| 2G |
Second generation |
| 3G |
Third generation |
| ADR |
American depository receipt |
| ARPU |
Average revenue per user per month. Revenue (including interconnect fees but excluding connection fees and visitor roaming revenue) is divided by the weighted average subscriber base over the period. |
| ATM |
Automatic teller machine |
| BEE |
Black economic empowerment in South Africa |
| BOT |
Build operate and transfer arrangement in Syria |
| BRM |
Business risk management |
| BTS |
Base transceiver station |
| Capex |
Capital expenditure |
| CDMA |
Code division multiple access |
| CSR |
Corporate social responsibility |
| CST |
Communication service tax |
| Dongle |
A device connected to a computer to allow access to wireless broadband |
| EASSY |
Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System |
| EBITDA |
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation |
| EDGE |
Enhanced data rates for GSM evolution |
| EMF |
Electromagnetic eld |
| EPS |
Earnings per share |
| EXCO |
Executive committee |
| GHC |
Ghanaian cedi |
| GPRS |
General packet radio service |
| GRI |
The Global Reporting Initiative, which promotes economic sustainability |
| GSM |
Global System for Mobile Communications |
| HEPS |
Headline earnings per share |
| HSDPA |
High-speed downlink packet access |
| HSPA |
High-speed packet access |
| ICASA |
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa |
| ICT |
Information and communication technologies |
| IFC |
International Finance Corporation |
| IFRS |
International Financial Reporting Standards |
| IP |
Internet protocol |
| IRR |
Iranian rials |
| IS |
Information systems |
| King II |
King Committee report on corporate governance 2002 |
| King III |
King Committee report on corporate governance 2009 |
| LTE |
Long-term evolution |
| MMS |
Multimedia messaging service, allowing mobiles to send and receive pictures and sound clips as well as long text messages |
| MPLS |
Multiprotocol Label Switching |
| NCA |
Ghana’s National Communications Authority |
| NCC |
Nigeria Communications Commission |
| NGN |
Nigerian naira |
| Off -net |
Calls originating and terminating on different networks |
| On-net |
Calls originating and terminating on the same network |
| Postpaid |
Services for which the subscriber has a contract and pays monthly |
| Prepaid |
Services for which the user pays in advance |
| QOS |
Quality of service standards |
| RICA |
South Africa’s Regulation of Interception of Communications Related Information Act |
| SIM |
Subscriber identity module |
| Smartphones |
A mobile that has greater connectivity and computing ability than a regular feature mobile |
| SME |
Small and medium enterprise |
| SMS |
Short message service |
| STC |
Secondary tax on companies |
| Subscriber |
A customer who has participated in a revenue-generating activity within the last 90 days |
| SYP |
Syrian pound |
| Tablet |
A mobile computer with a touchscreen |
| USD/US$ |
United States dollar |
| VOIP |
Voice over internet protocol |
| VP |
Vice-president |
| WCDMA |
Wideband code division multiple access |
| WiMax |
Worldwide interoperability for microwave access |
| USSD |
Unstructured supplementary service data is a technology to send information between a mobile and an application on the network |
| ZAR |
South African rand |
