Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications
     
         (DECT, formerly ".. European ..") A
        {standard} developed by the {European Telecommunication
        Standard Institute} from 1988, governing pan-European {digital
        mobile telephony}.  DECT covers wireless {PBX}s, {telepoint},
        residential {cordless telephones}, wireless access to the
        {public switched telephone network}, Closed User Groups
        (CUGs), {Local Area Networks}, and wireless {local loop}.
     
        DECT defines only the radio connection between two points and
        can be used for remote access to public and private networks.
        Other mobility standards, such as {GSM}, {TACS}, and {DCS
        1800} add the necessary switching, signaling, and management
        functions that are not specified by DECT.
     
        The DECT Common Interface radio standard is a {multicarrier}
        {time division multiple access}, {time division duplex}
        (MC-TDMA-TDD) radio transmission technique using ten {radio
        frequency} channels from 1880 to 1930 MHz, each divided into
        24 time slots of 10ms, and twelve {full-duplex} accesses per
        {carrier}, for a total of 120 possible combinations.
     
        A DECT base station (an RFP, Radio Fixed Part) can transmit
        all 12 possible accesses (time slots) simultaneously by using
        different frequencies or using only one frequency.  All
        signaling information is transmitted from the RFP within a
        multiframe (16 frames).  {Voice} signals are digitally encoded
        into a 32 kbit/s signal using {Adaptive Differential Pulse
        Code Modulation}.
     
        The {handover} process is requested autonomously by the
        portable terminal and the Radio Fixed Parts, according to the
        carrier signal levels.  A "Generic Access Profile" defines a
        minimum set of requirements for the support of speech
        telephony.
     
        {(http://www.italtel.it/catalog/data/inglese/capc_5.htm)}.
     
        (1999-04-13)