GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is a specification for data transfer on TDMA and GSM networks.

GPRS utilizes up to eight 9.05Kb or 13.4Kb TDMA timeslots, for a total bandwidth of 72.4Kb or 107.2Kb. GPRS supports both TCP/IP and X.25 communications.

Fixed/Mobile...........Mobile
Circuit/Packet.........Packet
Max Bandwidth.......107.2Kb
Range.....................Coverage area of host network
Frequency...............Frequency of host network
Host Network..........TDMA, GSM
Definer....................ETSI

The Future of GPRS

EDGE (Enhanced Data-Rates for GSM Evolution) enabled GSM networks are able to implement EGPRS (Enhanced General Packet Radio Service), an enhanced version of GPRS. EGPRS increases the bandwidth of each timeslot to 60Kb.
GPRS Security

For more information on GPRS security, read GSM and GPRS Security by Chengyuan Pen.
Books on GPRS

GPRS Networks
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is a packet based wireless communication service that offers data rates from 9.05 up to 171.2 Kbps and continuous connection to the Internet for mobile phone and computer users. GPRS is based on GSM communications and complements existing services such as circuit switched cellular phone connections and the Short Message Service (SMS).

GPRS represents the bridge between 2G and 3G mobile telecommunications and is commonly referred to as 2.5G.

GPRS implementation requires modification of existing GSM networks, because GSM is a circuit switched technology while GPRS is packet oriented. GPRS enables packet data (the same as is used by an Ethernet LAN, WAN or the Internet) to be sent to and from a mobile station - e.g. mobile phone, PDA or Laptop.

WAP and SMS can also be sent using GPRS and individuals working with GPRS need to learn and understand how the mobile stations, the air interface, network architecture, protocol structures and signaling procedures must be modified.

GPRS offers much higher data rates than GSM and can be combined with 3G technologies such as EDGE (Enhanced Data-Rates for GSM Evolution) to give even higher bit-rates. It offers many benefits for customers and network operators: such as volume (rather then time) dependent billing and more efficient use of network resources.

Due to the worldwide delay in implementing 3G solutions such as CDMA and UMTS the demand for GPRS is still growing.

GPRS Networks:

* Offers detailed information ranging from standards to practical implementation
* Answers 'how' and 'why' rather than just simply re-stating GPRS specifications
* Provides comprehensive coverage in a single volume



Essential reading for all telecommunications project managers, field engineers, technical staff in network operator and manufacturing organizations, GPRS application and service developers, Datacom/IT engineers.

The comprehensive coverage also makes this a superb reference for students of computer science, telecommunications and electrical engineering.

GPRS: General Packet Radio Service
Now you can get accurate, crystal clear information on lightning fast, always-on GPRS, the 2.5G technology that's setting the pace today in handheld Internet access. You'll find it in GPRS: General Packet Radio Service, the first and only guide to answer such fundamental questions as "What is GPRS?" "How does it work?" and "How much is it going to cost me?" The author, telecom expert and best-selling writer R.J. "Bud" Bates, reveals GPRS's features, functions, and architecture, information crucial whether you're providing or applying GPRS. His straightforward, abundantly illustrated, step-by-step presentation of how GPRS works, how it connects the Internet, and how to implement it will help you put GPRS in place quickly and profitably as you explore:

* The complete layout of GPRS system architecture
* The function of GPRS elements
* Interfaces--radio and MS-PCUSN, MS-SGSN, PCUSN-SGSN, SGSN-GGSN, and GGSN-PDN


GPRS Demystified
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is global mobile data technology. More important it is a step en route to next-generation wireless, or 3G, for many networks in the US and most networks in Asia and Europe. Questions like "when can we expect European take-up of GPRS?", "what kind of roaming will the standards bodies adopt?", "what functionality will first-generation terminals provide?", or "how will GPRS change the basic business practices of GSM operators?" all need to be answered before implementations proceed. This book helps the wireless industry gets its arms around the issues with contributions from many of the pioneering companies in the mobile data industry. GPRS Demystified equips professionals with plain English explanations of technology, markets, billing systems, terminals and management challenges.


GPRS in Practice: A Companion to the Specifications
Professionals quickly discover that, although the technical specifications for GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) cover all parts of the engineering functions in detail and depth, they are lacking in one important feature; the conceptual framework within which the specifications sit - GPRS in Practice fills this gap. By beginning with an explanation of why GPRS is necessary and describing the core concept of GPRS operations, the TBF (Temporary Block Flow), a revision section then covers the GSM Air Interface with its Radio, Physical and Logical channels and this progressively leads to the GPRS logical channels - what they do and how they do it. GPRS in Practice then moves on to a brief introduction of the GPRS protocol stack which provides a launch pad for a detailed trip into all the layers of this stack, with detailed diagrams and explanations of each layer integrated into an overall understanding of how the GPRS service operates in practice.

