Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution

Introduction:

Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) (also known as Enhanced GPRS
(EGPRS), or IMT Single Carrier (IMT-SC), or Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution)
is a digital mobile phone technology that allows improved data transmission rates as a backward-
compatible extension of GSM. EDGE is considered a pre-3G radio technology and is part of
ITU's 3G definition.[1] EDGE was deployed on GSM networks EDGE is standardized by 3GPP
as part of the GSM family.

Through the introduction of sophisticated methods of coding and transmitting data, EDGE
delivers higher bit-rates per radio channel, resulting in a threefold increase in capacity and
performance compared with an ordinary GSM/GPRS connection.

EDGE can be used for any packet switched application, such as an Internet connection.

Evolved EDGE continues in Release 7 of the 3GPP standard providing reduced latency and more
than doubled performance e.g. to complement High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA). Peak bit-rates
of up to 1Mbit/s and typical bit-rates of 400kbit/s can be expected.

EDGE is most talked about technology in mobile communication technologies in recent times
and it turn out to be the evolution of most widely used GSM technology. EDGE technology
facilitates better data transmission rates with improved spectrum efficiency and the best part of
EDGE is capability of supporting new applications and improved mobile communication
capabilities. EDGE can also be known as extended version of GPRS therefore it is also called
EGPRS.

EDGE is way to achieve better data rates on GSM networks. EGDE is add on to GPRS network
and can not work stand alone. It works with new modulation techniques and new channel coding
that is used for both Packet switch and circuit switch voice and data networks. Higher throughput
and data rates can be achieved by adding new modulation and coding channels to already
installed GPRS system
Technology
EDGE/EGPRS is implemented as a bolt-on enhancement for 2.5G GSM/GPRS networks, making
it easier for existing GSM carriers to upgrade to it. EDGE is a superset to GPRS and can function
on any network with GPRS deployed on it, provided the carrier implements the necessary
upgrade.

EDGE requires no hardware or software changes to be made in GSM core networks. EDGE-
compatible transceiver units must be installed and the base station subsystem needs to be
upgraded to support EDGE. If the operator already has this in place, which is often the case today,
the network can be upgraded to EDGE by activating an optional software feature. Today

EDGE is supported by all major chip vendors for both GSM and WCDMA/HSPA.

EDGE is enhanced technology for 2G, 2.5 generation systems, GSM and GPRS networks. It
makes deployment of EDGE technology that much easier for mobile companies. It does not
require any up gradation in hardware, software or any changes in GSM network. EDGE
supported transceiver are required to be installed, base station system are also required to be
upgrade to support EDGE. But this is only required when mobile carriers are operating on older
GSM version hardware, which is not the case with most of the operators around the world, there
for EDGE can be enabled by activation of optional feature of GSM software. About 90% of
mobile operator companies support EDGE through out the world.

EDGE and GRPS technologies have similarities in it, these two technologies have same symbol
rate, although modulation bit rates are different. EDGE technology can deliver three times faster
bit rate ratio comparing to GPRS in given time, this is how EDGE transmit at better rate. GPRS
can transfer data at rates of 115 kbps theoretically and up to 160 kbps on physical layer, where as
EDGE/EGRPS can transfer up to 384 kbps on physical layer and 473.6 kbps theoretically. Latest
modulation and error tolerant transmission methodologies with help of mechanism of improved
link adaption have made rates of EGPRS/EDGE possible. This has enabled improved spectrum
efficiency and usability of modern applications like Wireless internet, emailing, file transferring
and video calling.

Transmission techniques
In addition to Gaussian minimum-shift keying (GMSK), EDGE uses higher-order PSK/8 phase
shift keying (8PSK) for the upper five of its nine modulation and coding schemes. EDGE
produces a 3-bit word for every change in carrier phase. This effectively triples the gross data
rate offered by GSM. EDGE, like GPRS, uses a rate adaptation algorithm that adapts the
modulation and coding scheme (MCS) according to the quality of the radio channel, and thus the
bit rate and robustness of data transmission. It introduces a new technology not found in GPRS,
Incremental Redundancy, which, instead of retransmitting disturbed packets, sends more
redundancy information to be combined in the receiver. This increases the probability of correct
decoding.

EDGE can carry a bandwidth up to 236.8 kbit/s (with end-to-end latency of less than 150 ms) for
4 timeslots (theoretical maximum is 473.6 kbit/s for 8 timeslots) in packet mode. This means it
can handle four times as much traffic as standard GPRS. EDGE meets the International
Telecommunications Union's requirement for a 3G network, and has been accepted by the ITU
as part of the IMT-2000 family of 3G standards. It also enhances the circuit data mode called
HSCSD, increasing the data rate of this service. EDGE is part of ITU's 3G definition and is
considered a 3G radio technology.[1]

EDGE modulation and coding scheme (MCS)

EDGE is four times as efficient as GPRS. GPRS uses four coding schemes (CS-1 to 4) while
EDGE uses nine Modulation and Coding Schemes (MCS-1 to 9).

