EDGE technology: what is it and why is it needed?

The last 3GSM World Congress, and after it the CeBIT 2006 exhibition in Hannover, brought with them a lot of announcements of new cell phones with support for EDGE technology (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution or, as you can sometimes hear, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution). This is not accidental - although vendors mobile phones increasingly focused on supporting third generation (3G) standards such as CDMA2000 1x, W-CDMA and UMTS, the development of 3G networks is extremely slow, and interest in second generation (2G) and second and a half (2.5G) networks is not weakens, but, on the contrary, grows, both in the markets of developing countries and in the markets of developed countries.

The evolution of cellular standards

In the name of "propaedeutics without bloodshed" I will return a little to history and talk about which generations of standards cellular communication now known to science. For those of you who are already familiar with this subject, you can skip ahead to the next section on EDGE technology itself.

iSo, standards first generation cellular (1G), (developed in 1978, introduced in 1981) and (introduced in 1983), were analog: low-frequency human voice was transmitted on a high-frequency carrier (~450 MHz in the case of NMT and 820-890 MHz in the case of AMPS) using an amplitude-frequency modulation scheme. In order to ensure communication of several people at the same time, in the AMPS standard, for example, the frequency ranges were divided into channels 30 kHz wide - this approach was called FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access). The first generation standards were created for and provided exclusively for voice communications.

Standards second generation(2G), such as (global system for mobile communications) and (Code Division Mutiple Access), brought with them several innovations at once. In addition to the frequency separation of FDMA communication channels, the human voice was now digitized (encoded), that is, a modulated carrier frequency was transmitted over the communication channel, as in the 1G standard, but no longer analog signal, but a digital code. This is a common feature of all second generation standards. They differ in methods of “compression” or channel separation: GSM uses the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) time division approach, and CDMA uses Code Division Mutiple Access, which is why this standard is called so. Second generation standards were also created to provide voice communication, but due to their "digital nature" and in connection with the need to provide Internet access via mobile phones that arose during the spread of the Global Web, they provided the ability to transmit digital data via a mobile phone, as if using a conventional wired modem. Initially, the second generation standards did not provide high bandwidth: GSM could provide only 9600 bit / s (exactly as much is required to provide voice communication in one “compacted” channel using TDMA), CDMA - several tens of Kbit / s.

In standards third generation(3G), the main requirement for which, according to the specifications of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) IMT-2000, was to provide video communication at least in QVGA (320x240) resolution, it was necessary to achieve a digital data transmission bandwidth of at least 384 Kbps. To solve this problem, frequency bands of increased width (W-CDMA, Wideband CDMA) or a larger number of frequency channels involved simultaneously (CDMA2000) are used. By the way, initially the CDMA2000 standard could not provide the required bandwidth (providing only 153 Kbps), however, with the introduction of new modulation schemes and multiplexing technologies using orthogonal carriers in the "add-ons" 1x RTT and EV-DO, the threshold is 384 Kbps / s was successfully overcome. And such a data transmission technology as CDMA2000 1x EV-DV will have to provide a throughput of up to 2 Mbps, while the HSDPA (High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access) technology being developed and promoted in W-CDMA networks now - up to 14.4 Mbps.

In addition, in Japan, South Korea and China, work is underway on the next, fourth generation standards, which can, in the future, provide digital data transmission and reception speeds of over 20 Mbps, thus becoming an alternative to wired broadband networks.

However, despite all the prospects that third-generation networks promise, not many people are in a hurry to switch to them. There are many reasons for this: the high cost of telephone sets, caused by the need to return the funds invested in research and development; and the high cost of airtime associated with the high cost of licenses for frequency bands and the need to switch to equipment that is incompatible with the existing infrastructure; and short battery life due to the excessively high (compared to second-generation devices) load when transferring large amounts of data. At the same time, the second-generation GSM standard, due to the possibility of global roaming originally incorporated into it and the lower cost of devices and airtime (here the licensing policy of the main supplier of CDMA technologies, Qualcomm, played a cruel joke with it), received a truly global distribution, and Already last year, the number of GSM subscribers exceeded 1 billion people. It would be wrong not to take advantage of the situation both from the point of view of operators who would like to increase the average revenue per subscriber (ARPU) and ensure the provision of services that are competitive with services of 3G networks, and from the point of view of users who would like to have mobile access in the Internet. What happened to this standard in the future can be called a small miracle: it was invented evolutionary approach, whose ultimate goal was to turn GSM into a third-generation standard compatible with UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System).

