1G

First generation of mobile phones; analogue voice systems

2G

Second generation of mobile phones; use digital technology

3G

Third generation of mobile phones; designed to mix data and voice communications

ACA

Australian Communications Authority

ACIF

Australian Communications Industry Forum

ALARA

As Low As Reasonably Achievable

AMPS

Advanced mobile phone system (analogue)

AMTA

Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association

ANSI

American National Standards Institute

ARPANSA

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

CDMA

Code Division Multiple Access

CEMEPHI

Committee on Electromagnetic Energy Public Health Issues

CRADA

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

CSIRO

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

CTIA

Cellular Telephone Industry Association (USA)

CTN

Consumers’ Telecommunications Network

DCITA

Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (Commonwealth)

ET-pim-1 mice

A strain of genetically modified mice engineered to be susceptible to a particular type of cancer

ECG

Electrocardiogram

ECTA

Electrical Compliance Testing Association

EEG

Electroencephalogram

EHS

Electro-hypersensitivity

ELF

Extremely Low Frequency

EM

Electromagnetic

EME

Electromagnetic emissions

EMF

Electromagnetic fields

EMI

Electromagnetic interference

EMR

Electromagnetic radiation

Epidemiology

the study of the various factors influencing the occurrence, distribution, prevention, and control of disease, injury, and other health-related events in a defined human population.

FDA

Food and Drug Administration (USA)

Frequency

The number of complete cycles of an electromagnetic wave in a second.  Unit: hertz, abbreviation: Hz. 1 Hz = 1 cycle per second

GMA

Geomagnetic activity

GSM

Global System for Mobile Communication

Hertz

1000 Hz = 1 kilohertz (1 kHz); 1000 kHz = 1 megahertz (1MHz); 1000 MHz = 1 gigahertz (1 GHz).

IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency

IARC

International Agency for Research on Cancer

ICNIRP

International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection

ICRP

International Commission on Radiological Protection

IEEE

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

IEGMP

Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (UK)
(authors of the Stewart Report)

INIRC

International Non-ionizing Radiation Committee

in vitro

in glass

in vivo

in a living body, as opposed to in vitro

IRPA

International Radiation Protection Association

mG

milliGauss (old unit of measurement of magnetic fields)

Microwatt

A unit of power equal to one millionth (10^-6) of a watt (abbreviation: TW)

Milliwatt

A unit of power equal to one thousandth (10^-3) of a watt (abbreviation mW)

MOU

Memorandum of Understanding

NATA

National Association of Testing Authorities

NCI

National Cancer Institute (USA)

NHMRC

National Health and Medical Research Council

NIR

non-ionizing radiation

NRPB

National Radiological Protection Board (UK)

ODC

ornithine decarboxylase – an enzyme

power density

The measure of the radiated power of radiofrequency radiation reaching a surface.  Sometimes called “power flux”.  The most common unit for this parameter is milliwatts per square centimetre (mW/cm²).  Also common is watts per square metre (W/m²), where 1 W/m² = 0.1 mW/cm² = 100 TW/cm²

power flux density

The rate of flow of radiofrequency energy per unit surface area expressed in watts per square metre (W/m²)
The basic dosimetric quantity for RF fields above 10 GHz is the intensity of the field measured as power density in watts per square metre (W/m²) or for weak fields in milliwatts per square metre (mW/m²) or microwatts per square metre (TW/m²).

RF

Radiofrequency

SAR

Specific absorption rate

SRDC

Strategic Research and Development Committee – an NHMRC Committee

SW

Short wave

TDMA

Time Division Multiple Access

TE/7

Standards Australia technical committee responsible for setting standards for human exposure to electromagnetic radiation

Tesla

Magnetic fields are measured in tesla (T), millitesla (mT) or microtesla (TT).  In some countries the old unit called the Gauss (1 G = 100 TT, or 1 TT = 10 mG) is still used for measuring magnetic fields

TIO

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

W/kg

Watt per kilogram (measurement of Specific Absorption Rate)

WAP

Wireless Application Protocol

Watt

A measure of power (that is, energy per unit time)