETX — End of Transmission.
EXEC — Executive Process.
F Interface — Interface between MSC and EIR.

GL-19
Glossary

FA — Fax Adaptor. Device which complements Group 3 facsimile apparatus in order

to be able to communicate over a GSM PLMN.
FA — Full Allocation.
FA — Functional Area.
FAC — Final Assembly Code.
FACCH — Fast Associated Control Channel. A GSM dedicated control channel which
temporarily uses the TCH to perform high speed transmissions, and carries control
information after a call is set up. See also SDCCH.
FACCH/F — Fast Associated Control Channel/Full rate. See also Full Rate.
FACCH/H — Fast Associated Control Channel/Half rate. See also Half Rate.
FACH — Forward Access Channel (UMTS Transport Channel)
FB — See Frequency correction burst.
FBI — Feedback Information UMTS
FBI — Final Block Indicator
FBM — Flow control Buffer Management. FBM is a functional unit residing on the PRP.
It controls buffer capacity for each cell and each mobile so that the incoming data from
the SGSN matches the air throughput.
FC-AL — Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop. A serial data transfer architecture. FC-AL is
designed for mass storage devices and other peripheral devices that require very high
bandwidth. Using optical fibre to connect devices, FC-AL supports full-duplex data
transfer rates of 100MBps.
FCCH — Frequency Correction CHannel. A GSM broadcast control channel which
carries information for frequency correction of the MS.
FCP — Fault Collection Process. Part of the fault management process in the BTS.
FCS — Frame Check Sequence. The extra characters added to a frame for error
detection and correction.
FDD — Frequency Division Duplex
FDDI — Fiber Distributed Data Interconnect (optical Layer 2)
FDM — Frequency Division Multiplex. A multiplexing technique that uses
different frequencies to combine multiple streams of data for transmission over a
communications medium. FDM assigns a discrete carrier frequency to each data
stream and then combines many modulated carrier frequencies for transmission.
FDMA — Frequency Division Multiple Access. The use of frequency division to provide
multiple and simultaneous transmissions to a single transponder.
FDN — Fixed Dialling Number. The fixed dialling feature limits dialling from the MS
to a pre-determined list maintained on the SIM card. It can be used to limit calling to
certain areas, exchanges or full phone numbers.
FDP — Fault Diagnostic Procedure.
FEC — Forward Error Correction. Correction of transmission errors by transmitting
additional information with the original bit stream. If an error is detected, the additional
information is used to recreate the original information.
FEP — Front End Processor. An OMC-R device. The FEP is a driver that stores data
in its own database about all of the sites in the system. All bursts from the sites are
directed to the FEP. It can also interrogate the sites and collect its data either manually
or automatically at pre-defined times.
FER — Frame Erasure Ratio. The ratio of successfully decoded good speech frames
against unsuccessfully decoded bad frames.
FFS, FS — For Further Study.
FH — See Frequency Hopping.
FHI — Frequency Hopping Indicator.

GL-20
 Index

FIB — Forward Indicator Bit. Used in SS7 - Message Transfer Part. The forward
indicator bit and backward indicator bit together with the forward sequence number
and backward sequence number are used in the basic error control method to perform
the signal unit sequence control and acknowledgement functions.
FIFO — Memory logic device in which the information placed in the memory in a given
order is retrieved in that order.
FIR — Finite Impulse Response (filter type).
FISU — Fill In Signal Unit
FK — Foreign Key. A database column attribute; the foreign key indicates an index
into another table.
FM — Fault Management (at OMC).
FM — Frequency Modulation. Modulation in which the instantaneous frequency of
a sine wave carrier is caused to depart from the centre frequency by an amount
proportional to the instantaneous value of the modulating signal.
FMC — Fixed Mobile Convergence
FMIC — Fault Management Initiated Clear. An alarm type. If an FMIC alarm is
received, the fault management software for the network item clears the alarm when
the problem is solved. See also Intermittent and OIC.
FMUX — Fibre optic MUltipleXer module.
FN — Frame Number. Identifies the position of a particular TDMA frame within a
hyperframe.
FOA — First Office Application. A full functional verification of new product(s) on a
commercial system using accepted technology and approved test plans.
FOX — Fibre Optic eXtender board.
FPB — First Partial Bitmap
FR — See Full Rate.
FR — Frame Relay. An interface protocol for statistically multiplexed packet-switched
data communications in which (a) variable-sized packets (frames) are used that
completely enclose the user packets they transport, and (b) transmission rates are
usually between 56 kb/s and 1.544 Mb/s (the T-1 rate).
Frame — A set of consecutive Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) time slots containing
samples from all channels of a group, where the position of each sample is identified
by reference to a frame alignment signal. Also, an information or signal structure which
allows a receiver to identify uniquely an information channel.
Frame Alignment — The state in which the frame of the receiving equipment is
synchronized with respect to that of the received signal to accomplish accurate data
extraction.
FRMR — Frame Reject
FRU — Field Replaceable Unit. A board, module, etc. which can be easily replaced in
the field with a few simple tools.
Frequency Correction — Period of RF carrier less than one timeslot whose
modulation bit stream allows frequency correction to be performed easily within an
MS burst.
Frequency Hopping — The repeated switching of frequencies during radio
transmission according to a specified algorithm. Frequency hopping improves
capacity and quality in a highly loaded GSM network. Multipath fading immunity can
be increased by using different frequencies and interference coming from neighbour
cells transmitting the same or adjacent frequencies can be reduced.
FS — Frequency Synchronization. All BSS frequencies and timing signals are
synchronized to a high stability reference oscillator in the BSS. This oscillator can free
run or be synchronized to the recovered clock signal from a selected E1/T1 serial
link. MSs lock to a reference contained in a synchronization burst transmitted from
the BTS site.

GL-21
Glossary

FSL — Free Space Loss. The decrease in the strength of a radio signal as it travels
between a transmitter and receiver. The FSL is a function of the frequency of the radio
signal and the distance the radio signal has travelled from the point source.
FSN — Forward Sequence Number. See FIB.
FTAM — File Transfer, Access, and Management. An ASE which provides a means to
transfer information from file to file. (OMC).
ftn — forwarded-to number.
FTP — Fault Translation Process (in BTS).
FTP — File Transfer Protocol. A client-server protocol which allows a user on one
computer to transfer files to and from another computer over a TCP/IP network. Also
the client program the user executes to transfer files (RFC 959).
Full Rate — Refers to the current capacity of a data channel on the GSM air interface,
that is, 8 simultaneous calls per carrier. See also HR - Half Rate.
G Interface — Interface between VLR and VLR.
Gateway MSC — An MSC that provides an entry point into the GSM PLMN from
another network or service. A gateway MSC is also an interrogating node for incoming
PLMN calls.
GB, Gbyte — Gigabyte. 230 bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes = 1024 megabytes.
GBIC — Gigabit Interface Converter Converter for connection to the Gigabit Ethernet.
GBL — Gb Link.
GBM — Gb Manager.
GCC — Generic Call Control
GCLK — Generic Clock board. System clock source, one per site (part of BSS, BTS,
BSC, IWF, RXCDR).
GCR — Group Call Register. The register which holds information about VGCS or VBS
calls.
GDP — Generic DSP Processor board. Interchangeable with the XCDR board.
GDP E1 — GDP board configured for E1 link usage.
GDP T1 — GDP board configured for T1 link usage.
GDS — GPRS Data Stream.
GEA — GPRS Encryption Algorithm
GERAN — GSM EDGE Radio Access Network
GGSN — Gateway GPRS Support Node. The GGSN provides internet working with
external packet-switched networks.
GHz — Giga-Hertz (109).
GID — Group ID. A unique number used by the system to identify a user’s primary
group.
GIP — GPRS Initialization Process
GMB — GSM Multiplexer Board (part of the BSC).
GMM — GPRS Mobility Management.
GMR — General Manual Revision.
GMSC — Gateway Mobile-services Switching Centre. See Gateway MSC.
GMSC-S — Gateway MSC Server
GMSK — Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying. The modulation technique used in GSM.
GND — GrouND.

GL-22
 Index

GOS — Grade of Service. A traffic statistic defined as the percentage of calls which
have a Probability of Busy or Queueing Delay. An alternative criterion is a maximum
time for a percentage of calls to wait in the busy queue before they are assigned a
voice channel.
GPA — GSM PLMN Area.
GPC — General Protocol Converter.
G-PDU — T-PDU + GTP-Header
GPROC — Generic Processor board. GSM generic processor board: a 68030 with 4
to 16 Mb RAM (part of BSS, BTS, BSC, IWF, RXCDR).
GPROC2 — Generic Processor board. GSM generic processor board: a 68040 with
32 Mb RAM (part of BSS, BTS, BSC, IWF, RXCDR).
{4354} GPROC3 — Generic Processor board. GSM generic processor board: a 68060
with 128 Mb RAM (part of BSS, BTS, BSC, IWF, RXCDR).
GPRS — General Packet Radio Service. A GSM data transmission technique that
does not set up a continuous channel from a portable terminal for the transmission and
reception of data, but transmits and receives data in packets. It makes very efficient
use of available radio spectrum, and users pay only for the volume of data sent and
received.
GPS — Global Positioning by Satellite. A system for determining position on the Earth’s
surface by comparing radio signals from several satellites.
GR — Gb Router.
GSA — GSM Service Area. The area in which an MS can be reached by a fixed
subscriber, without the subscriber’s knowledge of the location of the MS. A GSA may
include the areas served by several GSM PLMNs.
GSA — GSM System Area. The group of GSM PLMN areas accessible by GSM MSs.
GSD — GSM Systems Division.
GSL — GPRS Signalling Link.
GSM — Groupe Spcial Mobile (the committee).
GSM — Global System for Mobile communications (the system).
GSM900 — See PGSM.
GSM MS — GSM Mobile Station.
GSM PLMN — GSM Public Land Mobile Network.
GSM RF — GSM Radio Frequency.
GSN — GPRS Support Node. The combined functions provided by the SGSN and
GGSN.
GSN Complex — A GSN Complex consists of an ISS Cluster, GGSN and SGSNs
connected to a single CommHub.
GSR — GSM Software Release.
GT — Global Title. A logical or virtual address used for routing SS7 messages using
SCCP capabilities. To complete message routing, a GT must be translated to a SS7
point code and subsystem number.
GTE — Generic Table Editor. The Motorola procedure which allows users to display
and edit MCDF input files.
GTM — Gb Transmit Manager.
GTP — GPRS Tunneling Protocol
GTS — GBRS TBF Scheduler
Guard period — Period at the beginning and end of timeslot during which MS
transmission is attenuated.

GL-23
Glossary

GUI — Graphical User Interface. A computer environment or program that displays,

or facilitates the display of, on-screen options. These options are usually in the form
of icons (pictorial symbols) or menus (lists of alphanumeric characters) by means of
which users may enter commands.
GUI client — A computer used to display a GUI from an OMC-R GUI application which
is being run on a GUI server.
GUI server — A computer used to serve the OMC-R GUI application process running
locally (on its processor) to other computers (GUI clients or other MMI processors).
GWM — GateWay Manager.
GWY — GateWaY (MSC/LR) interface to PSTN.
H Interface — Interface between HLR and AUC.
H-M — Human-Machine Terminals.
HAD, HAP — HLR Authentication Distributor.
Half Rate — Refers to a type of data channel that will double the current GSM air
interface capacity to 16 simultaneous calls per carrier (see also FR - Full Rate).
HANDO, Handover — HANDOver. The action of switching a call in progress from one
radio channel to another radio channel. Handover allows established calls to continue
by switching them to another radio resource, as when an MS moves from one BTS area
to another. Handovers may take place between the following GSM entities: timeslot,
RF carrier, cell, BTS, BSS and MSC.
HCS — Hierarchical Cell Structure
HCU — Hybrid Combining Unit. (Used in Horizonmacro). Part of the DDF, the HDU
allows the outputs of three radios to be combined into a single antenna.
HDLC — High level Data Link Control. A link-level protocol used to facilitate reliable
point-to-point transmission of a data packet. Note: A subset of HDLC, LAP-B, is the
layer-two protocol for CCITT Recommendation X.25.
HDSL — High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line. HDSL is a data transmission mechanism
which supports duplex high speed digital communication (at E1 rates) on one or more
unshielded twisted pair lines.
HLC — High Layer Compatibility. The HLC can carry information defining the higher
layer characteristics of a teleservice active on the terminal.
HLR — Home Location Register. The LR where the current location and all subscriber
parameters of an MS are permanently stored.
HMAC — Keyed Hashing for Message Authentication ( RFC 2104)
HMS — Heat Management System. The system that provides environmental control
of the components inside the ExCell, TopCell and M-Cell cabinets.
HO — HandOver. See HANDO.
HPU — Hand Portable Unit. A handset.
HOLD — Call hold supplementary service. Call hold allows the subscriber to place
a call on hold in order to make another call. When the second call is completed, the
subscriber can return to the first call.
HPLMN — Home PLMN.
HR — See Half Rate.
HS — HandSet.
HSCSD — High Speed Circuit Switched Data
HSI/S — High Speed Interface card.
HSM — HLR Subscriber Management.
HSN — Hopping Sequence Number. HSN is a index indicating the specific hopping
sequence (pattern) used in a given cell. It ranges from 0 to 63.

GL-24
 Index

HT100 — Hilly Terrain with the MS travelling at 100 kph. Dynamic model against which
the performance of a GSM receiver can be measured. See also TU3, TU50, RA250
and EQ50.
HTTP — HyperText Transfer Protocol ( RFC 2616)
HU — Home Units. The basic telecommunication unit as set by the HPLMN. This value
is expressed in the currency of the home country.
HW — Hardware.
Hybrid Combiner — A combiner device which requires no software control and is
sufficiently broadband to be able to cover the GSM transmitter frequency band. See
also COMB.
Hybrid Transformer — A circuit used in telephony to convert 2-wire operation to 4-wire
operation and vice versa. For example, every land-line telephone contains a hybrid
to separate earpiece and mouthpiece audio and couple both into a 2-wire circuit that
connects the phone to the exchange.
Hyperframe — 2048 superframes. The longest recurrent time period of the frame
structure.
I — Information frames. Part of RLP.
I+S — Information + Supervisory
IA — Incoming Access supplementary service. An arrangement which allows a
member of a CUG to receive calls from outside the CUG.
IA5 — International Alphanumeric 5 character set.
IADU — Integrated Antenna Distribution Unit. The IADU is the equivalent of the
Receive Matrix used on BTSs that pre-date the M-Cell range.
IANA — Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
IAM — Initial Address Message. A message sent in the forward direction that contains
(a) address information, (b) the signaling information required to route and connect a
call to the called line, (c) service-class information, (d) information relating to user and
network facilities, and (e) call-originator identity or call-receiver identity.
IAS — Internal Alarm System. The IAS is responsible for monitoring all cabinet alarms
at a BSS.
IC — Integrated Circuit. An electronic circuit that consists of many individual circuit
elements, such as transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and other
active and passive semiconductor devices, formed on a single chip of semiconducting
material and mounted on a single piece of substrate material.
IC — Interlock Code. A code which uniquely identifies a CUG within a network.
IC(pref) — Interlock Code of the preferential CUG.
ICANN — Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
ICB — Incoming Calls Barred. An access restriction that prevents a CUG member from
receiving calls from other members of that group.
ICC — Integrated Circuit(s) Card.
ICH — Indicator Channel (UMTS Physical Channel / see also PICH, AICH, CD/CA-ICH)
ICM — In-Call Modification. Function which allows the service mode (speech, facsimile,
data) to be changed during a call.
ICMP — Internet Control Message Protocol. An extension to the Internet Protocol
(IP) that allows for the generation of error messages, test packets, and informational
messages related to IP. The PING command, for example, uses ICMP to test an
Internet connection( RFC 792).
I-CSCF — Interrogating Call Session Control Function ( SIP)
ID, Id — IDentification/IDentity/IDentifier.
IDN — Integrated Digital Network. A network that uses both digital transmission and
digital switching.

