Applied to loans commonly called ‘No Frills Loans’ which are generally cheaper than Standard Variable Rate Loans but do not have features such as a [...]

Relates to the penalty fees charged when a borrower terminates a fixed-rate loan contract before the expiry of the fixed-rate period. [...]

You choose your own doctor and some or all of both the services and medical fees are covered by private health insurance. [...]

A pre-existing condition is a condition for which symptoms were evident up to 6 months before the date of either first joining the fund or [...]

Restricted services can apply to certain types of cover, usually young singles cover, to help reduce the premium. For example the full benefits for hip [...]

Different waiting periods will apply for certain services for example when you first join a health fund a short waiting period will usually apply for [...]

You choose your own doctor and some or all of both the services and medical fees are covered by private health insurance. [...]

Medicare pays for 75% of the MBS fee for your medical practitioner’s services if you are being treated as a private patient in either a [...]

Gap cover schemes do not require formal contractual agreements between health funds and doctors. The doctor will assess how much it will cost to treat [...]

This covers meals, a bed in hospital and all related services provided by the hospital including nursing care. It does not include the treatment provided [...]

The costs for delivery of babies in a birthing suite. [...]

Anyone who takes out private hospital cover when they are under 30 years old or anyone between the ages of 30 and 65 who took [...]

This is the amount set by the government as the standard medical fee for a specific service or treatment. [...]

These are the fees for medical procedures performed during a hospital stay and include such things as surgeons’ fees, obstetricians’ fees, radiology, pathology and anaesthetists. [...]

A co-payment is a set amount you agree to pay each day towards your hospital accommodation. Most health funds will place a limit on the [...]

This is the additional charge that higher income earners’ who do not have private hospital insurance with a low excess are required to pay over [...]

A dependant is usually defined as: ·Your spouse ·Any of your children under 18 years of age under your care ·Any of your student children [...]

A doctor is appointed by the hospital and no fees are charged. [...]

The treatment provided in a hospital by specialists or a patient’s own general practitioner. [...]

When your doctor thinks the surgery isn’t required immediately. [...]

This is treatment that is required if the patient is in danger of suffering loss of life, limb, bodily function or mental stability, or if [...]

If your hospital cover has an excess applied this is the amount you will have to pay if you are admitted to hospital. It does [...]

Excluded services can apply to certain types of cover, usually young singles cover, to help reduce the premium. Services such as obstetrics and other procedures [...]

The rebate scheme is designed to encourage people to take out private hospital insurance as a minimum level of cover. The government provides a 30% [...]

If your hospital cover has a front-end deductible applied this is the amount you will have to pay if you are admitted to hospital. It [...]

The amount of time the phone battery will last if engaged in a continuous call (measured in hours or minutes). [...]

Stands for Specific Absorption Rates. It is a measure of the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed per kilogram of body tissue. This information will [...]

Service providers' preferred method of delivering customer service; via centralised or regional office dealing with customer enquiries and complaints. [...]

The number of different ringtones installed into the phone as standard. [...]

This is the address at which your telephone number(s) are connected. It can be different from your billing address. [...]

Wireless Application Protocol is the bridge between a mobile phone and the Internet which allows the user to access information from their mobile handset. It [...]

Refers to communications, monitoring or control systems in which electromagnetic or acoustic waves carry a signal through atmospheric space rather than along a wire. [...]

The ability of a phone to record the incoming caller’s voice for playback later. [...]

The ability of a mobile handset to alert of any incoming calls by vibrations, not just a ringtone. [...]

A mobile phone battery, which has vibrating capability. Available as an accessory for phones which do not have vibrating capability built-in. [...]

The ability of a handset to dial a number and answer a call according to voice commands. [...]

A recorded message service that calls divert to when the called party is engaged or does not answer. [...]

A computing and telecommunications industry specification, often described as low-power wireless radio technology allowing a range of electronic devices located near each other such as [...]

Another name for a mobile phone, referring to the cell-based network of mobile network coverage. [...]

A telecommunications facility or service on a PC that permits callers from several diverse locations to be connected together for a conference call. [...]

Or ‘fax’. The transmission of an image across a telecommunications network. [...]

A mobile phone which has the hands-free capability built-in. [...]

Calls beyond the local call zone; includes national, fixed line to mobile calls and international calls. All long distance services are usually packaged together and [...]

The number of different languages in which the phone can display its text. [...]

A mobile handset feature to make text messaging (SMS) quicker and easier. The phone will predict the word you are typing reducing the number of [...]

The total cost of establishing a new service (including all relevant connection, hardware and installation costs). See Connection fees. [...]

A term describing a wide band of electromagnetic frequencies or multiple channels of data over a single communication medium. Broadband has the capacity to deliver [...]

Industry term for the frequent switching of customers between service providers. [...]

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology makes it possible to deliver high-speed data over existing copper phone lines. It enables service providers and carriers to transport [...]

Mobile phones can now support faxes and connect to the internet just like fixed line phones. The maximum speed that data can be transmitted or [...]

