EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) – data technology networking standard GSM. This technology has come in addition to the technology GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), but rather has its development. GPRS – this is the first data transmission technology with packet switching, that is, packet traffic is separated in the base station controller ( BSC ) from the voice and goes on a specially established for this packet switch SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node). GPRS supports a maximum data transfer rates up to 171 kbit/s. In fact, technology GPRS provides data rates of about 50-60 kb/s. This bandwidth is sufficient to load simple web pages or small files up to 1 MB. But not to worry about the size of the visited web pages or look for special sites prepared for the mobile data transfer rate required 100-200 kbit/s, i.e. needs a new transmission technology with data rates of at least two, if not three times higher. The solution to this problem is to offer technology EDGE. Development of this technology began in the late 90′s of the last century, but in 2003 the U.S. launched the first network technology EDGE.
EDGE – a technology for data transmission, which allows us to provide data rates up to 384 kbit/s. In this case, the network does not introduce new elements; the entire infrastructure is the same, except for the upgrade of some of its elements. To emphasize the fact that the differences between EDGE and GPRS are insignificant this technology is called EGPRS (Enhanced GPRS) – superior, advanced GPRS. Due to what turned out to achieve such a quantum leap? In the first place, it is promoted by a new method of signal modulation on the radio interface between a mobile station (MS) and base station (BTS). This is called an eight-phase shift keying (8-PSK). The main difference is that with a single element in the radio signal is transmitted is not one as in the GPRS but three bits of information. Thanks to more effectively use the available radio resources – the most valuable of all resources in a cellular system.
The introduction of EDGE technology influences only the base station system (BSS), and more precisely on the base transceiver stations (BTS). Due to changing the mode of modulation transceivers undergo change, called TRXy. For the introduction of EDGE require complete replacement. Other elements including the base station controller (BSC) only require replacement of the software.
Mobile station (MS) due to the change of the form of modulation must also have GSM -modules that can handle it. Therefore, to support EDGE hardware MS should also be replaced. Terminals which are classified as EDGE and GPRS -terminal according to the concurrent operation of voice and data, as well as according to the highest possible speed in the packet data network EDGE. The latter parameter is determined by two components: a set of coding schemes that are supported by the terminal and the maximum number of timeslots in which MS can simultaneously send and receive data.
Thus, the EDGE technology makes it easy time and financial resources to significantly improve the quality of services, which makes this technology particularly attractive. This confirms the fact that over 90% of all operators who exploit GSM network standard, provide Internet access service technology EDGE.