GPRS and EDGE Basics

Objective

 At the end of this course, you will be able to

understand:
 GPRS network features and architecture
 EDGE technology features and specifications
 Advantages of EDGE over GPRS
 Evolution from GPRS to 3G
Contents

 GPRS Overview
 GPRS Network Structure
 GPRS Frame Structure and Radio Channels
 GPRS Key Technologies
 EDGE Technologies
 Process of Evolution from GPRS to 3G
What is GPRS?
General Packet Radio Service

The GPRS Standard is formulated by ETSI.

 GPRS － General Packet Radio Service

 GPRS provides subscribers the end-to-end mobile data services based

on packet switching and transmission technology. It fully utilizes networ
k resources and especially suits long-time and small-volume burst data
services.

 GPRS = mobile + IP, which is the integration of GSM radio access tech
nique and internet packet switch technique

 It is an ISDN-based general packet radio network that is deployed on

GSM network with smooth upgrade and smallest changes.
Production & Evolution of GPRS

 GPRS is mobile packet data service based on GSM mobile

Telecommunication system. GPRS system is a subsidiary of previous GSM
circuit switch system for fulfilling user’s demand as to use MS to access
internet or other packet data network.

 GPRS realizes packet data transmission by adding series of functional

entities based on previous GSM network. Newly-added entities and
existing entities after software upgrading constitute GSM-GPRS network
providing GPRS data service while existing GSM network providing circuit
service.
GPRS Features
 GPRS features
 adapted to aperiodic bursty data service
 uplink and downlink can be asymmetrical. Data rate is changeable.
 flexible resource management style

GSM voice and GPRS data service share RR dynamically.

MS has various mapping relationships with channels.

One MS can has multiple data sessions simultaneously.
 Coding mode: CS-1 ～ CS-4, data rate: 9.05 ～ 171.2kbit/s
 Major interface protocols (Internet, X.25, and SMS) are supported.
 Shared GSM infrastructure to reduce network operation cost. Char
ge fees based on data quantity.
GPRS Services
 Bearing service
 WWW scanning, FTP, WAP and E-mail etc.
 PTP

Unconnected PTP service (PTP-CLNS) like IP

Connected PTP service (PTP-CONS) like X.25
 PTM: GPRS provide in the second phase

PTM-M (multicasting)

PTM-G (group calling)

IP-M (multicasting)
GPRS Services
 Telecom Service
 PTP: E-mail, electronic monitoring, online games
 PTM ： weather forecast
 Mobile IP
 Complementary service
 GSM phase2 supplementary service supported by GPR
S
 GPRS specified supplementary service
GPRS Specifications
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
02.60 Service 03.60 System Description
04.60 RLC/MAC Protocol
Description and Network Structure
03.64 Radio Interface
04.61 PTM-M Service
Description
03.61 Point to Multipoint -
04.62 PTM-G Service
Broadcast Service
03.62 Point to Multipoint-
04.64 LLC 04.65 SNDCP
Group Call
07.60 Subscriber Interworking
08.14 Gb Layer1
08.16 Gb Layer Network Services
08.18 BSSGP and Gb Interface
09.16 Gb Layer2
09.18 Gb Layer3
09.60 Gn & Gp Interface
09.61 Interworking of External
Networks
Contents

