GPRS Platform

GPRS
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is the world's most ubiquitous wireless data service, available now with almost every GSM network. GPRS is a connectivity solution based on Internet Protocols that supports a wide range of enterprise and consumer applications. With throughput rates of up to 40 kbit/s, users have a similar access speed to a dial-up modem, but with the convenience of being able to connect from anywhere. GPRS customers enjoy advanced, feature-rich data services such as colour Internet browsing, e-mail on the move, powerful visual communications such as video streaming, multimedia messages and location-based services.

GPRS Class Type
The class of the device determines the speed at which GPRS can be used.

For example, the majority of GPRS terminals will be able to download data at speeds of up to 24Kbps (kilobytes per second). At the higher end, speeds are theoretically possible up to 171.2 kbit/sec when 8 slots are assigned at the same time to a single user. In reality 40-50Kbps.PC cards capable of GPRS will send data up to speeds of 48Kbps.

Compare this to current data speeds available:

Type	Uplink (Sending)	Downlink (Receiving)
GPRS	14 kbps	28-64 kbps
GSM CSD	9.6-14 kbps	9.6-14 kbps
HSCSD	28 kbps	28 kbps
Dial-UP	56 kbps	56 kbps
ISDN Standard	64 kbps	64 kbps
ADSL	256 kbps	512 kbps
Broadband	2 Mbps	2 Mbps

GPRS Multislot Classes

Multislot classes are product dependant, and determine the maximum achievable data rates in both the uplink and downlink directions.
Written as (for example) 3+1 or 2+2, the first number indicates the amount of downlink timeslots (what the mobile phone is able to receive from the network).
The second number indicates the amount of uplink timeslots (how many timeslots the mobile phone is able to transmit).
The active slots determine the total number of slots the GPRS device can use simultaneously for both uplink and downlink communications.

Multislot Class	Downlink Slots	Uplink Slots	Active Slots
1	1	1	2
2	2	1	3
3	2	2	3
4	3	1	4
5	2	2	4
6	3	2	4
7	3	3	4
8	4	1	5
9	3	2	5
10	4	2	5
11	4	3	5
12	4	4	5

Futher Examples:

Class 2		Class 4
One Up, Two Down - (2+1)		One Up, Three Down - (3+1)
8-12Kbps Send - 16-24Kbps Receive		8-12Kbps Send - 24-36Kbps Receive
Mororola Accompli A008 Trium Mondo, Sirius		Motorola TimeportT260
Class 6 - Configurable between		Class 8
Two Up, Three Down		One Up, Four Down
16-24Kbps Send - 24-36Kbps Receive		8-12Kbps Send - 32-40Kbps Receive
Or Three Up, Two Down		Ericsson T39, R520 Motorola v60i, v66i Samsung Q200, S100 Siemens S45, ME45, M50 Trium Eclipse
24-36Kbps Send - 16-24Kbps Receive
Nokia 6310, 6510, 8310
Class 10- Configurable between		Class 12- Configurable between
One Up, Four Down		One Up, Four Down
8-12Kbps Send - 32-48Kbps Receive		8-12Kbps Send - 32-48Kbps Receive
Or Two Up, Three Down		Or Two Up, Three Down
16-24Kbps Send - 24-36Kbps Receive		16-24Kbps Send - 24-36Kbps Receive
Philips Fisio 820		Or Three Up, Two Down
		24-36Kbps Send - 16-24Kbps Receive
		Or Four Up, One Down
		32-48Kbps Send - 8-12Kbps Receive
		Sierra Wireless Aircard 750 GSM/GPRS PC Card

Class A, Class B & Class C?

The class indicates the mobile phone capabilities.

Class A
Class A mobile phones can be connected to both GPRS and GSM services simultaneously.

Class B
Class B mobile phones can be attached to both GPRS and GSM services, using one service at a time. Class B enables making or receiving a voice call, or sending/receiving an SMS during a GPRS connection. During voice calls or SMS, GPRS services are suspended and then resumed automatically after the call or SMS session has ended.

Class C
Class C mobile phones are attached to either GPRS or GSM voice service. You need to switch manually between services.

GPRS Roaming Exchange (GRX)
The GSM Association (through its GPRS Working Party within the International Roaming Expert Group) has collected information on potential providers of GPRS Roaming Exchange (GRX) services.
The information will be updated by the GSM Association upon request by the respective GRX Provider in accordance with these Rules, which also apply, to companies that wish to offer GRX services in the future.

RFI Process
The initial RFI process consisted of 2 rounds:

During the initial round potential GRX Providers were able to describe their future service offerings by answering a few fairly general questions.
Based on the results of the first round a group of experts from the GPRS Working Party (GPRSWP) of the GSMA's IREG compiled a questionnaire containing 83 detailed questions. This questionnaire was sent back to the potential GRX Providers. Additional GRX Providers who did not take part in the first round were able to join in during the second round.
The questionnaire contained two types of questions: those covering basic require-ments and those covering additional aspects.

The potential GRX Providers were requested to answer the question concerning the basic requirements, the other questions were sent in order to give an impression of which additional questions may be put by the GPRS Operators. Answers from the potential GRX Providers were compiled and the results were made available to the GSMA members.

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