Spelling it Out

A handy guide to mobility acronyms

In today’s abbreviated world, we can sometimes be overwhelmed by all the "handy" acronyms. If you need an FYI on the 411, read on! Below you’ll find some commonly used abbreviations spelled out and defined. Skim the list below and you’ll be chatting about how you handle PIM on your BIS in no time!

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BlackBerry® Solution acronyms

BES
What does it stand for? BlackBerry® Enterprise Server
What is it? BES is software that acts as the centralized link between BlackBerry® wireless devices, wireless networks and enterprise applications. The server integrates with enterprise messaging and collaboration systems to provide mobile users with access to email, enterprise instant messaging and personal information management tools. All data between applications and BlackBerry devices flows centrally through the server. BlackBerry Enterprise Server also allows administrators to have central control over devices, for instance to deactivate them if they are stolen.

BIS
What does it stand for? BlackBerry® Internet Service
What is it? BIS is a component of the BlackBerry Internet Solution, which allows you to integrate your BlackBerry device with up to 10 supported business or personal email accounts, send and receive instant messages, and browse web content while on the go. BlackBerry Internet Service resides on your ISP and allows you to configure your BlackBerry service through a Web based interface. You get "push" delivery of messages, mobile access to email attachments and images in popular formats, as well as access to HTML and WAP pages. BlackBerry Internet Service allows you to open attachments on the go, create a unique BlackBerry email address, and manage all your email accounts directly from your BlackBerry device (your desktop account is updated so you don’t have to manage your accounts in two places. Read a message on your BlackBerry device and it’s marked as read when you return to your computer).

Keypad acronyms

QWERTY
	What does it stand for? QWERTY refers to the first six letters on your computer keyboard. What is it? Patented in 1868 to facilitate typesetting, QWERTY is the familiar keyboard layout that is the standard for most English language computers.
SURETYPE
	What is it? SureType is an innovative integrated keyboard and software system invented by Research In Motion (RIM) that combines a traditional phone keypad and a familiar QWERTY-based keyboard. The smaller format lets you compose messages using single-handed operation or two-handed thumb-typing. To ease spelling and composition, SureType includes intuitive software with a word list of over 35,000 words and the ability to increase that list based on the frequency of use. SureType is also able to recognize character letter sequences that are common in the English language, such as "-ing".

Acronyms for understanding mobile networks

Warning: the following gets a little complicated and is by no means exhaustive. While these mobile network acronyms are all basically differentiated by the bands that they operate on and the speed at which they operate, their popularity depends on the carrier and country. Acronyms are deciphered below as a starting point for your research into which one works best for you.

CDMA
What does it stand for? Code Division Multiple Access
What is it? CDMA is a major mobile network standard that is used mainly by US carriers. BlackBerry devices display an indicator "1X" when it connects with full data service, and lowercase "1x" when it is not able to connect to full BlackBerry email/Internet service. Carriers include Verizon, Sprint, Telstra.

EDGE
What does it stand for? Enhanced Data GSM Environment
What is it? EDGE is an extension to GSM and GPRS for faster data speeds. The principle is the same as GPRS, except data speeds are faster. Speeds are typically in excess of 100 kilobits per second, and sometimes in excess of 250 kilobits per seconds under excellent conditions. Carriers include T-Mobile,  Cingular, TIM, Telus.

EV-DO
What does it stand for? EVolution-Data Optimized
What is it? EV-DO is a wireless radio broadband data standard adopted by many CDMA mobile phone service providers. Carriers include Telus, Bell.

GPRS
What does it stand for? General Packet Radio Service
What is it? GPRS is a standard for wireless communications which runs at speeds up to 115 kilobits per second, compared with current GSM systems' 9.6 kilobits. GPRS, which supports a wide range of bandwidths, is an efficient use of limited bandwidth and is particularly suited for sending and receiving small bursts of data, such as e-mail and Web browsing, as well as large volumes of data. This enables the BlackBerry device to have always-on access without using up airtime minutes and battery power. Carriers include Orange, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Cingular, Rogers.

GSM
What does it stand for? Global System for Mobile communication
What is it? GSM is a digital mobile phone standard that transmits voice digitally between phones and cellular antenna towers. Standard in Europe, GSM has the largest global footprint at the moment. Carriers include Cingular, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Cingular, TIM, Telstra, Airtel, Telus, Rogers.

iDEN
What does it stand for? Integrated Dispatch Enhanced Network.
What is it? A newer network. iDEN phones are not interchangeable with GSM and CDMA phones. Nextel BlackBerry devices display the indicator “NXTL” when the device connects with full data service, and with lowercase “nxtl” when it is not able to connect to full BlackBerry email/Internet service. Carriers include Nextel.

Other helpful mobile acronyms

802.11
What is it? Stands for networking standards developed by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and implemented by all manufacturers of WiFi equipment. The most popular are those defined by the b, a, and g amendments to the original standard. Different standards use different bands, for instance the 802.11b and 802.11g standards use the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) band.