GL-25
Glossary

IDS — Interface Design Specification.

IDS — Informix Dynamic Server. The OMC-R relational database management
system.
IE — Information Element. The part of a message that contains configuration or
signalling information.
IEC — International Electrotechnical Commission. An international standards and
conformity assessment body for electrical, electronic and related technologies.
IEEE — Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. A non-profit, technical
professional association.
IEI — Information Element Identifier. The identifier field of the IE.
IETF — Internet Engineering Task Force (www.ietf.org)
I-ETS — Interim European Telecommunication Standard.
IF — Intermediate Frequency. A frequency to which a carrier frequency is shifted as
an intermediate step in transmission or reception.
IFAM — Initial and Final Address Message.
IHOSS — Internet Hosted Octet Stream Service
IKE — Internet Key Exchange ( RFC 2409)
IKMP — Internet Key Management Protocol
ILCM — Incoming Leg Control Model
IM — InterModulation. The production, in a nonlinear element of a system, of
frequencies corresponding to the sum and difference frequencies of the fundamentals
and harmonics thereof that are transmitted through the element.
IMACS — Intelligent Monitor And Control System.
IMEI — International Mobile station Equipment Identity. Electronic serial number that
uniquely identifies the MS as a piece or assembly of equipment. The IMEI is sent by
the MS along with request for service. See also IMEISV.
IMEISV — International Mobile station Equipment Identity and Software Version
number. The IMEISV is a 16 digit decimal number composed of four elements:- a 6
digit Type Approval Code; - a 2 digit Final Assembly Code; - a 6 digit Serial Number;
and - a 2 digit Software Version Number (SVN).The first three elements comprise the
IMEI. When the network requests the IMEI from the MS, the SVN (if present) is also
sent towards the network. See also IMEI and SVN.
IMM — IMMediate assignment message. IMMs are sent from the network to the MS
to indicate that the MS must immediately start monitoring a specified channel.
IMPI — IP Multimedia Private Identity
IMPU — IP Multimedia Public Identity
IMS — Internet Protocol Multimedia Core Network Subsystem ( Rel. 5 onwards)
IMSI — International Mobile Subscriber Identity. Published mobile number (prior to
ISDN) that uniquely identifies the subscription. It can serve as a key to derive subscriber
information such as directory number(s) from the HLR. See also MSISDN.
IMT-2000 — International Mobile Telecommunications for the year 2000
IN — Intelligent Network. A network that allows functionality to be distributed flexibly
at a variety of nodes on and off the network and allows the architecture to be modified
to control the services.
IN — Interrogating Node. A switching node that interrogates an HLR, to route a call for
an MS to the visited MSC.
INS — IN Service.
INS — Intelligent Network Service. A service provided using the capabilities of an
intelligent network. See also IN.
InterAlg — Interference Algorithm.

GL-26
 Index

Intermittent — Intermittent alarms are transient and not usually associated with a
serious fault condition. After the intermittent alarms are displayed in the Alarm window,
the operator must handle and clear the alarm. The system will report every occurrence
of an intermittent alarm unless it is throttled. See also FMIC and OIC.
Interworking — The general term used to describe the inter-operation of networks,
services, supplementary services and so on. See also IWF.
Interval — A recording period of time in which a statistic is pegged.
Interval expiry — The end of an interval.
I/O — Input/Output.
IOS — Intelligent Optimization Service. Tool for improving the network quality. The
IOS generates reports based on performance data from the BTS and OMC-R.
IOV-I / IOV-UI — Input Offset Variable for I+S and UI-Frames ( for ciphering in GPRS)
IP — Initialisation Process. The IP is primarily responsible for bringing up the site from
a reset, including code loading the site from a suitable code source. IP also provides
the CSFP functionality, allowing two BSS code load version to be swapped very quickly,
allowing the site to return to service as soon as possible.
IP — Internet Protocol. A standard protocol designed for use in interconnected
systems of packet-switched computer communication networks. IP provides for
transmitting blocks of data called datagrams from sources to destinations, where
sources and destinations are hosts identified by fixed-length addresses. The internet
protocol also provides for fragmentation and reassembly of long datagrams, if
necessary, for transmission through small-packet networks ( RFC 791). See also TCP
and TCP/IP.
IPBCP — IP Bearer Control Protocol ( ITU-T Q.1970)
IPC — Inter-Process Communication. Exchange of data between one process and
another, either within the same computer or over a network.
IPCP — Internet Protocol Control Protocol ( RFC 1332)
IP, INP — INtermodulation Products. Distortion. A type of spurious emission.
IPR — Intellectual PRoperty.
IPSM — Integrated Power Supply Module (-48 V).
IPX — Internetwork Packet EXchange A networking protocol used by the Novell
NetWare operating systems. Like UDP/IP, IPX is a datagram protocol used for
connectionless communications. Higher-level protocols are used for additional error
recovery services.
IR — Incremental Redundancy (Hybrid Type II ARQ)
Iridium — A communications system comprising a constellation of 66
low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites forming a mobile wireless system allowing
subscribers to place and receive calls from any location in the world. The satellite
constellation is connected to existing terrestrial telephone systems through a number
of gateway ground-stations.
ISAKMP — Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol
ISAM — Indexed Sequential Access Method. A method for managing the way a
computer accesses records and files stored on a hard disk. While storing data
sequentially, ISAM provides direct access to specific records through an index. This
combination results in quick data access regardless of whether records are being
accessed sequentially or randomly.
ISC — International Switching Centre. The ISC routes calls to/from other countries.
ISCP — Interference Signal Code Power ( 3GTS 25.215 / 3GTS 25.102)
ISDN — Integrated Services Digital Network. A digital network using common switches
and digital transmission paths to establish connections for various services such as
telephony, data telex, and facsimile. See also B channel and D channel.
ISG — Motorola Information Systems group (formerly CODEX).

GL-27
Glossary

ISO — International Organisation for Standardization. ISO is a world-wide federation

of national standards bodies from some 130 countries, one from each country.
ISP — Internet Service Provider
ISQL — An Interactive Structured Query Language client application for the database
server. See also IDS.
ISS — Integrated Support Server. The ISS resides on a Sun Netra t1125 and performs
the CGF, DNS, NTP, and NFS functions for the GSN.
IST — Integrated System Test.
ISUP — ISDN User Part. An upper-layer application supported by signalling system
No. 7 for connection set up and tear down ( ITU-T Q.761 Q.765).
IT — Inactivity Test (Part of SCCP network connectivity).
ITC — Information Transfer Capability. A GSM Bearer Capability Element which is
provided on the Dm channel to support Terminal adaptation function to Interworking
control procedures.
ITU — International Telecommunication Union. An intergovernmental organization
through which public and private organizations develop telecommunications. It is
responsible for adopting international treaties, regulations and standards governing
telecommunications.
ITU-T — International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunications
Standardization Sector. The standardization functions were formerly performed by
CCITT, a group within the ITU.
Iub-FP — Iub-Frame Protocol ( 3GTS 25.427 / 25.435)
Iu-FP — Iu-Frame Protocol ( 3GTS 25.415)
Iur-FP — Iur-Frame Protocol ( 3GTS 25.424, 3GTS 25.425, 25.426, 25.435)
IWF — InterWorking Function. A network functional entity which provides network
interworking, service interworking, supplementary service interworking or signalling
interworking. It may be a part of one or more logical or physical entities in a GSM
PLMN.
IWMSC — InterWorking MSC. MSC that is used to deliver data to/from SGSN.
IWU — InterWorking Unit. Unit where the digital to analogue (and visa versa)
conversion takes place within the digital GSM network.
k — kilo (103).
k — Windows size.
K — Constraint length of the convolutional code.
KAIO — Kernel Asynchronous Input/Output. Part of the OMC-R relational database
management system.
kb, kbit — kilo-bit.
kbit/s, kbps — kilo-bits per second.
kbyte — kilobyte. 210 bytes = 1024 bytes
Kc — Ciphering key. A sequence of symbols that controls the operation of
encipherment and decipherment.
kHz — kilo-Hertz.
Ki — Individual subscriber authentication Key. Part of the authentication process of
the AUC.
KIO — A class of processor.
KPI — Key Performance Indicator.
KSW — Kiloport SWitch board. TDM timeslot interchanger to connect calls. Part of
the BSS.

GL-28
 Index

KSWX — KSW Expander half size board. Fibre optic distribution of TDM bus. Part of
the BSS.
kW — kilo-Watt.
L1 — Layer 1 (of a communications protocol).
L2 — Layer 2 (of a communications protocol).
L2ML — Layer 2 Management Link. L2ML is used for transferring layer 2 management
messages to TRX or BCF. One link per TRX and BCF.
L2R — Layer 2 Relay function. A function of an MS and IWF that adapts a user’s
known layer 2 protocol LAPB onto RLP for transmission between the MT and IWF.
L2R BOP — L2R Bit Orientated Protocol.
L2R COP — L2R Character Orientated Protocol.
L2TP — Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol ( RFC 2661)
L3 — Layer 3 (of a communications protocol).
LA — Link Adaptation.
LA — Location Area. An area in which an MS may move freely without updating the
location register. An LA may comprise one or several base station areas.
LAC — Location Area Code. The LAC is part of the LAI. It is an operator defined code
identifying the location area.
LAI — Location Area Identity. The information indicating the location area in which a
cell is located. The LAI data on the SIM is continuously updated to reflect the current
location of the subscriber.
LAN — Local Area Network. A data communications system that (a) lies within a limited
spatial area, (b) has a specific user group, (c) has a specific topology, and (d) is not a
public switched telecommunications network, but may be connected to one.
LANX — LAN Extender half size board. Fibre optic distribution of LAN to/from other
cabinets. Part of BSS, etc.
LAPB — Link Access Protocol Balanced. The balanced-mode, enhanced version of
HDLC. Used in X.25 packet-switching networks.
LAPD — Link Access Protocol D-channel (Data). A protocol that operates at the
data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI architecture. LAPD is used to convey information
between layer 3 entities across the frame relay network. The D-channel carries
signalling information for circuit switching.
LAPDm — Link Access Protocol on the Dm channel. A link access procedure (layer
2) on the CCH for the digital mobile communications system.
Layer 1 — See OSI-RM and Physical Layer.
Layer 2 — See OSI-RM and Data Link Layer.
Layer 3 — See OSI-RM and Network Layer.
Layer 4 — See OSI-RM and Transport Layer.
Layer 5 — See OSI-RM and Session Layer.
Layer 6 — See OSI-RM and Presentation Layer.
Layer 7 — See OSI-RM and Application Layer.
LC — Inductor Capacitor. A type of filter.
LCF — Link Control Function. LCF GPROC controls various links in and out of the
BSC. Such links include MTL, XBL, OMF and RSL. See also LCP.
LCN — Local Communications Network. A communication network within a TMN
that supports data communication functions (DCFs) normally at specified reference
points q1 and q2. LCNs range from the simple to the complex. LCN examples include
point-to-point connections and networks based on star and bus topologies.

GL-29
Glossary

LCP — Link Control Processor. An LCP is a GPROC or PCMCIA board device which
supplies the LCF. Once the LCF has been equipped, and assuming GPROCs have
been equipped, processors are allocated by the software.
LCS — Location Services
LE — Local Exchange.
LED — Light Emitting Diode. A type of diode that emits light when current passes
through it. Depending on the material used the colour can be visible or infrared.
LF — Line Feed. A code that moves the cursor on a display screen down one line. In
the ASCII character set, a line feed has a decimal value of 10. On printers, a line feed
advances the paper one line.
LI — Length Indicator. Delimits LLC PDUs within the RLC data block, when an LLC
PDU boundary occurs in the block.
LI — Line Identity. The LI is made up of a number of information units: the subscriber’s
national ISDN/MSISDN number; the country code; optionally, subaddress information.
In a full ISDN environment, the line identity includes all of the address information
necessary to unambiguously identify a subscriber. The calling line identity is the
line identity of the calling party. The connected line identity is the line identity of the
connected party.
LLC — Logical Link Control.
LLC — Lower Layer Compatibility. The LLC can carry information defining the lower
layer characteristics of the terminal.
Lm — Traffic channel with capacity lower than a Bm.
LMP — LAN Monitor Process. Each GPROC which is connected to a LAN has an LMP,
which detects faults on the LAN. LAN alarms are generated by the GPROC.
LMS — Least Mean Squares. Parameters determined by minimizing the sum of
squares of the deviations.
LMSI — Local Mobile Station Identity. A unique identity temporarily allocated to visiting
mobile subscribers in order to speed up the search for subscriber data in the VLR, when
the MSRN allocation is done on a per cell basis.
LMT — Local Maintenance Terminal. Diagnostic tool, typically an IBM compatible PC.
LNA — Low Noise Amplifier. An amplifier with low noise characteristics.
LND — Last Number Dialled.
Location area — An area in which a mobile station may move freely without updating
the location register. A location area may comprise one or several base station areas.
LPC — Linear Predictive Coding. A method of digitally encoding analog signals. It
uses a single-level or multi-level sampling system in which the value of the signal at
each sample time is predicted to be a linear function of the past values of the quantified
signal.
LPD — Link Protocol Discriminator
LPLMN — Local PLMN.
LQC — Link Quality Control.
LR — Location Register. The GSM functional unit where MS location information is
stored. The HLR and VLR are location registers.
LSB — Least Significant Bit
LSSU — Link Stations Signalling Unit (Part of MTP transport system).
LSTR — Listener Side Tone Rating. A rating, expressed in dB, based on how a listener
will perceive the background noise picked up by the microphone.
LTA — Long Term Average. The value required in a BTS’s GCLK frequency register
to produce a 16.384 MHz clock.
LTE — Local Terminal Emulator.
LTP — Long Term Predictive.