Strictly speaking, mobile Internet access has been available for a long time: CSD (Circuit-Switched Data) technology allowed a modem connection at a speed of 9600 bps, but, firstly, it was inconvenient due to low speed, and secondly - due to per-minute billing. Therefore, the data transmission technology (General Packet Radio Service) was first invented and implemented, which marked the beginning of the transition to a packet approach, and then EDGE technology. By the way, there is also an alternative GPRS technology HSCSD (High-Speed ​​Circuit Switched Data), but it is less common, as it also implies per-minute billing, while GPRS takes into account traffic - packet forwarding. This is the main difference between GPRS and various technologies based on the CSD approach: in the first case, the subscriber terminal sends packets on the air that go through arbitrary channels to the destination, in the second, a point-to-point connection is established between the terminal and the base station (acting as a router). -point using a standard or extended communication channel. The GSM standard with GPRS technology occupies an intermediate position between the second and third generations of communication, therefore it is often called the second and a half generation (2.5G). It is also called so because GPRS marks the halfway point of GSM/GPRS networks towards UMTS compatibility.

EDGE technology, as you might guess from its name (which can be translated as “improved data transfer rates for the evolution of the GSM standard”) plays two roles at once: firstly, it provides higher bandwidth for transmitting and receiving data, and secondly , serves as another step on the way from GSM to UMTS. The first step, the introduction of GPRS, has already been made. The second step is not far off - the introduction of EDGE has already begun in the world and in our country.

Coverage map of the EDGE network of the Megafon operator in Moscow (as of the end of February 2006)

EDGE - what is it and what is it eaten with?

EDGE technology can be implemented by two different ways: as an extension of GPRS, in which case it should be called EGPRS (enhanced GPRS) or as an extension of CSD (ECSD). Given that GPRS is much more widespread than HSCSD, let's focus on EGPRS.

1. EDGE is not a new cellular standard.

However, EDGE implies an additional physical layer that can be used to increase the throughput of GPRS or HSCSD services. At the same time, the services themselves are provided in exactly the same way as before. Theoretically, the GPRS service is capable of providing bandwidth up to 160 Kbps (at the physical layer, in practice, devices supporting GPRS Class 10 or 4+1/3+2 provide only up to 38-42 Kbps and then, if the congestion of the cellular network allows), and EGPRS - up to 384-473.6 Kbps. This requires the use of a new modulation scheme, new methods of channel coding and error correction.

2. EDGE, in fact, is an "add-on" (or rather, an adjustment, if we assume that the physical layer is lower than the others) to GPRS and cannot exist separately from GPRS. EDGE, as mentioned above, implies the use of other modulation and code schemes, while maintaining compatibility with the CSD voice service.

Figure 1. Changed nodes are shown in yellow.

Thus, from the point of view of the client terminal, nothing should change with the introduction of EDGE. However, the infrastructure base station will undergo some changes (see Fig. 1), although not so serious. In addition to increasing the bandwidth for data transmission, the introduction of EDGE increases the capacity of the cellular network: more users can now be “packed” into the same time slot, and accordingly, one can hope not to receive a “network busy” message at the most inopportune moments.

Table 1. Comparative characteristics EDGE and GPRS
	GPRS	EDGE
Modulation scheme	GMSK	8-PSK/GMSK
Symbol rate	270 thousand per second	270 thousand per second
Bandwidth	270 Kbps	810 kbps
Bandwidth per timeslot	22.8 kbps	69.2 Kbps
Data transfer rate per time slot	20 kbps (CS4)	59.2 kbps (MCS9)
Transfer rate using 8 timeslots	160 (182.4) Kbps	473.6 (553.6) Kbps

Table 1 illustrates different specifications EDGE and GPRS. Although both EDGE and GPRS send the same number of symbols per unit time, due to the use of a different modulation scheme, the number of data bits in EDGE is three times larger. Let us immediately make a reservation here that the values ​​​​of bandwidth and data transfer rates given in the table differ from each other due to the fact that the first also takes into account packet headers that are unnecessary to the user. Well, the maximum data rate of 384 Kbps (required to comply with the IMT-2000 specifications) is obtained if eight time slots are used, that is, there are 48 Kbps per time slot.

