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To: gdichaz who wrote (3379)	1/22/2000 3:08:00 PM
From: w molloy	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 34857

Hi Chaz - re GPRS The latest report is that GPRS will actually run for the average user for average use (i.e. just plain average) at about 30 kbps. Is that close to accurate? GPRS is slot based. Basic rate GPRS (1 Time Slot) is 9.6Kpbs. The rates being tossed around in the press releases depnd on multislot GPRS. Multislot allocation rests with the network operators. The (per cell) trade off faced by network operators is two fold 1. Number of data users vs Number of Voice users 2. The Number of Data Users vs the average data rate/user Obviously, the network use models will be set up to maximise revenue. Will maximum revenue result in 30Kbps data service? I don't know - but, IMO, I doubt it. In other words is this because of sharing among users, so the more users per cell, the slower the speed? Absolutely. And what realistically follows GPRS? Must that be EDGE? EDGE is proposed as a successor to GPRS, but it doesn't have to. EDGE is a brand new technology, utilising a different modulation method 'over the air'.

To: gdichaz who wrote (3379)	1/22/2000 3:48:00 PM
From: Eric L	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 34857

Hi Chaz, << The latest report is that GPRS will actually run for the average user for average use (i.e. just plain average) at about 30 kbps. Is that close to accurate? >> Yes! But don't take that to be authoritative. Please read on. << Is this sort of like a 56 k modem really runs most of the time at around 40k, or is there some other factor involved? >> Other factors. 40k about right. I get consistent 49.3 kbps from a great local ISP (delivering xDSL shortly to me) and the last super Bell Atlantic tech that visited my SOHO couldn't believe I was getting that over copper even though only 1.2 miles from the Telco. Note: you have recently heard me complain about all the good, early but definitive stuff, that has been cleaned off the wireless data sites in the last few months. I am sure that this is because we are moving quickly into standardization so we can clear the smoke. For me this means that for my practical purposes "WCDMA" or "W-CDMA" becomes GSM ETSI UTMS with UTRA in the 3G world or at least in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Australia, and some parts of Asia. The good news is that replacement stuff on the web sites is coming on fast. There is a dated (4 months old) but excellent background article linked below by GPRS expert Peter Rysavy who is not to be confused with Chris Resavy who is charged with the responsibility of doing the first commercial implementation of GPRS in the United States (infrastructure already installed from one of their 2 vendors and I assume prototypes of handsets already available from their initial 2 vendors ... Nokia?? ... I hope). gsmdata.com This web page below is just updated and is pretty good and it has GREAT Links: gsmworld.com While you are up there check out "Roaming", the achilles heal of CDMA. This is what the GSM Association has now FINALLY published and please note that the GSM Association is rather conservative about what they publish: gsmworld.com TIMESCALES FOR GPRS: When a new service is introduced, there are a number of stages before it becomes established. GPRS service developments will include standardization, infrastructure development, network trials, contracts placed, network roll out, availability of terminals, application development, and so on. These stages for GPRS are: Date Milestone Throughout 1999 Network operators place trial and commercial contracts for GPRS infrastructure. 2000 Incorporation of GPRS infrastructure into GSM networks Summer of 2000 First trial GPRS services become available. Typical single user throughput is likely to be 28 kbps. For example, T-Mobil is planning a GPRS trial at Expo2000 in Hanover in the Summer of 2000 Start of 2001 Basic GPRS capable terminals begin to be available in commercial quantities Throughout 2001 Network operators launch GPRS services commercially and roll out GPRS. Vertical market and executive GPRS early adopters begin using it regularly for nonvoice mobile communications 2001/2 Typical single user throughput is likely to be 56 kbps. New GPRS specific applications, higher bitrates, greater network capacity solutions, more capable terminals become available, fueling GPRS usage 2002 Typical single user throughput is likely to be 112 kbps. GPRS Phase 2/ EDGE begins to emerge in practice 2002 GPRS is routinely incorporated into GSM mobile phones and has reached critical mass in terms of usage. (This is the equivalent to the status of SMS in 1999) 2002/3 UMTS arrives commercially << should follow up with someone else here, who do you suggest - Mika? >> Mika for sure! CDMA is Toast! <g> There I went and did it. Caxton will get me, and Bux will ask me what my agenda is, and mQ will be over here to rant, and Ruff will send me a PM, and Slacker will roast me, and THAT is what SI is all about! Heck, I'll take the heat off of Tero for a day. What is it you say? Qualcomm & NOKIA, Together the World! - Eric -

To: gdichaz who wrote (3379)	2/2/2000 2:36:00 PM
From: Eric L	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 34857