GL-30
 Index

LTU — Line Terminating Unit.

LU — Local Units.
LU — Location Update. A location update is initiated by the MS when it detects that it
has entered a new location area.
LV — Length and Value.
M — Mandatory.
M — Mega (106).
M3UA — MTP-3 User Adaptation Layer ( RFC 3332 / 3GPP 29.202 (Annex A))
M-Cell — Motorola Cell.
M&TS — Maintenance and TroubleShooting. Functional area of Network
Management software which (1) collects and displays alarms, (2) collects and displays
Software/Hardware errors, and (3) activates test diagnostics at the NEs (OMC).
MA — Mobile Allocation. The radio frequency channels allocated to an MS for use in
its frequency hopping sequence.
MAC — Medium Access Control. MAC includes the functions related to the
management of the common transmission resources. These include the packet data
physical channels and their radio link connections. Two Medium Access Control
modes are supported in GSR5, dynamic allocation and fixed allocation. (UMTS 3GTS
25.321) (E)GPRS 3GTS 04.60 / 3GTS 44.060)
MACN — Mobile Allocation Channel Number. See also MA.
Macrocell — A cell in which the base station antenna is generally mounted away from
buildings or above rooftop level.
MAF — Mobile Additional Function.
MAH — Mobile Access Hunting supplementary service. An automatic service which
searches for the first available mobile user out of a defined group.
MAI — Mobile Allocation Index.
MAIDT — Mean Accumulated Intrinsic Down Time.
MAINT — MAINTenance.
MAIO — Mobile Allocation Index Offset. The offset of the mobile hopping sequence
from the reference hopping sequence of the cell.
MAP — Mobile Application Part (part of SS7 standard). The inter-networking signalling
between MSCs and LRs and EIRs.
MAPP — Mobile Application Part Processor.
MASF — Minimum Available Spreading Factor
Max [X, Y] — The value shall be the maximum of X or Y, which ever is bigger
MB, Mbyte — Megabyte. 220 bytes = 1,048,576 bytes = 1024 kilobytes.
Mbit/s — Megabits per second.
MBZ — Must Be Zero
MCAP — Motorola Cellular Advanced Processor. The MCAP Bus is the inter-GPROC
communications channel in a BSC. Each card cage in a BSC needs at least one
GPROC designated as an MCAP Server.
MCC — Mobile Country Code. The first three digits of the IMSI, used to identify the
country.
MCDF — Motorola Customer Data Format used by DataGen for simple data entry and
retrieval.
MCI — Malicious Call Identification supplementary service. This feature is supported
by a malicious call trace function by printing the report at the terminating MSC when
the mobile subscriber initiates a malicious call trace request.
MCS — Modulation and Coding Scheme.

GL-31
Glossary

MCSC — Motorola Customer Support Centre.

MCU — Main Control Unit for M-Cell2/6. Also referred to as the Micro Control Unit in
software.
MCUF — Main Control Unit, with dual FMUX. (Used in M-Cellhorizon).
MCU-m — Main Control Unit for M-Cellmicro sites (M-Cellm). Also referred to as the
Micro Control Unit in software.
MCUm — The software subtype representation of the Field Replaceable Unit (FRU)
for the MCU-m.
MD — Mediation Device. The MD (which handles the Q3 interface) allows the OSI
Processor to communicate between the Network Management Centre (NMC) and
OMC-R for network configuration, events and alarms.
MDL — mobile Management entity - Data Link layer.
MD-X — Message Digest Algorithm (MD-2, 4, 5 are defined) (MD-5 RFC 1321)
ME — Maintenance Entity (GSM Rec. 12.00).
ME — Mobile Equipment. Equipment intended to access a set of GSM PLMN and/or
DCS telecommunication services, but which does not contain subscriber related
information. Services may be accessed while the equipment, capable of surface
movement within the GSM system area, is in motion or during halts at unspecified
points.
MEF — Maintenance Entity Function (GSM Rec. 12.00). A function which possesses
the capability to detect elementary anomalies and convey them to the supervision
process.
MF — MultiFrame. In PCM systems, a set of consecutive frames in which the position
of each frame can be identified by reference to a multiframe alignment signal.
MF — Multi-Frequency (tone signalling type). See DTMF.
MF — MultiFunction block.
MEGACO — Media Gateway Control Protocol ( ITU-T H.248 incl. Annex F H and IETF
RFC 3015)
MGCF — Media Gateway Control Function
MGCP — Media Gateway Control Protocol ( RFC 2705)
MGMT, mgmt — Management.
MGR — Manager.
MGW — Media Gateway
MHS — Message Handling System. The family of services and protocols that provides
the functions for global electronic-mail transfer among local mail systems.
MHS — Mobile Handling Service.
MHz — Mega-Hertz (106).
MI — Maintenance Information.
MIB — Management Information Base. A Motorola OMC-R database. There is a CM
MIB and an EM MIB.
MIC — Mobile Interface Controller.
Microcell — A cell in which the base station antenna is generally mounted below
rooftop level. Radio wave propagation is by diffraction and scattering around buildings,
the main propagation is within street canyons.
min — minute(s).
MIN — Mobile Identity Number (North American Market)
Min [X, Y] — The value shall be the minimum of X or Y, which ever is smaller
s — micro-second (10-6).

GL-32
 Index

BCU — Micro Base Control Unit. The BCU is the Macro/Microcell implementation of a
BTS site controller.
MIT — Management Information Tree. A file on the Motorola OMC-R. The MIT file
effectively monitors data on every device and every parameter of each device that is in
the current versions of software on the OMC-R. The data is stored as a text file on the
OMC-R. The MIT file also contains the hierarchical relationships between the network
devices.
MLP — MAC Logical Channel Priority
MM — Man Machine. See MMI.
MM — Mobility Management. MM functions include authorization, location updating,
IMSI attach/detach, periodic registration, ID confidentiality, paging, handover, etc.
MMCC — Multimedia Call Control
MME — Mobile Management Entity.
MMF — Middle Man Funnel process.
MMI — Man Machine Interface. The method by which the user interfaces with the
software to request a function or change parameters. The MMI may run on a terminal
at the OMC, or an LMT. The MMI is used to display alarm reports, retrieve device status,
take modules out of service and put modules into service.
MMI client — A machine configured to use the OMC-R software from an MMI server.
MMI processor — MMI client/MMI server.
MMI server — A computer which has its own local copy of the OMC-R software. It can
run the OMC-R software for MMI clients to mount.
MML — Man Machine Language. The tool of MMI.
MMS — Multiple Serial Interface Link. (see also 2Mbit/s link)
MNC — Mobile Network Code. The fourth, fifth and optionally sixth digits of the IMSI,
used to identify the network.
MNRG — Mobile Not Reachable for GPRS flag
MNT — MaiNTenance.
Mobis — Motorola Signalling Link between the BSC and BTS.
MO — Mobile Originated.
MOC — Mobile Originating Call
MO/PP — Mobile Originated Point-to-Point messages. Transmission of a SMS from
a mobile to a message handling system. The maximum length of the message is 160
characters. The message can be sent whether or not the MS is engaged in a call.
MOMAP — Motorola OMAP.
MoU — Memorandum of Understanding. Commercial term. An MoU usually sets out
the broad parameters of an understanding as well as the general responsibilities and
obligations of each party in a proposed venture. It has little legal significance except
to indicate the parties’ commitments and acts as an aid to interpreting the parties’
intentions. There are various types of MOUs: compliance MOUs help ensure that
all Motorola units comply with applicable laws and regulations; intellectual property
MOUs deal with copyright, trademark, and patent rights; and business arrangement
MOUs relate to the terms and conditions of a product or service transfer.
MPC — Multi Personal Computer (was part of the OMC).
MPCC — Multiparty Call Control
MPH — (mobile) Management (entity) - PHysical (layer) [primitive].
MPROC — Master Processor
MPTY — MultiParTY (Multi ParTY) supplementary service. MPTY provides a mobile
subscriber with the ability to have a multi-connection call, i.e. a simultaneous
communication with more than one party.

GL-33
Glossary

MPX — MultiPleXed.
MRC — Micro Radio Control Unit.
MRFC — Multimedia Resource Function Controller
MRFP — Multimedia Resource Function Processor
MRN — Mobile Roaming Number.
MRP — Mouth Reference Point. Facility for assessing handset and headset acoustic
responses.
MRU — Maximum Receive Unit ( PPP)
MRW — Move Receiving Window
MS — Mobile Station. The GSM subscriber unit. A subscriber handset, either mobile
or portable, or other subscriber equipment, such as facsimile machines, etc.
MSB — Most Significant Bit
MSC — Mobile-services Switching Centre, Mobile Switching Centre. The MSC
handles the call set up procedures and controls the location registration and handover
procedures for all except inter-BTS, inter-cell and intra-cell handovers. MSC controlled
inter-BTS handovers can be set as an option at the switch.
MSCM — Mobile Station Class Mark.
MSC-S — MSC-Server
MSCU — Mobile Station Control Unit.
msec — millisecond (.001 second).
MSI — Multiple Serial Interface board. Intelligent interface to two 2 Mbit/s digital links.
See 2 Mbit/s link and DS-2. Part of BSS.
MSIN — Mobile Station Identification Number. The part of the IMSI identifying the
mobile station within its home network.
MSISDN — Mobile Station International ISDN Number. Published mobile number (see
also IMSI). Uniquely defines the mobile station as an ISDN terminal. It consists of three
parts: the Country Code (CC), the National Destination Code (NDC) and the Subscriber
Number (SN).
MSS — Maximum Segment Size ( TCP)
MSRN — Mobile Station Roaming Number. A number assigned by the MSC to service
and track a visiting subscriber.
MSU — Message Signal Unit (Part of MTP transport system). A signal unit containing
a service information octet and a signalling information field which is retransmitted by
the signalling link control, if it is received in error.
MT — Mobile Terminated. Describes a call or short message destined for an MS.
MT (0, 1, 2) — Mobile Termination. The part of the MS which terminates the radio
transmission to and from the network and adapts terminal equipment (TE) capabilities
to those of the radio transmission. MT0 is mobile termination with no support for
terminal, MT1 is mobile termination with support for an S-type interface and MT2 is
mobile termination with support for an R-type interface.
MTBE — Mean Time Between Exceptions.
MTBF — Mean Time Between Failures. An indicator of expected system reliability
calculated on a statistical basis from the known failure rates of various components of
the system. MTBF is usually expressed in hours.
MTC — Mobile Terminating Call
MTL — Message Transfer Link. The MTL is the 64 kbit/s PCM timeslot that is used
to convey the SS7 signalling information on the A interface between the MSC and the
BSC.
MTM — Mobile-To-Mobile (call).

GL-34
 Index

MTP — Message Transfer Part. The part of a common-channel signaling system that
transfers signal messages and performs associated functions, such as error control
and signaling link security ( ITU-T Q.701 Q.703).
MTP-3b — Message Transfer Part level 3 / broadband ( ITU-T Q.2210)
MT/PP — Mobile Terminated Point-to-Point messages. Transmission of a short
message from a message handling system to a mobile. The maximum length of the
message is 160 characters. The message can be received whether or not the MS is
engaged in a call.
MTTR — Mean Time To Repair. The total corrective maintenance time divided by the
total number of corrective maintenance actions during a given period of time.
MTU — Maximum Transmit Unit ( IP)
Multiframe — Two types of multiframe are defined in the system: a 26-frame
multiframe with a period of 120 ms and a 51-frame multiframe with a period of 3060/13
ms.
MU — Mark Up.
MUMS — Multi User Mobile Station.
MUX — Multiplexer. A device that combines multiple inputs into an aggregate signal
to be transported via a single transmission channel.
NACK, Nack — No Acknowledgement
NAS — Non-Access-Stratum ( UMTS)
NAT — Network Address Translation ( RFC 1631)
N/W — Network.
NB — Normal Burst (see Normal burst).
NBAP — NodeB Application Part ( 3GTS 25.433)
NBIN — A parameter in the frequency hopping sequence generation algorithm.
NBNS — NetBios Name Service
NC — Neighbour Cell
NCC — Network Colour Code. The NCC and the BCC are part of the BSIC. The NCC
comprises three bits in the range 000 to 111. It is the same as the PLMN Colour Code.
See also NCC and BSIC.
NCELL — Neighbouring (of current serving) Cell.
NCH — Notification CHannel. Part of the downlink element of the CCCH reserved for
voice group and/or voice broad-cast calls and notification messages.
NCP — Network Control Protocol ( PPP)
NCRM — Network Cell Reselection Manager.
ND — No Duplicates. A database column attribute meaning the column contains
unique values (used only with indexed columns).
NDC — National Destination Code. Part of the MSISDN. An NDC is allocated to each
GSM PLMN.
NDUB — Network Determined User Busy. An NDUB condition occurs when a call is
about to be offered and the maximum number of total calls for the channel has been
reached. In practice, the total number of calls could be three: one for the basic call,
one for a held call and one for call waiting.
NE — Network Element (Network Entity). A piece of telecommunications equipment
that provides support or services to the user.
NEF — Network Element Function block. A functional block that communicates with a
TMN for the purpose of being monitored, or controlled, or both.
NET — Norme Europennes de Telecommunications.

