GSM

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is the world's most popular wireless phone technology. It's used by more than one billion people around the world.

At AT&T, we offer a nationwide GSM/GPRS footprint across 100 percent of our service area.

Benefits

GSM’s offers unparalleled global roaming capabilities, as well as the truest voice quality in wireless. Its easy-to-use data capabilities offer service up to the fastest wireless broadband service currently possible.

Prevalence

There are several technologies companies use to provide wireless services. While there may never be one standard technology worldwide, GSM is viewed as a global technology used by more than 600 carriers in 200 countries. Roaming agreements among these carriers allow GSM customers to use their phone when traveling in most countries around the world.

Levels of Service

GPRS

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is the first level of data service on GSM. This packet-based service utilizes the GSM Radio Access Network, combined with a core network dedicated to data. With average speeds of about 35 kbps, GPRS allows nationwide text and email service and basic WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) Internet browsing. GPRS is the service of choice for many text messaging PDAs, including Blackberry, Treo, and others.

EDGE

Further enhancements in data capability over the GSM network are provided with EDGE service (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution). With typical speeds of 75 to 135 kbps, advanced mobile services like video and music clips, full picture & video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the move are possible. EDGE is especially important to business users as it permits mobile access to corporate applications at speeds far in excess of dialup. True wireless broadband service is being deployed in both GSM and CDMA worlds, but AT&T’s existing nationwide offering of EDGE/Wi-Fi service makes corporate users truly mobile using either a wireless-enabled Windows Mobile device, or any of a host of other new devices.

UMTS

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Service) is the next level of service. It is the leading 3G technology choice today, offering potential worldwide coverage. Typical speeds of 220 to 320 kbps permit workgroup collaboration, vertical-specific devices (an x-ray viewer, for example), video and music on-demand, digital TV and radio, and services such as home or business security video monitoring.

HSDPA

Enhancement of UMTS with HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) moves GSM into the range of true broadband service. With typical speeds in the range of 400 to 700 kbps, and a burst mode of up to several megabits per second, it is the fastest available cellular broadband technology. This brings a mobile data experience that is essentially the same experience of a wired network in the home or office.

Additionally, unlike other wireless technologies, UMTS and HSDPA offer you the ability to make simultaneous voice and data calls. This flexibility lets you use the same phone to speak with someone while also accessing Internet information.