EDGE modulation scheme

The GSM standard uses the GMSK (Gaussian minimum shift keying) modulation scheme, which is a type of signal phase modulation. To explain the principle of the GMSK circuit, consider the phase diagram in Fig. 2, which shows the real (I) and imaginary (Q) part of the complex signal. The phase of the transmitted logical "0" and "1" differ from each other by the phase p. Each character transmitted per unit of time corresponds to one bit.

Figure 2. Different modulation schemes in GPRS and EDGE.

EDGE technology uses the 8PSK (8-phase shift keying) modulation scheme, the phase shift, as can be seen from the figure, is equal to p / 4, using all the same frequency channel structure, coding and bandwidth specifications as in GSM / GPRS. Accordingly, adjacent frequency channels create exactly the same mutual interference as in GSM/GPRS. A smaller phase shift between symbols, which now encode not one bit, but three (symbols correspond to combinations of 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101, 110 and 111), makes the detection task more difficult, especially if the signal level is low. However, in conditions of a good signal level and stable reception, it is not difficult to discriminate each character.

Coding

Four different coding schemes are possible in GPRS: CS1, CS2, CS3 and CS4, each of which uses its own error correction algorithm. For EGPRS, nine coding schemes have been developed, MCS1..MCS9, respectively, whose purpose is also to provide error correction. Moreover, in the "younger" MSC1..MSC4 the GMSK modulation scheme is used, in the "older" MSC5..MSC9 - the 8PSK modulation scheme. Figure 3 shows the dependence of the data rate on the use of different modulation schemes, coupled with different coding schemes (the data rate varies depending on how much redundant information required for the operation of error correction algorithms is included in each encoded packet). It is easy to guess that the worse the reception conditions (signal-to-noise ratio), the more redundant information has to be put into each packet, which means the lower the data transfer rate. The slight difference in data rate observed between CS1 and MCS1, CS2 and MCS2, etc. is due to the difference in the size of the packet headers.

Figure 3. Different code schemes in GPRS and EDGE.

However, if the signal-to-noise ratio is low, not everything is lost: in the older EGPRS MCS7, MCS8, MCS9 modulation-code schemes, the “overlay” procedure is provided: since the standard is able to send groups of packets on different carriers (within the frequency range), for each of which conditions (and above all - "noisiness") can be different, in this case, retransmission of the entire block can be avoided if you know in which group the failure occurred and retransmit this particular group. Unlike the older GPRS CS4 code scheme, which does not use a similar error correction algorithm, in EGPRS MCS7, MCS8, MCS9 different data blocks “overlap” each other, so if one of the groups fails (as shown in the figure), retransmission only half of the packages are subject (see Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Using Packet Group Overlay in EDGE.

Packet processing

If for some reason a packet sent using "higher" coding schemes was not correctly received, EGPRS allows it to be retransmitted using a "downgraded" coding scheme. In GPRS, such a possibility, called "resegmentation" (resegmentation), was not provided: an incorrectly received packet is sent again using the same modulation-coding scheme as the previous time.

Addressing window

Before a sequence of encoded (i.e., encoded "words" consisting of several bits) packets (frame) can be transmitted over the RF interface, the transmitter assigns to the packets an identification number included in the header of each packet. Packet numbers in GPRS range from 1 to 128. After a sequence of packets (for example, 10 pieces) is sent to the addressee, the transmitter waits for confirmation from the receiver that they have been received. The report that the receiver sends back to the transmitter contains the packet numbers that were successfully decoded and that the receiver was unable to decode. An important nuance: packet numbers take values ​​from 1 to 128, and the width of the address window is only 64, as a result of which the newly transmitted packet can receive the same number as in the previous frame. In this case, the protocol is forced to resend the entire current frame, which negatively affects the overall data transfer rate. To reduce the risk of such a situation in EGPRS, the packet number can take values ​​from 1 to 2048, and the address window is increased to 1024.

Measurement accuracy

To ensure the correct functioning of GPRS technology in the GSM environment, it is necessary to constantly measure radio conditions: the signal/noise level in the channel, the error rate, etc. These measurements do not affect the quality of voice communication, where it is enough to constantly use the same coding scheme. When transmitting data in GPRS, the measurement of radio conditions is possible only in "pauses" - twice in a period of 240 ms. In order not to wait every 120 ms, EGPRS defines a parameter such as the probability of a bit error (BEP, bit error probability) in each frame. The value of BEP is affected by both the signal-to-noise ratio and the time dispersion of the signal and the speed of the terminal. The change in BEP from frame to frame allows estimation of terminal speed and jitter, but for a more accurate estimate, the average bit error rate per every four frames and its sample standard deviation are used. Due to this, EGPRS responds faster to changing conditions: it increases the data transfer rate with a decrease in BEP and vice versa.

