General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)

The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a new non-voice value added service that allows information to be sent and received across a mobile telephone network. It supplements today’s Circuit Switched Data and Short Message Service. GPRS is not related to GPS (Global Positioning System), a similar acronym that is often used in mobile contexts.

Facts about GPRS

1. Maximum speed up to 171.2 kilobits per second (kbps). This is about three times as fast as the data transmission speeds possible over today’s fixed telecommunications networks and ten times as fast as current Circuit Switched Data service on GSM n/ws. GPRS may well be relatively less costly mobile data service compared to SMS and Circuit Switched Data.

2. Immediacy is one of the advantages of GPRS when compared to Circuit Switched Data which is important for time critical applications such as remote credit card authorization where it would be acceptable to keep the customer waiting for ever thirty extra seconds.

3. Other new applications for GPRS, profile later include file transfer and home automation – the ability to remotely access and control in-house appliances and machines.