General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)

1. New service that uses packet-mode to transfer data over GSM radio networks.
2.  Supplements today’s Short Message Service (SMS) and Circuit Switched Data Service (CSDS).
3.  Packets are in IP formats (but can carry other packet data protocol such  as X.25).
4. Since it is built on top of the current GSM network and can run several  times faster, it is considered a migration path to 3G (up to 2 Mbps) 
5.  TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) popular in North and South America will also support GPRS
6.  Can use up to 8 time slots per TDMA frame
7.  Theoretical maximum speed is 171.2 Kbps
8.  Commercial performance will probably be somewhere between 56K to 115Kbps
9.  Initial speeds are from 20K to 40Kbps (GSM CSD runs at 9.6Kbp)
10.  By reserving timeslots for a connection, quality of service can be provided 
11.  effective utilization of bandwidth
12.  instant connection (no dial-up modem connection is necessary) - “always connected”
13.  charging based on amount of data transferred, not connection time 
14.  Internet aware - services available to the Internet (such as FTP, web  browsing, email, chat, telnet) will be available over the the mobile network via GPRS
15. allows SMS transfer over GPRS radio channels
16. addresses to send and receive GPRS packets is likely to be IP addresses rather than phone numbers
17. Launched in the UK in summer 2000
18.  Expected to be publicly available in HK in Fall 2001