AMPS

FWA (fixed wireless access)

Also known as wireless local loop. (Cingular)

Wireless local loop (WLL), also called radio in the loop (RITL) or fixed-radio access (FRA) or fixed-wireless access (FWA), is the use of a wireless communications link as the "last mile" connection for delivering plain old telephone service (POTS) and broadband Internet to telecommunications customers.

Nowdays there are various types of WLL systems.

These are available in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), IS136 Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) as well as analog access technologies such as Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), for which there will be independent standards defining every aspect of modulation, protocols, error handling,etc.

Fixed Wireless Terminals or FWT units differ from conventional mobile terminal units operating within cellular networks -such as GSM- in that a fixed wireless terminal or deskphone will be limited to an almost permanent location with almost no roaming or find-me anywhere facilities.

Dual mode

Describes a handset that works on both analog and digital networks. (Cingular)

The phone is capable of accessing digital or AMPS channels to provide more consistent mobile service (Network- and subscription-dependent feature – not available in all areas.) (Motorola)

Dual mode mobile phones work on more than one network (for example,TDMA and AMPS GSM and DECT). (Ericsson)

CDPD (cellular digital packet data)

An enhanced system overlay for transmitting and receiving data over cellular networks. Technology that allows data files to be broken into a number of "packets" and sent along open channels of existing cellular voice networks. (Cingular)

Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) uses unused bandwidth normally used by AMPS mobile phones between 800 and 900 MHz to transfer data. Speeds up to 19.2 kbit/s are possible.

Developed in the early 1990's, CDPD was large on the horizon as a future technology. However, it had difficulty competing against existing slower but less expensive Mobitex and DataTac systems, and never quite gained widespread acceptance before newer, faster standards such as GPRS became dominant.

As of the year 2004, major carriers in the United States are threatening to shut down CDPD service. As of July 2005, the former AT&T Wireless CDPD network is no longer active, and Cingular Wireless CDPD customers have been informed that as of the end of the year, it will be down as well.

(Wikipedia)