The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday welcomed the United States administration's decision to elevate India's position in its Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 list of countries. With this in place, Washington will ease export controls for high-technology product sales to New Delhi. Notably, India is the only South Asian nation to be included on the list. The development was announced by US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross at the Indo-Pacific Business Forum on July 30. The Ministry also said that this step by the US will further strengthen trade ties and technology collaboration in defense and high technology areas between the two countries.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
New anti-graft law comes into force; bribe givers to get 7-year jail Jul 31, 2018, 05.05 PM IST
Bribe givers were not covered in any of the domestic legislations to check corruption.
NEW DELHI: Bribe givers can now be punished with a jail term of maximum of seven years under a new anti-corruption law that has got assent from President Ram Nath Kovind.
Besides, public servants -- politicians, bureaucrats and bankers among others -- have also been given a 'shield' from prosecution in the legislation that makes it mandatory for investigating agencies such as the CBI to take prior approval from a competent authority before conducting any enquiry against them.
The president gave approval to the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 1988, recently, an official order said.
The central government has decided July 26, 2018, as the date on which the provisions of the Act shall come into force, it said.
"No police officer shall conduct any enquiry or investigation into any offence alleged to have been committed by a public servant under this Act, where the alleged offence is relatable to any recommendation made or decision taken by such public servant in discharge of his official functions or duties, without the previous approval," the order said.
The Act, however, states that such permission shall not be necessary for cases involving on the spot arrest of a person on the charge of accepting or attempting to accept any undue advantage for himself or for any other person.
This 'shield' will be also applicable to retired public servants, according to the Act.
Union Minister Arun Jaitley had recently said that the amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act will ensure that bonafide actions of public servants are not called into question.
The somewhat loose language of the Act (Prevention of Corruption or PC Act, 1988) enabled investigating agencies to shed their professionalism and follow the investigator's golden rule- 'when in doubt, file a charge sheet', he had said.
"The result was many honest persons were harassed and eventually never convicted. Reputations were ruined and a fear amongst decision makers was created. This witnessed a tendency where civil servants would postpone decision making to their successor rather than take the risk upon themselves," Jaitley had said.
According to the amended law, any person who gives or promises to give undue advantage to a public servant shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with fine or with both.
Bribe givers were not covered in any of the domestic legislations to check corruption.
Instances of corruption and provisions to punish the guilty are provided in the 30-year-old Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The new law has amended certain provisions of this of this Act.
However, to protect persons who give bribe under coercion, the Act has provided that "the person so compelled" would have to report the matter to the law enforcement authority or investigative agency within seven days.
For bribe takers, the amended law has increased the punishment to a minimum of three years of imprisonment, which may extend to seven years, besides fine.
The Act has included commercial organisation into its ambit also.
"A commercial organisation shall be guilty of an offence and shall be punishable with fine if any person associated with the commercial organisation, gives or promises to give, any undue advantage to a public servant," it said.
The amended law also sets a two-year deadline to decide on corruption cases, as per the Act
CBI arrests Saket SHO in bribery case, books Unitech founder Ramesh Chandra Press Trust of India | New Delhi Last Updated at July 31, 2018 17:45 IST
Station House Office (SHO) of Saket, Neeraj Kumar, has been arrested by the CBI in an alleged bribery case in which it has booked nine people including Ramesh Chandra, founder of realty firm Unitech Ltd, officials said today.
Besides Kumar, an advocate identified as Neeraj Wali has also been arrested, they said.
Both Kumar and Wali were arrested for allegedly taking bribe of Rs 2 lakh to settle some matters related to the Unitech Group, the officials said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Government to withdraw FRDI bill; writes to Parliamentary panel
he Union Cabinet had earlier this month decided to withdraw the legislation in view of the concerns expressed by certain sections of people.
NEW DELHI: The government has decided to withdraw the controversial FRDI bill and has informed about it to the Chairman of the parliamentary panel examining the proposed legislation.
Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Ray said in the Lok Sabha that FinanceNSE -1.67 % Minister Piyush Goyal has written to the Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, saying the government has decided to withdraw the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill.
The Union Cabinet had earlier this month decided to withdraw the legislation in view of the concerns expressed by certain sections of people, including politicians, over the 'bail-in' clause, which they feared would harm the interest of depositors.