BPS
What does it stand for? Bits Per Second
What is it? A standard measure of data transmission speeds for computer modem and transmission carriers. GBps, short for Gigabits per second, is also used to refer to larger transmissions (a gigabit equals 1,000,000,000 bits).

ETP
What does it stand for? Email Transfer Protocol,
What is it? A RIM proprietary email-based communication protocol. This protocol is what enables the Desktop Redirector feature of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to redirect messages from the user’s environment to the BlackBerry infrastructure.

IEEE
What does it stand for? Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
What is it? IEEE is the standards organization that publishes computer-industry-defined standards for hardware, software, and data communications. For example, IEEE 1394 is the standard for the FireWire interface, and IEEE 802.11 is the standard for WiFi wireless networking.

IM
What does it stand for? Instant Messaging
What is it? A form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. The text is conveyed via computers connected over a network such as the Internet. IM is sometimes referred to as “chat” if the communication occurs between multiple users. BlackBerry devices offer many of the features of desktop IM software, including contact list management, presence awareness, notifications and emoticons.

IMAP
What does it stand for? Internet Message Access Protocol
What is it? A protocol for retrieving email messages. The latest version, IMAP4, is similar to POP3 but supports some additional features. For example, with IMAP4, you can search through your email messages for keywords while the messages are still on mail server.

IMEI code
What does it stand for? International Mobile Equipment Identity
What is it? IMEI is a unique 15-digit code used to identify individual GSM mobile phones. The code is usually printed on your phone under the battery.

IP address
What does it stand for? Internet Protocol address
What is it? IP addresses are a means of referring to locations on the Internet, the IP address is composed of four numbers from 0 through 255, separated by decimal points (an IP number looks like this: 10.3.30.29). All machines on the Internet have one, often assigned by the ISP at connection time.

MDS
What does it stand for? Mobile Data Service
What is it? MDS is a method of Internet connectivity for a BlackBerry device that is provided by a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. BlackBerry® Enterprise Server MDS is an optimized framework for creating, deploying and managing applications for the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution. It provides essential components that enable applications beyond email to be deployed to mobile users, including developer tools, administrative services and BlackBerry device software. MDS uses the same BlackBerry push delivery model and advanced security features used for BlackBerry email.

MMS
What does it stand for? Multi-Media Messaging
What is it? The ability to send and receive messages including photos, text, sounds, and images from media messaging capable mobile phones and the Internet to other media messaging capable mobile phones and e-mail accounts.

PIM
What does it stand for? Personal Information Management
What is it? BlackBerry’s PIM includes an address book, calendar, task list, and memo pad. PIMs are designed to synchronize to each other, for instance your BlackBerry device can be synched with Microsoft® Outlook, Lotus® Notes or Novell® GroupWise®.

PPP
What does it stand for? Point-to-Point Protocol,
What is it? PPP is a convention for transmitting data over long-distance networks such as the Internet, used to establish a direct connection between two computers for instance over a phone line, cellular telephone, or fiber optic links. Most Internet service providers use PPP for customers' dial-up access to the Internet.

POP or POP3
What does it stand for? Post Office Protocol
What is it? POP is an e-mail system that communicates between your primary mailbox in your own computer and the one at your access provider's site. POP mail is the usual protocol for incoming mail, while SMTP is used for outgoing. For example Hotmail or Gmail.

PTT
What does it stand for? Push-to-Talk
What is it? Also known as "Press-to-Transmit", PTT emulates walkie-talkie communications with a two-way radio, using a momentary button to switch from voice reception mode to transmit mode.

SIM
What does it stand for? Subscriber Identity Module
What is it? The SIM is a “smart card” for GPRS, CDMA and iDEN networks which contains subscription and security-related data as well as user data that are being used for authentication of both subscription and subscriber. It is also capable of storing personal information such as phone numbers, contacts and text messages.

SMS
What does it stand for? Short Message Service
What is it? This solution enables you to easily send and receive short text messages between mobile devices, including your BlackBerry device without adding email messages to an inbox. SMS messages have a 160 character limit.

SMTP
What does it stand for? Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
What is it? A protocol for sending email between servers, or from a mail client to a mail server. The protocol most widely used to send messages, designed to transfer mail independently of any specific transmission subsystem.

WAP
What does it stand for? Wireless Application Protocol
What is it? A global, open standard for accessing online services through mobile devices. WAP gives you text-based information from the web in a format that is easy for a mobile screen to display and quick to download.

WEP
What does it stand for? Wired Equivalent Privacy.
What is it? The protocol used to encrypt data being transmitted wirelessly to protect the data from unauthorized access.

WLAN
What does it stand for? Wireless Local Area Network
What is it? A network that allows you to wirelessly connect to your email and Internet.

A glossary of these and other acronyms are also listed on discoverblackberry.com.