 GPRS Overview
 GPRS Network Structure
 GPRS Frame Structure and Radio Channels
 GPRS Key Technologies
 EDGE Technologies
 Process of Evolution from GPRS to 3G
GPRS Logical Structure
GPRS Logical Structure
 The GPRS technology introduces two concepts, p
acket switching and packet transfer. This
System enhance
message 2
s the ability of supporting data service on network l
evel. Actually, the GPRS represents an overlay net
work deployment to the existing GSM.
 To support GPRS, the GSM needs to:
 Introduce two new devices: serving GPRS support node
(SGSN) and gateway GPRS support node (GGSN )
 Add packet control unit (PCU) to BSC and upgrade relat
ed software of BSS
 Use the MSs supporting GPRS
PCU Function
 RLC/MAC layer fun  Radio resource mana
ction:
 DL: PDU at LLC divide
d into RLC data block
 UL: RLC data block re
composed into PDU at
LLC layer
 PDCH UL & DL ARQ p
rotocol
 Allocate UL & DL radio
resource
gement function:
 Channel access control f
unction such as access r
equest and access permi
ssion
 Radio channel managem
ent function such as pow
er control, congestion co
ntrol and broadcasting co
ntrol messages
SGSN Function
 Routing and transfer of packet data packages with
in its SGSN area, providing services for all the GP
RS users within the area
 Ciphering and authentication
 Session management
 Mobility management
 Logical link management
 Providing interface to GPRS BSS, GGSN, HLR, M
SC, SMS-GMSC, and SMS-IWMSC
 Generating and outputting CDRs, for collecting inf
ormation about the usage of radio resources
GGSN Function
 Interface to external IP packet networks (IP and X.
25)
 GPRS session management, establishing the com
munication between MSs and external networks
 Sending the packet data of mobile subscribers to
appropriate SGSN
 Generating and outputting CDRs, for collecting inf
ormation about the usage of radio resources
HLR Function
 GPRS subscriber subscription data
 User authentication
 GMM or router selection information upgrading an
d manipulation
 Save and upgrade SGSN number and address of user s
ervice
 GPRS user location deleting indication
 MS availability
 user tracing (optional)
MSC/VLR additional function
 SGSN connection with MSC by Gs interface (Gs i
nterface is optional ）
 United IMSI/GPRS attachment & detachment
 United location area & router area upgrading
 Circuit paging coordination function
 Enhance radio resource utilizing rate
GPRS Support SMS
 SGSN connects with SMSC via Gd interface to se
nd SMS through GPRS. This reduces SDCCH occ
upancy and thus minimizes the impact of SMS ser
vice on voice service.
 SMS resource can be shared
 operator can choose to transmit SMS either by MSC or
SGSN
Major GPRS Interfaces
 Um interface
 Through which MS communicate with GPRS network supporting f
unctions such as packet data transferring, SMS, SM and RRM.
 Gb interface
 SGSN communicates with BSS and MS via Gb interface which sup
ports the function of packet data transferring, GMS and SM. This i
nterface is a must in GPRS network.
 Gi interface
 Gi interface connects GPRS with exterior packet data network. GP
RS connects with PDN including internet or ISDN via Gi interface.
Operations such as Encapsulation, decapsulation, address conver
sion, user authentication are needed on this interface.
Major GPRS Interfaces
 Gn interface
 Gn interface is interface between GPRS service support
ing nodes, i.e. interfaces between SGSN, between SG
SN and GGSN, and works based on GTP.
 Gs interfaces
 Via Gs interface , SGSN together with MSC realizes the
function of GMM including united Attach & Detach, upgr
ading of united router area & location area. SGSN will al
so receive CS paging info from MSC and transmit to MS
through PCU..
Major GPRS Interfaces
 Gr interface
 The interface between the SGSN and the HLR. It uses the MAP+ p
rotocol borne on SS7. Through it interface, the SGSN obtains MS d
ata from the HLR. The HLR stores GPRS user data and routing inf
ormation. When routing area is updated among SGSNs, the SGSN
updates the related location information on the HLR. When data is
changed on the HLR, the HLR informs the SGSN to handle accordi
ngly. .
 Gp interface
 The interface between GPRS networks. It is used between SGSNs
in different PLMNs. It adopts the same protocol with the Gn interfac
e except that Border Gateway (BG) and firewall are added. The BG
provides the border gateway routing protocol to implement the com
munication between GPRS support nodes in different PLMNs.
GPRS Data Transferring Platform

