Today's Wireless Revolution is being achieved through the GSM family of wireless technology platforms - today's GSM, GPRS, EDGE & 3GSM.

It is the basis of a powerful family of platforms for the future - providing a direct link into next generation solutions including GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) and 3GSM.

GSM's unrivalled success can be attributed to many factors, including the unparalleled co-operation and support between all those supplying, running and exploiting the platform. It is based upon a true end-to-end solution, from infrastructure and services to handsets and billing systems.

GSM is a standard that embraces all areas of technology, resulting in global, seamless wireless services for all its customers. It's all part of the Wireless Evolution.

GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) is the technology that underpins most of the world's mobile phone networks. The GSM platform is a hugely successful wireless technology and an unprecedented story of global achievement and cooperation. GSM has become the world's fastest growing communications technology of all time and the leading global mobile standard, spanning 214 countries.

Today, GSM technology is in use by more than one in five of the world's population - by June 2006 there were over 2 billion GSM subscribers, representing approximately 80% of the world's cellular market. The growth of GSM continues unabated with almost 400 million new customers in the last 12 months.

The progress hasn't stopped there. Today's GSM platform is living, growing and evolving and already offers an expanded and feature-rich 'family' of voice and multimedia services.

What is GSM?

GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) is an open, digital cellular technology used for transmitting mobile voice and data services. GSM differs from first generation wireless systems in that it uses digital technology and time division multiple access transmission methods. GSM is a circuit-switched system that divides each 200kHz channel into eight 25kHz time-slots. GSM operates in the 900MHz and 1.8GHz bands in Europe and the 1.9GHz and 850MHz bands in the US. The 850MHz band is also used for GSM and 3GSM in Australia, Canada and many South American countries.

GSM supports data transfer speeds of up to 9.6 kbit/s, allowing the transmission of basic data services such as SMS (Short Message Service). Another major benefit is its international roaming capability, allowing users to access the same services when traveling abroad just as at home. This gives consumers seamless and same number connectivity in more than 214 countries. GSM satellite roaming has also extended service access to areas where terrestrial coverage is not available.

Did you know that you can be instantly contactable on your usual number in over 100 countries world wide, when you travel with your GSM phone using your own number?

The major advantage of GSM technology is that it allows you to use your GSM phone when you travel outside your own country or region. This is known as roaming.

GSM is founded on the concept of roaming - allowing customers from other networks and countries to use their mobiles when they visit any country or network. Sounds simple. But with some 600+ GSM networks now operational, the GSM Association estimates that more than 20,000 individual roaming agreements are in place between its operators, with more being added every day. So behind the simple objective of global roaming lies a complex process that gathers information about each call, about each caller and takes a standardized approach to the charges being incurred.

Roaming is the ability to use your own GSM phone number in another GSM network. You can roam to another region or country and use the services of any network operator in that region that has a roaming agreement with your GSM network operator in your home region/country.

A roaming agreement is a business agreement between two network operators to transfer items such as call charges and subscription information back and forth, as their subscribers roam into each other's areas.

Find out where you can use your GSM phone worldwide, and see details of network operators worldwide, by visiting the GSM Roaming site.

GPRS Platform

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is the world's most ubiquitous wireless data service, available now with almost every GSM network. GPRS is a connectivity solution based on Internet Protocols that supports a wide range of enterprise and consumer applications. With throughput rates of up to 40 kbit/s, users have a similar access speed to a dial-up modem, but with the convenience of being able to connect from anywhere. GPRS customers enjoy advanced, feature-rich data services such as colour Internet browsing, e-mail on the move, powerful visual communications such as video streaming, multimedia messages and location-based services.

For operators, the adoption of GPRS is a fast and cost-effective strategy that not only supports the real first wave of mobile Internet services, but also represents a big step towards 3GSM (or wideband-CDMA) networks and services.

EDGE Platform

Further enhancements to GSM networks are provided by Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology. EDGE provides up to three times the data capacity of GPRS. Using EDGE, operators can handle three times more subscribers than GPRS; triple their data rate per subscriber, or add extra capacity to their voice communications. EDGE uses the same TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) frame structure, logic channel and 200kHz carrier bandwidth as today's GSM networks, which allows it to be overlaid directly onto an existing GSM network. For many existing GSM/GPRS networks, EDGE is a simple software-upgrade.

EDGE allows the delivery of advanced mobile services such as the downloading of video and music clips, full multimedia messaging, high-speed color Internet access and e-mail on the move.

Due to the very small incremental cost of including EDGE capability in GSM network deployment, virtually all new GSM infrastructure deployments are also EDGE capable and nearly all new mid- to high-level GSM devices also include EDGE radio technology. The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) states that, as of May 2007, there were 223 commercial GSM/EDGE networks in 113 countries, from a total of 287 mobile network operator commitments in 142 countries.

3GSM Platform

3GSM is the latest addition to the GSM family. 3GSM enables the provision of mobile multimedia services such as music, TV and video, rich entertainment content and Internet access. The technology on which 3GSM services are delivered is based on a GSM network enhanced with a Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA) air interface - the over-the-air transmission element. Global operators, in conjunction with the 3G Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization, have developed 3GSM as an open standard.

HSPA - Mobile Broadband

HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) is like having your home cable broadband experience delivered to your mobile phone or notebook.

HSPA is part of the GSM 3G network and is (predominately) a software upgrade of the network infrastructure. To use the high speed variant, you need a mobile device that is HSPA-enabled - most new mobile phones and high-end notebooks have these as standard.