* Provides descriptions of why procedures are specified and then clearly explains how the specifications work in practice
* Provides a layered view of the GPRS protocol and deals in detail with each layer separately
* Includes numerous acronyms and abbreviations accompanied by their full meaning



GPRS in Practice is an invaluable resource for Mobile network operators, Development and deployment engineers and Handset designers.


Introduction to GPRS and EDGE: Technology, Operation, and Services
Introduction to GPRS and EDGE: Technology, Operation, and Services explains how the GSM system has been modified to provide GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data-Rates for GSM Evolution), and EGPRS (Enhanced General Packet Radio Service) mobile packet data services. Explained are the GPRS and EGPRS packet control channels and gateways to the GSM system to provide a maximum delivered packet data transmission rate of approximately 474 kbps. You will learn how EDGE is an evolved version of the GPRS radio channel that uses new phase modulation and packet transmission to provide for advanced high-speed EGPRS data services. The GPRS system allows cellular service providers to upgrade one or more GSM radio channels (with changes) to provide broadband medium-speed and high-speed data services to their customers. GPRS and EGPRS technology is an "always-on" system that allows users to browse the Internet without complicated dialup connections.

You will discover that the key types of GPRS and EGPRS devices include external radio modems, wireless PCMCIA cards, embedded radio modules, and mobile telephones. External radio modems allow the customer to simply plug in their GPRS device to their USB or Ethernet data port to their desktop or laptop computer. GPRS PCMCIA cards can be added to most laptop computers or embedded radio modules allow devices such as PDAs and Laptops to integrate high-speed wireless without adding PCMCIA cards. Some mobile telephones include both GSM (voice and low speed data) and GPRS (high-speed packet data) capability.

Because the requirements of voice and data communication are different, the operation of the GSM radio channel is different. GPRS devices can have single mode (only GPRS/EGPRS) or dual mode (both GSM voice and GPRS data) capability. You will discover how the GPRS system was modified using EDGE technology to increase the 171.2 kbps GPRS maximum data transmission rate to 474 kbps EGPRS data transmission rate.

This book provides the basic technical components and operation of GPRS technology. You will learn the physical radio channel structures of the GPRS system along with the basic frame and slot structures. Described are the logical channels and their functions. Explained are the key GPRS network components and how they communicate with each other.

Explained is the fundamental capabilities and operation of the GPRS and EGPRS radio channel including asymmetric data rates, modulation types (GMSK, 8-PSK), and how GPRS devices can use either GSM or GPRS control channels to setup and manage packet data communication sessions. You will discover how a packet control unit (PCU) coordinates the allocation of GSM voice channels and GPRS/EGPRS packet data channels and how a single GSM radio channel can provide up to 8 simultaneous data sessions and how many other users (possibly 80 per channel) can be added who have a 10% usage activity factor.


GPRS for Mobile Internet
This new, leading-edge book offers you a comprehensive, in-depth presentation of GPRS (general packet radio service). The book helps you understand how this system is used as a major building block technology for the emerging mobile Internet. You explore the most critical aspects of GPRS in great detail, and gain a real-world understanding of the inevitable implementation challenges you will face in the field.

After a general overview of the GSM and GPRS systems, the book provides you with detailed coverage of a wide range of important topics, including the radio interface, Gb interface, BSSGP, signaling plane, user plane, and RLC (radio link control) principles. Case studies throughout present simple approaches to implementation problems that arise during the development process, along with proposed resolutions. This unique resource is an essential reference for engineers working in the field, and also serves well as a text for advanced graduate and post-graduate students in related courses.


Overview of GPRS
GSM has the lion's share of the world's wireless market. GSM has currently deployed circuit switched data which will provide (theoretically) a data rate of 14.4 kbps. In the age of mobile data, circuit switched data does not meet the bandwidth demands of the Internet's data hungry applications. The answer to GSM's "need for speed" is the General Packet Radio System (GPRS). GPRS provides an architecture that will allow for higher data rates. This overview of GPRS presents the architecture of GPRS including the motivation for GPRS, the key features in GPRS and the achievable data rates of GPRS. Since GPRS is on the evolutionary path of GSM to UMTS, the evolutionary requirements are also presented.


GPRS Packet Data Operations
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is the packet data evolution to GSM. It supports the capability to efficiently provide packet data services to subscribers over the existing GSM air interface. GPRS also provides a new packet data network that supports the subscriber's packet data services. This course discusses the key procedures that are performed in the GPRS packet data network, including those that are performed by the mobile to make its presence known in the network, to initiate a data session and to deactivate the data session. A step-by-step analysis of different packet data operations is included in the course. The GPRS protocol stack is explained in order to show the roles of the different protocols in packet data operations. The course also discusses the issue of addressing in GPRS networks. As the GPRS network is an IP based network, the details of how information flows between the different GPRS components are described in detail. The concepts of the data session establishment are solidified with a series of real-world examples.