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GSM Information

Quality

With digital, sound quality is sharp and clear. Background sounds and static are vastly reduced and crossed-line conversations are also eliminated. In comparison with analogue there are also far fewer dropouts, and overall the quality is more like that of a fixed telephone.

Security

Unlike analogue, everything you say and send within the digital network is safe and secure. Some features are user authentication that prohibits unauthorised access, encryption key distribution that guarantees the privacy of the call and caller identification restrictions that can prevent the delivery of the calling users number to the receiver.

Convenience

With digital, better technology means better battery life. You get up to twice as much talk time from each battery charge, compared with analogue. In addition the digital service allows more calls to be handled at any one time, therefore reducing congestion in areas of dense population and high usage.

Roaming

With digital, you are able to use your mobile phone, and number in other countries around the world who operate a GSM network. Click HERE to view the list of GSM operators around the world. Or you can just take your SIM card and use another GSM phone. Your home carrier must have a roaming agreement in place and must be notified before leaving so that you can be activated in that country. All you need to do is switch on the phone at your destination and you will automatically log into the network. Dependent on the country you can still use your old SIM, but some countries will require you to get a loan SIM from your carrier before going there. This will give you a new number whilst in that country but you can easily set up a diversion to the new number if need be.

GSM Phase 1 features

• Call Forwarding
• All Calls
• No Answer
• Engaged
• Unreachable
• Call Barring
• Outgoing - Bar certain outgoing calls(e.g. ISD)
• Incoming - Bar certain incoming calls (Useful if in another country)
• Global roaming - Visit any other country with GSM and a roaming agreement and use your phone and existing number* (see section on roaming)

GSM Phase 2 features

• SMS - Short Message Service - Allows you to send text messages too and from phones
• Multi Party Calling - Talk to five other parties as well as yourself at the same time
• Call Holding - Place a call on Hold
• Call Waiting - Notifies you of another call whilst on a call
• Mobile Data Services - Allows handsets to communicate with computers
• Mobile Fax Service - Allows handsets to send, retrieve and receive faxes
• Calling Line Identity Service - This facility allows you to see the telephone number of the incoming caller on our handset before answering
• Advice of Charge - Allows you to keep track of call costs
• Cell Broadcast - Allows you to subscribe to local news channels
• Mobile Terminating Fax - Another number you are issued with that receives faxes that you can then download to the nearest fax machine.

GSM Phase 2 + features

• Available by 1998
• Upgrade and improvements to existing services
• Majority of the upgrade concerns data transmission, including bearer services and packet switched data at 64 kbit/s and above
• DECT access to GSM
• PMR/Public Access Mobile Radio (PAMR)-like capabilities
• GSM in the local loop
• Virtual Private Networks
• Packet Radio
• SIM enhancements
• Premium rate services (eg Stock prices sent to your phone)

GSM 96 features

• In fact, there is no such thing as GSM 96. In MoU SERG there is a document called SE.03. In SE.03 you find the date for implementation of services. The date is 'coded' E in case this is essential at the start of operation of a GSM network.
  
  Services of that kind are: TS11 (basic speech), TS12 (emergency calls/112), SMS MT, Call forwarding/Call barring services and data/fax. Then there are E96 services, servrvices to be implemented for roamers before end 1996. The only service in this section is ODB Phase 2. (ODB=Operator Determined Barring).
  
  E97 is SMS MO (Short Message/Mobile Originated).
  
  The list for E98 is longer. One reason is to put presure on suppliers. Services included are CAMEL (to support PNP as a start), SOR, USSD, HSCSD and GPRS.