Coding and modulation Bit Rate

Modulation
scheme (MCS) (kbit/s/slot)
MCS-1 8.80 GMSK
MCS-2 11.2 GMSK
MCS-3 14.8 GMSK
MCS-4 17.6 GMSK
MCS-5 22.4 8-PSK
MCS-6 29.6 8-PSK
MCS-7 44.8 8-PSK
MCS-8 54.4 8-PSK
MCS-9 59.2 8-PSK

Evolved EDGE
Evolved EDGE improves on EDGE in a number of ways. Latencies are reduced by lowering the
Transmission Time Interval by half (from 20 ms to 10 ms). Bit rates are increased up to 1 MBit/s
peak bandwidth and latencies down to 80 ms using dual carriers, higher symbol rate and higher-
order modulation (32QAM and 16QAM instead of 8-PSK), and turbo codes to improve error
correction. And finally signal quality is improved using dual antennas improving average bit-
rates and spectrum efficiency. EDGE Evolution can be gradually introduced as software
upgrades, taking advantage of the installed base. With EDGE Evolution, end-users will be able
to experience mobile internet connections corresponding to a 500 kbit/s ADSL service.[3]

EDGE/EGPRS modulation and coding scheme (MCS)

EDGE is three to four times better and efficient then GPRS technology. GPRS acquires four
coding schemes while EDGE posses nine Modulation and Coding Schemes.

Speed
Coding and modulation Modulation
(kbit/s/slot)
scheme (MCS)
MCS-1 8.80 GMSK
MCS-2 11.2 GMSK
MCS-3 14.8 GMSK
MCS-4 17.6 GMSK
MCS-5 22.4 8-PSK
MCS-6 29.6 8-PSK
MCS-7 44.8 8-PSK
MCS-8 54.4 8-PSK
MCS-9 59.2 8-PSK

EDGE Evolution Technology

Now there is improved EDGE technology also available and that is EDGE Evolution. It is
improved form of EDGE in many ways. By lowering transmission time interval by 50% that is
from 20 ms to 10 ms hence manages to reduce latencies. With the help of dual carriers and
reduced latency rate down to 800 ms, higher bit rates are achieved which is up to 1Mbits.
Improve error correction is achieved by higher symbol rate, higher order modulation (32Qam
and 16QAM rather them 8-PSK) and turbo codes. Dual antennas are used to improve signal
quality and bit rate spectrum efficiency. EDGE Evolution will take some time to be deployed as
software upgrades, it will work with already installed base stations, and any hardware updates
will not be required. EDGE Evolution will provide mobile users mobile internet connections as
good as DSL and speed up to 500Kbits.

1.

2.

3.
 4. Advantages of EDGE

• The good and practical aspect of implementing Edge technology is its adaptability to the
existing system like GPRS, HSCSD (high speed circuit switched data) and specifications;
it does not require new systems to be developed for deploying it.

• EDGE/EGPRS can be operated on existing frequency spectrum that is 800MHz, 1800

MHz and 1900 MHz.

• EGPRS/EDGE is cost effective when it comes installing it on the network, it requires

small units of improvement and enhancements on existing network.

• The most obvious advantage of EDGE is it provides thrice as better speed as GPRS does.

• It Improve performance of existing applications and room for new applications like video
• calls on mobile etc.

Difference Between Edge and GPRS

1. EDGE stands for Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution whereas GPRS stands for General
Packet Radio Service.
2. EDGE is a digital mobile phone technology but GPRS is a mobile data service.
3. EDGE allows existing TDMA and GSM carriers to provide 3G services whereas GPRS allows
both 2G and 3G communication systems.

1. Edge application services significantly decrease the data volume that must be moved, the
consequent traffic, and the distance the data must go, thereby reducing transmission
costs, shrinking latency, and improving quality of service (QoS).
2. Edge computing eliminates, or at least de-emphasizes, the core computing environment,
limiting or removing a major bottleneck and a potential point of failure.
3. Security is also improved as encrypted data moves further in, toward the network core.
As it approaches the enterprise, the data is checked as it passes through protected
firewalls and other security points, where viruses, compromised data, and active hackers
can be caught early on.
4. Finally, the ability to "virtualize" (i.e., logically group CPU capabilities on an as-needed,
real-time basis) extends scalability. The Edge computing market is generally based on a
"charge for network services" model, and it could be argued that typical customers for
Edge services are organizations desiring linear scale of business application performance
to the growth of, e.g., a subscriber base.