General packet radio service
(also GPRS)
General packet radio service definition
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a mobile communication standard used for transmitting data over cellular networks. It represents an evolution from circuit-switched data communication to a more efficient packet-switched model, primarily used in 2G and 2.5G cellular systems. GPRS works by breaking down data into packets and sending them separately over the cellular network. These packets use multiple channels, making data transmission faster. Once they reach their destination, packets are reassembled into the original data format.
See also: GPS jamming
History of GPRS
GPRS was introduced in the late 1990s as part of the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) standard. It was a significant step forward from the slower, circuit-switched data transmission methods previously used in mobile networks. GPRS paved the way for the mobile internet, MMS, and other data-centric services on mobile devices. General Packet Radio Service was a foundational technology that bridged the gap between traditional voice-centric cellular networks and the modern data-driven mobile internet. Today it is largely superseded by faster 4G and 5G technologies, but GPRS was instrumental in the early days of mobile data, enabling many of the services and functionalities we take for granted today.