GPRS Tutorial P3

GPRS - Applications

GPRS has opened a wide range of unique services to the mobile wireless subscriber. Some of the characteristics that have opened a market full of enhanced value services to the users. Below are some of the characteristics:

• Mobility - The ability to maintain constant voice and data communications while on the move.
• Immediacy - Allows subscribers to obtain connectivity when needed, regardless of location and without a lengthy login session.
• Localization - Allows subscribers to obtain information relevant to their current location.

Using the above three characteristics varied possible applications are being developed to offer to the mobile subscribers. These applications, in general, can be divided into two high-level categories:

• Corporation
• Consumer

These two levels further include:

• Communications - E-mail, fax, unified messaging and intranet/internet access, etc.
• Value-added services - Information services and games, etc.
• E-commerce - Retail, ticket purchasing, banking and financial trading, etc.
• Location-based applications - Navigation, traffic conditions, airline/rail schedules and location finder, etc.
• Vertical applications - Freight delivery, fleet management and sales-force automation.
• Advertising - Advertising may be location sensitive. For example, a user entering a mall can receive advertisements specific to the stores in that mall.

Along with the above applications, non-voice services like SMS, MMS and voice calls are also possible with GPRS. Closed User Group (CUG) is a common term used after GPRS is in the market, in addition, it is planned to implement supplementary services, such as Call Forwarding Unconditional (CFU), and Call Forwarding on Mobile subscriber Not Reachable (CFNRc), and closed user group (CUG).