numéro de GSM

English translation: mobile (telephone) number [GB] / cell(phone) number [US]

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:numéro de GSM
English translation:mobile (telephone) number [GB] / cell(phone) number [US]
Entered by: Tony M

15:55 Apr 13, 2017
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Telecom(munications) / in a criminal case (Luxembourg French to UK English)
French term or phrase: numéro de GSM
I am reviewing some translated court documents belonging to a criminal case from Luxembourg.

The source text makes dozens of references to the term "número de GSM", however, in the target it has been translated variously as "GSM number" and "mobile phone number", possibly by more than one translator.

Not living in a French speaking country myself, I'd just like to know if "GSM" is currently synonymous in French-speaking countries with "mobile" or "mobile phone" in English or whether the source text was attempting to be more specific.

Which do you suggest I use "GSM number" or "mobile [phone] number"?
Robert Carter
Mexico
Local time: 07:21
mobile (telephone) number / cell(phone) number
Explanation:
Yes, 'GSM' is sued specifically in Belgium for a mobile phone number; I don't believe this is used in France, however.

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Note added at 10 minutes (2017-04-13 16:06:51 GMT)
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And presumably therefore also in Luxembourg!

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Note added at 12 minutes (2017-04-13 16:08:14 GMT)
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I think GSM may also be used in American English, but AFAIK it is not widely used in EN-GB.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 14:21
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Tony.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5mobile (telephone) number / cell(phone) number
Tony M
Summary of reference entries provided
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications - second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks
Daryo

  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
mobile (telephone) number / cell(phone) number


Explanation:
Yes, 'GSM' is sued specifically in Belgium for a mobile phone number; I don't believe this is used in France, however.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 minutes (2017-04-13 16:06:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And presumably therefore also in Luxembourg!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 minutes (2017-04-13 16:08:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think GSM may also be used in American English, but AFAIK it is not widely used in EN-GB.

Tony M
France
Local time: 14:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 298
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Tony.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Tony, just the info I was looking for!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daryo: yes, the GSM technology is slowly but surely becoming outdated, but the label "GSM" for any mobile phone number even 3G 4G etc still sticks! // like the icon for "saving" a file - how many people know nowadays that it's supposed to a floppy disk?
15 mins
  -> Merci, Daryo ! Yes — and let's face it, even the symbol for a phone itself!

agree  philgoddard: According to my researches, it basically means a phone containing a SIM card, which 90 percent do, so the technology is not becoming outdated. It's not used in this non-technical context in the US either.
17 mins
  -> The actual GSM technology is outdated, but the name has stuck.

agree  writeaway: GSM is Belgian. Cell phone is American, mobile is UK
45 mins
  -> Thanks, W/A! Technically, it's not quite as clear-cut as that, but I think it is in everyday usage.

agree  JohnMcDove
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, John!

agree  Manoj Chauhan
12 hrs
  -> Thanks, Manoj!
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Reference comments


1 hr peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications - second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks

Reference information:
GSM
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see GSM (disambiguation).

The GSM logo is used to identify compatible handsets and equipment. The dots symbolize three clients in the home network and one roaming client.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications, originally Groupe Spécial Mobile) is a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe the protocols for second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks used by mobile phones, first deployed in Finland in December 1991. As of 2014 it has become the de facto global standard for mobile communications – with over 90% market share, operating in over 219 countries and territories.[3]

2G networks developed as a replacement for first generation (1G) analog cellular networks, and the GSM standard originally described as a digital, circuit-switched network optimized for full duplex voice telephony. This expanded over time to include data communications, first by circuit-switched transport, then by packet data transport via GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution or EGPRS).

Subsequently, the 3GPP developed third-generation (3G) UMTS standards followed by fourth-generation (4G) LTE Advanced standards, which do not form part of the ETSI GSM standard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM


2G networks are slowly become "legacy technology", even the next generation 3G is also slowly getting on its way out, 4G is rapidly spreading and 5G is already in the horizon.

"GSM" has NOTHING to do with the fact that in USA some mobile phones have a fixed phone number incorporated in them, while in Europe the "identity" of the mobile phone has always been determined by a separate SIM card (initially the size of a credit card!), whichever generation the phone/mobile network happens to be. Mobile phone for 3G and 4G networks (IOW not 2G thus not GSM phones/networks) ALSO have SIM cards.

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Note added at 1 hr (2017-04-13 17:14:22 GMT)
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... 5G is already on the horizon.

Daryo
United Kingdom
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 17

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Tony M
3 hrs
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