GPRS

General Packet Radio Service

Outline
Introduction
GPRS Applications
GPRS normal service procedures
GPRS Architecture
GPRS protocol layering
GPRS data link layer and coding schemes
GPRS packet transfer
Limitations of GPRS

Introduction
The General Packet Radio System (GPRS) is a new service that
provides actual packet radio access for mobile Global System for
Mobile Communications (GSM) and time-division multiple access
(TDMA) users.
The main benefits of GPRS are that it reserves radio resources only
when there is data to send and it reduces reliance on traditional
circuit-switched network elements.
Theoretical up to 171.2 kbps transmission speed are achievable using
all eight timeslots at the same time.
No dial-up connection is necessary, GPRS facilitates instant
connections whereby information can be sent or received immediately
as the need arises.
GPRS facilitates several new applications that have not previously
been available over GSM networks due to the limitations in speed and
message length.
GPRS fully enables Mobile Internet functionality by allowing
interworking between the existing Internet and the new GPRS
network.

GPRS applications
Communications

Use the mobile communications network purely as a pipe to access messages

or information.
E-mail; fax; unified messaging; intranet/Internet access

Value-added services (VAS)

Refer strictly to content provided by network operators to increase the

value of their service to their subscribers.
E-commerce; banking; financial trading; Retail; ticket purchasing;

Location-based applications

Provide the ability to link push or pull information services with a user's
location.
Navigation; traffic conditions; airline/rail schedules; location finder

Vertical applications

Apply to systems utilizing mobile architectures to support the

carrying out of specific tasks within the value chain of a company.
Freight delivery; fleet management; sales-force automation

Advertising

GPRS normal service procedure (continue)

Provision

GPRS services: Point To Point (PTP) and Point To Multipoint (PTM).

Quality of Service (QoS):
1) priority; 2) reliability; 3) delay; 4) user data throughput;
5) scheduled repeated transmission.

Withdrawal
GPRS-Attach and GPRS-Detach

Attach: MS indicates its presence to the PLMN (public mobile network)

for the purpose of using the GPRS services.
Detach: MS indicates to the PLMN that the MS will no longer be using
the GPRS services

Registration

By registering the service parameters, the subscriber optimizes the the

its present, dynamic service profile within the limitations of the static
subscription profile.

Erasure

The subscriber erases previously registered service parameter values

from the service profile.

GPRS normal service procedure

Interrogation

The subscriber interrogates the status/value of registered service

parameters as defined in the current service profile.

Activation

The subscriber activates each of the registered interworking profiles

independently within the limitations of the subscription profile.

De-activation

The subscriber de-activates the previously activated interworking

profiles independently within the limitations of the subscription profile.

Invocation and operation

The GPRS service is invoked upon transmission or reception of GPRS

data by subscribers.

PIN and Password Management

Correct subscriber identification has been confirmed by entry of the

current GSM PIN when GPRS-Attach operates.
GPRS services is offered to a subscriber with the subscription option of
using a password to control the services.

GPRS reference architecture

GPRS can be thought of as an overlay network onto a GSM network.

GPRS elements
New terminals (mobiles):

Required to handle the enhanced air interface and packetize traffic.

A GPRS terminal can be one of three classes: A, B, or C.

BSC/BTS:

BSC is required to provide a physical and logical data interface out of

the base station subsystem (BSS) for packet data traffic.

GPRS Network:

Gateway GPRS Service Node (GGSN) performs mobility management

functions such as mobile subscriber attach/detach and location
management.
Serving GPRS Service Node (SGSN) are interfaces to external IP
networks such as the public Internet, other mobile service providers'
GPRS services, or enterprise intranets.

GPRS Mobility Management:

Mobility management builds on the mechanisms used in GSM networks.

Home location register (HLR)
Visitor location register (VLR)

GPRS protocol layering

Transmission plane protocol layering

GPRS protocol layering

Transmission plane protocol layering
The transmission plane covers the protocols for user information
transmission and associated control procedures.
Between SGSN and GGSN
GPRS tunnel protocol (GTP)
Between the SGSN and MS
Sub-network Dependent Convergence Protocol (SNDCP)
BSS GPRS protocol (BSSGP)
Between MS and BSS
Physical Link sublayer (PLL)
Physical RF sublayer (RFL)
Radio Link Control (RLC)
Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC)

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GPRS protocol layering

Signaling plane protocol layering
GPRS-specific mobility management protocol (GMM) is required
within MS and SGSN to support the mobility functionality.