"Minister Piyush Goyal has written to the Chairman of the Committee saying that the government has decided to withdraw the bill... This is a victory of the opposition," Ray said while participating in a debate on Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (2nd Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The TMC member said the government understood that with such a bill, it would not have won the elections next year as there were concerns about depositors' money.
The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha, on August 11 last year, had a 'bail-in' clause, which some experts said had the potential to harm deposits in savings bank accounts.
Government to make India one of the top military equipment manufacturers PTI|Updated: Jul 29, 2018, 09.04 PM IST
The government is likely to unveil a major policy next month outlining a roadmap to build a robust defence production industry and make India one of the top five manufacturers of military equipment and platforms in the next 10 years.
The government is likely to unveil a major policy next month outlining a roadmap to build a robust defence production industry and make India one of the top five manufacturers of military equipment and platforms in the next 10 years. Official sources said the final touches are being given to the policy before it is being placed before the Union Cabinet for approval.
They said a significant focus of the defence production policy (DPP-2018) will be to invest adequate resources to develop critical technology for manufacturing state-of-the-art military platforms including fighter jets, attack helicopters and weaponry indigenously.
The DPP-2018 is likely to be released next month, the sources said.
According to the draft policy, the government is looking at achieving a turnover of Rs 1,70,000 crore in military goods and services by 2025.
A Swedish think tank, in a report in March, said India remained the largest importer of military hardware in the world in the last five years, adding Indian imports of major weapons rose by 111 per cent in the last five years compared to 2004-08.
No to Plastic: Video of edible cutlery wins over Anand Mahindra, tycoon wants to meet brain behind it As per the video, 120 billion plastic cutlery are discarded in India annually
https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1024127450693816320
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has come up with an idea that would may reduce the use of plastic in an innovative way across the country.The business honcho, on Tuesday, shared a video clip circulated on messaging platform WhatsApp showing a substitute of disposable plastic cutlery. In the two minutes and 22 seconds video, a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur showcased his invention of edible cutlery that could replace its ubiquitous plastic counterparts.In the morning, Mahindra posted the clip on his timeline along with a message reading, “#whatsappwonderbox This is certainly an innovative idea & one where India can set an example. It’s what we at @MahindraRise would call a Rise project.As per the video, 120 billion disposable plastic cutlery are discarded in India annually. To replace this without compromising the usage of spoons and forks, the entrepreneur developed an edible form in 2011.
According to the maker, the edible cutlery was highly nutritious as they were made up of millets, rice and wheat.The Mahindra chief called it a “Rice project” and showed interest to invest in it. “I’d love to invest behind it. @hcmariwala Marico foundation seems to support him. Can you put me in touch?” Mahindra mentioned in his tweet.Mahindra's tweet was flooded with responses; people shared information about the entrepreneur as well as congratulated the industrialist for his decision to invest in it.One of his followers shared a published article on the innovator. If it is to be believed true, the entrepreneur is Narayana Peesapati, a former scientist at ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics), Hyderabad. He was inspired to create this alternative to the plastic spoon looking at the sight of plastic cutlery that not only poses environmental hazards, but also contains toxic and carcinogenic substances harmful to the body.
First Published on Jul 31, 2018 10:36 am
These 5 short term loans can meet your money needs in an emergency Some banks and lenders allow you to pledge your mutual fund units to get a bank overdraft instantly
By Adhil Shetty
Loan could be a very useful tool, if planned and aligned as per your financial goals. However, you may face a situation when you don’t have much time in hand to plan your borrowing and there is an urgent need for money. This is where short-term loans come handy and bail you out from unannounced financial emergencies like salary delay or medical urgencies. These are basically personal loans that are made available instantly for a short tenure. Based on the need, there are various types of short term loans offered by banks and financial institutions that you can avail during a financial emergency.
Payday loan
There was a need for short-term loans in India with tenures smaller than the typical personal loan. Hence, payday loans are becoming popular. The interest on a payday loan could be higher in comparison to the personal loan or loan against credit card. However, it is instantly available and you can borrow small amounts. You just need to upload your salary slip, bank details, PAN card copy, and a few other details, to get the loan amount credited into your bank account within the same day of submitting the application. The tenures on such loans can be just a few days or a few months, unlike a personal loan whose tenure is typically 1-5 years.
