Technology Platforms

Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) is a standard that embraces all areas of technology, resulting in global, seamless wireless services for its customers. It's all part of the Wireless Evolution and is achieved through the GSM family of wireless technology platforms. The unrivalled success of GSM 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.

Today's second-generation GSM networks deliver high quality and secure mobile voice and data services (such as Short Messaging Service SMS/Text Messaging) with full roaming capabilities across the world Networks enabled with General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) offer 'always-on', higher capacity, Internet-based content and packet-based data services. This enables services such as color Internet browsing, e-mail on the move, powerful visual communications, multimedia messages and location-based services.

Further enhancements in data capability over the core GSM network will be provided with the introduction of Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution - known as EDGE. This achievement delivers 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.

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, with regard to, 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 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. 3GSM has the potential to offer services such as high-speed data and video communications, voice calls, messages, photos, file downloads, music, news and video downloading/conferencing - all on a single, compact wireless device and with a single contact address/number. 3GSM services will also include concurrent usage of multiple services and bridge the gap between wireless and internet/computing.