GSM General Packet Radio Service - GPRS

The general packet radio service (GPRS) and enhanced data for global evolution (EDGE) systems are additions to the GSM mobile radio communication system that provide for medium-speed packet data communication services. Upgrading to GPRS and EGPRS capability allows GSM service providers to offer their customers wireless medium-speed packet based mobile data services. This involves upgrading one or more GSM radio channels on each tower to the GPRS and/or EGPRS technology. The term Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS) is used to describe the combination of GPRS and EDGE.

Customers can access wireless Internet services through GPRS or EGPRS capable handsets or external modems that connect to their desktop or laptop computers. The GPRS and EGPRS radio channels are an "always-on" system that allows users to browse the Internet without complicated dialup connections.

The GPRS and EGPRS systems are composed of mobile stations (mobile telephones or data communication devices), base stations (forming the radio access network) and a packet data core network (potentially connected to the Internet).

This figure shows a simplified diagram of a GPRS system. This diagram shows that the GPRS system includes mobile communication devices (mobile telephones or data terminals) that communicate through base stations and a mobile switching center (MSC) or data routing networks to connect to other mobile telephones, public telephones, or to the Internet. This diagram shows that the GPRS system contains both GPRS data radio channels and GSM voice radio channels. GPRS devices can be data only (such as a computer browsing the Internet), they can be single mode (such as a GSM telephone), or they can be dual mode (able to access either or both the GPRS and GSM channels). Data information is typically passed through data network (such as the Internet) and that voice information is typically connected to the public telephone network. This diagram also shows that it is possible to send medium speed data through the public telephone.

GSM General Packet Radio Service - GPRS Overview Diagram

GPRS System Overview Diagram

Related GSM GPRS Definitions

Upgrading GSM to GPRS

GSM General Packet Radio Service - GPRS Books

more details

Introduction to GPRS and EDGE

This book explains how the GSM system has been modified to provide GPRS, EDGE, and EGPRS packet data transmission rates up to 474 kbps. Described are the physical and logical channels and their functions and how GPRS systems can service more than 80 active users per GSM radio channel.

$14.99 Printed, $11.99 eBook


Gprs	GPRS Networks	CAMEL: Intelligent Networks for the GSM, GPRS and UMTS Network
Gprs Regis Bud J. Bates,Paperback, Edition: 1,Series: McGraw-Hill Telecommunications Series, English-language edition,Pub by McGraw-Hill Companies, The	GPRS Networks Geoff Sanders, Lionel Thorens, Manfred Reisky, Oliver Rulik, Stefan Deylitz,Hardcover, English-language edition,Pub by Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated	CAMEL: Intelligent Networks for the GSM, GPRS and UMTS Network Rogier Noldus,Hardcover, English-language edition,Pub by Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated

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