Appli- Appli-
cation Relay cation

IP IP
Relay

SNDCP SNDCP GTP GTP

IP IP
UDP/ UDP/
LLC LLC
Relay TCP TCP

RLC RLC BSSGP BSSGP IP IP

Network Network
MAC MAC Service Service L2 L2 L2 L2
L1
GSM RF GSM RF
L1 L1 L1

MS Um BSS SGSN GGSN ISP

Gb Gn Gi
GPRS Data Transferring Platform
 Physical layer
 It’s categorized into radio frequency layer and physical
layer
 Protocol of L1bis, L1, L2
 There are no fixed regulations on that. Different
manufacturers may have different solutions.
 RLC/MAC
 RLC provides reliable RL for upper service and MAC is
responsible for channel positioning and reuse. RLC and
MAC constitute OSI layer protocol with Um interface,
and use service provided by physical link layer.
GPRS Data Transferring Platform
 NS
 NS realizes transferring function based on BSSGP which lays on th
e basis of flame layer connection between BSS and SGSN and pa
sses through switch nodes of frame layer.
 BSSGP
 In DL, SGSN provides BSS with radio information to realize RLC&
MAC function; In UL, BSS provides SGSN with radio information g
otten from RLC&MAC. BSSGP enables function of BSS and SGS
N management. This layer transmits router and Qos information b
etween BSS and SGSN without error correction function.
 Relay
 Relay in BSS is relay LLC PDU between Um and Gb while Relay in
SGSN is to relay PDP PDU between Gb and Gn.
GPRS Data Transferring Platform
 LLC
 LLC is reliable and protective logical link between MS
and SGSN and is dependent of lower layer radio
interface protocol. It has two transferring mode:
acknowledgement and non-acknowledgement.

 SNDCP
 It’s network protocol which is responsible for mapping,
compression, subsection, sequence and reuse. Main
function include reuse multiple PDP, compress or
decompress user data and protocol control information,
partition N-PDU into LL-PDU or encapsulate reversely.
GPRS Data Transferring Platform
 GTP
 This protocol encourages data and signaling transferring between
supporting nodes of GPRS key network. PTP PDU PD should be
encapsulated with GTP.
 UDP/TCP
 They belongs to transmit layer protocol , providing end-to-end
reliable link. TCP (connection protocol) provides with flow
protection and control function and guarantee the correctness of
data transferring while UDP (non-connection) is just the transceiver
of datagram without error correcting capability and not caring about
whether the datagram has been correctly received.
 IP
 GPRS backbone network protocol is used for router selection and
signaling control. GPRS backbone network preliminarily use IP V4,
later will use IP V6.
GPRS Signaling Platform
GMM/SM GMM/SM MAP MAP
BSSAP+ BSSAP+
LLC LLC TCAP TCAP
SCCP SCCP
Relay SCCP SCCP
RLC RLC BSSGP BSSGP MTP3 MTP3
MTP3 MTP3
MTP2 MTP2
MAC MAC Network Network MTP2 MTP2
Service Service L1 L1
L1 L1
GSM RF GSM RF L1bis L1bis Gs
Gr/Gf/Gd SGSN MSC/VLR
Um Gb SGSN HLR
MS BSS SGSN
MS-SGSN SGSN-HLR/EIR/SMS SGSN-MSC/VLR

Interworking
MAP MAP MAP MAP
GTP GTP
TCAP TCAP GTP GTP
UDP UDP TCAP TCAP
SCCP SCCP
IP IP UDP UDP SCCP SCCP
MTP3 MTP3
L2 L2 IP IP MTP3 MTP3
MTP2 MTP2
L1 L1 L2 L2 MTP2 MTP2
L1 L1
Gn L1 L1 L1 L1
GSN GSN Gc
GGSN HLR Gn Gc
GGSN GSN HLR

GSN-GSN
Contents

 GPRS Network Overview

 GPRS Network Structure
 GPRS Frame Structure and Radio Channels
 GPRS Key Technologies
 EDGE Technologies
 Process of Evolution from GPRS to 3G
GPRS Frame Structure

52 TDMA Frames

B0 B1 B2 T B3 B4 B5 I B6 B7 B8 T B9 B10 B11 I

RLC Block T = Frame used for PTCCH,

I= Idle frame
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
B0 - B11 = Radio blocks

TDMA frame

Except PRACH and PTCCH/U, the unit of logical channels is Block with the oc
cupancy sequence is B0, B6, B3, B9, B1, B7, B4, B10, B2, B8, B5, B11.
52 Multiframe Description
 PDCH frame organization
 One 52 multi-frame includes 12 radio blocks
 In circuit domain, one TDMA frame is divided into 8 TSL
 TSL assigned to GPRS is PDCH
 Multiple TSL can constitute one PDCH group, each
including 8 TSL at most.
 Basic unit of radio resource allocation and radio
transferring is BLOCK.
 One BLOCK includes 4 TDMA frame which is the
smallest unit of user occupancy.
 Surplus 4 burst is used for measuring and reporting TA
 Multiple users scramble for these blocks, in this way the
goal of packet share is achieved.
GPRS Physical Channels
 GPRS inherits GSM’s frequency band use mode and wirel
ess transmission mode.
 GPRS system divides a carrier into eight timeslots as in G
SM, which constitute eight basic time division channels. Th
erefore, a physical channel can be uniquely determined by
a TDMA frame sequence, a timeslot No. (module 8), and a
definite hopping sequence.
 Some physical channels in a GSM cell supporting GPRS m
ay transfer voice, and other physical channels may transfer
GPRS packet data. In addition, some GPRS signaling flow
s, such as packet system message broadcasting, packet a
ccess and resource allocation, are conducted on CS chann
els.
GPRS Logical Channel Type

