Cax,
<< 3 times slots does that equate to GPRS phone in GPRS mode using three times the capacity? >>
Essentially yes. Its a bandwidth hog. Successful GPRS implementation and acceptance means on to WCDMA all the quicker, as bandwidth chewed up.
Peter Rysavy who knows GPRS, its strengths and weaknesses, about as well as anyone I know of, has this to say about GPRS:
"Users can consider GPRS for any IP-based application, so long as the application isn't too bandwidth-hungry. Nevertheless, GPRS carriers are looking to GPRS as a key enabling technology for WAP because GPRS offers the perfect always-on, always-connected transport for WAP. Carriers are interested in WAP for another reason. GPRS could quickly become a victim of its own success if too many people use it for large downloads. Since users contend for a limited number of GPRS radio channels, throughput will go down with an increasing number of active users. WAP addresses this issue by a text orientation and small screens, thus minimizing the network's load. Carriers are likely to push WAP over GPRS vs. general-purpose networking."
rysavy.com
Big edge to 1xRTT here (high bandwidth apps) and of course also and edge to EDGE.
<< Is it also using 3 times the battery output? >>
So far as I know, no. Improved battery life is now being claimed as a GPRS benefit (although I don't understand why, and doubtful those statements are accurate). Battery load is essentially taxed in transmit mode not receive.
- Eric - |
