Understanding GPRS: The GSM Packet Radio Service

Brahim Ghribi and Luigi Logrippo

School of Information Technology and Engineering,
University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON Canada K1N 6N5

Abstract

The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), a data extension of the mobile
telephony standard GSM, is emerging as the first true packet-switched
architecture to allow mobile subscribers to benefit from high-speed
transmission rates and run data applications from their mobile
terminals. A high-level description of the GPRS system is given with
emphasis on services and architectural aspects.

Keywords: Mobile telephony; Mobile data communications; GSM; GPRS;
Packet radio; Telecommunications.