GL-35
Glossary

NetPlan — An RF planning tool, NetPlan can import data from the OMC and use it to
carry out a network frequency replan.
Network Layer — See OSI RM. The Network Layer responds to service requests from
the Transport Layer and issues service requests to the Data Link Layer. It provides the
functional and procedural means of transferring variable length data sequences from a
source to a destination via one or more networks while maintaining the quality of service
requested by the Transport Layer. The Network Layer performs network routing, flow
control, segmentation/desegmentation, and error control functions.
NF — Network Function.
NFS — Network File System. A file system that is distributed over a computer network.
Also, a file system, on a single computer, that contains the low-level networking files
for an entire network.
NHA — Network Health Analyst. The NHA is an optional feature. It detects problems
by monitoring network statistics and events via the OMC-R. The NHA analyses the
event history, statistics and network configuration data to try to determine the cause of
the detected problems.
NI — Network Indicator
NIB — Network Interface Board.
NIC — Network Interface Card. A network interface device in the form of a circuit card
that provides network access.
NIC — Network Independent Clocking.
NIS — Network Information Service. It allows centralised control of network information
for example hostnames, IP addresses and passwords.
N-ISDN — Narrowband Integrated Services Digital Network: Services include basic
rate interface (2B+D or BRI) and primary rate interface (30B+D - Europe and 23B+D -
North America or PRI). Supports narrowband speeds at/or below 1.5 Mbps.
NIU — Network Interface Unit. A device that performs interface functions, such as
code conversion, protocol conversion, and buffering, required for communications to
and from a network.
NIU-m — Network Interface Unit, micro. M-Cellmicro MSI.
NL — See Network Layer.
NLK — Network LinK processor(s).
Nm — Newton metres.
NM — Network Management (manager). NM is all activities which control, monitor and
record the use and the performance of resources of a telecommunications network in
order to provide telecommunication services to customers/users at a certain level of
quality.
NMASE — Network Management Application Service Element.
NMC — Network Management Centre. The NMC node of the GSM TMN provides
global and centralised GSM PLMN monitoring and control, by being at the top of the
TMN hierarchy and linked to subordinate OMC nodes.
NMSI — National Mobile Station Identification number, or, National Mobile Subscriber
Identity. The NMSI consists of the MNC and the MSIN.
NMT — Nordic Mobile Telephone system. NMT produced the world’s first automatic
international mobile telephone system.
NN — No Nulls. A database column attribute meaning the column must contain a value
in all rows.
Normal burst — A period of modulated carrier less than a timeslot.
NPB — Next Partial Bitmap
NPI — Number Plan Identifier.
N-PDU — Network-Protocol Data Unit ( IP-Packet, X.25-Frame)

GL-36
 Index

NRZ — Non Return to Zero. A code in which ones are represented by one significant
condition and zeros are represented by another, with no neutral or rest condition.
NS — Network Service
NSAP — Network Service Access Point. An NSAP is a registration made by an
application which specifies its desired listening criteria. The registration is limited to
a particular CPU and port number. Criteria can include: DNICs, national numbers,
subaddress ranges, protocol-ids, and extended addresses.
NSAPI — Network Service Access Point Identifier
NSE — Network Service Entity
NSP — Network Service Provider. A national or regional company that owns or
maintains a portion of the network and resells connectivity.
NSS — Network Status Summary. A feature of the OMC-R MMI, which provides
different network maps giving visual indication of the network configuration and
performance, and how the different network management functions are implemented
by the OMC-R.
NST — Network Service Test(er). A PCU process that periodically tests all alive
NS-VCs on a PICP board.
NS-VC — Network Service - Virtual Circuit.
NS-VCG — Network Service Virtual Connection Group
NS-VL — Network Service Virtual Link
NT — Network Termination. Network equipment that provides functions necessary for
network operation of ISDN access protocols.
NT — Non Transparent.
NTAAB — NTRAC Type Approvals Advisory Board. Committee engaged in
harmonisation type approval of telecom terminals in Europe.
NTP — Network Time Protocol. A protocol built on top of TCP/IP that assures accurate
local timekeeping with reference to radio, atomic or other clocks located on the Internet.
This protocol is capable of synchronizing distributed clocks within milliseconds over
long time periods.
Numbers — # - The symbol used for number.2 Mbit/s link - As used in this manual
set, the term applies to the European 4-wire 2.048 Mbit/s digital line or link which can
carry 30 A-law PCM channels or 120 16 kbit/s GSM channels.4GL - 4th Generation
Language. Closer to human languages than typical high-level programming languages.
most 4GLs are used to access databases.
NUA — Network User Access.
NUI — Network User Identification.
NUP — National User Part. (part of SS7).
NV — NonVolatile.
NVRAM — Non-Volatile Random Access Memory. Static random access memory
which is made into non-volatile storage either by having a battery permanently
connected, or, by saving its contents to EEPROM before turning the power off and
reloading it when power is restored.
nW — Nano-Watt (10-9).
O — Optional.
OA — Outgoing Access supplementary service. An arrangement which allows a
member of a CUG to place calls outside the CUG.
OA&M — Operation, Administration, & Management.
OAMP — Operation, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning.
O&M — Operations and Maintenance.

GL-37
Glossary

OASCU — Off-Air-Call-Set-Up. The procedure in which a telecommunication

connection is being established whilst the RF link between the MS and the BTS is not
occupied.
OCB — Outgoing Calls Barred within the CUG supplementary service. An access
restriction that prevents a CUG member from placing calls to other members of that
group.
Octet — 8 bit
OCXO — Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator. High stability clock source used for
frequency synchronization.
OD — Optional for operators to implement for their aim.
OFL — % OverFlow.
offline — IDS shutdown state.
online — IDS normal operating state.
OIC — Operator Initiated Clear. An alarm type. OIC alarms must be cleared by the
OMC-R operator after the fault condition that caused the alarm is resolved. See also
FMIC and Intermittent.
OLCM — Outgoing Leg Control Model
OLM — Off_Line MIB. A Motorola DataGen database, used to modify and carry out
Radio Frequency planning on multiple BSS binary files.
OLR — Overall Loudness Rating.
OMAP — Operations and Maintenance Application Part (part of SS7 standard) (was
OAMP).
OMC — Operations and Maintenance Centre. The OMC node of the GSM TMN
provides dynamic O&M monitoring and control of the PLMN nodes operating in the
geographical area controlled by the specific OMC.
OMC-G — Operations and Maintenance Centre - Gateway Part. (Iridium)
OMC-G — Operations and Maintenance Centre - GPRS Part.
OMC-R — Operations and Maintenance Centre - Radio Part.
OMC-S — Operations and Maintenance Centre - Switch Part.
OMF — Operations and Maintenance Function (at BSC).
OML — Operations and Maintenance Link. The OML provides communication
between an OMC-R and a BSC or RXCDR for transferring network management
(O&M) data.
OMP — Operation and Maintenance Processor. Part of the BSC.
OMS — Operation and Maintenance System (BSC-OMC).
OMSS — Operation and Maintenance SubSystem.
OOS — Out Of Service. Identifies a physical state. The OOS state indicates the
physical device is out of service. This state is reserved for physical communication
links. Also, identifies a telephony state. The OOS state is used by the BTS device
software to indicate that the BTS is completely out of service.
OPC — Originating Point Code. A part of the label in a signalling message that uniquely
identifies, in a signalling network, the (signalling) origination point of the message.
OPWA — One Pass With Advertising ( Term in RSVP)
ORAC — Olympus Radio Architecture Chipset.
OS — Operating System. The fundamental program running on a computer which
controls all operations.
OSA — Open Service Access

GL-38
 Index

OSI — Open Systems Interconnection. The logical structure for communications

networks standardized by the ISO. The standard enables any OSI-compliant system
to communicate and exchange information with any other OSI-compliant system.
OSI RM — OSI Reference Model. An abstract description of the digital communications
between application processes running in distinct systems. The model employs a
hierarchical structure of seven layers. Each layer performs value-added service at
the request of the adjacent higher layer and, in turn, requests more basic services
from the adjacent lower layer:Layer 1 - Physical Layer, Layer 2 - Data Link Layer,
Layer 3 - Network Layer, Layer 4 - Transport Layer, Layer 5 - Session Layer, Layer
6 - Presentation Layer, Layer 7 - Application Layer.
OSF — Operation Systems Function block.
OSF/MOTIF — Open Software Foundation Motif. The basis of the GUI used for the
Motorola OMC-R MMI.
OSP — Octet Stream Protocol
OSS — Operator Services System.
OTDOA — Observed Time Difference Of Arrival
Overlap — Overlap sending means that digits are sent from one system to another as
soon as they are received by the sending system. A system using ~ will not wait until
it has received all digits of a call before it starts to send the digits to the next system.
This is the opposite of en bloc sending where all digits for a given call are sent at one
time. See en bloc.
OVSF — Orthogonal Variable Spreading Factor
P1, P2, P3 — Puncturing Schemes 1, 2, and 3.
P/F Bit — Polling/Final - Bit
PA — Power Amplifier.
PAB — Power Alarm Board. Part of the BSS.
PABX — Private Automatic Branch eXchange. A private automatic telephone
exchange that allows calls within the exchange and also calls to and from the public
telephone network.
PACCH — Packet Associated Control Channel.
Packet — A sequence of binary digits, including data and control signals, that is
transmitted and switched as a composite whole.
Packet Switching — The process of routing and transferring data by means of
addressed packets so that a channel is occupied during the transmission of the packet
only, and upon completion of the transmission the channel is made available for the
transfer of other traffic.
PAD — Packet Assembler/Disassembler facility. A hardware device that allows a data
terminal that is not set up for packet switching to use a packet switching network. It
assembles data into packets for transmission, and disassembles the packets on arrival.
PAGCH — Packet Access Grant Channel ((E)GPRS)
Paging — The procedure by which a GSM PLMN fixed infrastructure attempts to reach
an MS within its location area, before any other network-initiated procedure can take
place.
PAP — Password Authentication Protocol ( RFC 1334)
PATH — CEPT 2 Mbit/s route through the BSS network.
PBCCH — Packet Broadcast Control Channel ((E)GPRS)
PBUS — Processor Bus.
PBX — Private Branch eXchange. In the general use of the term, PBX is a synonym for
PABX. However, a PBX operates with only a manual switchboard; a private automatic
exchange (PAX) does not have a switchboard, a private automatic branch exchange
(PABX) may or may not have a switchboard.

GL-39
Glossary

PC — Personal Computer. A general-purpose single-user microcomputer designed to

be operated by one person at a time.
pCA — PCU Central Authority. One pCA software process is located at every PCU.
The CA is in control of the PCU. It is resident on the master DPROC (MPROC) only,
and maintains a list of the status of every device and every software process at the site.
PCCH — Paging Control Channel (UMTS Logical Channel)
PCCCH — Packet Common Control Channel.
P-CCPCH — Primary Common Control Physical Channel (UMTS / used as bearer for
the BCH TrCH)
PCH — Paging CHannel. A common access RF channel providing point-to-multipoint
unidirectional signaling downlink. Provides simultaneous transmission to all MSs over
a wide paging area.
PCHN — Paging Channel Network.
PCHN — Physical Channel. The physical channel is the medium over which the
information is carried. In the case of GSM radio communications this would be the Air
Interface. Each RF carrier consists of eight physical channels (or timeslots) used for
MS communications. In the case of a terrestrial interface the physical channel would
be cable. See also Physical Layer.
PCI — Packet Control Interface.
PCI — Peripheral Component Interconnect. A standard for connecting peripherals to
a personal computer, PCI is a 64-bit bus, though it is usually implemented as a 32-bit
bus.
PCM — Pulse Code Modulation. Modulation in which a signal is sampled, and
the magnitude (with respect to a fixed reference) of each sample is quantized and
converted by coding to a digital signal. Provides undistorted transmission, even in the
presence of noise. See also 2 Mbit/s link, which is the physical bearer of PCM.
pCM — PCU Configuration Management. pCM is a GWM process. It distributes all
database changes performed at the BSC to the PCU boards.
PCN — Personal Communications Network. Any network supporting PCS, but in
particular DCS1800.
PCPCH — Physical Common Packet Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
P-CPICH — Primary Common Pilot Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
PCR — Preventative Cyclic Retransmission. A form of error correction suitable for use
on links with long transmission delays, such as satellite links.
PCS — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) term used to describe
a set of digital cellular technologies being deployed in the U.S. PCS works over
GSM, CDMA (also called IS-95), and North American TDMA (also called IS-136) air
interfaces.
PCS System — Personal Communications Services System. In PCS, a collection
of facilities that provides some combination of personal mobility, terminal mobility,
and service profile management. Note: As used here, "facilities" includes hardware,
software, and network components such as transmission facilities, switching facilities,
signalling facilities, and databases.
PCS1900 — A cellular phone network using the higher frequency range allocated in
countries such as the USA. It operates on the frequency range, 1850 - 1910 MHz
(receive) and 1930-1990MHz (transmit).
P-CSCF — Proxy Call Session Control Function ( SIP)
PCU — Packet Control Unit. A BSS component that provides GPRS with packet
scheduling over the air interface with the MS, and packet segmentization and
packetization across the Frame Relay link with the SGSN.
PCU — Picocell Control unit. Part of M-Cellaccess.
pd — Potential difference. Voltage.

GL-40
 Index

PD — Protocol Discriminator field. The first octet of the packet header that identifies
the protocol used to transport the frame.
PD — Public Data. See PDN.
PDB — Power Distribution Board.
PDCH — Packet Data Channel. PDCH carries a combination of PBCCH and PDTCH
logical channels.
PDCP — Packet Data Convergence Protocol ( 3GTS 25.323)
PDF — Policy Decision Function
PDF — Power Distribution Frame (MSC/LR).
PDN — Public Data Network. A network established and operated by a
telecommunications administration, or a recognized private operating agency, for the
specific purpose of providing data transmission services for the public.
PDP — Packet Data Protocol.
PDSCH — Physical Downlink Shared Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
PDTCH — Packet Data Traffic Channel ((E)GPRS)
PDU — Power Distribution Unit. The PDU consists consisting of the Alarm Interface
Board (AIB) and the Power Distribution Board (PDB).
PDU — Protected Data Unit.
PDU — Protocol Data Unit. A term used in TCP/IP to refer to a unit of data, headers,
and trailers at any layer in a network.
PEDC — Pan-European Digital Cellular network. The GSM network in Europe.
Peg — A single incremental action modifying the value of a statistic. Also, A number
indicating the use of a device or resource. Each time the device or resource is used
the peg count is incremented.
PER — Packed Encoding Rules ( ITU-T X.691)
Pegging — Modifying a statistical value.
PFC — Packet Flow Context
pFCP — PCU Fault Collection Process. See pFTP.
pFTP — PCU Fault Transaction Process. The pFTP resides on the PSP as part of
the GWM Functional Unit process. All alarms at the PCU are reported to pFTP. All
DPROCs and the MPROC have a local pFCP to handle Software Fault Management
indications (SWFMs). The pFTP forwards alarms to the Agent at the BSC and
generates messages to pCA for device transitions as needed, based on faults
reported.
PFI — Packet Flow Identifier
PGSM — Primary GSM. PGSM operates on the standard GSM frequency range, 890
- 915 MHz (receive) and 935-960MHz (transmit).
PH — Packet Handler. A packet handler assembles and disassembles packets.
PH — PHysical (layer). See Physical Layer.
PHI — Packet Handler Interface.
Physical Layer — See OSI-RM. The Physical Layer is the lowest of seven hierarchical
layers. It performs services requested by the Data Link Layer. The major functions
and services of the layer are: (a) establishment and termination of a connection to a
communications medium; (b) participation in the process of sharing communication
resources among multiple users; and, (c) conversion between the representation
of digital data in user equipment and the corresponding signals transmitted over a
communications channel.
PI — Presentation Indicator. The PI forms part of the calling name information.
Depending on database settings, the PI may prevent the called party from seeing the
identity of the calling party.