CS
PDTCH/CS1
PDTCH/CS2
Traffic CH
PDTCH/CS3
Logical CH
PDTCH/CS4

PS
PBCCH
PRACH
PAGCH
PCCCH
·Control CH PPCH
PNCH
PACCH
PDCCH PTCCH/D
PTCCH/U
GPRS Logical Channel Type
 Packet Common Control Channel (PCCCH)
 Include PPCH, PRACH, PAGCH, PNCH
 Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH)
 PBCCH broadcasts packet data system messages. Parameters ca
rried in these messages determine channels mapping on multifram
es.
 Packet dedicated control channel
 Include PACCH, PTCCH/U, PTCCH/D
 Packet transport channel
 PDTCH bears subscriber data in packet switching mode. MS uses
PDTCH/U to send packet data to the network and uses PDTCH/D t
o receive packet data from network.
Packet Logical Channel Combining mode
 Combination of logical channels
 Mode 1 ： PBCCH ＋ PCCCH ＋ PDTCH ＋ PACCH ＋ PTCCH
 Mode 2 ： PCCCH ＋ PDTCH ＋ PACCH ＋ PTCCH
 Mode 3 ： PDTCH ＋ PACCH ＋ PTCCH
 PCCCH = PPCH + PRACH + PAGCH + PNCH
 Service Volume
 When GPRS traffic is not intense, GPRS and circuit traffic generall
y share BCCH and CCCH in cells. In this case, mode 3 is needed.
 With the accumulation of traffic
 Packet common channel is needed to be configured in the cell. Ch
annel combination is either mode 1 or mode 2.
MS Multi-slot Class
 Concept of MS multi-slot class
 Element: maximum receiving TSL number (DL TS), maximum tran
smission TSL number (UL TS), and maximum TSL number
 Definition ： level 1-33. multi-slot class get boosted as level mou
nts
 Factors affecting MS multi-slot class
 Whether transmit and receive can be done simultaneously
 Time for MS to make adjacent measurement, transceiver transmiss
ion and reception preparation
 Frequency hopping affecting time range
 Target market thinning
 BSS should make best resource allocation according to M
S multi-slot class, Qos requested and current resource allo
cation condition.
MS Mobile Capability Classes
 Class A
 Can attach GPRS network and GSM network
simultaneously and PS and CS traffic can be conducted
simultaneously.
 Class B
 Can attach GPRS network and GSM network
simultaneously and PS and CS traffic can be conducted
simultaneously.
 Class C
 Can’t attach GPRS network and GSM network
simultaneously. Select either PS traffic or CS traffic to
conduct and unselected traffic is in disconnected state.
Contents

 GPRS Network Overview

 GPRS Network Structure
 GPRS Frame Structure and Radio Channels
 GPRS Key Technologies
 EDGE Technologies
 Process of Evolution from GPRS to 3G
GPRS Key Technologies
 GPRS has the following key technologies:
 QoS implementation
 Radio block structure
 Channel coding, channel allocation, package transmissi
on
 Flow control
 Cell selection and reselection
QoS Implementation
 GPRS provides subscribers five negotiable QoS attributes:
 Peak throughput class
 Mean throughput class
 Reliability class
 Delay class
 Precedence class
 Each attribute consists of multiple level options, and combi
nation of attributes of different levels constitutes the suppor
t of various applications requiring different QoS. GPRS sta
ndard defines many QoS combinations. GPRS only suppor
ts some QoS configuration currently.
Radio Block Structure
Channel Coding
RLC / MAC layer RLC / MAC header RLC Data BCS
Radio block
Convolutional coding

