GPRS – General Packet Radio Service: Overview
GPRS Meaning
GPRS meaning – GPRS refers to General Packet Radio Service. It is an important application of mobile computing.
GPRS provides packet mode data transfer services over the cellular network system.
GPRS uses the existing network resources of GSM more efficiently for packet mode application and also provide quality of service.
GPRS provides unicast, multicast, and broadcast services to its users.
Goal of GPRS
The main aim of GPRS is to allow more efficient and cheaper packet data transfer service for an Internet application that particularly requires packet data transfer.
GPRS network provider supports the system by charging on volume and not on connection time as is used in traditional GSM data services for HSCSD.
The main goals of GPRS are as below-
- Continuous and consistent Internet Packet service
- This is a cheaper service as compared to circuit-switched network service
- It has an open architecture
- GPRS service innovations are independent of the infrastructure
GPRS Services
The main advantage of GPRS is the ‘always on’ feature of GPRS. There is no need for any connection set up prior to data transfer.
But GPRS needs some additional network components including software and hardware components to transfer the data from source to destination.
GPRS provides the following services to its users
- Instant messaging and presence
- Multimedia messaging service
- Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint services
- SMS messaging and broadcasting
- Push-to-talk over cellular
GPRS works in the following ways-
GSM system allocates between one and eight time-slots within a TDMA frame for the new GPRS radio channels,
Time slots are not allocated in a fixed, pre-determined manner but on-demand bases only.
All the time slots can be shared between the active users,
Up and downlink channels are allocated to the time slots separately.
The allocation of the slots is based on current load and operator needs and preferences.
Depending on the coding system, a transfer rate of up to 170 kbit/s.
For GPRS, operators often reserve at least a time slot per cell to guarantee a minimum data rate.
The GPRS concept is independent of the channel features of the channels.
Also, there is no limit to the maximum data rate. Only the GSM transport system can limit the rate.
All GPRS services can be used in parallel to the already present services.
GPRS Architecture
GPRS architecture works in the same as the gsm does. But it needs some extra components.
The execution of GPRS needs the installation of new network components called the serving GPRS support node (SGSN) and gateway GPRS support node (GGSN).
It needs the following two protocols to send a packet from source to destination.
- Internet Protocol
- Point to point protocol
GPRS 
Advantages of GPRS
- Mobility
GPRS has the capacity to manage a consistent voice transfer and information interchanges while the user is moving. - Cost-Efficient
Communication via GPRS technology is cheaper than the GSM network system. - Availability
GPRS allows users to get connectivity whenever they need regardless of the distance, and location. - Localization
GPRS enables users to receive data at their present location. - Easy Billing
GPRS packet transmission service provides an easier billing system than that provided by the GSM circuit-switched system