Wireless Access of GSM

Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) started to be developed by Europeans when the removal of many European trade barriers (encouraging business travel) intensified the need to provide “communications without boundaries”. In 1982, European Posts and Telecommunications Conference (CEPT) allocated two 25 MHz blocks of channels for a future Pan-European Cellular System. A special group was formed in the same year to specify a European system requirements for a common technical standard operating under the title ‘Group Special Mobile”, later called Global System for Mobile communications (GSM). In September 1987, operators led by UK, France, Germany and Italy compiled a Memorandum of Understanding. By February 1988, GSM had produced sufficient specifications and recommendations to allow development and manufacturing to begin. In the June, 1999 issue of IEEE Personal Communications in titled “EDGE: Enhance Data Rates for GSM and TDMA/136 Evolution” [1] GSM is recognized as one of the second generation wireless networks with worldwide success. It is used by more than 135 million subscribers in over 100 countries. Although the existing wireless networks data services are inefficient and do not fulfill the needs of users and operators, support for data communication over the radio interface is eminent and wireless systems are rapidly improving. This project report will discuss the proposed system of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) which will address data services inefficiencies of GSM as well as the enhancement that Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) will introduce to GSM in catering the third generation (3G) wireless networks.