Connection speed control in EGPRS

EGPRS uses a combination of two approaches: link rate tuning and incremental redundancy. Adjustment of the connection speed, measured either by the mobile terminal by the amount of data received per unit time, or by the base station by the amount of transmitted data, respectively, allows you to select the optimal modulation code scheme for subsequent amounts of data. Typically, the use of a new modulation code scheme may be assigned when a new block (of four groups) of data is transmitted.

Incremental redundancy is initially applied to the oldest modulation code scheme, MCS9, with little attention to error correction and no regard for radio conditions. If the information is decoded incorrectly by the addressee, it is not the data itself that is transmitted over the communication channel, but a certain control code that is “added” (used for transformation) to the already downloaded data until the data is successfully decoded. Each such "incremental piece" of additional code increases the likelihood of successful decryption of the transmitted data - this is the redundancy. The main advantage of this approach is that there is no need to monitor the quality of the radio link, so incremental redundancy is mandatory in the EGPRS standard for mobile terminals.

Integration of EGPRS into existing GSM/GPRS networks — UMTS is just around the corner!

As mentioned above, the main difference between GPRS and EGPRS is the use of a different modulation scheme at the physical layer. Therefore, to support EGPRS, it is enough to install a transceiver and packet processing software on the base station that supports the new modulation schemes. To ensure compatibility with non-EDGE mobile phones, the standard specifies the following:

• EDGE-enabled and non-EDGE-enabled mobile terminals must be able to use the same timeslot.
• EDGE and non-EDGE transceivers must use the same frequency band.
• Partial EDGE support possible

To facilitate the introduction of new mobile phones to the market, it was decided to divide EDGE-compatible terminals into two classes:

• Supporting the 8PSK modulation scheme only in the receive data stream (downlink) and
• Supporting 8PSK in both receiving and transmitting (uplink) data stream

The introduction of EGPRS, as mentioned above, allows you to achieve a throughput that is approximately three times greater than in GPRS technology. In this case, exactly the same QoS (quality of service) profiles are used as in GPRS, but taking into account the increased bandwidth. In addition to the need to install the transceiver in the base station, EGPRS support requires a software update that will have to handle the changed packet protocol.

The next evolutionary step on the way of GSM / EDGE cellular communication systems to “full-fledged” third-generation networks will be further improvement of packet (data) forwarding services to ensure their compatibility with UMTS / UTRAN (UMTS terrestrial radio access network). These enhancements are currently under review and are likely to be included in a future version of the 3GPP (3G Partnership Project) specifications. The main difference between GERAN and the currently implemented EDGE technology will be QoS support for interactive, background, streaming and conversation classes. Support for these QoS classes is already in UMTS, so that UMTS networks (say, W-CDMA 2100 or 1900 MHz) have the ability, for example, video communications. In addition, in the future generation of EDGE, it is planned to provide simultaneous parallel processing of data streams with different QoS priorities.

When getting acquainted with a new browser, many users pay special attention to its settings. Microsoft Edge does not disappoint anyone in this regard, and has everything you need to comfortably spend time on the Internet. At the same time, you won’t have to figure out the settings themselves for a long time - everything is clear and intuitive.

Getting started with the initial setup, it is advisable to take care of installing the latest updates in order to have access to all the functionality of Edge. With subsequent updates, also remember to periodically review the options menu for new items.

To go to the settings, open the browser menu and click the appropriate item.

Now you can consider in order all the parameters of Edge.

Theme and favorites bar

First you are asked to choose a theme for the browser window. Set by default "Light", besides which is also available "Dark". It looks like this:

If you turn on the display of the favorites bar, then under the main working panel there will be a place where you can add links to your favorite sites. This is done by clicking on "Asterisk" in the address bar.

Import bookmarks from another browser

This function will come in handy if you have previously used another browser and there have accumulated a lot of desired bookmarks. They can be imported into Edge by clicking the appropriate settings item.

Here mark your previous browser and click "Import".

After a few seconds, all previously saved bookmarks will be moved to Edge.

