General Packet Radio Service
(GPRS)
Chandra Prakash
Assistant Professor
LPU
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Constraints with existing network…
WHY GPRS?
Data Rates too slow – about 9.6 kbps
Connection setup time too long
Inefficient resource utilization for bursty traffic
Proves expensive for bursty traffic utilization
No efficient method for packet transfers
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GPRS
General Packet Radio Service:-Radio technology that
adds packet-switching protocols
GPRS support flexible data transmission rates than
GSM as well as continuous connection to the
network.
Short for General Packet Radio Service, a standard
for wireless communications which runs at speeds
up to 115 kilobits per second, compared with current
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)
systems’ 9.6 kilobits.
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Cont…
GPRS, which supports a wide range of bandwidths, is an
efficient use of limited bandwidth and is particularly suited
for sending and receiving small bursts of data, such as e-
mail and Web browsing, as well as large volumes of data.
It consists of a packet wireless access network and an IP-
based backbone. GPRS is designed to transmit small
amounts of frequently sent data or large amounts of
infrequently sent data.
GPRS has been seen as an evolution toward UMTS
(Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems). Users can
access IP services via GPRS/GSM networks.
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INTRODUCTION
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is a packet based
communication service for mobile devices that allows data
to be sent and received across a mobile telephone network.
GPRS is a step towards 3G and is often referred to as 2.5G
It works on TDMA & CDMA technology, depending upon
the multiplexing used.
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What is GPRS ?
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a
new bearer service for GSM that greatly
improves and simplifies wireless access to
packet data networks
GPRS applies packet radio principal to
transfer user data packets in an efficient way
b/w MS & external packet data network
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Comparison of GSM &
GPRS
GSM GPRS
Data Rates 9.6 Kbps 14.4 to 115.2 Kbps
Modulation Technique GMSK GMSK
(Gaussian Minimum Shift (Gaussian Minimum
Keying) Shift Keying)
Billing Duration of connection Amount of data
transferred
Type of Connection Circuit – Switched Technology Packet - Switched
Technology
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Benefits of GPRS
New Data Services
High Speed (Data Rate 14.4 – 115 kbps)
Efficient use of radio bandwidth
Circuit switching & Packet Switching can be used in
parallel
Constant connectivity
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FEATURES OF GPRS
Important step on the path to 3G
GPRS is an overlay network over the GSM
Provides Data Packet delivery service
Support for leading internet communication protocols
Billing based on volume of data transferred
Utilizes existing GSM authentication and privacy
procedures.
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General Packet Radio Service
(GPRS)
SGSN: A Serving GPRS Support Node is responsible for the delivery of data packets from and
to the mobile stations within its geographical service area.
GGSN :Gateway GPRS Support Node is responsible for the interworking between the GPRS
network and external packet switched networks, like the Internet and X.25 networks.
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ARCHITECTURE
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ARCHITECTURE
GPRS services include both point-to-point and
point-to-multipoint communications
GPRS Architecture is same as GSM except few hardware
modifications :
GPRS includes GSNs
SGSN : Serving GPRS Support Node
GGSN : Gateway GPRS Support Node
GPRS Register
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SGSN(Serving GPRS Support Node)
Delivers data packets to mobile stations & vice-versa
Detect and Register new GPRS MS in its serving area
Packet Routing, Transfer & Mobility Management
Authentication, Maintaining user profiles
Its location register stores location info. & user
profiles
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GGSN – Gateway GPRS Support Node
Interfaces GPRS backbone network & external packet
data networks.
The Gateway GPRS Support Node is the “last port of
call” in the GPRS network before a connection between
an ISP or corporate network’s router occurs.
The GGSN is basically a gateway, router and firewall
rolled into one.
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GGSN – Gateway GPRS Support Node
• Stores the current SGSN address and profile of the
user in its location register
• Performs authentication
• Many-to- many relations among SGSNs & GGSNs
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HLR
The HLR or Home Location Register is a database that
contains subscriber information, when a device connects to
the network their MSISDN number is associated with
services, account status information, preferences and
sometimes IP addresses.
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Working in GPRS
Gateway GSN (GGSN) nodes provide
interworking functions with external packet-
switched networks.
A serving GPRS support node (SGSN), keeps
track of an individual mobile station's location
and provides security and access control.
base stations (BSSs) are connected to SGSNs,
which are subsequently connected to the
backbone network. SGSNs interact with MSCs
and various databases to support mobility
management functions. The BSSs provide
wireless access through a TDMA MAC protocol.
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Working (cont…)
Both the mobile station (MS) and SGSNs
execute the SNDCP (Subnetwork-Dependent
Convergence Protocol), which is responsible
for compression/decompression and
segmentation and reassembly of traffic.
The SGSNs and GGSNs execute the GTP
(GPRS Tunnelling Protocol), which allows
the forwarding of packets between an external
public data networks (PDN) and mobile unit
(MU).
It also allows multiprotocol packets to be
tunneled through the GPRS backbone.
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GPRS in INDIA
BPL Mobile
Bharti Cellular
Hutchison Max
Hutchison Essar
Idea Cellular
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GPRS characteristics
GPRS uses packet switched resource allocation
•resources allocated only when data is to be
sent/received
Flexible channel allocation
•one to eight time slots
•available resources shared by active users
•up and down link channels reserved separately
•GPRS and circuit switched GSM services can use same
time slots alternatively
Traffic characteristics suitable for GPRS
•Intermittent, bursty data transmissions
•Frequent transmissions of small volumes of data
•Infrequent transmission of larger volumes of data
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