HSPA has a great legacy, coming from the GSM family, which delivers mobile communications to over a third of the world’s population. It is the latest technology to enable even faster data rates for mobile users available today. The evolution has seen familiar acroymns such as GPRS (the first packet technology giving around 128kb/s) to EDGE (an enhanced version offering around 240kb/s) and then the introduction of 3G networks increasing the data rate to 384kb/s.

The various enhancements on the HSPA route are as follows:

HSDPA – High Speed Downlink Packet Access – the ability to receive large files to your mobile device such as email attachments, PowerPoint presentations or web pages. HSDPA 3.6mbps network can download a typical music file of around 3Mbytes in 8.3 secs and a 5Mbps video clip in 13.9 secs. Speeds achieved by HSDPA top 14.4Mb/s but most network operators provide speeds up to 3.6Mbps, with the rollout of 7.2Mbps quickly growing. HSDPA networks have been around for about 2 years and are deployed and offering mobile broadband right across the world. For a full list of HSPA networks, click here.

HSUPA – High Speed Uplink Packet Access – this is a further enhancement to increase the speed by which you communicate from your mobile device – for example, this enables you to upload videos to YouTube in secs so that you can share the experience in real time. The upload speeds which were at 384kb/s with HSDPA are now increased to a maximum of 5.7Mb/s

HSUPA is available in a few countries today with 2008 really seeing this as common place.

HSPA Evolved – this is also known as HSPA+ is the next step and is more focused on delivering data services enabling speeds of up to 42Mb/s in the downlink and 11Mb/s in the uplink. HSPA Evolved will be available in late 2008 early 2009.

All of these are acronyms mean Mobile Broadband, today!

Common terms used by mobile network operators to market the service are: 3G+, NextG, 3G Broadband, 3.5G and many more.

What do the initials GSM stand for?
Global System for Mobile Communications

What is GSM?
GSM is an open, non-proprietary system that is constantly evolving. One of its great strengths is the international roaming capability. This gives consumers seamless and same standardized same number contactability in more than 214 countries. GSM satellite roaming has extended service access to areas where terrestrial coverage is not available.

GSM phones require a small electronic chip, called a SIM card, to be inserted into a slot in the handset. This international SIM card is the "heart" of your phone - it contains your cell phone number, your phone book, and all of your registration information. Most companies with GSM service provide you access to more than 320 GSM networks in over 214 countries worldwide.

"What are Unlocked GSM Phones?"
"Unlocked GSM phones are either a) phones which are directly from the manufacturer which were never locked, or b) phones from a carrier which have been modified to openly work on any network."

"What are the different frequencies of GSM that I need?"
Most of the world's GSM networks operate at 900MHz and 1800MHz. However, in order to use the networks in the USA and Canada you will need a handset that is also capable of operating at the 1900MHz frequency. Most phones are now either "dual" "tri" or "quad band" (includes 850MHz) to serve most of the world.

What is technically distinctive about the technology?
GSM differs from first generation wireless systems in that it uses digital technology and time division multiple access transmission methods. Voice is digitally encoded via a unique encoder, which emulates the characteristics of human speech. This method of transmission permits a very efficient data rate/information content ratio.

How will GSM evolve?
High bandwidth services are already becoming available through second generation technologies. The development path to 3GSM is clearly mapped out and brings with it the possibilities of sophisticated data and multimedia applications. The GSM standard will continue to evolve, I with wireless, satellite and cordless systems offering greatly expanded services. These will include high speed, multimedia data services, inbuilt support for parallel use of such services and seamless integration with the Internet and wireline networks.

What is 3GSM?
3GSM is the generic term used for the next generation of mobile communications services.
These new systems will provide enhanced services to those available today ie, voice, text and data. The concepts for 3GSM services are currently being developed across the industry and by global groups such as the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The GSM Association's vision of 3GSM is based on today's GSM standard, but evolved to include an additional radio air interface better suited to high speed and multimedia data services.

Will my current mobile phone cease to work when 3GSM systems are launched?
There will be a period in which second generation and third generation systems co-exist. In essence, third generation systems are based on second generation infrastructure and services, but offer a new radio interface, among other features. So your current mobile will continue to operate. It will be up to you whether you wish to access 3GSM services. If you do, you will need to upgrade.

What services will 3GSM offer?
Video on demand, high speed multimedia and internet access are just a few possibilities. The main benefit of third generation systems is that they will offer high end service capabilities, which include substantially enhanced capacity, quality and data rates than currently available. 3GSM services will also include concurrent usage of multiple services and bridge the gap between wireless and internet/computing.

Will third generation systems be truly worldwide and how can I find out about developments in my own country?
It is likely that there will be up to three types of technology deployed in 3GSM. These systems are being harmonized to ensure they are compatible and will accept multimode handsets. This integration of systems and services will give users worldwide roaming. Your national regulatory authority is the best and most accurate source of information on third generation licenses and their availability in your country. However, the GSM Association collates this information as it becomes available and will be happy to help with any queries you may have.

Is there a health risk-using mobile phones?
The international scientific community reviews all relevant research as it is published. The consensus of these expert groups is that there is no demonstrable evidence of a risk to human health from mobile phone use. In addition, it is argued that the low powered radio signals produced by mobile phones do not have sufficient intrinsic energy to affect genetic material. The GSM Association continues to support international quality research into this question and contributes to a program coordinated by the World Health Organization.

Is GSM secure?
From the outset, GSM has been a system designed with stringent levels of inbuilt security. With constantly enhanced transmission protocols and algorithms added to the flexible and future proof platform, GSM remains the most secure public wireless standard in the world.