Loan from an employer
There are many companies which allow their employees to take a loan either at low interest rate or with no interest for a short period. Such a loan is usually adjusted against your salary every month or as per the company’s norms. Before you apply for a loan from your company, exercise due diligence and consider the tax applicability factor.
Loan against credit card
You can avail an instant loan against the credit card you are using. You can get the loan through the card company on the basis of your credit history, repayment capacity and credit limit. A credit card loan is pre-approved or pre-qualified. These loans are granted at a rate comparable to personal loans rates. You can get a higher amount than the cash withdrawal limit available on your credit card. You get a flexible repayment tenure normally ranging from 3 months to 24 months.
Loan against mutual fund
Some banks and lenders allow you to pledge your mutual fund units to get a bank overdraft instantly. Loan against mutual fund is provided against qualified funds. The loan is allowed against both debt funds as well as the equity-oriented fund. The most important benefit of a loan against mutual fund is that even an applicant having no credit history can apply and get this loan easily. Unlike other short-term loan products, this loan is secured in nature, but at the same time the processing time required is very little.
Loan against Public Provident Fund
If you have a PPF account, then you also take a loan from the third financial year to sixth financial year of opening the account. As compared to a personal loan, this kind of loan can be taken at lower interest rates. A loan against PPF is charged 2 percent higher than the interest earned on the balance in the PPF account and is to be re-paid in 36 months tenure. The interest charged will be 6 percent more if the loan repayment crosses 36 months. The amount of loan you can avail is capped at 25 percent of the balance at the end of the second financial year preceding the year in which the loan was applied for.
Things to keep in mind before you apply for a short-term loan
It is important that you apply only for the loan amount you need urgently and which you are sure that you would be able to repay within the scheduled repayment period. Applying for a higher loan amount can unnecessarily put pressure on your other financial objectives.
It is always better to save money and build a contingency fund to meet emergency fund requirement.
The writer Adil Shetty is CEO, BankBazaar.com.Source moneycontrolnews
First Published on Jul 31, 2018 09:19 am
Used here for Educational purposes only
Lied in your tax return? You are liable, not your ITR preparer and here's how to save yourself By Babar Zaidi
By Babar Zaidi ET Bureau
Once your mistake (or wilful misreporting) is detected by the assessment officer, don’t expect to be shown any leniency.
Once your mistake (or wilful misreporting) is detected by the assessment officer, don’t expect to be shown any leniency.
Ashish Kumar could not believe his ears when a friend told him about the huge income tax refund he got last year. “The tax professional who had got him the refund charged him 15% of the amount as fees,” he says. This year, Kumar also tried his luck and sent his Form 16 and other details to the tax preparer. Sure enough, a few days later he got a confirmation from the tax department that his income tax return had been filed. In the return, Kumar had claimed a refund of over Rs 50,000.
This is where the story becomes murky. The tax preparer had filed Kumar’s return by deflating his gross income by Rs 1.65 lakh, which resulted in the refund of over Rs 50,000. The ‘professional’ claimed he had taken into account some allowances that are exempt under Section 10 but were not mentioned in Kumar’s Form 16. According to the Form 16, Kumar’s income for 2017-18 was Rs 14.85 lakh, but he declared only Rs 13.2 lakh in his tax return.
Kumar was very excited at the prospect of getting a Rs 50,000 refund. But his delight turned to despair after he spoke to a few tax experts. “From this year, the tax forms require a taxpayer to give a break-up of the various exemptions claimed in the return,” says a Delhi-based chartered accountant. Kumar’s return will obviously falsify the exemptions. The discrepancy is likely to get noticed when his return is assessed by the tax department. The computer-aided scrutiny system (CASS) will immediately flag this as a case of under reporting. “The tax preparer has no skin in this game. It will be the taxpayer who will have to do the explaining when the tax department sends him a notice,” says the chartered accountant.
Thousands of taxpayers like Kumar may have already filed faulty tax returns with incorrect information. Conmen masquerading as tax professionals falsify information in the tax return, resulting in hefty tax refunds ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh. They do so by either understating the taxable income of the individual or claiming certain tax deductions and exemptions.
No documents in online filing
This is easy because no documents have to be submitted to support the deductions or exemptions claimed at the time of ITR filing. “One can claim exemption for house rent allowance and deduction for medical insurance, home loan, education loan or even disability without having to submit any evidence,” points out a Mumbai-based chartered accountant.
