EDGE/EGPS Technology

Introduction to EDGE

For making the GSM (Global System for Mobiles) networks advance EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution) technology is utilized; the technology enhances the data capacity of GPRS up to three times. As a result the EDGE providers have capacity to address three times more subscribers as compared to GPRS while providing them three times faster data rate along with giving away more options of voice communications. The EDGE subscribers could access the upgraded mobile services on the go such as MMS (Multimedia Message Service), emails, high speed internet and downloading or uploading music and video clips. The technology is also known as single carrier or IMT-SC invented by Cingular also called AT&T.

We are living in the age of technological revolution where newer modes of communications are substituting the older ones. The GSM technology has standard efficiency corresponding to 2G and 2.5G. The need for faster and efficient communications has stirred the mobile phone technology; the EDGE technology has served as a milestone in enhancing data speed with respect to GSM cell phone users. The global leader of mobile phone technology is GSM where EDGE is a third generation (3G) technology.

The Structure of Edge
EDGE is the extension of GSM technology as the technology could not work without the GSM network. The symbol rate of both technologies is same. The modulation is a bit dissimilar as the EDGE technology provides three times faster data transmission rate.
The transceiver of EDGE technology needs nothing but the base station for installation; there is no expense of hardware or software for deploying EDGE technology. The structure of EDGE resembles to that of GSM network that enables it to be directly overlaid on the present structure of the GSM network; thus EDGE is also termed as backward compatible technology – the input generation of older devices. EDGE could be explained as a software up gradation for most f the existing GSM networks. Virtually speaking, all current GSM infrastructure installations are also EDGE configured due to the negligible cost of updating the GSM network, the high to mid level GSM networks come with EDGE radio technology.

The up gradation is enabled by the association of EDGE with 3G partnership projects thus making its performance better than 2G GSM with better data transmission and sophisticated coding that supports the system of packet switching.
What gives EDGE technology an edge over rest of the technologies is its capacity to employee both the packet circuit technology and the switch circuit technology. The EGPRS (Enhanced General Packet Radio Service) would be supported with the EDGE technology.

Advantages of EDGE Technology
The technology makes use of 8PSK for the upper five modulation layers. The three bit phase carrier triples the gross data rate: travelling swiftly over the network enables the adept data flow. The wireless and internet access points are easily accessible. Contrary to GSM network, the EDGE technology propagates short messages service (SMS) and MMS in a fast pace. The technology has augmented the number of internet and mobile phone subscribers. Facilities like internet browsing and videos surfing and downloading are aided and the GPRS and GSM users around the world could use same services in better pace.
EDGE technology has multiplied the users of mobiles phones as speedy internet access is in palm. The data transfer is accomplished in seconds; the GPRS technology takes 6 seconds in transferring a 40KB file where the file takes only 2 seconds on EDGE. The exploitation of EDGE technology is expenses-free. All GPRS and GSM users can make most of the technology with a single installation.

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.