Cable & Wireless Optus today launched Australia's first commercial General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) announcing it is taking orders to deliver faster mobile data to business customers.
GPRS is a network technology that gives mobile users faster data speeds. GPRS is a packet switched technology that breaks information into discrete packets for more efficient transmission.
Paul O'Sullivan, Managing Director Mobile, Cable & Wireless Optus said that GPRS is set to revolutionise the way we do business by making the mobile office a reality.
"The faster data speeds provided by GPRS turns your mobile into a fast internet gateway. For the first time we can provide the functionality of a fixed line computer - away from a fixed line and away from a computer," he said.
"You can now access all the information that is available on your desktop computer when you are away from the office, using Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) on a mobile phone, using a laptop or a palm device," said Mr O'Sullivan.
"This means real time wireless access to corporate email, intranets, business diaries and calendars. This is boost for business users, improving their productivity, saving time and money."
"We have an operational GPRS network in Sydney and Melbourne and will switch on national coverage by the end of October.
"In addition we have alliances with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), IBM and Nokia. This allows us to integrate our customers' software systems to the mobile environment."
Optus will be offering its corporate customers GPRS handsets from Mitsubishi and Sagem which are capable of delivering data speeds of up to 40kb per second.
Louise Ingram
Cable & Wireless Optus
Phone: (02) 9342 5042
Backgrounder
What is GPRS?
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a network technology that gives mobile users faster data speeds. GPRS is a packet switched technology that breaks information into discrete packets for more efficient transmission.
GPRS is often referred to as second generation plus (2G+) technology as it is viewed as a precursor to the move toward third generation mobile technology.
While data services, such as short text messages and information services carried using WAP are already available to mobile users, faster data speeds are necessary to deliver more comprehensive services based on IP (Internet Protocol) to mobile phones or small handheld computers.
GPRS will bring data speeds over a mobile closer to those experienced by people using their computer to browse the Internet at home using a 56 kb/s modem. The typical speed of current data services over a mobile phone is 9.6 kb/s. GPRS speeds are expected to reach 40 kb/s and more with an appropriate handset.
GPRS enables users to stay continuously connected to the network. This 'always on' function eliminates long dial-up times. For example, GPRS helps deliver information provided on WAP services faster to the consumer.
Circuit Switched vs Packet Switched
GPRS data services use network capacity more efficiently than circuit switched data services. Currently, GSM data services are based on circuit switched connections. A circuit switched connection occupies a circuit for the length of the connection tying up the bandwidth.
A packet switched system, such as GPRS, uses the available bandwidth more efficiently by sending packets of data from multiple users across one circuit. It can do this because of the 'bursty' nature of data. Users tend to exchange pieces of data, or packets, intermittently. The rest of the time the circuit is idle.
For example, a user may download a webpage and then spend some time reading the page. Whilst the page is being read, there is no data being exchanged. During this idle period, the bandwidth can be used by other subscribers.
GPRS uses bandwidth more efficiently and when transmitting can transfer data faster than existing circuit switching data services. GPRS offers new levels of performance and flexibility to mobile data customers.