Puncturing

456 bits

Physical layer
4 bursts

Coding scheme Code rate Radio block excl. BCS BCS Tail Coded bits Punctured bits Bit rate
CS-1 1/2 184 40 4 456 0 9.05 kbit/s
CS-2 ~ 2/3 274 16 4 588 132 13,4 kbit/s
CS-3 ~ 3/4 318 16 4 676 220 15,6 kbit/s
CS-4 1 440 16 - 456 0 21,4 kbit/s
Channel Coding
 GPRS defines four channel coding mode from CS-1 to CS-
4
 Data rate is 9.05 Kbps, 13.4 Kbps, 15.6 Kbps ， 21.4 Kbps accordi
ngly.
 Channel coding of CS-1 is the same with that of SDCCH. C/I of C
S-1 and CS-2 is the same with that of voice service with the covera
ge of 90 ％－ 100 ％； C/I of CS-3 is higher ； C/I of CS-4 is much
higher and favorable radio environment are required.
 Network will adjust channel coding mode based on real-tim
e monitoring of radio transmission
 Different TSL can select different channel coding mode
 When the quality radio transmission is good, it’s necessary to use
more efficient coding mode.
PDTCH Allocation
 Concepts
 USF
 Control different MS to reuse Blocks on PDCH UL. USF is used in
dynamic and extensible media access mode. On PCCCH, one US
F is used to mark PRACH(USF equals to idle) , the remaining is left
to 7 MS. (USF = R1/R2 … R7 ）
 TBF
 TBF is physical link used by RR identity to transmit LLC PDU unidir
ectionally on PDCH. It’s RR allocated on one or more PDCH on w
hich RLC & MAC blocks carrying one or more LLC PDU are transm
itted.
 TFI
 Each TBF is assigned one TFI, and it’s possible to use one TFI in d
ifferent directions. TFI assignment before LLC frame transmission.
RLC & MAC related to one specified TBF must include one TFI.
PDTCH Assignment
 GPRS and GSM share the same air interface cha
nnel
 Three modes of RR assignment are:
 static assignment
 dynamic assignment
 extend dynamic assignment mode
PDTCH Assignment

GPRS
user 2
GPRS GPRS GPRS GPRS
user 1 user 3 user 5 user 6

GPRS
Speech user 4 Speech Speech
call 1 Idle call 2 call 3

TS0 TS1 TS2 TS3 TS4 TS5 TS6 TS7

CS PS PS PS CS CS PS CS
PDTCH Assignment

7 P2 P1 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3 P3
6 P2 P1 P3 P4 P4 P5 C8 C8 C8
5 P1 P1 P1 P4 P4 P5 C9 C9 C9
4 P1 P1 P1 P1 P5 P5 P5 P5 P5
3 C4 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 C10 C10
2 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3 C3
1 C2 C2 C2 C6 C6 C6 C6 C6 P1
0 C1 C1 C5 C5 C5 P5 C7 C7 C7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Time

P : packet channel C: voice channel

PDTCH Assignment
 Reason to use static PDCH
 Ensure that GPRS MS in the cell is on line
 Ensure QoS of GPRS service
 Reason to use dynamic PDCH
 GPRS and GSM share radio resource
 consider the best utility of radio resource with voice
traffic as the top priority
 The ratio of PS traffic and Cs traffic in one cell always
changes
 Dynamic PDCH is unusable
Packet Data Transmission

25

Typical urban area with moving speed at 3 kil per hour

20

15 CS1
CS2
CS3
10 CS4

0
0 4 8 12 16 20 24

C/I(dB)
Packet Data Transmission

B0 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11

B0 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11

B0 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11

MS1 MS2 MS3

 One PDCH can be used by multiple MS While one MS can use multip
le PDCHs.
Packet Data Transmission
IP
N-PDU

SNDCP SN-DATA PDUs

LLC
LLC Frames
RLC
RLC Blocks
MAC RLC/MAC Blocks

GSM RF TDMA Bursts

 Each IP package can be divided into blocks on one or more SNDCP layer.
 each SNDCP PDU is mapped to one LLC layer.
 LLC Frame shall be transferred into many RLC Block.
 RLC Block together with MAC header are sent into air by 4 bursts.
Packet Data Transmission

RLC Blocks

RLC/MAC Blocks

TDMA Bursts

0 7 0 7 0 7 0 7

TDMA frame = 4.615 ms

= BURST PERIOD

4 x TDMA Frames = 4 Bursts = 1RLC block ~ 20 ms

Flow Control
 It controls the QoS delay queue load between
SGSN and BSS to optimize the use of buffer area.
 SSGP layer PCU manages two buffers
 MS buffer
 BSSGP Virtual Connection (BVC) buffer
 SGSN can perform flow control on specific MS
and cell. PCU sends SGSN a Flow Control
BVC/MS message containing flow control
parameter. Thus, SGSN knows how to control
throughput to PCU and adjusts BSSGP UNITDATA
PDU flow cached from SGSN to PCU.
Flow Control