However, tax experts warn that fraudulent claims of deductions and exemptions could have severe implications if the return is picked up for scrutiny. “If a taxpayer has knowingly claimed a deduction or exemption and does not have the required documents to support that claim, it is tantamount to tax concealment. Under Section 270A, misreporting of income attracts a penalty of 200% of the tax sought to be evaded,” says Amit Maheshwari, Partner, Ashok Maheshwary & Associates.
For its part, the tax department is now putting every claim under the scanner. “Most of the exemptions under Section 10, including LTA and medical allowance, can be claimed only by submitting proof of expense to the employer,” says Archit Gupta, Founder and CEO, Cleartax.in. Moreover, you cannot claim an allowance by yourself. “One can claim exemption only if the allowance is given by the company and mentioned in the Form 16,” says chartered accountant Karan Batra. But the exemption for some allowances such as HRA can be claimed even at the tax filing stage. “If the employee fails to submit proof by the deadline set by the company, he can claim HRA exemption in the ITR,” says Batra. However, the taxpayer has to submit the PAN of the landlord if the HRA exemption sought is more than Rs 1 lakh in a year. If a taxpayer claims a very high exemption for HRA, the department will also see whether the landlord (whose PAN has been mentioned) has paid tax on the rent received.
Of course, a taxpayer who does not get HRA as part of the salary can claim exemption for the rent paid under Section 80GG. However, this benefit has certain preconditions and is capped at Rs 5,000 a month (Rs 60,000 a year).
The assessment itself has become more stringent. Till recently, the TDS details in an individual’s Form 26AS used to be reconciled with the tax declared in the return at the time of assessment. “Now the tax department is also checking the Form 16 and reconciling it with the income declared in the return,” says Sudhir Kaushik, CFO and Co-founder of tax filing portal, Taxspanner.com.
Claiming false deductions
The Chapter VI-A deductions are a fecund area for fraudulent claims. Some taxpayers are not able to finish their tax planning by the 31 March deadline. Others don’t have enough liquidity for tax-saving investment. But they can still claim the entire Rs 1.5 lakh under Section 80C and Rs 25,000-55,000 under Section 80D for medical for medical insurance. Some deductions can be significant, such as Rs 1.25 lakh for severe disability of self (Section 80U) or dependant (Section 80DD).
Tax experts warn that it has become easier for the department to detect fraudulent claims. “The Aadhaar number of individuals is now in every financial transaction. So there are ways for the tax department to find out if you actually bought the medical insurance policy for which you have claimed deduction under Section 80D,” says Shubham Agarwal, Senior Taxation Adviser, Taxfile.in.
Donating a fraud
One big area of tax fraud is donation to charities under Section 80G. Under this, a taxpayer donates an amount to a charitable organisation that is eligible for deduction under Section 80G. The amount is paid back to the taxpayer in cash. The taxpayer gains by claiming deduction for the amount paid while the charity gains by converting unaccounted cash donations into legitimate money. The deduction is usually for 50% of the donated amount. So, if a person in the highest 30% tax bracket donates Rs 1 lakh, he will be able to claim deduction for Rs 50,000 which will reduce his tax by Rs 15,450. It’s a neat trick that thousands of taxpayers resort to every year. It is high time the government cracked down on such money laundering tactics.
Every year, nearly 3-5% of the returns are selected for scrutiny. Though this is a random selection, the CASS also has other parameters that can result in scrutiny. “The data analytics capability of the tax department is increasing every day and is already quite significant,” says Maheshwari.
If your return is rejected
Normally, if there is a mismatch in the income details, the return is rejected and the assessee is given a chance to rectify the mistake, but wilful falsification of information can have serious implications. “If the assessing officer finds malafide intention in misreporting the income, he may slap a penalty and may also initiate prosecution of the taxpayer,” says Raj Khosla, Chartered Accountant and Managing Director, MyMoneyMantra.com.
“Fraudulent claims for refunds has become a big problem for the Income Tax Department,” says chartered accountant Batra. Earlier this year, a tax refund racket was busted in Bengaluru. A tax consultant filed returns for nearly 1,000 employees of top companies with inflated claims of loss from house property. Sources in the tax department say they have recently unearthed a similar scam involving tax returns of defence personnel.
