re: HSCSD/GPRS
<< Last time I checked .. Why pay good money for slightly faster (14.4 max vs. 9.6 max) data transfer that is deficient and buggy?
Check again ... also think data compression and optimization ... and remeber the application and the customer target.
>> Eircell Answers HSCSD/GPRS Questions
eircell.ie
In an industry famous for acronyms, there are two in particular that Eircell customers will become very familiar with over the coming months - HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). This article will explain how these technologies work and what they mean for the future of Eircell mobile communications.
HSCSD
Eircell is one of the first mobile networks in Western Europe to bring High Speed Circuit Switched Data to the market. Other operators across Europe have subsequently announced plans to introduce HSCSD services and with good reason.
HSCSD has effectively smashed the glass ceiling imposed by the architects of GSM. When GSM was designed in 1988, fixed line data rates had peaked at the Group 3 fax standard of 9,600 bps (bits per second). Conventional modems were still operating at 2,400 bps so it was reasonable to expect them to reach parity.
Unfortunately, in the time taken from the GSM standards ratification to the launch of public service, fixed line data speeds had jumped to 14.4 Kbps (14,400 bps) and continued to increase, reaching 56.6 Kbps by 1998. GSM, using a complicated combination of digital radio channels and time-slots had been optimised for 9,600 bps transmission and it was not possible to squeeze any more data across the link.
An urgent solution was required - the future of mCommerce depended on it and with mobile data accounting for more Eirtime than ever before, something had to be done. It could be achieved by starting again with a completely new standard or by developing a complementary method that could be added to an existing GSM service.
New standards take time to implement, so Eircell chose to give its customers an early lead by installing HSCSD. Eircell is the only Irish network to make such a service available.
The solution was to allow the user to access not just a single time slot, but multiples of two or three. Each ‘slot’ in isolation is subject to the standard data rate of 9,600 bps, but when combined the available bandwidth is increased - allowing for faster data transmission and shorter download times. Under ideal conditions, download speeds up to 43.2 Kbps are possible, over three times faster than conventional GSM.
Phone manufacturer Nokia has led the development of HSCSD Phones and Card Phones - notably the Nokia 6210 and Nokia Card Phone 2.0. This latter option slots into a standard laptop, is equipped with a SIM card and therefore doesn’t require a mobile phone.
Whilst some observers described HSCSD as a short-term option until the introduction of GPRS, this is incorrect. Should a user need to connect to a corporate LAN (Local Area Network) or any data provider with a PSTN/ISDN connection, HSCSD is the only option. It also allows for authentication, dial-back security and from a pre-approved list of mobile or fixed callers, only those with the relevant permissions can access the network.
For applications such as e-mail, LAN access and file transfer, the real time nature as well as the high data rates make Eircell High Speed Data hard to beat. So what makes GPRS different from the HSCSD offering?
GPRS
GPRS is currently under trial in Dublin and Eircell has plans to roll out the service nationally later this year with the precise launch date depending on the availability of new phones supporting this new standard.
Analysts are predicting that GPRS will herald the development of ‘consumer data’ WAP services as packet data is ideally suited to the transfer of WAP information. Because data will be delivered in a steady stream to the phone - which will be operating in an ‘always on’ mode - users will have the information they require delivered to their phones, rather than having to make a specific call to receive the data.
For corporate users, providing you have a permanent Internet connection to your server, e-mail can be quickly retrieved by employees on their mobile phones as well as from their desktop.
It will be the ability of responding to these e-mails or connecting to the company WAN/LAN (permitting access to databases and contacts) as well as the synchronisation of work schedules and meetings that will finally allow full office functionality from a mobile phone.
GPRS also has the potential to touch new vertical markets - for example, the evolution of our Laser debit cards will increase as packet radio based terminals will allow consumers to pay for products or services away from fixed communications links. Remote metering, security and equipment control can be managed centrally, with costs based only on the amount of data transferred.
In summary, the benefits of the technology include high data rates and fast connection. WAP services will dramatically benefit from faster response times and the ‘always on’ architecture.
Eircell’s decision to offer both data delivery methods gives users unprecedented choice and allows the company to select the most appropriate technology for its needs. And Eircell is already looking towards the next wave of mobile communications, which will come in the form of third generation technology or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System).
The competition for the Irish UMTS licences will take place next year. These licences will allow operators to deliver high bandwidth services such as video over mobile as the capacity on mobile networks increases significantly. Obtaining UMTS spectrum will also increase the amount of capacity available to mobile network operators, which is crucial since mobile phone usage in Ireland continues to rise rapidly.
It is clear over the next 12 to 18 months and beyond, all these technologies will have a massive impact on the way people communicate while on the move. With mobile data traffic expected to overtake voice, Eircell is well placed to make the most of the mobile data revolution.
The Technology Explained
* Bps - Bits per second
Bps is the amount of data that can be sent over a connection. The higher the number, the faster data can pass over the connection, resulting in shorter call times. Kb/s = bps x 1,000, so 9,600 bps and 9.6 Kb/s mean the same. A typical PC modem will operate at 33.3 or 56.6 Kb/s (33,300/56,600bps).
* GPRS - General packet radio service
GPRS is a packet switched network which supports the IP (Internet Protocol) standard, allowing end to end IP connectivity from GPRS mobiles to fixed networks. GPRS users can be continuously attached to the network, allowing mobile users to simply be an extension of the corporate LAN/WAN.
* HSCSD - High speed circuit switched data
Eircell High Speed Data is based on the HSCSD platform, which currently delivers speeds up to 28.8 Kbps without data compression - 3 times faster than previous GSM technology allowed. Early next year speeds will increase to 43.2 Kbps without compression - 4.5 times faster than standard GSM. Eircell High Speed Data can be accessed via a Nokia Card Phone 2.0, ideal for situations where you need to be on the phone and sending information at the same time, or a High Speed capable phone.
Raymond Okonski - Freelance Communications Journalist. <<
- Eric - |