 BSSGP layer buffer

Cell Selection and Reselection
 GPRS Cell selection and reselection are independent from
GSM.
 Cell selection
 MS searches 124 RF channels, reads strength of signal received o
n each RF channel, and calculates average level.
 Then, the MS tunes to carrier with maximum incoming level. If it ca
n correctly decode BCCH data, it goes to next step. Otherwise, it tu
nes to next most signification carrier till it finds the cell available.
 The MS listens to system messages type 1 to type 4 and SI13 (in c
ase of GPRS cell) on BCCH of that cell, and decodes all informatio
n.
 Cell reselection
 GPRS network or MS controls cell reselection process.
 Network-controlled cell reselection module consists of two layers:
BRP and Pn.
Cell Reselection Process
Contents

 GPRS Network Overview

 GPRS Network Structure
 GPRS Frame Structure and Radio Channels
 GPRS Key Technologies
 EDGE Technologies
 Process of Evolution from GPRS to 3G
EDGE Definition
EDGE = Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution
 Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) includes
Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS) and
Enhanced Circuit Switched Data (ECSD). EDGE is a method
used to improve the data transmission rate during GSM radio
connection.
 Essentially, EDGE is only a new modulating and channel
encoding technology, which can be used to transmit Packet
switching (PS) and Circuit Switching (CS) data/voice.
 As an evolved GPRS-to-UMTS solution, EDGE enables the
network operator to use current radio network equipments to
the maximum extent.
EDGE Features
 Access service
 The bandwidth is increased greatly. The peak transmission rate of
mobile data service is up to 384 kbps.
 It provides more precise network-layer positioning service.
 Network establishment
 As a modulating and encoding technology, EDGE changes the tran
smission rate at the air interface.
 EDGE’s air interface features, including the air channel allocation
mode and TDMA frame structure, are the same as those of GSM.
 EDGE does not change the architecture of GSM network or GPRS
network, and does not have new NEs. It only updates BSS
EDGE Specifications
 The EDGE standardization involves the following three
aspects:
 Standardizes the relevant change in physical layer (the definition of
modulation and coding method
 Standardizes the change in ECSD protocol
 Standardize the change in EGPRS protocol
 Two jobs are done in the above aspects:
 EDGE NSS, which is related to the change in network subsystem
 EDGE BSS, which is related to the change in base station
subsystem
 EDGE is realized in two phases:
 Phase 1: provides the single/multiple-timeslot packet switching
service with a rate of less than 64 kbps and the single/multiple-
timeslot circuit switching service.
 Phase 2: provides real-time services not included in phase 1 and
adopts the new modulating technology.
Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS (Modulation Mod
e)
 GPRS adopts GMSK as its modulation mode.
 EDGE adopts 8-PSK as its modulation mode.

GMSK modulation 8PSK modulation

Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS (Modulation Mod
e)

Performance 8-PSK GMSK

Symbol rate 270.833 ksym/s 270.833 ksym/s

Number of bits per
3bit/symbol 1bit/symbol
symbol
Valid payload per pulse 342bit 114bit

Total rate per timeslot 68.4kbps 22.8kbps

User data rate at RLC

59.2 kbps 20 kbps
layer in each timeslot

GMSK vs. 8-PSK

Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS
(Radio Block Structure)

GPRS Radio Block Structure

RLC/MA HCS RLC DATA BCS RLC DATA BCS

C header

EGPRS Radio Block Structure

Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS
(Radio Block Structure)
 The radio blocks of GPRS and EGPRS are interleaved by four burst pulses an
d the time length is 20 ms. The structures of the radio blocks transferring contr
ol messages are the same, but those of the radio blocks transferring data block
s are different.
 In GPRS, a radio data block is composed of one MAC header, one RLC header, one
RLC data block.
 In EGPRS, the radio block transmitting data is composed of one MAC/RLC header,
one or two RLC data blocks.
 Compared with GPRS, EGPRS radio data block has the following features:
 Provides single-slot and multi-slot packet-switched services and circuit-switched ser
vices with the rate below 64 kbps.
 The data part can be one or two blocks, which is specified in the block header.
 The RLC header and MAC header are combined into one.
 Compared with GPRS, the following fields are added to the EGPRS block hea
d：
 Coding and Puncturing Scheme Indication (CPS): indicates the coding scheme and
deleting scheme of the data part.
 Split Block Indicator (SPB): This field is used only in header type 3. It indicates whet
her the user data block is retransmitted using two block re-segmentation.
Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS
(Channel Coding)