GL-41
Glossary

PIA — Packet Immediate Assignment.

Picocell — A cell site where the base station antenna is mounted within a building.
PICH — Page Indicator Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
PICP — Packet Interface Control Processor. A PCU hardware component, the PICP
is a DPROC board used for network interfacing functions such as SGSN and BSC.
PICS — Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement. A statement made by the
supplier of an implementation or system claimed to conform to a given specification,
stating which capabilities have been implemented.
PID — Process IDentifier/Process ID.
PIM — PCM Interface Module (MSC).
PIN — Personal Identification Number. A password, typically four digits entered
through a telephone keypad.
PIN — Problem Identification Number.
PIX — Parallel Interface Extender half size board. Customer alarm interface, part of
the BSS. The PIX board provides a means of wiring alarms external to the BSS, BSC,
or BTS into the base equipment.
PIXT or PIXIT — Protocol Implementation eXtra information for Testing. A statement
made by a supplier or implementor of an implementation under test (IUT) which
contains information about the IUT and its testing environment which will enable a test
laboratory to run an appropriate test suite against the IUT.
PK — Primary Key. A database column attribute, the primary key is a not-null,
non-duplicate index.
PL — See Presentation Layer.
Plaintext — Unciphered data.
PlaNET — Frequency planning tool.
PLL — Phase Lock Loop (refers to phase locking the GCLK in the BTS). PLL is a
mechanism whereby timing information is transferred within a data stream and the
receiver derives the signal element timing by locking its local clock source to the
received timing information.
PLMN — Public Land Mobile Network. The mobile communications network.
PM — Performance Management. An OMC application. PM enables the user to
produce reports specific to the performance of the network.
PMA — Prompt Maintenance Alarm. An alarm report level; immediate action is
necessary. See also DMA.
PMC — PCI Mezzanine Card.
PMR — Packet Management Report.
PMS — Pseudo MMS.
PM-UI — Performance Management User Interface.
PMUX — PCM MUltipleXer.
PN — Permanent Nucleus group of the GSM committee.
PNCH — Packet Notification Channel ((E)GPRS)
PNE — Prsentation des Normes Europennes. Presentation rules of European
Standards.
POI — Point of Interconnection. A point at which the cellular network is connected to
the PSTN. A cellular system may have multiple POIs.
POP — Post Office Protocol ( RFC 1939)
POTS — Plain Old Telephone Service. Basic telephone service without special
features such as call waiting, call forwarding, etc.
pp, p-p — Peak-to-peak.

GL-42
 Index

PP — Point-to-Point.
ppb — Parts per billion.
PPB — PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) to PCI Bridge board. The PPB allows
an MPROC to be linked to a separate bus. The PPB and MPROC are paired boards.
PPCH — Packet Paging Channel ((E)GPRS)
PPE — Primitive Procedure Entity.
ppm — Parts per million (x 10-6).
PPP — Point-to-Point Protocol ( RFC 1661)
PRA — PCPCH Resource Availability
PRACH — Physical Random Access Channel UMTS Packet Random Access Channel
((E)GPRS)
Pref CUG — Preferential CUG. A Pref CUG, which can be specified for each basic
service group, is the nominated default CUG to be used when no explicit CUG index is
received by the network.
Presentation Layer — See OSI RM. The Presentation Layer responds to service
requests from the Application Layer and issues service requests to the Session Layer.
It relieves the Application Layer of concern regarding syntactical differences in data
representation within the end-user systems.
Primary Cell — A cell which is already optimized in the network and has a co-located
neighbour whose cell boundary follows the boundary of the said cell. The primary cell
has a preferred band equal to the frequency type of the coincident cell.
PRM — Packet Resource Manager. The PRM is a PRP process. It performs all
RLC/MAC functions and realises UL/DL power control and timing advance.
PROM — Programmable Read Only Memory. A storage device that, after being written
to once, becomes a read-only memory.
PRP — Packet Resource Process(or). A PCU hardware component, the PRP is a
DPROC board which manages the packet resources at the PCU and is the processor
where all of the radio related processing occurs. GPRS channels are routed to
PRPs which perform the RLC/MAC processing, air interface scheduling, and frame
synchronization of the channels.
Ps — Location probability. Location probability is a quality criterion for cell coverage.
Due to shadowing and fading a cell edge is defined by adding margins so that the
minimum service quality is fulfilled with a certain probability.
PS — Puncturing Scheme.
PSA — Periodic Supervision of Accessibility. PSA is a fault management function.
It periodically sends messages to BSSs requesting information on their current state.
This verifies whether the BSSs are operational or not. If a BSS fails to respond to a
PSA request for its status, the OMC-R will generate an alarm for that BSS.
PSC — Primary Synchronization Code
P-SCH — Primary Synchronization Channel (physical)
PSD — Power Spectral Density ( 3GTS 25.215 / 3GTS 25.102)
PSK — Phase Shift Keying
PSI — Packet System Information.
PSAP — Presentation Services Access Point.
pSAP — PCU System Audit Process. pSAP is a GWM process. It periodically monitors
the soft devices to maintain the reliability of the system.
PSM — Power Supply Module.
pSM — PCU Switch Manager. The pSM resides on the PSP as part of the GWM
Functional Unit process. The pSM maintains data paths within the PCU and
communicates with the BSC.
PSP — PCU System Processor board. Part of GPRS.

GL-43
Glossary

PSPDN — Packet Switched Public Data Network. See Packet Switching and PDN.
PSTN — Public Switched Telephone Network. The domestic land line
telecommunications network. It is usually accessed by telephones, key telephone
systems, private branch exchange trunks, and data arrangements.
PSU — Power Supply Unit.
PSW — Pure Sine Wave.
PT — Protocol Type ( GTP or GTP)
PTACH — Packet Timing Advance Control Channel
PTCCH — Packet Timing Advance Control Channel ((E)GPRS)
PTCCH/D — Packet Timing Advance Control Channel / Downlink Direction ((E)GPRS)
PTCCH/U — Packet Timing Advance Control Channel / Uplink Direction ((E)GPRS)
PTM — Point to Multipoint
P-TMSI — Packet TMSI
PTO — Public Telecommunications Operator.
PTP — Point to Point
PTR — Packet Timeslot Reconfiguration.
PUA — Packet Uplink Assignment.
PUCT — Price per Unit Currency Table. The PUCT is the value of the Home unit in a
currency chosen by the subscriber. The PUCT is stored in the SIM. The value of the
PUCT can be set by the subscriber and may exceed the value published by the HPLMN.
The PUCT value does not have any impact on the charges raised by the HPLMN.
PVC — Permanent Virtual Circuit. Also, in ATM terminology, Permanent Virtual
Connection. A virtual circuit that is permanently established, saving the time
associated with circuit establishment and tear-down. See also SVC.
PW — Pass Word.
PWR — Power.
PXPDN — Private eXchange Public Data Network. See also PDN.
QA — Q (Interface) - Adapter. TMN interface adapter used to communicate with
non-TMN compatible devices and objects. Used to connect MEs and SEs to TMN
(GSM Rec. 12.00).
Q3 — Interface between NMC and GSM network.
Q-adapter — See QA.
QAF — Q-Adapter Function.
QE — Quality Estimate
QEI — Quad European Interface. Interfaces four 2 Mbit/s circuits to TDM switch
highway. See MSI.
QIC — Quarter Inch Cartridge (Data storage format).
QoS — Quality Of Service. An alarm category which indicates that a failure is degrading
service.
Queue — Data structure in which data or messages are temporarily stored until they
are retrieved by a software process. Also a series of calls waiting for service. See also
FIFO.
Quiescent mode — IDS intermediate state before shutdown.
R — Value of reduction of the MS transmitted RF power relative to the maximum
allowed output power of the highest power class of MS (A).
RA — RAndom mode request information field.
RA — Radio Access.

GL-44
 Index

RA — Routing Area.
RA250 — Rural Area with the MS travelling at 250 kph. Dynamic model against which
the performance of a GSM receiver can be measured. See also TU3, TU50, HT100
and EQ50.
RAB — Random Access Burst. Data sent on the RACH.
RAB — Radio Access Bearer
RAC — Routing Area Code
RACCH — Random Access Control CHannel. A GSM common control channel used
to originate a call or respond to a page.
RACH — Random Access CHannel. The RACH is used by the mobile station to request
access to the network. See also RAB.
RADIUS — Remote Authentication Dial In User Service ( RFC 2865)
RAI — Routing Area Identification
Radio Frequency — A term applied to the transmission of electromagnetically radiated
information from one point to another, usually using air or vacuum as the transmission
medium. An electromagnetic wave frequency intermediate between audio frequencies
and infrared frequencies used in radio and television transmission.
RAM — Random Access Memory. A read/write, nonsequential-access memory in
which information can be stored, retrieved and modified. This type of memory is
generally volatile (i.e., its contents are lost if power is removed).
RANAP — Radio Access Network Application Part ( 3GTS 25.413)
RAND — RANDom number (used for authentication). The RAND is sent by the SGSN
to the MS as part of the authentication process.
RAT — Radio Access Technology
RATI — Receive Antenna Transceiver Interface.
RAx — Rate Adaptation.
RB — Receive Block Bitmap ( EGPRS)
RBB — Receive Block Bitmap ( GPRS)
RBDS — Remote BSS Diagnostic System (a discontinued Motorola diagnostic facility).
RBER — Residual Bit Error Ratio. RBER is a ratio of the number of bits in error to
the total number of bits received, within error detected speech frames defined as good.
The measurement period over which the calculation is made is 480 ms. During this
period, 24 speech frames are decoded and a ratio calculated. By referring to a lookup
table, the ratio is then converted to an RBER Quality number between 0 and 7.
RBTS — Remote Base Transceiver Station. A BTS that is not co-located with the BSC
that controls it.
RCB — Radio Control Board. Part of the DRCU.
RCI — Radio Channel Identifier. The unique identifier of the radio channel portion of
the circuit path.
RCI — Radio Channel Interface. The RCI changes the MS address used in the RSS
(channel number) to the address used in Layer 3 in the BSC CP.
RCP — Radio Control Processor.
RCU — Radio Channel Unit. Part of the BSS. Contains transceiver, digital control
circuits, and power supply. Note: The RCU is now obsolete, see DRCU.
RCVR — Receiver.
RDB — Requirements Database.
RDBMS — Relational DataBase Management System (INFORMIX). The database
management system for the OMC-R database.
RDI — Restricted Digital Information.

GL-45
Glossary

RDIS — Radio Digital Interface System.

RDM — Reference Distribution Module. The RDM provides a stable 3MHz reference
signal to all transceivers. It is used for carrier and injection frequency synthesis.
RDN — Relative Distinguished Name. A series of RDNs form a unique identifier, the
distinguished name, for a particular network element.
REC, Rec — RECommendation.
Reciprocal neighbour — Used to describe adjacent cells; each being designated as
a neighbour of the other. Also known as bi-directional and two-way neighbour.
Registration — The process of a MS registering its location with the MSC in order to
make or receive calls. This occurs whenever the MS first activates or moves into a new
service area.
REJ — REJect(ion).
REL — RELease.
RELP — Residual Excited Linear Predictive. A form of speech coding. RELP coders
are usually used to give good quality speech at bit rates in the region of 9.6 kbit/s.
RELP-LTP — RELP Long Term Prediction. A name for GSM full rate. See Full Rate.
Remotely Tuned Combiner — A combiner device which houses two processors (for
paired-redundancy) and several tuneable cavities. See also COMB
resync — Resynchronize/resynchronization.
REQ — REQuest.
Reuse Pattern — The minimum number of cells required in a pattern before channel
frequencies are reused, to prevent interference. Varies between cell configuration type
and channel type. The pattern shows assignments of adjacent channels to minimize
interference between cells and sectors within the pattern area.
Revgen — A Motorola DataGen utility for producing an MMI script from a binary object
database.
RF — See Radio Frequency.
RFC, RFCH — Radio Frequency Channel. A partition of the system RF spectrum
allocation with a defined bandwidth and centre frequency.
RFE — Radio Front End (module).
RFE — Receiver Front End (shelf).
RFEB — Receiver Front End Board. Part of DRCU II.
RFI — Radio Frequency Interference.
RFM — Radio Frequency Module.
RFN — Reduced TDMA Frame Number.
RFU — Reserved for Future Use.
R-GSM — Railways-GSM
RJ45 — Registered Jack 45. An eight-wire connector used commonly to connect
computers onto a local-area networks (LAN), especially Ethernets.
RISC — Reduced Instruction Set Computer. A type of microprocessor that recognizes
a relatively limited number of instruction types, allowing it to operate at relatively higher
speeds.
RL — Remote login. RL is a means by which the operator performs configuration
management, fault management, and some performance management procedures at
the NEs. The RL software manages the X.25 connection for remote login. The circuit
is made by the OMC-R calling the NE.
RLC — Release Complete. An SCCP message type used with RLSD to release a
connection.

GL-46
 Index

RLC — Radio Link Control. Air interface transmission layer. The RLC function
processes the transfer of PDUs from the LLC layer. (UMTS 3GTS 25.322) ((E)GPRS
/ 3GTS 04.60 / 3GTS 44.060)
RLM — RF Link Manager.
RLP — Radio Link Protocol. An ARQ protocol used to transfer user data between an
MT and IWF. See GSM 04.22. ( 3GTS 24.022)
RLR — Receive Loudness Rating. See SLR.
RLSD — ReLeaSeD. An SCCP message type used with RLC to release a connection.
RMS — Root Mean Square (value). The most common mathematical method of
defining the effective voltage or current of an AC wave. For a sine wave, the rms
value is 0.707 times the peak value.
RMSU — Remote Mobile Switching Unit. An RMSU is a line concentrator. It may be
inserted between the MSC and some of the BSS sites served by the MSC to reduce
the number of terrestrial signalling and traffic circuits required.
RNC — Radio Network Controller
RNR — Receive Not Ready
RNS — Radio Network Subsystem
RNTABLE — Table of 128 integers in the hopping sequence.
RNSAP — Radio Network Subsystem Application Part ( 3GTS 25.423)
RNTI — Radio Network Temporary Identifier
ROAM — Reliability, Operability, Availability, Maintainability.
Roaming — Situation where mobile station operates in a cellular system other than
the one from which service is subscribed.
ROM — Read Only Memory. Computer memory that allows fast access to permanently
stored data but prevents addition to or modification of the data. ROM is inherently
non-volatile storage - it retains its contents even when the power is switched off.
ROSE — Remote Operations Service Element. An ASE which carries a message
between devices over an association established by ASCE (a CCITT specification for
O & M) (OMC).
Roundtrip — Time period between transmit and receive instant of a timeslot in the
BTS, propagation determined by the response behaviour of the MS and the MS to BTS
delay distance.
RPE — Regular Pulse Excited (codec). See RPE-LTP.
RPE-LTP — Regular Pulse Excitation - Long Term Prediction. The GSM digital
speech coding scheme. GSM uses a simplified RPE codec, with long-term prediction,
operating at 13 kbits/s to provide toll quality speech.
RPLMN — Registered PLMN
RPOA — Recognised Private Operating Agency. Private telecommunications operator
recognised by the appropriate telecommunications authority.
RPR — Read Privilege Required. Part of the table structure of the OMC database
schema. Access to the column is allowed only for privileged accounts.
RR — Radio Resource management. Part of the GSM management layer. The
functions provided by RR include paging, cipher mode set, frequency redefinition,
assignments, handover and measurement reports.
RR — Receive Ready.
RRBP — Relative Reserved Block Period
RRC — Radio Resource Control ( 3GTS 25.331)
RRSM — Radio Resource State Machine. Translates messages through Call
Processing (CP). Activates and deactivates radio channels as controlled by the CRM.
RRSM — Radio Resource Switch Manager.