Chaz, << The latest report is that GPRS will actually run for the average user for average use (i.e. just plain average) at about 30 kbps >> This article below supports what you say at least as it pertains to initial implementations of GPRS which uses channel aggregation and data compression technology to support maximum data speeds of around 120,000 bps. There are however, many more issues than "speed" connected to the rollout of higher data rate (higher than 9.6/14.4) voice and data services, IMO, not the least of which includes building a business case for wireless data and which also include the issues mentioned by the author here (roaming, cross network authentication, firewall tunneling, and standardization of same). GSM worldwide (and perhaps Korea in the CDMA world) are way ahead of the US CDMA in addressing these issues. That said, I'm glad to live here and will wait (sometimes impatiently) for meaningful wireless data. Despite what our respected friend, Tero, says, I remain confident that one of these years I'll be using a Nokia WorldPhone (and it won't be truly a WorldPhone without CDMA) on Vodafones BAM network <g>. The news today from ERICY that PacBell will build out GPRS has some significant potential implications for wireless data in the US. ARE YOU READY FOR GPRS? January 17, 2000 By Guy Middleton, Senior Editor, TORNADO-INSIDER.COM tornado-insider.com Taking Web applications and running them over a GSM network will require more work than many Internet companies think, argues Paolo Bourelly of Ericsson, business development manager of GAA. “The behavior of IP over a radio network is totally different.” Bourelly says factors like weak signals, signal ghosting, and intermittent connections – all the problems that can dog users of mobile phones – can be disastrous for Web applications optimized for a typical, wired, network environment. Broken connections can cause applications, both client and server side, to crash and even momentary interruptions in signal can cause large file downloads to fail. The GAA is trying to promote awareness of these issues amongst developers and Internet companies, offering testing facilities to encourage companies to address these issues before they become obvious to live users. These testing facilities, provided by the GAA, currently based around a software simulator and soon to include a trial network are made available at no charge, says Bourelly. The alliance is building a database to allow members to share information on known issues with the emerging technology, he adds. While GPRS has the potential to offer high-speed connections of up to 115 Kbps in a controlled (i.e. non-real world) environment, Bourelly is quick to downplay GPRS as a fast way of connecting to the Internet, since bandwidth is dictated by the available capacity. As with any IP network, it is dynamically allocated. Urban GSM users will know from bitter experience, from time to time it is impossible to get a connection due to the finite capacity of a cell. Media excitement over GPRS may lead to people expecting higher speeds than would be available, Bourelly says. He anticipates most users experiencing speeds of around 30 Kbps. What GPRS can offer, Bourelly says, is an “always on” network. Most operators have yet to finalize pricing schemes – arguably they have a choice of charging by the byte or a fixed monthly fee – if they are prepared to charge a flat rate, just as with fixed line access, it will kick start wireless networking. Offering users an “always on” wireless network means that new, location-specific push services can be developed, if the user is prepared to allow operators to divulge his or her whereabouts. Similarly applications offering real-time pricing information – whether concerning shares or the availability a cut-price ticket to Geneva -- can be offered. But wireless Internet won't be plain sailing according to Bruce Jackson, CTO of Concept Technologies, who counts himself as an enthusiast for the technology. GPRS sees the telco world with its super-documented standards collide with the Internet, where, despite the oft-heard calls for standards, technical specifications are frequently more loosely regulated. “There are a 101 technical issues to be resolved,” says Jackson. “Roaming is a huge unanswered question, cross network authentication and firewall tunneling for access to corporate networks have yet to be standardized.” Jackson says some operators will only offer access to services via their own ISP. The Ericsson-led GAA counts Lotus, Palm, Alcatel and Symbian amongst its core members. Ericsson's key wireless rival Nokia is said to be “interested” in participation in the scheme. Copyright ©2000 TORNADO-INSIDER.COM - Eric -

To: gdichaz who wrote (3379)	2/3/2000 2:50:00 PM
From: Eric L	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 34857

Chaz, << GPRS will actually run for the average user for average use (i.e. just plain average) at about 30 kbps >> The speed of GPRS relative to timeframe seems a bit hard to determine. This clip below speaks to the issue relative to an Infineon product introdution. Sorry no direct Nokia content in his post. INCREASED DATA SPEEDS FOR GPRS PHONES gsmnewsreel.com German semiconductor company Infineon is claiming a world first for its two new single-chip GSM solutions which achieve GPRS class 10. The baseband logic device (E-GOLD+) and the radio frequency transceiver (SMARTi+) can, when applied together, feature significantly higher data rates than current solutions, reaching up to 107kbit/s. <snip> Its introduction is planned for second quarter 2000 with volume production starting end of 2000. - Eric -