ACMA - Glossary 2G

Information on our website often includes abbreviations, acronyms, technical language and jargon. To assist you, a glossary of commonly used terms is given here, with explanations.

The glossary is provided in the following alphabetical breakdown:

Commonly used terms	Explanation
2G	second generation mobile telecommunications Mobile digital telecommunications services that provide voice communications and a relatively low transmission rate for data. GSM and CDMA are 2G technologies used in Australia.
3G	third generation mobile telecommunications Mobile telecommunications systems that can provide global mobile communications and support multimedia applications.
3.5G/4G	Enhancements to mobile telecommunications systems that increase the usable data rate to allow the delivery of data-intensive applications, such high resolution video.
ABA	Australian Broadcasting Authority Former Commonwealth regulatory authority responsible for broadcasting.
ACA	Australian Communications Authority Former Commonwealth regulatory authority responsible for radiocommunications and telecommunications.
ACCC	Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Commonwealth regulatory authority with responsibilities under the Trade Practices Act 1974, including responsibility for regulation of competition in the communications industry.
ACIF	Australian Communications Industry Forum Former industry forum responsible for developing, codes of practice and standards. Now merged with the Service Providers Association Inc (SPAN) to form Communications Alliance Ltd.
ACMA	Australian Communications and Media Authority Commonwealth regulatory authority responsible for broadcasting, radiocommunications, telecommunications and online content, formed on 1 July 2005 from a merger of the ABA and the ACA.
ADSL	asymmetric digital subscriber line A transmission method allowing high data rate communication over existing copper wires. The downstream data (data downloaded by user) transmission rate is much higher than the upstream data rate.
ADSL2	Higher data rate ADSL with greater reach from local exchanges, dynamic data rate adaptation, better resistance to noise, diagnostics, a stand-by mode to save power and reduced initialisation time.
ADSL2+	Version of ADSL that uses double the bandwidth for downstream data transmission, effectively doubling maximum downstream data rates.
aggregator	Services that compile news, blog entries, podcasts and similar content from internet publication sources, as well as audio or video play lists.
AHTCC	Australian High Tech Crime Centre Centre providing a national coordinated approach to combating serious, complex and multi-jurisdictional technology-enabled crimes and support efforts to protect the National Information Infrastructure. Hosted by the Australian Federal Police with other staff from state and territory police, private industry and government departments.
alternative service	When there is an extended delay in connecting or repairing the standard telephone service, the universal service provider must offer a customer access to an alternative or interim service. An alternative service involves call diversion to a mobile service or a second fixed line telephone, where the customer pays mobile call rates on outbound calls. See interim service.
AM radio	amplitude modulation radio Method of radio broadcasting where the frequency is modulated or varied by its changing amplitude. AM radio signals travel large distances and have wide coverage areas. Frequencies for AM broadcasts are expressed in kilohertz (kHz).
AMPS	advanced mobile phone system First generation mobile phone technology used for the analog mobile phone service in Australia, which closed in 2000.
AMTA	Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association Association of mobile telecommunications industry suppliers and manufacturers.
ANRA	Australian Narrowcast Radio Association Industry body responsible for a code of practice for open narrowcast services.
APT	Asia–Pacific Telecommunity International organisation of member countries in the Asia–Pacific region that supports development of telecommunications in the region and a coordinated regional approach to telecommunications issues.
ARPANSA	Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Commonwealth regulatory and research agency responsible for protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising and non-ionising radiation.
AS	Australian Standard Standard approved by Standards Australia.
ASTAP	Asia–Pacific Telecommunity Standardisation Program Telecommunications standardisation program for the Asia–Pacific region.
ASTRA	Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association Industry body representing subscription television and radio broadcasters and narrowcasters.
ATM	asynchronous transfer mode Digital communication method capable of very high speed transfer rates, suitable for transmission of images, voice or video as well as data.
ATUG	Australian Telecommunications Users Group Telecommunications user organisation that provides advice and information to members and represents their views to government, regulators and carriers, including as a member of ACMA’s CCF.
auDA	.au Domain Administration Organisation established to develop an effective self-regulatory regime for internet domain names in Australia.
bandwidth	In the internet industry, bandwidth refers to the capacity of a connection to carry information, while in radiocommunications it is the amount of radiofrequency spectrum used for a particular function.
bit/s	bits per second Rate of transfer of data communications. See Gbit/s, kbit/s, Mbit/s.
blog	See weblog.
BPL	broadband over power line Communications technique using the electricity grid or mains cabling within premises to deliver broadband services at higher data rates than previous power line communications.
BRACS	Broadcasting for Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme See RIBS.
broadband	Internet access technologies (such as ADSL, HFC cable and WiFi) that offer a data rate significantly higher than narrowband services, are usually ‘always-on’ and do not tie up a telephone line exclusively for data.
BSB	broadcasting services bands Parts of the radiofrequency spectrum dedicated to broadcasting services.
BWA	broadband wireless access Wireless communication technique with higher data rate transmission over greater distances and more rapid deployment than cable.
byte(s)	Unit of data volume (eight bits). Data volumes are usually measured in bytes, but data transmission rates are measured in bits per second.

Glossary 2G – B