Tip: if the old browser does not appear in the list, try transferring its data to Internet Explorer, and everything can already be imported from it to Microsoft Edge.

Start page and new tabs

The next step is the block "To open with". In it, you can mark what will be displayed when you enter the browser, namely:

• home page - only the search bar will be displayed;
• new tab page - its content will depend on the tab display settings (next block);
• previous pages - tabs from the previous session will open;
• a specific page - you can specify its address yourself.

When you open a new tab, you may see the following content:

• blank page with search bar;
• the best sites are those that you visit most often;
• top sites and suggested content - in addition to favorite sites, popular in your country will be displayed.

Under this block there is a button for clearing browser data. Remember to periodically resort to this procedure so that Edge does not lose its performance.

Mode setting "Reading"

This mode is activated by clicking on the icon. "Book" in the address bar. When activated, the content of the article opens in an easy-to-read format without site navigation elements.

In the settings block "Reading" You can set the background style and font size for the specified mode. For convenience, turn it on to see the changes immediately.

Additional Microsoft Edge browser options

Useful little things

Here you can enable the display of the home page button, as well as enter the address of this page.

The following offers the option to use a pop-up blocker and Adobe Flash Player. Without the latter, some sites may not display all elements and videos may not work. You can also activate the key navigation mode, which allows you to navigate the web page using the keyboard.

Privacy & Security

In this block, you can manage the function of saving passwords entered in data forms and the ability to send requests "Don't Track". The latter means that sites will receive a request not to track your activities.

Below you can set a new search provider and enable suggestion of search terms as you type.

The item about saving licenses of protected files on your PC can be disabled, because. in most cases this option only clogs HDD unnecessary garbage.

The page prediction feature sends data about user behavior to Microsoft so that the browser can predict your actions in the future, for example, by preloading the page you are about to go to. Whether you need it or not is up to you.

SmartScreen is like a firewall that prevents unsafe web pages from loading. In principle, if you have an antivirus with such a function installed, then SmartScreen can be disabled.

Articles and Lifehacks

Every Internet user knows what edge is in a phone. This option is designed to speed up data transfer in GSM networks, and it must be supported by the operator. mobile communications which you are using.

For quality edge works network congestion, signal level of the operator, the amount of free basic network resources affect.

What is this technology for?

• This option first appeared in 2004 in North America. The main purpose of edge is to provide high-speed Internet access to the user of a modern gadget.
• Such a function is necessary for business people who need to quickly send information through the network.
• Also, this option is needed by ordinary people who cannot imagine their lives without the Internet and those who do not have a stationary computer to access the worldwide network.
• edge has its advantages over gprs - more high speed and the ability to access the Internet from almost anywhere in the city.
• gprs has an unstable connection, and the data transfer rate rarely exceeds 56 kbps, which is very slow by today's standards.

How edge works

• At the time of conception, edge was supposed to be just an extension of gprs. But later this idea was abandoned. Due to the fact that edge uses 8-PSK, the Internet speed is twice as fast compared to gprs.
• In fact, this speed is much lower than the declared almost 400 fps. It all depends on the settings and capabilities mobile operator. When transmitting information through edge, timeslots are used.
• In one stream, edge is capable of transmitting up to 48 Kbps, while the capabilities of gprs in this regard are only 9 Kbps. But this data rate is only possible under ideal conditions.
• In cases where there is a failure in the operator's network, then the user cannot access the Internet. Gradually, edge is being squeezed out of the global market, as it is being replaced by 3G and 4G networks. Edge are categorized as 2G and 2.5G networks.

Users of SIM-enabled mobile phones or tablets may have noticed that the icon next to the antenna, which symbolizes data transmission, may change to one of the following: G, E, 3G, 3.5G, 3G+, H, H+, 4G, L, or LTE . Let's try to figure out what each of them means.

G (GPRS)

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service - "general packet radio") is an add-on to GSM mobile communication technology that performs packet data transmission. It is one of the first implementations of the mobile Internet. To date, an outdated method of connecting with world wide web. The theoretical maximum data rate is 171.2 Kbps (depending on the GPRS class).

E (EDGE)

EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) or Enhanced GPRS is a digital wireless data transmission technology for mobile communications, which is an add-on to 2G and 2.5G (GPRS) networks.

