ISSN: 2277 – 9043 International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Electronics Engineering (IJARCSEE) Volume 1, Issue 9, November 2012 All Rights Reserved © 2012 IJARCSEE 111 Evolution of GSM Rupali Satpute, Abhishek Naik, Barish Pathak, Chirag Pipalia Electronics and Telecommunications department, K. J. Somaiya Institute of Engineering and Information Technology I. Abstract GSM is the most widely deployed 2 nd generation digital cellular standard, with over 2 billion subscribers in some 213 countries and adding about 1000 new users per minute! Originally developed in the 1980s, and first deployed in 1991, GSM is a TDMA+FDMA system, providing wide area voice communications using 200 KHz carriers. Subsequently, GSM evolved into a 2.5G standard with the introduction of packet data transmission technology (GPRS) and higher data rates via higher order modulation schemes (EDGE). More recently, GERAN standards organization has been evolving further to coexist with and provide comparable services to 3G technologies. In this paper, we provide an over view of evolution of GSM technology and also the framework of 4G technology that will provide access to wide range of telecommunication services, including advanced mobile services, supported by mobile and fixed networks, which are increasingly packet based, along with a support for low to high mobility applications and wide range of data rates, in accordance with service demands in multiuser environment. II. Introduction The last few years have witnessed a phenomenal growth in the wireless industry, both in terms of mobile technology and its subscribers. There has been a clear shift from fixed to mobile cellular telephony, especially since the turn of the century. By the end of 2010, there were over four times more mobile cellular subscriptions than fixed telephone lines. Both the mobile network operators and vendors have felt the importance of efficient networks with equally efficient design. This resulted in Network Planning and optimization related services coming in to sharp focus. With all the technological advances, and the simultaneous existence of the 2G, 2.5G and 3G networks, the impact of services on network efficiency have become even more critical. Many more designing scenarios have developed with not only 2G networks but also with the evolution of 2G to 2.5G or even to 3G networks. Along with this, inter-operability of the networks has to be considered. 1G refers to analog cellular technologies; it became available in the 1980s. 2G denotes initial digital systems, introducing services such as short messaging and lower speed data. CDMA2000 1xRTT and GSM are the primary 2G technologies, although CDMA2000 1xRTT is sometimes called a 3G technology because it meets the 144 kbps mobile throughput requirement. EDGE, however, also meets this requirement. 2G technologies became available in the 1990s. 3G requirements were specified by the ITU as part of the International Mobile Telephone 2000 IMT-2000) project, for which digital networks had to provide 144 kbps of throughput at mobile speeds, 384 kbps at pedestrian speeds, and 2 Mbps in indoor environments. UMTS-HSPA and CDMA2000 EV- DO are the primary 3G technologies, although recently WiMAX was also designated as an official 3G technology. 3G technologies began to be deployed last decade. The ITU has recently issued requirements for IMT-Advanced, which constitutes the official definition of 4G. Requirements include operation in up-to-40 MHz radio channels and extremely high spectral efficiency. The ITU recommends operation in upto- 100 MHz radio channels and peak spectral efficiency of 15 bps/Hz, resulting in a theoretical throughput rate of 1.5 Gbps. Previous to the publication of the requirements, 1 Gbps was frequently cited as a 4G goal. No available technology meets these requirements yet. It will require new technologies such as LTE- advanced (with work already underway) and IEEE 802.16m. Some have tried to label current versions of WiMAX