GL-47
Glossary

RS232 — Recommended Standard 232. The interface between a terminal (DTE) and
a modem (DCE) for the transfer of serial data. Standard serial interface.
RSCP — Received Signal Code Power ( 3GTS 25.215)
RSE — Radio System Entity.
RSL — Radio Signalling Link. RSL is used for signalling between the BSC and BTSs.
The interface uses a 64 kbit/s timeslot with a LAPD protocol.
RSLF — Radio System Link Function.
RSLP — Radio System Link Processor.
RSS — Radio SubSystem (replaced by BSS).
RSSI — Received Signal Strength Indicator. A parameter returned from a transceiver
that gives a measure of the RF signal strength between the MS and BTS, either uplink
or downlink.
RSVP — Resource Reservation Protocol ( RFC 2205)
RSZI — Regional Subscription Zone Identity. The RSZI defines the regions in which
roaming is allowed. The elements of the RSZI are:The Country Code (CC) which
identifies the country in which the GSM PLMN is located,The National Destination
Code (NDC) which identifies the GSM PLMN in that country,The Zone Code (ZC) which
identifies a regional subscription zone as a pattern of allowed and not allowed location
areas uniquely within that PLMN.
RTC — Remotely Tuneable Channel Combiner. RTCs are used to fine-tune the cavities
to the right frequency. A poorly tuned cavity can cause power destined for the antenna
to be reversed.
RTE — Remote Terminal Emulator.
RTF — Radio Transceiver Function. RTF is the function that supports the air interface
channel and the DRI/Transceiver pair. When equipping a DRI at a remote BTS, one or
more RTFs must be equipped.
RTF — Receive Transmit Functions.
RTO — Retransmission Time Out
RTP — Real Timer Protocol ( RFC 1889)
RTS — Request to Send. A handshaking signal used with communication links,
especially RS232 or CCITT Rec. V.24 to indicate (from a transmitter to a receiver) that
data is ready for transmission. See also CTS.
RTT — RoundTrip Time ( RFC 793)
RU — Rack Unit.
Run level — System processor operating mode.
Rx — Receive(r).
RX — Receive window buffer.
RXCDR — Remote Transcoder. An RXCDR is used when the transcoding is performed
at a site away from the BSC. This site would be at or near the MSC. This enables 4:1
multiplexing in which the transcoded data for four logical channels is combined onto
one 64 kbit/s link, thus reducing the number of links required for interconnection to the
BSCs. See also XCDR.
RXF — Receive Function (of the RTF).
RXLEV — Received signal level. An indication of received signal level based on the
RSSI. RXLEV is one of the two criteria for evaluating the reception quality (the basis
for handover and power control). See also RXQUAL. The MS reports RXLEV values
related to the apparent received RF signal strength. It is necessary for these levels to
attain sufficient accuracy for the correct functioning of the system.
RXLEV-D — Received signal level downlink.
RXLEV-U — Received signal level uplink.

GL-48
 Index

RXQUAL — Received signal quality. An indication of the received signal quality based
on the BER. RXQUAL is one of the two criteria for evaluating the reception quality
(the basis for handover and power control). See also RXLEV. The MS measures the
received signal quality, which is specified in terms of BER before channel decoding
averaged over the reporting period of length of one SACCH multiframe.
RXQUAL-D — Received signal quality downlink.
RXQUAL-U — Received signal quality uplink.
RXU — Remote Transcoder Unit. The shelf which houses the remote transcoder
modules in a BSSC cabinet at a remote transcoder site.
S7 — See SS7.
S/W — SoftWare.
SABM — Set Asynchronous Balanced Mode. A message which establishes the
signalling link over the air interface.
SABME — SABM Extended.
SABP — Service Area Broadcast Protocol ( 3GTS 25.419)
SACCH — Slow Associated Control CHannel. A GSM control channel used by the MS
for conveying power control and timing advance information in the downlink direction,
and RSSI and link quality reports in the uplink direction.
SACCH/C4 — Slow Associated Control CHannel/SDCCH/4.
SACCH/C8 — Slow Associated Control CHannel/SDCCH/8.
SACCH/T — Slow Associated Control CHannel/Traffic channel.
SACCH/TF — Slow Associated Control CHannel/Traffic channel Full rate.
SACCH/TH — Slow Associated Control CHannel/Traffic channel Half rate.
SAGE — A brand of trunk test equipment.
SAP — Service Access Point. In the reference model for OSI, SAPs of a layer are
defined as gates through which services are offered to an adjacent higher layer.
SAP — System Audits Process. SAP is on each GPROC in the BSS. It monitors the
status of the BSS on a periodic (scheduled) and on-demand basis during normal mode.
SAP detects faulty or degrading hardware and software (through the use of audit tests)
and notifies the Alarms handling software of the condition.
SAPI — Service Access Point Indicator (identifier). The OSI term for the component of
a network address which identifies the individual application on a host which is sending
or receiving a packet.
SAR — Segmentation And Reassembly (ATM-sublayer)
SAW — Surface Acoustic Wave. SAW devices basically consist of an input transducer
to convert electrical signals to tiny acoustic waves, which then travel through the solid
propagation medium to the output transducer where they are reconverted to electrical
signals. SAW band pass filters are used for sorting signals by frequency.
SB — Synchronization Burst (see Synchronization burst).
SBUS — Serial Bus. An SBUS is a logical device made up of the communication path
between the GPROCs and LANX cards in a cage.
SC — Service Centre (used for Short Message Service).
SC — Service Code.
SCCA — System Change Control Administration. Software module which allows full
or partial software download to the NE (OMC).
SCCP — Signalling Connection Control Part (part of SS7).
S-CCPCH — Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (used as bearer for the
FACH and PCH TrCHs / UMTS Physical Channel)
SCEG — Speech Coding Experts Group (of GSM).

GL-49
Glossary

SCH — Synchronization CHannel. A GSM broadcast control channel used to carry

information for frame synchronization of MSs and identification of base stations.
SCI — Status Control Interface. A slave to the Status Control Manager.
SCIP — Serial Communication Interface Processor.
SCM — Status Control Manager. Accepts messages from other processors within the
switch requesting status displays in the form of one or more lights on a hardware panel.
The SCM maps the status display requests into specific commands to the status control
interface processor to turn on and/or turn off lights.
SCN — Sub-Channel Number. One of the parameters defining a particular physical
channel in a BS.
SCP — Service Control Point (an intelligent network entity).
S-CPICH — Secondary Common Pilot Channel (UMTS Physical Channel)
S-CSCF — Serving Call Session Control Function ( SIP)
SCSI — Small Computer Systems Interface. A processor-independent standard for
system-level interfacing between a computer and intelligent devices including hard
disks, floppy disks, CD-ROM, printers, scanners, and many more. SCSI-1 can connect
up to seven devices to a single SCSI adaptor (or host adaptor) on the computer’s bus.
SCTP — Stream Control Transmission Protocol ( RFC 2960)
SCU — Slim Channel Unit.
SCU900 — Slim Channel Unit for GSM900.
SDCCH — Stand-alone Dedicated Control CHannel. A GSM control channel where
the majority of call setup occurs. Used for MS to BTS communications before MS
assigned to TCH. A SDCCH is used by a single MS for call setup, authentication,
location updating and SMS point to point.
SDL — Specification Description Language. A method for visually depicting the
functionality of call processing, operations and maintenance software.
SDM — Sub-rate Data Multiplexor
SDMA — Space Division Multiple Access
SDT — SDL Development Tool. A software tool to model and validate real-time,
state-based product software designs.
SDU — Service Data Unit. In layered systems, a set of data that is sent by a user
of the services of a given layer, and is transmitted to a peer service user semantically
unchanged.
SDR — Special Drawing Rights. The SDR is the International Monetary Fund unit
of account. It also serves as a basis for the unit of account for a number of other
international organizations and as a basis for private financial instruments. The SDR
is based on the values of the euro, U.S. dollar, Japanese yen and pound sterling.
SE — Support Entity. See SEF.
Secondary Cell — A cell which is not optimized in the network and has a co-located
neighbour whose cell boundary follows the boundary of the said cell. The secondary
cell has a preferred band the same as that of its own frequency type.
SEF — Support Entity Function. SEFs are functions not directly involved in the
telecommunication process. They include fault localisation, protection switching, etc.
(GSM Rec.12.00).
Session Layer — See OSI RM. The Session Layer responds to service requests from
the Presentation Layer and issues service requests to the Transport Layer. It provides
the mechanism for managing the dialogue between end-user application processes.
It provides for either duplex or half-duplex operation and establishes checkpointing,
adjournment, termination, and restart procedures.
SF — Spreading Factor

GL-50
 Index

SFH — Synthesizer Frequency Hopping. The principle of SFH is that every mobile
transmits its time slots according to a sequence of frequencies that it derives from an
algorithm. The frequency hopping occurs between time slots and, therefore, a mobile
station transmits (or receives) on a fixed frequency during one time slot. It must then
hop before the time slot on the next TDMA frame. Due to the time needed for monitoring
other base stations the time allowed for hopping is approximately 1 ms, according to
the receiver implementation. The receive and transmit frequencies are always duplex
frequencies.
SFN — System Frame Number
SG — Security Gateway (IPsec / RFC 2401)
SGSN — Serving GPRS Support Node. The SGSN provides the control, transmission,
OAMP, and charging functions. It keeps track of the individual MS locations, and
performs security functions and access control. The SGSN is connected to the BSS
via a Frame Relay network.
SGW — Signaling Gateway (SS7 IP)
SHA — Secure Hash Algorithm
SHCCH — Shared Channel Control Channel (UMTS Logical Channel / TDD only)
SI — Screening Indicator. The supplementary service (SS) screening indicator is sent
by the MS at the beginning of the radio connection to allow the network to assess the
capabilities of the MS and hence determine either whether a particular network initiated
SS operation may be invoked or which version of a network initiated SS operation
should be invoked. The SS screening indicator is only relevant to network initiated SS
operation and is valid for the duration of a radio connection.
SI — Service Interworking. Part of the IWF.
SI — Supplementary Information.
SI — System Information.
SIA — Supplementary Information A.
SIB — System Information Block
SID — Silence Descriptor. The transmission of comfort noise information to the RX
side is achieved by means of a SID frame. A SID frame is transmitted at the end of
speech bursts and serves as an end of speech marker for the RX side. In order to
update the comfort noise characteristics at the RX side, SID frames are transmitted at
regular intervals also during speech pauses. This also serves the purpose of improving
the measurement of the radio link quality by the radio subsystem (RSS).
SIF — Signal Information Field. The bits of a message signal unit that carry information
for a certain user transaction; the SIF always contains a label.
Signalling System No.7 — See SS7.
SIM — Subscriber Identity Module. Removable module which is inserted into a mobile
equipment; it is considered as part of the MS. It contains security related information
(IMSI, Ki, PIN), other subscriber related information and the algorithms A3 and A8.
SIMM — Single Inline Memory module.
SIMM — System Integrated Memory Module. A small plug-in circuit board providing
additional RAM for a computer.
SIO — Service Information Octet. Eight bits contained in a message signal unit,
comprising the service indicator and sub-service field. A value in the SIF of an SS7
signalling message specifying the User Part type.
SIP — Session Initiation Protocol ( RFC 3261)
SIR — Signal to Interference Ratio
SITE — BSC, BTS or collocated BSC-BTS site.
SIX — Serial Interface eXtender. Converts interface levels to TTL levels. Used to
extend 2 serial ports from GPROC to external devices (RS232, RS422, and fibre
optics).

GL-51
Glossary

SK — Secondary Key. A database column attribute, the secondary key indicates an

additional index and/or usage as a composite key.
SL — See Session Layer.
SL — Signalling Link. The signalling links between the various network elements are:
Remote BTS to BSC - Radio Signalling Link (RSL), BSC to MSC - Message Transfer
Link (MTL), OMC(R) to BSS - Operations and Maintenance Link (OML), Remote XCDR
to BSC - XCDR signalling Link (XBL), CBC to BSC - Cell Broadcast Link (CBL).
SLC — Signaling Link Code
SLF — Subscriber Locator Function
SLNK — Serial Link. One of four communications paths between SCIP and peripheral
equipment. The information on the link is sent serially in a bit-synchronous format.
SLR — Send Loudness Rating. The SLR, in the mobile to land direction, and the
Receive Loudness Rating (RLR) in the land to mobile direction, determine the audio
signal levels for the customers speech. The loudness ratings are calculated from the
send and receive sensitivity masks or frequency responses.
SLR — Source Local Reference (SS7)
SLS — Signaling Link Selection
SLTA — Signalling Link Test Acknowledge. Message sent from the MSC to the BSC
in response to an SLTM.
SLTM — Signalling Link Test Message. During the process of bringing an MTL link into
service, the BSC sends an SLTM message to the MSC. The MSC responds with an
SLTA message.
SM — Switch Manager. The function of the SM is to connect a MS terrestrial trunk
from the MSC (designated by the MSC), to the radio channel given to a MS by the cell
resource manager in the BSS software.
SM — Summing Manager.
SM — Session Management
SMAE — System Management Application Entity (CCITT Q795, ISO 9596). OSI
terminology for a software Management Information Server that manages a network.
SMASE — System Management Application Service Element.
SMCB — Short Message Cell Broadcast.
SME — Short Message Entity. An entity that may send or receive Short Messages.
The SME may be located in a fixed network, an MS, or a SC. See also SMS.
SMG — Special Mobile Group. To avoid confusion between the GSM system and the
GSM committee with its wider responsibilities, the committee was renamed SMG in
1992.
SMP — Motorola Software Maintenance Program. A Motorola program designed to
ensure the highest quality of software with the highest level of support.
SMS — Short Message Service. SMS is a globally accepted wireless service that
enables the transmission of alphanumeric messages between mobile subscribers and
external systems such as electronic mail, paging, and voice-mail systems. It transfers
the short messages, up to 160 characters, between Smts and MSs via an SMS-SC.
See also SMS-SC, SMS/PP and Smt.
SMSCB — Short Message Service Cell Broadcast. SMSCB is a service in which
short messages may be broadcast from a PLMN to MSs. SMSCB messages come
from different sources (e.g. traffic reports, weather reports). Messages are not
acknowledged by the MS. Reception of SMSCB messages by the MS is only possible
in idle mode. The geographical area over which each message is transmitted is
selected by the PLMN operator, by agreement with the provider of the information.
SMS-G-MSC — SMS Gateway MSC (for Short Messages destined to Mobile Station)
SMS-IW-MSC — SMS Interworking MSC (for Short Messages coming from Mobile
Station)