How to revise your tax return
If, like Ashish Kumar, you have also filed your return with incorrect information, you can make amends by filing a revised return. The tax department allows taxpayers to revise their returns in case they made a mistake. Revising the return should be a child’s play if you have not verified your return after filing by posting the ITR-V to the CPC in Bengaluru or using your Aadhaar for e-verification. Even if it has been verified, you can still file afresh.
It is best to use the services of a proper tax consultant this time round so that your return is flawless. For the current assessment year, a revised return can be filed till 31 March 2019 or till the return has been assessed, whichever is earlier. Also, there is no limit to how many times one can revise his tax return.
Here’s how to go about it:
Fill up a form online and mention that this is a revised return under Section 139(5). You will also have to mention the 15-digit acknowledgement number and the date of filing of the original return. The new return can be filed by any e-filing portal, irrespective of how the original was filed.
Fill in the correct income and other details in the form and then follow the same procedure used for the previous return. Include all the incomes that have accrued to you during the year (FD, NSC and savings bank interest) and mention all the deductions you were eligible for. Do remember to send the ITR-V of the revised return to the CPC in Bengaluru.
In all this, remember that you are in the safe zone till you are doing this voluntarily. Once your mistake (or wilful misreporting) is detected by the assessment officer, don’t expect to be shown any leniency.
Used here for educational purposes only
Monday, July 30, 2018
ARE STOCK BROKERS WORKING LIKE SNAKE CHARMERS FOR THE SHARE PRICE OF HFCL
Every retail investor who is invested in HFCL from a long period of time despite knowing the past of the Management of HFCL is hopeful the Mr.Nahata the top man of HFCL may show some aggressive business moves and bring back the company to its past glory.The share price is being controlled by Brokers just like snake charmers and its movement is at the sweet will of these Brokers.Company has no doubt turned around and is on the path of recovery with enhanced rating and having declared its first dividend of Equity Shares though a small amount.
With great potential of the company for steep growth specially in OFC manufacturing and BSNL projects for defense etc the share price is still under control of brokers.It moved up to Rs.35/-few months back but was ruthlessly dragged down to Rs.25 without any specific commentary by management.Share market is touching new heights day by day but this share is still getting haunted by its black past wherein SEBI came up with heavy hands on certain promoters and Brokers like Ketan Mehta.
Now a big question is whether these snake charmers stop paying there BEEN (a musical instrument to control snakes) to let the share see new heights based on its true future growth.
BY CONTINUOUS USAGE OF SHORT FORMS WE SOMETIME FORGET THE FULL MEANINGS:-JUST TO REFRESH THE MEMORY OF MOBILE/TEL USERS
There are many technical terms used in the mobile phone world. Here you'll find some of the key technical terms explained.
2G / 3G This refers to 2nd generation and 3rd generation of mobile networks. 3G networks offer a much faster connection than 2G - with video calling, web browsing and multimedia downloads up to seven times faster than standard 2G networks.
3.5G See HSDPA
4G Fourth generation. The next generation of mobile communication standards. 4G offers data transfer speeds up to ten times faster than 3G. Currently only available to half the population.
A2DP Advanced Audio Distribution Profile - enables wireless Bluetooth streaming of music in stereo from your phone to compatible headphones or speakers.
Accelerometer A movement sensor that enables you to control what you see on a phone’s display by moving the handset rather than pressing the keys.
Airtime See Talk Time.
AMOLED Active-matrix light-emitting diode. Screen technology offering improvements over LCD.
Amplified Sound On some phones, handset and speaker volume can be amplified to help compensate for hearing loss. The level of amplication will sometimes be stated, for example, 'amplified by up to 30dB.’
Android A smartphone operating system, and software platform based on Linux. Owned by Google, Android is one of the most common operating systems in smartphones. This OS is known as 'open source' meaning that it can be modified by developers. The different versions of Android are named after sweet treats, e.g. Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycombe, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean..
App Short for application. Apps are computer programs that can be downloaded to smartphones and other devices to add functionality.
Band Quad, Tri etc. The frequency bands on which a mobile phone is capable of operating.
BlackBerry Smartphones characterised by their 'Qwerty' keyboards (see below) and push email teachnology. Blackberry smartphones run their own OS.
Bluetooth Enables a wireless connection to other phones and devices such as headsets and computers over about 10 metres.
Camera Resolutions of three and five megapixels (MP) are now commonly available with 8MP available on top models.
