Understanding Cell Phone Technology: Terms and Definitions

Posted on Mar 10, 2025 in Electronics

Data Management and Device Reset

Recycle: To use part of something to make something new. Confirm: To state definitely that something is true or desired. Personal: Related to one particular person. Dispose of: To discard or get rid of something. Irretrievable: Unable to be accessed under any circumstance. Master Reset: The act of removing data from a device. Restore to Factory Settings: To return a device to its original state, as it was first sold.

  • Users need to archive their information if they want to keep it.
  • Once users erase information, it may be irretrievable.
  • The man resold his old device.
  • The technician wiped the phone.

Network Technologies and Speeds

Cable Speed: The rate at which data is transferred over the television infrastructure. AMPS: A cellular technology that lacked encryption technology. 3G: Using a high-speed broadband network. 1G: Using only voice services on an analog network. Kilobits Per Second: A unit of data that refers to a rate of transfer. DSL Speed: The rate at which data is transferred over a digital subscriber line. Analog: Made up of physical data that often changes. Obsolete: Replaced by something better and no longer needed.

  • An encrypted device allows for private calls.
  • The woman’s phone operated slowly because it used dial-up speed.
  • In the early days of cellular technology, the man installed a car phone in his truck.
  • A 2G phone only includes voice and limited data services.
  • A digital network is preferred over an analog network.
  • 4G technology is much faster than 3G.

Cell Phone Components

LCD: A type of display technology for a cell phone. RF Amplifier: A component that uses radio frequencies to transmit signals. Conversion Chip: A component that changes outgoing and incoming audio signals to digital. Signal Processor: A microprocessor that operates at a high speed. Coordinate: To make multiple things work together.

  • The microprocessor directs the operations of the phone.
  • Phones store user data in the flash memory.
  • The overall operation of a cell phone relies on the circuit board.
  • The man couldn’t hear his friend because of a broken speaker.
  • The microphone captures very clear sound.
  • The internal clock chip ensures that the device displays the correct time.

Cellular Network Infrastructure

Adjacent: Beside something. Radio: The transmission of electromagnetic waves. Cell: A division within a city or region. Bandwidth: The range of frequencies that a tower can transmit. Antenna: A physical device used to transmit or receive signals. Frequency Reuse: A system by which different cells can share the same frequencies. MHz: The unit of measurement for frequencies. Full Duplex: A system that uses two frequencies for call transmission.

  • At the cell site, there is a large antenna on top of the building.
  • The caller was outside the range of the antenna, so his call would not connect.
  • The students learned that a roaming partner’s channel is made up of frequencies.
  • Connecting to a roaming partner usually costs extra money.
  • A frequency can be measured using megahertz.
  • When the antenna was broken, the man went to the cell site to fix it.