This question appears in Mumbai University > Mobile Communication and Computing subject

Marks: 10 M

Year: Dec 2015

1. GPRS Architecture

1. GSM architecture:

1. UMTS

• Global Systems for Mobile Communications or GSM is the standard bearer of the 2G technologies. It is the most widely used technology in the world for mobile phone communications.

• GPRS is an upgrade over the basic features of GSM. It allows mobile handsets to obtain much higher data speeds than what standard GSM can offer.

Features which they brought: • One important feature that GSM brought in was SMS messaging which became instantly very popular.

• After that, the advent of GPRS brought in high data speed which brought internet usage to our phone (WAP) and also MMS (Multimedia messages).

• The UMTS brought the 3G services to our phones. These led to bloom of many new applications like Video Call, Chat Messenger (e.g. WhatsApp), mobile-Banking etc.

Base:

• The GSM system was designed as a totally new mobile standard with features like allowing roaming throughout a very large geographical area, fully digital, allows voice and data service.

• The lowest level of connection is at a BTS which links with the mobile.(see diagr.) The hierarchy goes upwards to much bigger geography.

• GPRS was only an extension to the older GSM technology and did not need a revamp of the whole system. Because of that, GPRS was introduced flawlessly into the market and those who had GPRS compatible phones can avail of faster speeds.

• The GPRS architecture (see diag.) has only few changes to the existing GSM system as seen in diagram. (i.e. inclusion if GGSN and SGSN).

• The UMTS architecture takes advantage of the existing GSM and GPRS networks which serve as a core network in UMTS infrastructure.

• The main difference between the UMTS and GSM come with the new radio interface called as Uu.s.