Candybar A design of phone, which is a solid device with no moving parts except for the keypad buttons, and in some cases, the antenna. See Clamshell.
Cell Phone Another name for a mobile phone (US).
Clamshell A phone that is divided into two equal halves with a hinge connecting the halves, so the phone can be folded in half to close when not in use. This type of mobile phone usually has the buttons on the bottom half and the screen and speaker on the top half. Some may also have a second small display on the outside.
Coverage Areas where mobile phones can receive signal to make and receive calls etc.
CPW The Carphone Warehouse - a popular, high street retailer of mobile phones.
Credit Funds added to your phone to pay for phone calls or texts.
CSTN Colour Super-Twist Nematic. An LCD screen technology developed by Sharp.
DECT Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications, is a digital communication standard, which is primarily used for creating cordless phone systems.
Dongle In the ‘mobile’ world the word dongle is used to describe the small USB device that enables laptops to use mobile broadband.
Dual SIM A phone with a dual SIM facility enables users to have two phone numbers for the same phone. For example one could be used for work and the other for personal calls. They are not popular with phone networks, for obvious reasons!
Dual-band Phones that can switch between two different bands of frequencies. Most phones in the UK are now dual-band, capable of switching between GSM1800 and GSM900 frequencies.
EDGE Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution, is a fast 2G internet connection (3 times faster than GPRS) allowing you to surf the internet or download music more quickly. Sometimes called ‘2.5G/2.75G’
E-Ink A new display technology used in electronic books and a few mobile phones such as Motorola’s F3. The advantages are its ultra-low power consumption and thinness, but resolution is not as good as LCD.
Emergency/SOS button Typically, when pressed and held for a number of seconds, the phone automatically sends a pre-recorded SMS text message to a list of contacts and begins dialling each number in a call list until someone answers.
Facebook A social networking site on the internet.
Fall detector A built-in sensor that automatically detects when the user has fallen and is motionless, triggering a pre-recorded alert message to be sent to a list of contacts.
Feature phone The general term to describe phones that aren’t smartphones.
Femtocells provide mobile phone signal coverage in weak signal areas. In effect small transmitters, they connect to the phone network via broadband. Vodafone is currently the main UK supplier with its Sure Signal technology.
Frequency See dual-band, tri-band and quad-band.
GB Gigabytes - a measurement of memory storage. 1GB is equivalent to 1024 MB. See also MB.
GPS Global Positioning System- technology which uses satellites to determine the location of your phone/device.
GPRS General Packet Radio Service. Lets you download quickly to your phone. Unlike WAP over GSM, GPRS is always on and you are only charged for the volume of data you use instead of the time you are using the service.
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications. A digital mobile phone communications standard used throughout Europe, and elsewhere around the world.
HAC Hearing Aid Compatible. There are two sets of standards: an ‘M’ rating for acoustic coupling with hearing aids that do not operate in telecoil mode, and a ‘T’ rating for magnetic coupling with hearing aids operating in telecoil mode. A phone is considered hearing aid compatible for acoustic coupling if it has an ‘M3’ or ‘M4’ rating, and for magnetic coupling if it has a ‘T3’ or ‘T4’ rating. M4/T4 is the best possible HAC rating.
Handset Another term for a phone.
Handsfree A safety feature that allows you to talk/use your phone without holding your phone, mostly used by drivers. Usually involves a separate accessory such as a Bluetooth earpiece. See also Speakerphone and Voice Dialling.
Haptic Haptic feedback is usually in the form of vibration when you press a key or operate a function.
HD High Definition- An optical system that can produce images in higher resolution than standard. With mobile phones, HD usually refers to the quality of video recording. To be classified as HD, video quality must be 720p or 1080p (1280 x 720 pixels or 1920 x 1080 pixels screen resolution).
HSDPA (3.5G) High-Speed Downlink Packet Access - An improvement to 3G networks - sometimes called 3.5G. It enables networks to provide fast data transfer and internet access at speeds of up to four to five times that of 3G.
HSUPA High-Speed Uplink Packet Access. The converse of HSDPA, offering higher upload data speeds (useful for sending photos or video to the web). Not yet widely available in phone models or from phone networks.
HTML Hyper Text Markup Language is the code in which web pages are written. To display ordinary webpages fully, a phone’s internet browser should support HTML or xHTML (designed for phones’ more limited capabilities).
