An indicator of operating performance for telecommunication carriers. The Average Revenue per Unit is a gauge of the average monthly revenue generated for each customer unit, such as a wireless phone, pager that is currently in service.

The churn rate is an operating metric used to monitor retention rate of a carriers customer base. The churn rate is the percentage of subscribers that terminate wireless service with the carrier on a monthly basis. The lower the churn rate , the fewer new subscribers a carrier must add to generate new subscribers.

Net Subscriber Additions is the number of new customers added minus customers that terminate a service with the carrier.

The Cost Per Gross Subscriber additions is an indicator of the average costs of signing up a new subscriber. It is calculated by adding selling, marketing, and handset , and accessory subsidy costs and dividing the total by new subscribers during the period. This is also called the number of gross adds.

Cash Cost Per User is a benchmark used to measure the average monthly cost of serving subscribers. CCPU is calculated as total operating expenses less equipment revenue, depreciation, and amortization expenses, and the cost of acquiring new subscribers, which is divided by the average subscribers for the period.

TDMA is a first generation digital cellular technology that offers a threefold increase in capacity over analog technology.

A short range wireless networking technology that is designed to replace cables linking high tech devices. It mauy be used to connect headsets to cellphones or cellphone to laptops.

Duration of a customer's wireless phone calls.

The fixed device that intercepts signals sent by a mobile radio transmitter /receiver .

An audibe, call progress signal connector that indicates the called station being rung. Wireless service providers offer a wide selection of music and tones that customers may use to personalize their ringtone signal.

The location of the wireless antenna and network communications equipment.

A growth metric that is equal to the number of wireless customers that add service during a period less those that terminate service.

A wireless phone that works on both analog and digital networks.

A wireless phone that can operate on 800MHz or 1900 Mhz frequencies as needed.

The loss or corruption of information in a signal during transmission in telecommunications .This term usually refers to analog signals.

The part of the electromagnetic spectrum used for transmitting radio signals.

A cellular industry term for customers or potential customers within a licensed area as surveyed by the U.S. Census . One POP is one member of the population.

A 3G technology that increases data transmission rates in GSM systems by using CDMA air interface instead of TDMA.

A network feature that enables mobile or wireline users to retain their geographic or non-geographic telephone number when they change location, service provider, or type of service. Number portability was first made available to toll-free numbers , then to long distance services, and eventually to wireless and wireline services.

A service offered by most wireless providers that allows subscribers to use cellular service while traveling outside their home service area. Roaming requires an agreement between operators of technologically compatible systems in individual markets to permit customers of either operator to access the other's system. Roaming areas and costs vary by service provider.

A feature supported by GSM and other mobile systems that permits wireless phones to send brief text messages (140 to 160 characters). Unlike paging services, short messages are stored and forwarded in SMS centers. GSM transmits short messages on a separate signaling path, simultaneously with voice, data, and fax.

The location of the wireless antenna and network communications equipment.

A wireless telephone equipped with computer-enabled features such as wireless e-mail, Internet access, and data transfer with other devices which is also called a smartphone.

A transitional (2.5G) version of GSM that speeds up data reception and transmission as well as voice,.GPRS operates at speeds similarto those of a dial-up modem. This technology is being replaced by much faster 3G data technologies.

GSM is a second generation digital technology that is mostly used for voice transmissions. It has been adopted by the European Union and is currently the most widely used digital cellular standard worldwide.

A measure of radio frequency in cycles per second. Kilohertz (kHz) = thousands; megahertz(MHz) = millions; gigahertz (GHz) = billions; terahertz (THZ) =trillions.

Wireless service providers that own minimal or no facilities .They resell capacity on other service provider networks.