Lecture - 3

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

Course outline
▪ Packet Data Network
▪ GPRS Network Architecture
▪ GPRS Network Operations
▪ Data services in GPRS
▪ Applications for GPRS
▪ Limitations
▪ EDGE
 Introduction to GPRS
✓GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service.

✓GSM started with voice in mind and offered whatever a wireless voice
user wanted.

✓The popularity of GSM, Internet, and digital communication forced

GSM to look for wireless data with higher band-width.

✓GPRS is a step to efficiently transport high-speed data over the

current GSM and TDMA-based wireless network infrastructures.

✓ It is non-voice, high speed packet switching technology intended for

GSM networks.
 Introduction to GPRS
✓It is a packet oriented wireless data communication service for mobile
communications on 2G and 3G cellular communication systems.

✓It is based on a modulation technique called Gaussian minimum-shift

keying (GMSK).

✓To enable GPRS on a GSM or TDMA network, we are required to

add two core modules: the Gateway GPRS Service Node (GGSN) and
the Serving GPRS Service Node (SGSN).

✓GPRS is a technology for internet connection through a mobile phone.

HSCSD – high speed circuit switched data
The first step towards faster data speeds on
GSM circuit switched network.
EDGE – Enhanced data for GSM evolution.
GPRS AND PACKET DATA NETWORK
✓A packet is a small segment of a larger message.

✓A data packet is a unit of data made into a single package

that travels along a given network path.

✓A gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) acts as an interface

between the GPRS backbone network and the external packet
data networks.
packet switching vs circuit switching
In circuit switching each time a connection is required between two
points, a link between the two points is established and the needed
resources are reserved for the use of that single call for the complete
duration of the call.

• In packet switching, the data to be transferred is divided up into

packets, which are then sent through the network and re-assembled at
the receiving end.
Fig. GPRS System Architecture
GPRS Network Architecture
Channel Coding: is used to protect the transmitted data packets
against errors.
GPRS/EDGE cellular data networks use a mechanism called an
Access Point Name (APN) to determine how a Mobile Station
(MS), communicates via the GPRS network to a host site.
APN by default will not allow mobile terminated connections
while others use RADIUS servers and require user
name/password authentication in addition to SIM authentication.
APN Access point name
APN is a link between a mobile network and the internet.
The unique network identifier of a Packet Data Access Point.
APN structure
An Access Point Name consists of two parts:
✓ the network identifier
✓ the operator identifier
The operator identifier in turn consists of two other parts:
✓ Mobile Network Code (MNC)
✓ Mobile Country Code (MCC)
You can check it in your mobile phone: setting, more setting, Mobile
network, Access point name, click circle button then you will get edit
access point.
No. GSM GPRS
1 stands for Global Systems for Mobile. stands for General Packet Radio Service.
2 cellular standard for mobile phone up-gradation of GSM features
communications
3 System generation is 2G. System generation is 2.5G.
4 The frequency bands used in the The frequency bands used in the system are 850,
GSM system are 900 and 1800 MHz 900, 1800 and 1900 MHZ.
5 The type of connection is a circuit- Here the type of connection is a packet-switched
switched network. network.
6 It provides data rates of 9.6 kbps. It provides data rates of 14.4 to 115.2 kbps.
7 In GSM billing is based on the In GPRS billing is based on the features amount of
duration of the connection. data transferred.
8 It does not allow direct connection to It allows direct connection to the internet.
the internet.
9 It is based on system TDMA. It is based on system GSM.
10 In GSM, single time slot is allotted to In GPRS, multiple time slots can be allotted to a
a single user. single user.
11 It takes long time to connect. It provides faster connection.
GPRS Network Operations
Data transmission in a GPRS network requires several steps.

1. Attachment and Detachment Procedure

2. Access Point Name (APN)

3. Mobility Management

4. Routing

5. Communicating with the IP Networks

Data services in GPRS
A wide range of corporate and consumer applications are
enabled by GPRS services.
A user use either of the two modes of the GPRS network.
These are Application mode or Tunneling mode.
Application mode:
the user will be using the GPRS mobile phone to access the
applications running on the phone itself.
The phone here acts as the end user device.
Applications can be developed in C/C++ or Java
• Tunneling mode:

• This mode is for mobile computing where the user will use the
GPRS interface as an access to the network.

• The end user device will be a large footprint device like laptop
computer or small footprint device like PDAs.

