What is GPRS?

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Presentation by Papua New Guinea
Telecommunication Radiocommunication Technical
Authority (PANGTEL) For PNG COMPUTER SOCIETY
ANNUAL SEMINAR, 4th November 2008Presenter
Gabriel NAKAU(assisted by Mathew
Wari) Operations Department (PANGTEL)
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What is GPRS?

• This is one of the wireless systems developed
  after digital TDMA and CDMA systems which are
  classified as B2G
• others are EDGE, HSCSD, iDEN, PHS and RTT

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What does GPRS stand for and what is it?

• GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is a mobile
  data service available to users of GSM mobile
  phones. It is often described as "2.5G", that is,
  a technology between the second and third
  generations of mobile telephony.

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Continue

• It provides moderate speed data transfer, by
  using unused TDMA channels in the GSM network.
• The theoretical limit for packet switched data is
  171.2 kbit/s (using 8 time slots and CS-4
  coding). A realistic bit rate is 3080 kbit/s,
  because it is possible to use max 4 time slots
  for downlink.

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GPRS Air Interface.(When we are talking Radio,
we are already talking there is an Air
Interface!)

• GSM not always efficient to support data traffic
• GPRS is solution-provide more efficient
  packet-based data services at higher data rates.
• GPRS has same basic air interface as GSM
• a 200KHz channel divided into eight time slots.
• However, it defines 4 diff. ch. coding schemes
• CS-1 to CS-4 with diff. data rates.

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Most common coding scheme

• For packet data transfer is coding scheme 2(CS-2)
• Enables a given time slot to carry data _at_
  transmission rate of 13.4kbps

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Advantage of GPRS

• Use of packet-switching technology
• Enables multiple users to share air interface
  resources
• Users feel their services to be always on

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GPRS-related data traffic and control signaling

• Though GPRS uses basic structure as GSM, it
  introduces new logical channel types for Packet
  Common Control Channel (PCCCH) and for Packet
  Dedicated Control Channel (PDCCH)

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Comparison of the control and traffic channels
between GSM and GPRS
Channel GSM GPRS
Common Control Channel CCH (one logical channel) PCCCH (four logical channel)
Broadcast Channel Dedicated control channel BCCH DCCH PBCCH PDCCH PACCH PTCCH
Dedicated traffic channel FACCH DTCH FACCH PDTCH
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GPRS Network Architecture
RF air interface
HLR
SMSC
MSC/VLR
BSC
BTS
Packet Control Unit (PCU)
SGSN
GGSN
Charging Gateway Function
SGSN
PDN
Billing
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Therefore,.

• GPRS is primarily for data communication and not
  for voice communication.
• GPRS communicates using TCP/IP protocol similar
  to the internet.
• GPRS device IP addresses are not accessible from
  the internet due to firewalls.

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Regulation Consideration

• PANGTEL ensures relevant frequency is allocated
• Monitors interference if any, to adjacent channel
• Ensures equipment deploy in the systems are in
  compliance to standard ITU/ETSI Recommendations

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Licensing Requirement

• Spectrum
• Equipment type approval if different
• Agreement between interest groups(wanted to use
  GPRS services) GSM Operators

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Regulatory consideration

• The radio network capacity needed for the General
  Packet Radio Service (GPRS) in coexistence with
  circuit switched services and the admissible
  quality of service for mobile Internet users is
  presented.
• Since the GPRS is to be integrated into the GSM
  infrastructure, a number of physical channels has
  to be made available to GPRS used as fixed and
  on-demand packet data channels (PDCH).

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Benefits

• Efficient - GPRS mobile devices only use the GSM
  network when data is transferred. The GSM
  connection is not dedicated to each user,
  therefore it can be shared with many users
  resulting in efficient use of the network.
• Fast - GPRS gives speeds of up to 5 time faster
  than GSM. GPRS offers maximum data rates of
  56Kbps (down) and 14.4kbps (up), however this is
  shared bandwidth therefore actual data rates are
  potentially lower.
• Payment based on data usage - Billing is not
  based on time, but on the amount of data actually
  transferred.

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Way Forward Summary

• Technology is available
• Provisions in current GSM License allowed to
  explore/provide
• Regulator is always available and ready to assist
  as long as matter is within legislative framework
  subject to Govt policies.
• Source William C.Y.Lee Wireless Cellular
  Telecommunications- Third Edition PANGTEL
  Resources.

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And Thank you