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Cell Phone Tips and Advice - Wireless Terminology Bookmark this page Cell Phone Tips and Advice Center Topic: Wireless Terminology See the subtopics menu for tips and advice about wireless terminology. For additional information about cell phones, see the topic list directly below. Cell Phone Topics · Comparing Carriers & Plans · Evolution of the Cell Phone · Wireless Terminology · Cell Phone Buying Guide · How to Pick the Right Plan · About Number Portability Wireless Terminology - Subtopics · What Does the Term PCS Mean? · About Cancellation Fees · About SIM Cards · About Round-Up Billing · About Voice Recognition · About Clones What Does the Term PCS Mean? What is the definition of PCS? PCS is the wireless term for Personal Communications Service. A PCS phone is a wireless phone that utilizes radio frequency signals in the 1.9 GHz band. This was the second generation of digital technology for wireless phones and is the current technology that most cell phones use today. If you are buying a new phone and you are constantly on the move, it's a very good idea to get a PCS phone. PCS phones are better than other alternatives when moving around. For example, if you use your phone while driving, PCS phones have very few blind spots and tend to keep a stronger signal. However, if you are going overseas, make sure that your PCS phone is compatible with the lower frequency signals. PCS phones are used almost strictly in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. and may not work in other regions of the world. ^ Back to top About Cancellation Fees What is a cancellation fee? If you sign a long-term contract with a wireless provider, be sure to read the contract carefully to find out if an early cancellation fee is involved. A cancellation fee is a penalty fee charged if a user cancels phone service before the expiration date of the contract. Oftentimes, the cancellation fee can be upwards of a couple hundred of dollars. Cellular phone contracts are normally for a period of one to two years. If you need shorter-term service, look for a provider that offers a month-to-month agreement with no contract. If you find yourself wanting to cancel a contract with your wireless provider, your options may be limited. However, if you are canceling due to problems with your phone or your service, be sure to thoroughly explain your reasoning both over the phone and by written correspondence. Some providers let customers out of their contract if the customer can prove that the service is substandard. Your only other legal recourse would be to read you contract completely and look for areas in which your wireless carrier may have breached the contract. For example, if it states in your contract that your rates will not be changed and your provider indeed changed the rates, that could be enough for you to legally cancel your contract without having to pay the cancellation fee. ^ Back to top About SIM Cards What is a SIM card? A SIM card is a very small circuit board that is inserted into your wireless phone when you sign up as a subscriber. The term SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module. This card contains all the pertinent details pertaining to the account, including security information, subscriber information, plus memory for the phone's address book. When you save names and telephone numbers in your wireless phone, they are stored on the SIM card. If you replace or upgrade your phone with a similar phone, the SIM card information can usually be transferred to your new phone. However, not all SIM cards are transferable. For example, if you purchase a different brand of phone and change providers, you'll often find that your SIM card is not compatible. Therefore be sure to ensure the compatibility of your SIM card when upgrading or replacing your phone. If you are purchasing your cell phone from a dealer, you can ask to test out your SIM card in the new phone before you complete your purchase. ^ Back to top About Round-Up Billing What is Round-Up Billing? Some wireless service providers use round-up billing. If you are billed by the minute for your phone use, any call that uses even a portion of a minute is rounded up and billed for a whole minute. For example, if you make a call that is 9 minutes and 3 seconds long, a wireless service provider using round-up billing would charge you for 10 full minutes. While that doesn't seem noteworthy for one call, if you make a large amount of phone calls the difference in cost can be significant. When you are looking for a wireless carrier, check to see if they use round-up billing or if you are billed for fractions of minutes. Unless you find a much cheaper option that utilizes round-up billing, it's almost always best to go with the provider that bills you on a fraction basis. If your current wireless service provider uses round-up billing, you can contact the company and inform them that you want to switch to a plan that doesn't include round-up billing. Most carriers have plans that bill you essentially for the second instead of a rounded up minute. ^ Back to top About Voice Recognition What does voice recognition mean? The terms voice recognition and voice activation relate to a cellular phone's ability to be controlled by voice commands. Many modern phones are equipped with voice recognition capability. You save a sample of your voice in your phone which is associated with a number. Therefore when you say out loud, "Dial Mom," your phone can automatically dial your mother's number. This technology allows users to speed dial numbers without pressing any keys. It can also be useful when driving or using a hands-free kit. ^ Back to top About Clones What is a clone? In cell phone terms, a clone is a cellular phone programmed with stolen electronic identification numbers. In the 1990's, many criminals were reprogramming wireless phones and selling them on the black market. The person who bought the phone would incur no charges because the phone would be operating on a stolen account. Cloning is a serious offense and those caught cloning phones or owning a clone phone can be prosecuted. The Wireless Telephone Protection Act of 1998 outlawed cloning. The law forbids using, selling, obtaining or being in possession of a cellular phone in which you are able to receive phone service without proper permission from a cell phone service provider. If you are purchase a cell phone from an individual and the deal sounds too good to be true, be very careful. You could be breaking the law by purchasing a cell phone that has been cloned, even if you do so unknowingly. For that reason, it's always safest to purchase your cell phone and corresponding service from a reputable source. ^ Back to top Note: This information is for general use only. Use this information as part of a full research process. General advice does not always apply directly to individual matters. Please consult a local expert with specific and complex questions about your individual situation. :: Compare the Latest Cell Phone Deals Now :: Search Deals by Carrier: Alltel | AT&T | Nextel | Sprint PCS | T-Mobile | Verizon Wireless | More  :: Related Deals Recommend this page to a friend  ^ Back to top

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