• . The mobile phone will be connected to the device and used as a

modem to access the wireless data network.
 GPRS Handsets
✓A GPRS terminal can be one of three classes: A, B or C.
✓A Class A terminal supports GPRS data and other GSM services such
as SMS and voice simultaneously.
✓This includes simultaneous attach, activation, monitor, and traffic.
✓Class B terminal can monitor GSM and GPRS channels
simultaneously, but can support only one of these services at any time.
✓Class C terminal supports only non-simultaneous attach. The user
must select which service to connect to.
GPRS Device Types
There are three types of terminals, each handset will have a
unique form factor.
Terminals will be available in the standard form factor with a
numeric keypad and a relatively small display.
Other types of phones and different form factors, color displays,
with cameras are common.
Smart phones with built-in voice, non-voice and Web-browsing
capabilities are common too.
Smart phones have various form factors, which may include a
keyboard or an icon drive screen.
 Bearers in GPRS
✓The bearer services of GPRS offer end-to-end packet
switched data transfer. GPRS is planned to support two
different kinds of data transport services.

✓These are the point-to-point (PTP) service and the point-

to-multipoint (PTM) service.

✓ The PTP service offers transfer of data packets between

two users.
GPRS supports the following types of data services:
SMS: Short message service was originally designed for GSM network.
GPRS will continue to support SMS as a bearer.

WAP: WAP is Wireless Application Protocol. It is a data bearer service

over HTTP protocol.

WAP uses WML (Wireless Markup Language) and a WAP gateway.

MMS: MMS is Multimedia Messaging Service. This is the next

generation messaging service.
EDGE - Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution
✓EDGE (also known as Enhanced GPRS or EGPRS) is a data system
used on top of GSM networks.

✓ It provides nearly three times faster speeds than the outdated GPRS
system.

✓ The theoretical maximum speed is 473 kbps for 8 timeslots but it is

typically limited to 135 kbps in order to conserve spectrum resources.

✓ Both phone and network must support EDGE, otherwise the phone
will revert automatically to GPRS.
 EDGE vs GPRS
1. EDGE stands for Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution

whereas GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service.

2 EDGE is a digital mobile phone technology but

GPRS is a mobile data service.

3. EDGE allows existing TDMA and GSM carriers to

provide 3G services whereas GPRS allows both 2G and

3G communication systems.

4. EDGE meets the requirements for a 3G network but is usually classified as 2.75G.
LIMITATIONS OF GPRS
❑ Limited Cell Capacity for All Users:
✓ There are only limited radio resources that can be deployed for different uses.
✓ Both Voice and GPRS calls use the same network resources.
✓ Use for one data precludes simultaneous use for voice.
✓ If tariffing and billing are not done properly, this may have impact on revenue.
❑ Speed Lower in Reality:
✓a network operator will allow all time slots to be used by a single GPRS user.
✓ the initial GPRS terminals are expected to be supporting only one, two or
maximum three time slots.
✓ GPRS provides data rates of 56–114 Kbps in 2G systems.
Benefits of GPRS
✓It provides higher data transfer speed than fixed
telecommunication networks.

✓Its optimum speed is 171.2 kbps, almost three times quicker

than fixed-telecommunication speed.

✓It provides instant connection and immediate data transfer.

✓It is very cost-effective.

✓It has innovative and superior applications.

✓ It provides internet applications over mobile and also

facilitates Web browsing, E- commerce etc.
The main advantages of GPRS for users:
•Instant access to data as if connected to an office LAN
•Charging based on amount of data transferred (not the time
connected)
•Higher transmission speeds
The main advantages for operators:
•Fast network roll-out with minimum investment
•Excess voice capacity used for GPRS data
•Smooth path to 3G services
Disadvantages of GPRS :
✓Data rates supported are slower compared to the latest wireless
standards such as LTE or LTE-advanced.
✓A mobile station using GPRS can't receive direct GPRS calls.
✓A network can be affected when a large number of users in the same
area utilize the GPRS services at the same time.
✓Users may decide to charge based on time rather than volume.
✓GPRS could be consumed by the public during the public emergency
✓Can have high latency, especially text messaging.
✓Transit delay.
 GPRS Applications
GPRS uses a packet-based technique which will enhance GSM data
services significantly, especially for burst Internet/intranet traffic.
Some application examples:
•bus, train, airline information
•locating restaurants and entertainment venues
•weather information
•security information and lottery
•e-commerce and banking
•e-mail and web browsing
 General Questions
Q1: What is the difference between GSM and GPRS? What are the network elements in
GPRS that are different from GSM?
Q2: Explain the GPRS architecture with its constituent elements.
Q3: How is data handled in GPRS?
Q4: How is data routing done in GPRS? In what respect is data routing different from
voice routing?
Q5: Explain each of the following in the context of GPRS network:
(a) QoS parameters (b) SGSN
(c) GGSN (d) Channel Coding
(e) GPRS Data Link Layer (f) GPRS Physical Layer
Q6: Explain PDP context activation with respect to GPRS networks.
General Questions
Q7: Explain call routing in the context of GPRS networks.

Q8: Describe applications suitable for GPRS.

Q9: Describe the various limitations of GPRS.

Q10: What is the motivation behind EDGE?

Q11: Explain the changes needed for implementing an EDGE system.

Q12: What is Evolved EDGE?