A call made from a basic telephone service in Australia to a landline or mobile service in another country. [...]

Mili amps is the measurement used for the power capacity of a battery. [...]

The number of lines of text that can be displayed at once on the screen of a handset. [...]

When a subscriber selects a particular telephone company to be their primary carrier. See A Guide to Preselection and Override and How to Preselect. [...]

A direct-dial National Long distance call that is not an Operator Assisted call. [...]

Combining a variety of telephone and related services on a single bill, often at a discount over individually purchased services. [...]

Stands for Caller Line Identification. Also known as "Caller ID" or CND, Calling Number Display. This is a network feature that allows the telephone number [...]

Digital transmissions pass sounds in the form of a stream of binary numbers, rather than as an analogue electrical signal. [...]

High bandwidth cable incorporating a number of very thin strands of glass on which information is conveyed in the form of pulses of light. Allows [...]

The rate charged when calling a mobile phone registered in another country (not to be confused with the rates charged for calling an Australian-registered mobile [...]

'Memory effect' is experienced primarily by nicad batteries and it occurs when a battery is not fully discharged and/or fully recharged. It will 'think' its [...]

The ability of consumers to retain their existing telephone number when switching to a new service provider. Introduced to the mobile phone market on September [...]

Stands for Public Switched Telephone Network. Another name for the general landline network to which public customers are connected. [...]

The switching function at the exchange necessary to establish a connection between two telephones. [...]

A cable modem is a device that enables you to connect your PC to the internet via the high bandwidth cable used for pay TV. [...]

Cellular Mobile Telephone Systems in which the coverage area is divided up into a large number of small areas, called cells, each of which has [...]

A call that is not operator-assisted. [...]

Also known as a “connection fee”, it is a fee charged by the service provider for every call that 'connects'. The amount of the fee [...]

A telephone set-up that enables users to make voice telephone calls via the Internet, thus by-passing the conventional long distance phone carriers. [...]

Minimum amount of time you will be billed for a timed call. [...]

Generally describes the hours of the day in which the least call traffic occurs (generally between the hours of 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday [...]

Stands for Pin Unlock Code. With most mobile phones if the PIN code is entered incorrectly three times the letters ‘PUK?’ will be displayed on [...]

Any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems. [...]

A method of cheaper international call access where calls are routed via a remote location avoiding local service providers. [...]

An STD call over a short distance within a capital city offering cheaper rates than standard STD rates. Specifically, community call rates apply: on calls [...]

The service that maintains directory listings of subscribers' phone numbers and makes them available to customers. There is usually a fee associated with accessing a [...]

Some mobile handsets have games installed in their software. [...]

An internet-based network that operates like the World Wide Web, except to a closed group within a private company or organisation. [...]

The minimum amount you are required under contract to spend per month. [...]

A call connected with the assistance of an operator. [...]

A type of STD or national long distance call, with a different scale of charges that does not involve calling between major cities. [...]

Also called a Cancellation Fee, it is the penalty imposed by the service provider on a customer if they decide to terminate their service contract [...]

This is a network facility that can be accessed through most handsets providing the ability to restrict incoming or outgoing calls. There are different options [...]

This enables three or more people to participate in a single telephone call made from a basic telephone service to another basic telephone service within [...]

When a call on a mobile telephone is prematurely cut off due to congestion or lack of coverage on the network. [...]

Global roaming is the functionality of making and receiving calls as well as sending SMS while you are travelling overseas. However, you will be charged [...]

Infra-Red Port. Allows the transmission of data without the need for cables. [...]

The cost of calls from one mobile phone to another mobile phone. The rate will usually differ depending on whether the other mobile is on [...]

The ability to store and recall important dates, times, appointments and meetings into your handset. [...]

Mobile telephones specifically designed to transmit radio signals directly to, and receive them directly from, telecommunications satellites rather than the standard GSM or other domestic [...]

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) handles complaints from consumers and small business relating to telecommunications carriers and service providers. The TIO also handles complaints from [...]

A network feature where the operator you call for directory assistance then puts the call through to the business or person you are looking for. [...]

A one-off flat fee to have a service set up. The term also applies to a 'flagfall', the flat fee charged when successfully connecting a [...]

In the past, digital mobiles have operated on a frequency of 900 megahertz, which is known as a radio band. Recently, another radio band has [...]

Stands for General Packet Radio Service. This is a means of data transfer over the GSM network. Rather than sending or receiving a continuous stream [...]

A set of international standards for digital telephone transmission. ISDN provides an end-to-end digital network and greater bandwidth than older telephone services. The two standard [...]

A name or number designated to a particular handset in a product range. [...]

Override is the ability to use a different phone company on a call-by-call basis by inserting a four-digit override code before making your call. Service [...]

On a mobile handset, it is the screen length (in millimetres) multiplied by its width. [...]

Often 1800 numbers whereby the receiver of the call, rather than the caller, pays for the cost of the call. [...]