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GPRS data link layer

Logical link control (LLC)

Provides a logical link between the MS and SGSN.

LLC layer protocol functionality is based on link access
procedure-D (LAPD).

Radio link control/medium access control (RLC/MAC)

Provides services for information transfer over the physical
layer of the GPRS radio interface.
RLC layer is responsible for the transmission of data block
across the air interface and the backward error correction
(BEC) procedures.
MAC layer is derived from a slotted ALOHA protocol, which
performs contention resolution between channel access
attempts.

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GPRS packet transformation data flow

Packet (N-PDU)

PH
Segment

Info

FSC

LLC frame FH
Segment
RLC/MAC block

Network layer
SNDCP layer

User data

Segment

BH

Info

Segment

SNDCP layer
LLC layer
LLC layer
RLC/MAC layer

BCS Tail

Convolutional encoding
Normal
burst

Burst

Burst

Burst

Burst

PH: Packet header

FCS: Frame check sequence

FH: Frame header

BCS: Block check sequence

RLC/MAC layer
Physical layer

BH: Block header

Payload

Add
BCS

Add
precoded
USF

Add
tail bit

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Coding

Puncture

456
bits

GPRS RLC/MAC block structure

P a y lo a d
U ser
D ata

USF

PC

M A C header

RLC
header

R LC data
R LC data
b lo c k

BCS
B lo c k
check
sequence

P a y lo a d
C ontrol

USF

PC

M A C header

R L C / M A C s ig n a lin g in f o r m a t io n

BCS

R LC/M A C control
b lo c k

B lo c k
check
sequence

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GPRS coding schemes

Scheme

Code
rate

SC-1

1/2

181

40

456

9.05

SC-2

2/3

268

16

588

132

13.4

SC-3

3/4

312

16

676

220

15.6

SC-4

428

16

12

456

21.4

Payload BCS

Pre-coded Tail
USF
bits

Coded
bits

Punct. Data rate

bits
(kb/s)

Maximal data rate = 8*21.4 = 171.2Kbps per user

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GPRS logical channels-PDCH

Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH)
Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) Broadcast

Packet Common Control Channel (PCCCH)

Packet Random Access Channel (PRACH) Random access
Packet Paging Channel (PPCH) Paging
Packet Access Grant Channel (PAGCH) Access grant
Packet Notification Channel (PNCH) Multicast

Packet Traffic Channel (PTCH)

Packet Data Transfer Channel (PDTCH) Data
Packet Associated Control Channel (PACCH) Associated control

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Mobile-Originated packet transfer

MS
PRACH/RACH
PAGCH/AGCH
PACCH
PACCH

PDTCH
PACCH
PDTCH
PACCH

Packet immediate assignment

Packet resource request

Random
access

Packet resource assignment

RLC/MAC block USF

Time

PATCH

Packet channel request

Network

RLC/MAC data
Acknowledgement
Retransmission of data in error
Acknowledgement

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Transmission

Mobile-Terminated packet transfer

MS
PPCH/PCH
PRACH/RACH
PAGCH/AGCH
PACCH

PDTCH
PDTCH
PACCH
PDTCH
PACCH

Network

Packet channel request

Packet immediate assignment
Packet paging response
Packet resource assignment
RLC/MAC block USF

Random
access

Time

PAGCH/AGCH

Packet paging request

Frame transmission
Acknowledgement
Retransmission of blocks in error
Acknowledgement

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Transmission

Throughput VS. Input load in GPRS

The throughput of the GPRS system performs as a slotted ALOHA
system when the system is stable. When the system is overloaded, the
throughput saturates at a maximum value.

Throughput

GPRS curve

I n p u t lo a d

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Limitation of GPRS
Limited cell capacity for all users

There are only limited radio resources that can be deployed for both
voice and GPRS calls.

Speeds much lower in reality

It is unlikely that a network operator will allow all timeslots to be

used by a single GPRS user.

Support of GPRS mobile terminate by terminals is no ensured

There has been no confirmation from any handset vendors that mobile
terminated GPRS calls.

Transit delays

GPRS packets are sent in all different directions to reach the same
destination. the result is that potential transit delays can occur.

No store and forward

There is no storage mechanism incorporated into the GPRS standard,

apart from the incorporation of interconnection links between SMS and
GPRS.

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