GL-52
 Index

SMS-SC — Short Message Service - Service Centre. SMS-SC is an interworking unit

between stationary networks and the GSM Network. It acts as a store and forward
centre for short messages. See also SMS, SMS/PP and Smt.
SMS/PP — Short Message Service/Point-to-Point. Two different point-to-point
services have been defined: Mobile Originated (MO) and Mobile Terminated (MT).
A short message always originates or terminates in the GSM network. This means
that short messages can never be sent between two users both located in stationary
networks. See also SMS, SMS-SC and Smt.
Smt — Short message terminal. See also SMS, SMS-SC and SMS/PP. There are
different types of Smt interfaces, one being the Computer Access Interface which
provides services for external computers communicating with SMS-SCs through the
Computer Access Protocol.
SMTP — Simple Mail Transfer Protocol ( RFC 2821)
SN — Subscriber Number.
SND — Sequence Number Downlink ( GTP)
SND — SeND.
SNDCP — Subnetwork Dependent Convergence Protocol
SNDR — SeNDeR.
SNMP — Simple Network Management Protocol
SNN — SNDCP N-PDU Number Flag
SN-PDU — Segmented N-PDU (SN-PDU is the payload of SNDCP)
SNR — Signal to Noise Ratio
SNR — Serial NumbeR.
SNU — Sequence Number Uplink ( GTP)
SOA — Suppress Outgoing Access (CUG SS). An arrangement which prevents a
member of a CUG placing calls outside the CUG.
SOAP — Simple Object Access Protocol (
http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/NOTE-SOAP-20000508)
Software Instance — A complete set of software and firmware objects including the
database object.
SP — Service Provider. The organisation through which the subscriber obtains GSM
telecommunications services. This may be a network operator or possibly a separate
body.
SP — Signalling Point. A signalling point is a node within a SS7 network.
SP — Special Product.
SP — SPare.
SPARC — Scalable Processor ArChitecture. a 32- and 64-bit microprocessor
architecture from Sun Microsystems that is based on the Reduced Instruction Set
Computer (RISC). SPARC has become a widely-used architecture for hardware used
with UNIX-based operating systems.
SPC — Signalling Point Code.
SPC — Suppress Preferential CUG. Prohibits the use of the preferential CUG, on a
per call basis.
SPI — Security Parameter Index ( RFC 2401)
SPI — Signalling Point Inaccessible.
SPP — Single Path Preselector.
SQE — Signal Quality Error.

GL-53
Glossary

SQL — Structured Query Language. The standard language for relational database
management systems as adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI
X3.135-1989) and the International Standards Organization (ISO 9075-1989).
SRB — Signaling Radio Bearer
SRD — Service Request Distributor.
SRES — Signed RESponse (authentication). The SRES is calculated by the MS, using
the RAND, and sent to the SGSN to authenticate the MS.
SRNC — Serving RNC
SRTT — Smoothed RoundTrip Time ( RFC 793)
SS — Supplementary Service. A modification of, or a supplement to, a basic
telecommunication service.
SS — System Simulator.
SS7 — ITU-TSS Common Channel Signalling System No. 7. Also known as C7, S7 or
SS#7. The standard defines the procedures and protocol by which network elements
in the PSTN exchange information over a digital signalling network to effect wireless
(cellular) and wireline call setup, routing and control.
SSA — SubSystem-Allowed. SSA is used for SCCP subsystem management. An
SSA message is sent to concerned destinations to inform those destinations that a
subsystem which was formerly prohibited is now allowed. (see ITU-T Recommendation
Q.712 para 1.15).
SSAP — Site System Audits Processor.
SSC — Supplementary Service Control string. When a subscriber selects a
supplementary service control from the menu in a GSM network, the mobile station
invokes the SSC by sending the network the appropriate functional signalling message.
SSCF/NNI — Service Specific Coordination Function Network Node Interface Protocol
( ITU-T Q.2140)
SSCF/UNI — Service Specific Coordination Function User Network Interface Protocol
( ITU-T Q.2130)
S-SCH — Secondary Synchronization Channel (physical)
SSCOP — Service Specific Connection Oriented Protocol ( ITU-T Q.2110)
SSCOPMCE — Service Specific Connection Oriented Protocol in a Multi-link or
Connectionless Environment ( ITU T Q.2111)
SSCS — Service Specific Convergence Sublayer
SSDT — Site Selection Diversity Transmission
SSF — Subservice Field. The level 3 field containing the network indicator and two
spare bits.
SSM — SCCP Switch Manager.
SSM — Signalling State Machine.
SSN — Start Sequence Number ( related to ARQ-Bitmap in GPRS / EGPRS)
SSN — Send Sequence Number ( GSM MM and CC-Protocols)
SSN — SubSystem Number. In SS7, each signalling point (SP) may contain a number
of subsystems. Each subsystem has a unique ID, the SSN (e.g. 149 for SGSN and 6
for HLR).
SSP — Service Switching Point. Intelligent Network Term for the Class 4/5 Switch. The
SSP has an open interface to the IN for switching signalling, control and handoff.
SSP — Subsystem-prohibited. SSP is used for SCCP subsystem management. An
SSP message is sent to concerned destinations to inform SCCP Management at those
destinations of the failure of a subsystem.
SSS — Switching SubSystem. The SSC comprises the MSC and the LRs.
SSSAR — Service Specific Segmentation And Reassembly ( ITU-T I.366.1)

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 Index

ssthresh — Slow start threshold

STAN — Statistical ANalysis (processor).
STAT — STATistics.
stats — Statistics.
STC — Signaling Transport Converter on MTP-3 and MTP-3b ( ITU-T Q.2150.1) /
Signaling Transport Converter on SSCOP and SSCOPMCE ( ITU-T Q.2150.2)
STC — System Timing Controller. The STC provides the timing functions for the
GPROC.
STMR — Side Tone Masking rating. A rating, expressed in dB, based on how a speaker
will perceive his own voice when speaking.
STTD — Space Time block coding based Transmission Diversity
SUERM — Signal Unit Error Rate Monitor. A link error rate monitor.
STP — Signalling Transfer Point. A node in the SS7 telephone network that routes
messages between exchanges and between exchanges and databases that hold
subscriber and routing information.
SU — Signal Unit. A group of bits forming a separately transferable entity used to
convey information on a signalling link.
SUFI — Super Field (RLC-Protocol)
SunOS — Sun Microsystems UNIX Operating System. SunOS was renamed Solaris.
Superframe — 51 traffic/associated control multiframes or 26 broadcast/common
control multiframes (period 6.12s).
Super user — User account that can access all files, regardless of protection settings,
and control all user accounts.
SURF — Sectorized Universal Receiver Front-end (Used in Horizonmacro).
SVC — Switch Virtual Circuit. A temporary virtual circuit that is set up and used only
as long as data is being transmitted. Once the communication between the two hosts
is complete, the SVC disappears. See also PVC.
SVM — SerVice Manager. The SVM provides overall management authority for all
in-service service circuits.
SVN — Software Version Number. The SVN allows the ME manufacturer to identify
different software versions of a given type approved mobile. See also IMEI and IMEISV.
SW — Software.
SWFM — SoftWare Fault Management. Software faults are handled through a SWFM
facility which routes those events to the OMC independently through the FCP.
SYM — SYstem information Manager. The SYM builds and sends GPRS system
information messages over the BCCH.
sync — synchronize/synchronization.
Synchronization burst — Period of RF carrier less than one timeslot whose
modulation bit stream carries information for the MS to synchronize its frame to that
of the received signal.
Synthesizer hopping — Synthesizer hopping is a method of frequency hopping in
which the RCUs are re-tuned in real-time, from frequency to frequency.
SYS — SYStem.
SYSGEN — SYStem GENeration. The Motorola procedure for loading a configuration
database into a BTS.
T — Timer.
T — Transparent.
T — Type only.

GL-55
Glossary

T1 — Digital WAN carrier facility that transmits DS-1-formatted data at 1544 kbp/s
through the telephone-switching network. companies. T1 lines are widely used for
private networks as well as interconnections between an organization’s PBX or LAN
and the telco.
T43 — Type 43 Interconnect Board. Provides interface to 12 unbalanced (6-pair)
75ohm (T43 coax connectors) lines for 2 Mbit/s circuits (See BIB).
TA — Terminal Adaptor. A physical entity in the MS providing terminal adaptation
functions (see GSM 04.02).
TA — See Timing Advance.
TAC — Type Approval Code. Part of the IMEISV.
TACS — Total Access Communication System. European analogue cellular system.
TAF — Terminal Adaptation Function.( 3GTS 27.001)
TAI — Timing Advance Index
TATI — Transmit Antenna Transceiver Interface. The TATI consists of RF combining
equipments, either Hybrid or Cavity Combining. See CCB.
TAXI — Transparent Asynchronous Transmitter/Receiver Interface (physical layer). A
100 Mbps ATM transmission standard defined by the ATM Forum.
TB — Transport Block
TBD — To Be Determined.
TBF — Temporary Block Flow. MAC modes support the provision of TBFs allowing the
point-to-point transfer of signalling and user data between the network and an MS.
TBR — Technical Basis for Regulation. An ETSI document containing technical
requirements and procedures.
TBS — Transport Block Set
TBUS — TDM Bus. A TBUS is a logical device made up of the TDM backplane of a
cage, the KSW devices managing the TDM highway of the cage, and local and remote
KSWX devices (if they exist).
TC — Transaction Capabilities. TC refers to a protocol structure above the network
layer interface (i.e., the SCCP service interface) up to the application layer including
common application service elements but not the specific application service elements
using them. TC is structured as a Component sub-layer above a Transaction sub-layer.
TCAP — Transaction Capabilities Application Part. The layer of the SS7 protocol that
is used to obtain Routing data for certain services.( Q.771 Q.773)
TCB — TATI Control Board.
TCH — Traffic CHannel. GSM logical channels which carry either encoded speech or
user data.
TCH/F — A full rate TCH. See also Full Rate.
TCH/F2.4 — A full rate TCH at ? 2.4 kbit/s.
TCH/F4.8 — A full rate TCH at 4.8 kbit/s.
TCH/F9.6 — A full rate TCH at 9.6 kbit/s.
TCH/FD — Traffic Channel / Fullrate Downlink
TCH/FS — A full rate Speech TCH.
TCH/H — A half rate TCH. See also Half Rate.
TCH/H2.4 — A half rate TCH at ?2.4 kbit/s.
TCH/H4.8 — A half rate TCH at 4.8 kbit/s.
TCH/HS — A half rate Speech TCH.
TCI — Transceiver Control Interface.

GL-56
 Index

TCP — Transmission Control Protocol. TCP is one of the main protocols in TCP/IP
networks. Whereas the IP protocol deals only with packets, TCP enables two hosts
to establish a connection and exchange streams of data. TCP guarantees delivery of
data and also guarantees that packets will be delivered in the same order in which they
were sent. See also IP and TCP/IP.
TCP/IP — Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Two interrelated protocols
that are part of the Internet protocol suite. TCP operates on the OSI Transport Layer
and IP operates on the OSI Network Layer. See also IP and TCP.
TCTF — Target Channel Type Field
TC-TR — Technical Commitee Technical Report.
TCTV — Transport Channel Traffic Volume
TCU — Transceiver Control Unit.
TDD — Time Division Duplex
TDF — Twin Duplexed Filter. Used in M-Cellhorizon.
TDM — Time Division Multiplexing. A type of multiplexing that combines data streams
by assigning each stream a different time slot in a set. TDM repeatedly transmits a fixed
sequence of time slots over a single transmission channel. Within T-Carrier systems,
such as T-1 and T-3, TDM combines PCM streams created for each conversation or
data stream.
TDMA — Time Division Multiple Access. A technology for delivering digital wireless
service using TDM. TDMA works by dividing a radio frequency into time slots and then
allocating slots to multiple calls. In this way, a single frequency can support multiple,
simultaneous data channels.
TDU — TopCell Digital Unit. Part of the TopCell BTS hardware. A TDU is capable of
supporting 6 TRUs for supporting up to 6 sectors.
TE — Terminal Equipment. Equipment that provides the functions necessary for the
operation of the access protocols by the user.
Tei — Terminal endpoint identifier. A number that identifies a specific connection
endpoint within a service access point.
TEI — Terminal Equipment Identity.
TEID — Tunnel Endpoint Identifier ( GTP / 3GTS 29.060)
TEMP — TEMPorary.
TEST — TEST control processor.
TF — Transport Format
TF — Transmission Function. The TF provides layered protocol software for handling
payload information transfer and for providing signalling communications between the
control function and external systems.
TFA — TransFer Allowed. An SPC route management message used to notify adjacent
signalling points of an accessible route.
TFC — Transport Format Combination
TFCI — Transport Format Combination Identifier
TFCS — Transport Format Combination Set
TFI — Transport Format Indication (UMTS). Temporary Flow Identity ((E)GPRS)
TFP — TransFer Prohibited. An SPC route management message used to notify
adjacent signalling points of an inaccessible route.
TFS — Transport Format Set
TFTP — Trivial File Transfer Protocol. TFTP is a simple form of FTP. It uses UDP and
provides no security features. It is often used by servers to boot diskless workstations,
X-terminals, and routers.
TGD — Transmission Gap start Distance ( 3GTS 25.215)

GL-57
Glossary

TGL — Transmission Gap Length ( 3GTS 25.215)

TGPRC — Transmission Gap Pattern Repetition Count ( 3GTS 25.215)
TGSN — Transmission Gap Starting Slot Number ( 3GTS 25.215)
THIG — Topology Hiding Inter Network Gateway
TI — Transaction Identifier.
TID — Tunnel Identifier
Timeslot — The multiplex subdivision in which voice and signalling bits are sent over
the air. Each RF carrier is divided into 8 timeslots. See also ARFCN.
Timing advance — A signal sent by the BTS to the MS. It enables the MS to advance
the timing of its transmission to the BTS so as to compensate for propagation delay.
TL — See Transport Layer.
TLLI — Temporary Logical Link Identifier.
TLS — Transport Layer Security ( RFC 2246 / RFC 3546 / formerly known as SSL or
Secure Socket Layer)
TLV — Type, Length and Value. An encoding element composed of three fields: a type
identifier, a length indicator, and content octets.
TM — Transparent Mode operation ( UMTS-RLC)
TM — Transmission Modules
TM — Traffic Manager.
TMD — Transparent Mode Data (UMTS RLC PDU-type)
TMI — TDM Modem Interface board. Provides analogue interface from IWF to modems
for 16 circuits. Part of IWF.
TMM — Traffic Metering and Measuring. TMM provides system tools to be used by
traffic engineering and switch maintenance personnel to determine if the system is
operating correctly. TMM reports are provided for trunk circuits, trunk groups, service
circuits, call routing and miscellaneous system data.
TMN — Telecommunications Management Network. The physical entities required
to implement the Network Management functionality for the PLMN.Also, TMN was
originated formally in 1988 under the ITU-TS as a strategic goal to create or identify
standard interfaces that would allow a network to be managed consistently across all
network element suppliers. The concept has led to a series of interrelated efforts at
developing standard ways to define and address network elements. TMN uses the OSI
Management Standards as its framework. TMN applies to wireless communications
and cable TV as well as to private and public wired networks.
TMSI — Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity. A unique identity temporarily allocated
by the MSC to a visiting mobile subscriber to process a call. May be changed between
calls and even during a call, to preserve subscriber confidentiality.
TN — Timeslot Number.
TOM — Tunneling of Messages.
TON — Type Of Number.
TPC — Transmit Power Command
T-PDU — Payload of a G-PDU which can be user data, i.e. possibly segmented
IP-frames, or GTP signaling information ( GTP)
TQI — Temporary Queuing Identifier
Traffic channels — Channels which carry user’s speech or data. See also TCH.
Traffic unit — Equivalent to an erlang.
Training sequence — Sequence of modulating bits employed to facilitate timing
recovery and channel equalization in the receiver.