IM Instant Messaging. Internet text-based chat services, such as Windows Live, can now be accessed via your mobile using Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM).
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol. It is a method of accessing email that is kept on a mail server. Email stored on an IMAP server can be manipulated from a desktop computer at home, a workstation at the office, or via a laptop computer or mobile phone while travelling, without the need to transfer messages or files back and forth between these devices.
IMEI The 15 digit IMEI number is the unique serial number of your phone.
I-mode O2 branded service offering content and faster downloads than WAP.
IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity - the IMSI uniquely identifies mobile subscribers to a mobile network and is stored on the handset’s SIM card. It enables phone networks to track the location of phones and to assign call charges.
Infrared A wireless technology that enables connection to other infrared devices over short distances of a metre or so.
iOS Apple's operating system. This OS is known as 'closed source' meaning that developers cannot modify the system. iOS is only available on Apple devices, such as the iPhone or iPad.
IP Internet Protocol- a set of rules for exchanging digital data.
Internet Browser Most phones support WAP - a streamlined version of HTML. Increasingly handsets offer full internet browsing, HTML and xHTML.
Java Phones that support Java can install games and useful applications like Google Maps.
LCD Liquid Crystal Display - a technology used in phone and TV screens.
MB Megabyte - A measurement of memory storage. A typical MP3 music track uses approximately 5MB of storage, a photo (depending on quality) can take between 1-5MB, while a 3 minute video uses around 35MB of storage.
Megapixel (MP) A megapixel is 1 million pixels - a term frequently used to describe the resolution of a digital camera or camera phone.
Memory Fixed, built-in to the phone, or expandable by using memory cards.
Memory formats SD, microSD, TransFlash, miniSD, MultiMedia (MMC), MemoryStick Duo, Memory Stick Micro (M2). The main two in use are microSD and Memory Stick Micro. Sizes are increasing with cards up to 64GB commonly available.
MMS Multimedia Messaging Service, commonly known as picture or photo messaging. MMS runs in conjunction with GPRS. This means you must have GPRS enabled in order to have the MMS service working.
MP3 A type of digital audio file used by computers and MP3 music playing devices.
MSN Microsoft Network. MSN is Microsoft’s website that includes MSN Messenger - the popular Instant Messaging service. Renamed Windows Live Messenger in 2006, the name MSN is still widely used.
Music formats Popular formats are MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3), AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) and WMA (Windows Media Audio). Sometimes refers to as codecs.
MVNO A Mobile Virtual Network Operator is an organisation that provides a mobile (sometimes called wireless or cellular) service to its customers but does not have an allocation of spectrum (Ofcom definition). Companies such as Virgin Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Talkmobile use other companies’ phone networks.
Network operators Companies such as Vodafone or Orange who maintain a network of mobile phone masts.
NFC Near Field Communication enables wireless communication between two devices in close proximity to each other, usually by no more than a few centimetres. Currently being developed and used as a way of making payments by mobile phone.
Nomophobia The fear of being out of mobile phone contact!
OLED Organic Light Emitting Diode. Technology used in screens for mobile phones and portable media players.
OS Operating System The software which powers a phone. Advanced smartphones have OSs, see Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Symbian
PAC Porting Authorisation Code. A special code provided by your current service provider that lets you move your mobile number to a new network. It takes up to 48hrs for this to take effect.
Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) Service plans with no contract or line rental where you buy credit in advance for calls. Each network has its own pre-pay service.
PCS Personal Communications Service or PCS is the name for the 1900-MHz radio band used for digital mobile phone services in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
PDA A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a handheld computer, also known as small or palmtop computer. Some newer PDAs can also be used as mobile phones.
PIN Personal Identity Number. A four or eight digit code that is used to prevent unauthorised use of your phone.
Polyphonic ringtones Realistic sounding tones - not just beeps.
Pre-pay Another term for pay-as-you-go.
PUK Your Personal Unlocking Key is an eight-digit number you’ll need to unlock your phone if you enter your PIN number incorrectly three times.
Quad-band Phones that can switch between four network frequencies (850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz), which will work on networks worldwide.
QWERTY The modern day keyboard layout on computers and some most smartphones. Devised in the days of typewriters, QWERTY was the layout which best prevented keys jamming when typing quickly due to common letters being well-spaced. The name is the first six letters on the keyboard.
