Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution

Abstract

GSM/EDGE is the industry's next evolutionary step in the cellular system, with improvements to its service provisioning for the packet-switched domain and improved alignment. These developments are being planned for future 3GPP standard releases. Geran will provide improved support for all UMTS quality of service (QoS) classes: interactive, background, streaming, and conversational, based on EDGE high-speed transmission techniques combined with GPRS radio link interface enhancements. As a result, a new set of applications will be well supported, including IP multimedia applications. This paper's goal is to provide an overview of the EDGE concept. It provides a global overview of the migration of second generation systems to International Mobile Telecommunications. It also discusses the rationale for developing the EDGE concept, such as standardisation background and efforts, aspects of introducing EDGE in GSM, and capacity and coverage performance. Furthermore, multimedia applications will be supported by multiple concurrent bearers with varying QOS characteristics towards the same MS, such as the handling of multiple media streams via the IMS domain. One driver of such evolution on the packet-switched side is the paradigm shift in the telecommunications world from circuit to packet-switched communications. Both the GPRS core network and the current GSM/EDGE radio access network must be modified to support enhanced packet services. GPRS/EGPRS networks can rapidly and cost-effectively evolve to meet market demands and align with the services of WCDMA networks.