What is the EDGE Technology ? | Difference Between EDGE and GPRS Technology

EDGE stands for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution. EDGE is the most talked-about technology in mobile communication technologies in recent times and turn out to be the evolution of the most widely used GSM technology.

EDGE facilitates better data transmission rates with improved spectrum efficiency and the best part is its capability of supporting new applications and improved mobile communication capabilities.

EDGE is a high-speed mobile data standard, intended to enable the second-generation global system for mobile communication (GSM) and time division multiple access (TDMA) networks to transmit data at up to 384 Kbps. Also known as GSM384. It does not require any up gradation in hardware, software, or any changes in the GSM network.

The deployment of EDGE technology is much easier for mobile companies.

Here is the main difference between EDGE and the GPRS technology revolution.

GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service, which means the transmission of the packet through the air, GPRS is also known as 2.5G technology and EDGE stands for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution, EDGE is also known as 2.75G technology
GPRS has four (4) kinds of Coding Schema, While EDGE has 9 Modulation and Coding Schema
GPRS Packet-based network, While EDGE is Circuit and Packet Switch network
In GPRS new components are GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node) and PCU (Packet Control Unit) for data service, whereas in EDGE same components are used as GPRS with a different modulation technique
In GPRS, Mobile Station (MS) and Base Station Subsystem (BSS) is not modified, while in EDGE Mobile Station (MS) and Base Station Subsystem (BSS) are modified to support high speed
GPRS has a speed of 64 – 144 Kbps (kilobits per second), While EDGE has a speed of 384 – 474kbps (kilobits per second)
Modulation Bit rate – 270 kbps (kilobits per second) for GPRS, While Modulation Bit rate – 810 kbps (kilobits per second)
Radio Data Rate per time slot – 22.8 kbps (kilobits per second) for GPRS, While in EDGE, Radio Data Rate per time slop – 69.2 kbps (kilobits per second)
GPRS Enhanced version of GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), While EDGE, Enhanced version of GPRS
GPRS, modulation technique -GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying), But in EDGE, modulation technique – 8 PSK (Phase Shift Keying)
In GPRS user data rate per time slot – is 20kbps (kilobits per second), In EDGE, the user data rate per time slot – is 59.2kbps (kilobits per second)
In GPRS, the Addressing number has a size of 64 bit and the window size is 1 to 128. In EDGE, the Addressing Number has a size of 2048 bit and window size is 1 to 1024 bit
Segmentation is not possible in GPRS, But in EDGE segmentation is possible
Multiple Access Technique is TDMA in GPRS, but in EDGE, Multiple Access Technique is TDMA and CDMA.

NB: 1 Kbps is equal to 1000 bits per second. For example, 40 kbps can transfer 40000 bits per second.

TDMA =Time Division Multiple Access is a channel access method for shared–medium networks.

CDMA= Code Division Multiple Access, the phone can transmit voice and data and the same time.

Four Coding Schema in GPRS is CS-1, CS-2, CS-3, and CS-4.

GPRS Packet

GPRS Packet means the transmission of packets through the air. This packet contains two kinds of data, the information stored in the packet is of two kinds, namely;