RDS Radio Data System. Used to send information such as track name and station ID over FM radio.
Roaming Another term for using your phone abroad.
SAR Specific Absorption Ratio, a measure of how much radiation a phone emits when signalling. The legal SAR limit in the EU and UK is set at 2.0 (W/kg in 10g of tissue). All phones are tested to ensure they comply before they can be sold in this country
SD Card Security Digital Card - a compact memory card with high capacity for storage. A typical example of 'external memory'. Although SD cards are available with up to 64GB of storage, phones tend to have a limit on the amount of external storage that can be used.
Service Plan A contract selected by subscribers when they purchase a pay monthly mobile phone, it usually consists of a base rate for network access and a the number of call minutes, text messages, or data access included in the contract price for each month.
SIM Card A SIM card or Subscriber Identity Module is a portable memory chip used in mobile phones. The SIM holds personal identity information, phone number, phone book, text messages and other data. SIM cards come in different sizes; many new smartphones use a micro or nano SIM card. Feature phones tend to use standard size SIM cards.
SIM-only A network tariff where you only pay for the SIM card and the calls you use - usually on a one-month rolling contract. No phone is included with the contract.
Skype Skype enables computer users to make free calls to other Skype users via the internet. Some phones now offer Skype features.
Slide phone A handset which is divided into two, like a clamshell design, but slides open and shut rather than being hinged. The screen can be viewed when the phone is both closed or open.
Smartphone A phone able to run operating software such as Android, Symbian, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, or iOS. These operating systems offer the ability to add applications to enhance the phone’s functions.
SMS Short Message Service. See Texting.
Speakerphone Built-in loud speaker/microphone that allows you to have a phone conversation without holding your phone.
Standby time The time the battery remains charged while the phone is on, but not in use.
Symbian Symbian OS is an operating system, used predominantly on Nokia smartphones. In June 2008 Nokia purchased the remaining Symbian shares it did not already own. In 2013, Nokia announced no longer be manufacturing Symbian phones.
T9 T9 stands for Text on 9 Keys. T9 makes it easier to type text messages by predicting what the user is typing. The system uses a built-in dictionary to recognise the most commonly used words for each sequence of key presses, plus new words can be added. It is used on phones from a range of manufacturers.
Talktime The battery life while the phone is in use. Can also refer to the actual time spent talking on the phone with reference to your allowance of time available on your monthly phone contract (also known as air time).
Texting A very popular way of sending short text messages of up to 160 characters, usually to another mobile phone. Also known as SMS (Short Message Service).
TFT Thin Film Transistor - a technology used with some LCD-type screens.
Top-Up Adding credit to your phone account - by phone using a credit card, using a voucher, the internet, or by other means.
Tone Control Extra feature on some phones, which enables you to adjust the bass and treble of the handset for a sound quality best suited to your individual hearing.
TrackID A useful feature, and a currently free service, found on some Sony Ericsson phones. TrackID is a song recognition program developed by Gracenote. After recording a few seconds of any audio, the servers will return the artist and song title. Requires data access. Some Samsung music phones offer a similar feature.
Tri-band Phones that can switch between three network frequencies (900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz), which will work on some networks beyond Europe.
UMA Unlicensed Mobile Access - a technology that enables mobile phone networks to utilize/connect to internet networks - usually via WiFi or Bluetooth.
UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is the term for third-generation (3G) mobile phone technology used in the UK.
USB Universal Serial Bus. A type of connector or cable used to connect a phone to a computer.
VGA Video Graphics Array is a computing term. It has become adopted in the mobile phone world to describe a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels.
Voice dialling Using your phone’s voice recognition technology to dial a number. Useful if you are driving or using the phone handsfree.
Voicemail Another term for an answer machine message.
VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol - is technology, such as Skype, that enables phone conversations to be carried via the internet.
WAP Wireless Application Protocol. Utilising a streamlined version of HTML for viewing on small screen displays, WAP compatible mobile phones are able to access internet-type services such as news, travel, entertainment, finance and sport.
WCDMA Wideband Code Division Multiple Access - An advanced 3G data transfer system allowing fast internet access and data transfer.
WiFi Wireless connection to another device or a wireless local area network hotspot.Full form is Wireless Fidelity.
Source RadioGuide
Used here for educational purpose
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