GL-58
 Index

Transport Layer — See OSI RM. The Transport Layer responds to service requests
from the Session Layer and issues service requests to the Network Layer. Its purpose
is to provide transparent transfer of data between end users, thus relieving the upper
layers from any concern with providing reliable and cost-effective data transfer.
TRAU — Transcoding Rate and Adaption Unit
TRS — Timeslot Resource Shifter. The TRS determines which timeslots are active in
a PRP board to perform a control of the GPRS traffic.
TRAU — Transcoder Rate Adaption Unit. TRAU converts the encoded voice and rate
adapted data into 64 kbps data for the PSTN.
TrCH — Transport Channel (UMTS)
TrGW — Transition Gateway (IPv4 IPv6)
TRM — Terrestrial Resource Management.
TRU — TopCell Radio unit.
TRX — Transceiver(s). A network component which can serve full duplex
communication on 8 full-rate traffic channels according to specification GSM 05.02. If
Slow Frequency Hopping (SFH) is not used, then the TRX serves the communication
on one RF carrier.
TS — Technical Specification.
TS — TeleService. Any service provided by a telecommunication provider.
TS — TimeSlot (see Timeslot).
TS1 — Training Sequence 1.
TS2 — Training Sequence 2.
TSA — TimeSlot Acquisition.
TSA — TimeSlot Assignment.
TSDA — Transceiver Speech & Data Interface.
TSC — Training Sequence Code. A training sequence is sent at the centre of a burst
to help the receiver identify and synchronize to the burst. The training sequence is a
set sequence of bits which is known by both the transmitter and receiver. There are
eight different TSCs numbered 0 to 7. Nearby cells operating with the same RF carrier
frequency use different TSCs to allow the receiver to identify the correct signal.
TSI — TimeSlot Interchange. The interchange of timeslots within a TDM stream.
TSDI — Transceiver Speech and Data Interface.
TSM — Transceiver Station Manager.
TSN — TRAU SyNc.
TSTD — Time Switched Transmit Diversity
TSW — Timeslot SWitch.
TTCN — Tree and Tabular Combined Notation. TTCN is a programming language
endorsed by ISO that is used to write test suites for telecommunications systems.
TTL — Transistor to Transistor Logic. A common semiconductor technology for
building discrete digital logic integrated circuits.
TTL — Time To Live ( IP-Header / RFC 791)
TTY — TeleTYpe (refers to any terminal).
TU — Traffic Unit.
TU3 — Typical Urban with the MS travelling at 3 kph. Dynamic model against which
the performance of a GSM receiver can be measured. See also TU50, HT100, RA250
and EQ50.
TU50 — Typical Urban with the MS travelling at 50 kph. Dynamic model against which
the performance of a GSM receiver can be measured. See also TU3, HT100, RA250
and EQ50.

GL-59
Glossary

TUP — Telephone User Part. TUP was an earlier implementation of SS7 and generally
does not allow for data type applications.
TV — Type and Value.
Two-way neighbour — See Reciprocal neighbour.
Tx — Transmit(ter).
TX — Transmit window buffer.
TXF — Transmit Function. See RTF.
TXPWR — Transmit PoWeR. Tx power level in the MS_TXPWR_REQUEST and
MS_TXPWR_CONF parameters.
TxBPF — Transmit Bandpass Filter. See BPF.
UA — Unnumbered Acknowledgment. A message sent from the MS to
the BSS to acknowledge release of radio resources when a call is being
cleared.(LAPD/LLC/RLP-Frame Type)
UA — User Agent
UAC — User Agent Client
UARFCN — UMTS Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number
UAS — User Agent Server
UCS2 — Universal Coded Character Set 2. A codeset containing all of the characters
commonly used in computer applications.
UDI — Unrestricted Digital Information.
UDP — User Datagram Protocol. UDP is a connectionless protocol that, like TCP, runs
on top of IP networks. Unlike TCP/IP, UDP/IP provides very few error recovery services,
offering instead a direct way to send and receive datagrams over an IP network. It is
used primarily for broadcasting messages over a network.( RFC 768)
UDUB — User Determined User Busy.
UE — User Equipment
UFE — Uplink Frame Error.
UHF — Ultra High Frequency. The UHF range of the radio spectrum is the band
extending from 300 MHz to 3 GHz.
UI — Unnumbered Information (Frame) ( LAPD) / Unconfirmed Information ( LLC) /
Frame Type
UIC — Union International des Chemins de Fer. The UIC is the worldwide organisation
for cooperation among railway companies. Its activities encompass all fields related to
the development of rail transport.
UICC — Universal Integrated Circuit Card ( 3GTS 22.101 / Bearer card of SIM / USIM)
UID — User ID. Unique number used by the system to identify the user.
UL — Upload (of software or database from an NE to a BSS).
UL — UpLink.
ULC — UpLink Concatenator. The ULC concatenates RLC data blocks into LLC
frames.
Um — Air interface.
UM — Unacknowledged Mode operation ( UMTS-RLC)
UMD — Unacknowledged Mode Data (UMTS RLC PDU-type)
UMTS — Universal Mobile Telecommunication System. The European implementation
of the 3G wireless phone system. UMTS, which is part of IMT-2000, provides service in
the 2GHz band and offers global roaming and personalized features. Designed as an
evolutionary system for GSM network operators, multimedia data rates up to 2 Mbps
are expected.

GL-60
 Index

UNIX — A multiuser, multitasking operating system that is widely used as the master
control program in workstations and especially servers. UNIX was developed by AT&T
and freely distributed to government and academic institutions, causing it to be ported
to a wider variety of machine families than any other operating system. As a result,
UNIX became synonymous with open systems.
UPCMI — Uniform PCM Interface (13 bit). The UPCMI is introduced for design
purposes in order to separate the speech transcoder impairments from the basic audio
impairments of the MS.
UPD — Up to Date.
Uplink — Physical link from the MS towards the BTS (MS transmits, BTS receives).
UPS — Uninterruptable Power Supply. A device that is inserted between a primary
power source, such as a commercial utility, and the primary power input of equipment
to be protected, e.g., a computer system, for the purpose of eliminating the effects of
transient anomalies or temporary outages. Backup power is used when the electrical
power fails or drops to an unacceptable voltage level.
UPU — User Part Unavailable.
URA — UTRAN Registration Area
URI — Uniform Resource Identifier
URL — Uniform Resource Locators ( RFC 1738)
USAT — USIM Application Toolkit
USCH — Uplink Shared Channel (UMTS Transport Channel TDD only
Useful part of burst — That part of the burst used by the demodulator; differs from
the full burst because of the bit shift of the I and Q parts of the GMSK signal.
USF — Uplink State Flag.
USIM — Universal Subscriber Identity Module [3GTS 31.102]
USSD — Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. The USSD mechanism allows
the MS user and a PLMN operator defined application to communicate in a way which
is transparent to the MS and to intermediate network entities. The mechanism allows
development of PLMN specific supplementary services.
UTRAN — UMTS Radio Access Network
UUS — User-to-User Signalling supplementary service. The UUS supplementary
service allows a mobile subscriber to send/receive a limited amount of information
to/from another PLMN or ISDN subscriber over the signalling channel in association
with a call to the other subscriber.
UWC — Universal Wireless Convergence (Merge IS-136 with GSM)
V — Value only.
VA — Viterbi Algorithm (used in channel equalizers). An algorithm to compute the
optimal (most likely) state sequence in a model given a sequence of observed outputs.
VAD — Voice Activity Detection. A process used to identify presence or absence of
speech data bits. VAD is used with DTX.
VAP — Videotex Access Point.
VBS — Voice Broadcast Service. VBS allows the distribution of speech (or other
signals which can be transmitted via the speech codec), generated by a service
subscriber, into a predefined geographical area to all or a group of service subscribers
located in this area.
VC — See Virtual Circuit.
VCI — Virtual Circuit Identifier ( ATM)
VCO — Voltage Controlled Oscillator. An oscillator whose clock frequency is
determined by the magnitude of the voltage presented at its input. The frequency
changes when the voltage changes.
VCXO — Voltage Controlled Crystal Oscillator.

GL-61
Glossary

VDU — Visual Display Unit. A device used for the real-time temporary display of
computer output data. Monitor.
VGCS — Voice Group Call Service.
VHE — Virtual Home Environment ( 3GTS 22.121, 3GTS 23.127)
Videotex — The Videotex service is an interactive service, that by means of
proper access points and standardized procedures, provides the access to data
base information stored in host computers external to the PLMN, via public
telecommunication networks.
Virtual Circuit — A connection between two devices, that functions as though it is a
direct connection, even though it may physically be circuitous. The term is used most
frequently to describe connections between two hosts in a packet-switching network.
VLR — Visitor Location Register. A GSM network element which provides a temporary
register for subscriber information for a visiting subscriber. Often a part of the MSC.
VLSI — Very Large Scale Integration (in ICs). The process of placing between 100,000
and one million electronic components on a single chip.
VMSC — Visited MSC. (Recommendation not to be used).
vocoder — Abbreviation for voice-coder. A device that usually consists of a speech
analyzer, which converts analog speech waveforms into narrowband digital signals,
and a speech synthesizer, which converts the digital signals into artificial speech
sounds.
VOX — Voice Operated Transmission. An acoustoelectric transducer and a keying
relay connected so that the keying relay is actuated when sound, or voice energy above
a certain threshold is sensed by the transducer. A vox is used to eliminate the need for
push-to-talk operation of a transmitter by using voice energy to turn on the transmitter
VPI — Virtual Path Identifier ( ATM)
VPLMN — Visited PLMN.
VSC — Videotex Service Centre.
V(SD) — Send state variable.
VSP — Vehicular Speaker Phone.
VSWR — Voltage Standing Wave Ratio. In a transmission line, the ratio of maximum
to minimum voltage in a standing wave pattern. Note: The VSWR is a measure of
impedance mismatch between the transmission line and its load. The higher the
VSWR, the greater the mismatch. The minimum VSWR, i.e., that which corresponds
to a perfect impedance match, is unity.
VTX host — The components dedicated to Videotex service.
WAN — Wide Area Network. A physical or logical network that provides data
communications to a larger number of independent users than are usually served
by a LAN and is usually spread over a larger geographic area than that of a LAN.
WANs may include physical networks, such as ISDN networks, X.25 networks, and
T1 networks.
WAP — Wireless Application Protocol
WINS — Windows Internet Name Service
W-LAN — Wireless Local Area Network ( IEEE 802.11)
WPA — Wrong Password Attempts (counter). Some supplementary services have the
option of the subscriber using a password. If a password check is done with an incorrect
password, the WPA is incremented by one. If a password check is passed, the WPA
is set to zero. If the WPA exceeds the value three, the subscriber will have to register
a new password with the service provider.
WS — Work Station. The remote device via which O&M personnel execute input and
output transactions for network management purposes.
WSF — Work Station Function block.
WSN — Window Size Number

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 Index

WWW — World Wide Web. An international, virtual-network-based information service

composed of Internet host computers that provide on-line information in a specific
hypertext format. WWW servers provide hypertext metalanguage (HTML) formatted
documents using the hypertext transfer protocol, HTTP. Information on the WWW is
accessed with a hypertext browser.
X.25 — X.25, adopted as a standard by the CCITT, is a commonly used protocol for
public packet-switched networks (PSPDNS). The X.25 protocol allows computers
on different public networks to communicate through an intermediary computer
at the network layer level. The protocol corresponds closely to the data-link and
physical-layer protocols defined in the OSI communication model.
X.25 link — A communications link which conforms to X.25 specifications and uses
X.25 protocol (NE to OMC links).
XBL — Transcoder to BSS Link. The carrier communications link between the
Transcoder (XCDR) and the BSS.
XCB — Transceiver Control Board. Part of the Transceiver.
XCDR — Full-rate Transcoder. The XCDR is the digital signal processing equipment
required to perform GSM-defined speech encoding and decoding. In terms of data
transmission, the speech transcoder interfaces the 64 kbit/s PCM in the land network
to the 13 kbit/s vocoder format used on the Air Interface. See also RXCDR.
XCDR board — The circuit board required to perform speech transcoding at the BSS
or (R)XCDR). Also known as the MSI (XCDR) board. Interchangeable with the GDP
board.
XFER — Transfer.
XID — eXchange IDentifier.
xterm — X terminal window. A terminal emulator program for the X Window System.
A user can have many different invocations of xterm running at once on the same
display, each of which provides independent input and output for the process running
in it (normally a shell).
X Window — A specification for device-independent windowing operations on bitmap
display devices.
ZC — Zone Code. Part of the RSZI. The ZC identifies a regional subscription zone as
a pattern of allowed and not allowed location areas uniquely within a PLMN.

GL-63