Synopsis

On
High Speed Data in Mobile Networks
INTRODUCTION
Currently, almost all network operators worldwide are upgrading their GSM networks in order to provide high speed mobile data to their subscribers. The ever increasing growth rate of data applications such as e-mail and the internet is confronting mobile network operators worldwide with the challenge to upgrade their networks to high bandwidth capable "bit pipes" in order to provide for all kinds of mobile data applications. High speed mobile data will combine two of today's most rapidly growing technologies, mobility and the internet. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution) and HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) have been designed primarily as upgrades to the well known and widely used GSM standard.

HISTORY
In the 1980s and early 1990s, when the GSM system was designed and standardized, data transmission capabilities were of minor importance compared to voice. Besides, at that time, the maximum transmission speed of 9.6 Kbit/s that GSM offered, appeared to be sufficient and was comparable with analog wire line modems. Starting with HSCSD, the first high speed mobile data upgrade to be standardized, higher rates of transmission can be provided to mobile customers. EDGE has a transmission speed of up to 384 Kbit/s and GPRS is able to support up to 160Kbits/s

THE NEED FOR HIGH SPEED MOBILE DATA

Customer Potential With regard to mobile data, not just the typical pattern of use by today's businessmen on the move shall be addressed: Today's GSM-networks are also used by many consumers for the largest growing mobile data application of the late 1990's, SMS. Therefore, the new mobile data technologies need to address consumer groups, the private customer and the business user.

AN HISTORICAL VIEW
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution) & HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) been designed primarily as upgrades to the well
known and widely used GSM standard. In the 1980s and early 1990s, when the GSM system was designed and standardized, data transmission capabilities were of minor importance compared to voice. Besides, at that time, the maximum transmission speed of 9.6 Kbit/s that GSM offered, appeared to be sufficient and was comparable with analog wire line modems. Starting with HSCSD, the first high speed mobile data upgrade to be standardized, higher rates of transmission can be provided to mobile customers. EDGE has a transmission speed of up to 384 Kbit/s and GPRS is able to support up to 160 Kbit/s.

PRINCIPLES
GPRS:
GPRS or General Packet Radio Service is a packet-switched technology based on GSM. The radio and network resources are only accessed when data actually needs to be transmitted between the mobile user and the network. Please note that in between alternating transmissions, no network resources need to be allocated. Compare this to the circuit-switched transaction where resources are being accessed permanently, regardless of whether or not transmission is actually talking place. Therefore, packet-switching saves resources, especially in the case of burst transactions. EDGE: EDGE will provide the highest speeds in the second generation of mobile networks. Formerly, EDGE was the abbreviation for Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution. Nowadays, with EDGE also being adopted by the North American market, EDGE is the acronym for Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution. However, EDGE is not a single standard or protocol stack for high speed mobile data. Instead, EDGE introduces a new modulation scheme which is 8-PSK in addition to, e.g. GMSK in the case of GSM. three members of the EDGE family need to be distinguished. There is EDGE for GSM which will migrate GPRS and HSCSD to EGPRS and ECSD. There is also the North American EDGE extension for the IS-136 standard which is called IS-136 HS or EDGE Compact. Finally, there is UWC 136 which is the UWCC's proposal for IMT2000. 8-PSKModulation GPRS and HSCSD work with the normal GSM modulation scheme which is GMSK. GMSK has a lot of advantages, the most important of which being that it does not contain any amplitude modulation. However, its inherent low speed is the one big disadvantage. In GMSK, only 1 bit can be transmitted per symbol as opposed to e.g. 8-PSK where 3 bits are transmitted per symbol. This makes 8-PSK three times faster than GMSK.

HSCSD: HSCSD is a circuit-switched technology. Therefore, one of its major advantages is that the existing core network, mainly the MSC, is able to handle HSCSD traffic. As opposed to GPRS,

HSCSD neither requires a hardware upgrade within the network, nor does it introduce new channel coding technologies. Therefore, HSCSD is a rather simple upgrade of the standard GSM, particularly in comparison with GPRS and EDGE. When HSCSD is added to an existing network, it is mainly the interworking functions within the MSC and, of course, the mobile stations that are affected. All other network elements and protocols remain transparent with HSCSD. Based on timeslot bundling, HSCSD can provide speeds up to 57.6 Kbit/s. However, as illustrated in the table below, its performance depends on the number of timeslots and the channel type. Note that commercial implementations of HSCSD barely exceed a speed of 38.4 Kbit/s.

APPLICATION
Today, many business and marketing experts worldwide are seeking the ultimate "killer application" to justify the huge investments in high speed data upgrades and 3G-technology. People generally focus on e-mail, file transfer and accessing the WWW for the usual internet transactions when considering applications for high speed mobile data. These applications will, of course, be important but there will also be new applications which will suit the specific needs of mobile usage. Despite this, many new applications will only come into being when the mobile networks have been upgraded. For those applications, the mobile device, as we know it, will not be deployed. However, even today, entirely new mobile data applications that do not involve the common mobile user or usage are already emerging.

CONCLUSION
High speed mobile data will certainly improve the existing mobile networks greatly. GPRS and EDGE, in particular, will write a new chapter in mobile communications history. Currently, almost all network operators worldwide are upgrading their GSM networks in order to provide high speed mobile data to their subscribers. HSCSD is a circuit-switched technology. Therefore, one of its major advantages is that the existing core network, mainly the MSC, is able to handle traffic.

REFERENCES
http://www.gsmdata.com http://www.ericson.com http://www.3gpp.com #The Principles of communication---Taube & Schilling #The essential guide to wireless communication --- Andy Dorman