 The 9 EGPRS codin

g schemes are divide
d into 3 families acco
rding to PAYLOAD,
 Family A ： 37 （ 34 ） o
ctets
 Family B ： 28 octets
 Family C ： 22 octets
 Different modulation
modes:
 8PSK （ MCS9-MCS5 ）
 GMSK （ MCS1-MCS4 ）
Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS
(Channel Coding)
EDGE

8.8 MCS-1
11.2 MCS-2
GMSK
14.8 MCS-3
17.6 MCS-4
22.4 MCS-5
29.6 MCS-6
8-PSK 44.8 MCS-7
54.4 MCS-8
59.2 MCS-9

GPRS

8 8.8 CS-1 overhead + protection

12 12.8 CS-2 payload of user
GMSK
14.4 15.2 CS-3
20 20.8 CS-4

EDGE VS GPRS
Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS
(Link Quality Control)
 Disadvantage of GPRS retransmission: low efficie
ncy
 Two retransmission modes are added to EGPRS:
 Segmentation and Reassembly (Link Adaptation)
 Incremental Redundancy (IR)
Segmentation and Reassembly
(Link Adaptation)
 EGPRS allows re-segmentation, which implies that packets
with less bit error protection are used in priority. When
required by new radio environment, packets can be re-
transmitted by using more bit error protection algorithms.
 The reason why the EDGE can adopt the segmentation and
re-assembly mode is that it introduces Family to the nine
coding schemes. They belong to the same Family. The
packet data carried by each radio block have a relation of
integral multiple.
 Segmentation and reassembly is based on link quality
measurement (LQM). The BSS implements downlink LQM
and the MS implements uplink LQM. The LQM provides the
-C/I and C/N, which represents the radio environment
quality. Based on this, MSC self-adaptation is triggered.
Incremental Redundancy (IR)
 IR avoids the problem of rate and accuracy involved in feedback contr
ol system, for example, LA.
 The IR does not need to evolve to optimized coding scheme. It uses th
e same coding scheme all along, enabling the receiver to synthesize th
e information for convenience of successful radio block decoding.
 Coding Process
 Perform 1/3 convolutional coding of valid payload, and during this step, 2/3
pre-defined guard codes are added.
 The next step is puncturing, i.e., delete guard codes from the convolutional
codes. Different puncturing methods result in different code groups. Differe
nt code groups carry the same valid payload but different redundant inform
ation.
 The receive end reserves the code streaming that has not been decoded,
so as to decode the code streaming with the retransmitted code streaming
together in a combination way. In this way, the redundant code streaming i
n two different code groups supplements each other, which thus improves t
he probability of successful decoding.
Advantages of EGPRS over GPRS
(Dynamic Window Size)
 In GPRS with four-burst radio data blocks (20ms), the RLC window siz
e of 64 is defined. With the high coding schemes of EDGE, MCS-7 to
MCS-9, there are two RLC blocks per 20 ms radio block, which makes
the RLC window size 4 too small and RLC protocol subject to stalling.
Therefore, the EDGE enlarges the RLC window and defines a compre
ssion method for the acknowledgement bitmap of the RLC data blocks.
 That the window size can change with the multi-slot capability is anoth
er improvement from EGRPS to GPRS .As the system relay is compar
atively fixed, MSs with higher multi-slot capacity are prone to encounte
r stale window. In GPRS, the window size is fixed, and thus this proble
m often occurs. The EGPRS brings a more complicated coding/decodi
ng process, which increases the system delay. Therefore, a changeabl
e window size with the multi-slot capacity is a must.
Contents

 GPRS Network Overview

 GPRS Network Structure
 GPRS Frame Structure and Radio Channels
 GPRS Key Technologies
 EDGE Technologies
 Evolution from GPRS to 3G
GPRS Evolution
 According to tradition, GSM-GPRS-EDGE-WCDM
A is the right path from GSM to 3G. But in GSA ca
se, EDGE parallels WCDMA. i.e the roll of EDGE
changes in evolution from one stop to the destinati
on. According to the definition of 3G set by ITU, 38
4kbps is the criterion of 3G. Theoretically EDGE ra
te reaches 473.6kbps, So for small or middle size
d operators without 3G license, EDGE is their dest
ination.
GPRS Evolution