General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a standard designed by ETSI for GSM, DCS, PCS digital cellular networks to enable high-speed wireless Internet and other data communications. Sometimes, it is referred to as the 2.5 generation (2.5G) technology. GPRS can support applications based on standard data protocols, and interworking with IP and X.25 networks.
GPRS uses a packet-mode technique to transfer high-speed and low-speed data and signalling in an efficient manner over GSM radio networks. GPRS data speeds are expected to reach theoretical data speeds of up to 171.2 Kbps. By implementing GPRS, the following objectives can be met:
- give support for bursty traffic
- use efficiently network and radio resources
- provide flexible services at relatively low costs
- possibility for connectivity to the Internet
- provide fast access time
- to have and support flexible co-existence with GSM voice
GPRS architecture consists of Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) and a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN). The GGSN acts as the gateway to other packet data networks such as the Internet. The SGSN is the serving node that enables virtual connections to the GPRS enabled mobile device and delivery of data. GGSN provides interworking with external packet-switched networks, and is connected with SGSNs via an IP-based GPRS backbone network.
GPRS security functionality is equivalent to the existing GSM security. The SGSN performs authentication and cipher setting procedures based on the same algorithms, keys, and criteria as in existing GSM. GPRS uses a ciphering algorithm optimized for packet data transmission.
GPRS Network Architecture：
GPRS: General Packet Radio Service
Related protocols: GSM, UMTS, 2G, 2.5G, 3G, SGSN, MSC, W-CDMA
Reference: http://www.gsmworld.com/technology/gprs/intro.shtml: GRRS Overview