Network connection via EDGE is about 3 times faster than via GPRS, namely, the maximum data transfer rate can be 474 Kbps. In the picture above, the connection speed measured by the app is measured in KB/s (kilobytes per second). To convert to kilobits per second, you need to multiply the displayed value by 8, that is, 17 Kbps x 8 = 136 Kbps.

3G

3G (from the English third generation - third generation) - 3rd generation mobile communication technologies - a set of services that combines both high-speed mobile Internet access and radio technology that creates a data transmission channel (voice, messages, etc.) d.). Currently, this term most often refers to UMTS technology with an HSPA add-on (hence the "H" or "H+" icon on the phone).

Third-generation 3G networks operate at frequencies slightly higher than traditional GSM (850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz), namely 1900-2100 MHz, which, in addition to other major differences from GSM and improvements, allows you to increase the frequency bandwidth and , respectively, the data transfer rate.

Varieties of 3G

HSPA

The maximum theoretical data transfer rate according to the HSPA standard is 14.4 Mbps (data transfer rate from the base station to all local subscribers) and up to 5.76 Mbps from the subscriber. The first stages of the implementation of the standard had a speed of 3.6 Mbps to the HSDPA subscriber (D - downlink). After the introduction of the second stage of HSUPA (U - uplink, that is, accelerating transmission from the subscriber), the entire technology was abbreviated as HSPA.

HSPA+

HSPA+ (Eng. Evolved High-Speed ​​Packet Access, "developed high-speed packet access") is a mobile communication standard, an upgrade of the third generation of mobile communications, with a high speed comparable to 4G.

It is customary to refer to HSPA + technologies that allow packet data transmission with download speeds up to 42.2 Mbps and uploads up to 5.76 Mbps. In practice, the connection speed is lower and is 10 - 20 Mbps (in the picture above 1.6 Mbps x 8 = 12.8 Mbps).

This technology is considered transitional between third (3G) and fourth (4G) generation networks. Sometimes it is also called "3.5G".

4G

If you have an L, LTE, or 4G icon on your phone, congratulations! Firstly, your device supports the LTE-A and WiMAX standard, and secondly, you are in the network of the newest and latest generation available in our country at the time of writing this article with download speeds up to 173 Mbps and upload speeds up to 58 Mbps!

EDGE is a technology that allows you to transfer data over a mobile network at speeds up to 200 Kbps.
This is on average four times faster than GPRS.

The main application of EDGE is high-speed Internet access, the organization of a mobile office is an indispensable thing for business people.

And also, such features as: sharing pictures, photos and other information via the same Internet, watching streaming video, Internet radio, sending faxes, mail, and many, many other interesting things.

Based on its merits, we can say that EDGE technology is designed for 2 different classes of the population: for businessmen, for whom it is important to always be aware of the latest events, and for teenagers / teenagers for whom the Internet is a lifestyle.

To access modern services via EDGE, it is enough to use a device that supports this technology, for example, a Sony Ericsson GC85 or Sierra AirCard 775 card.

Initially, EDGE was meant as an extension of GPRS technology.
For the first time they started talking about it back in 1997 at ESTI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute).

At the same time, its first interpretation was presented as Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (Advanced Data Transfer Technology for the Development of GSM).

EDGE uses 8-position phase-shift keying (8-PSK), which provides about a twofold increase in maximum speed compared to GPRS - it is 384 Kbps, while the maximum theoretical speed of GPRS is 171 Kbps.
Of course, the real speed is much lower.

To transmit information, EDGE, like GPRS, uses timeslots (frame time slices).
There is an identical GPRS policy for the distribution of timeslots between channels for receiving and transmitting.

Another advantage is that the maximum flow rate in one timeslot is 48 kbps (against 9.6 kbps for GPRS).
Naturally, such a speed is achieved only with an ideal reception; in reality, everything will be much worse.

Depending on the quality of communication, 9 coding algorithms are provided from MCS-1 to MCS-9 (the latter has the smallest coding redundancy, respectively, the fastest).

Subsequently, with the advent of the specification for 3rd generation networks, the name EDGE was rephrased and now it stands for Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (Advanced Data Transfer Technology for Global Development).
So we can say that EDGE is a full-fledged transitional link on the way to 3G or, as it is sometimes called, 2.5G.

EDGE, unlike GPRS, has a very unstable connection, and in rare cases the speed rises above 56 Kbps, has two incomparable advantages: high speed and quality of communication.

Therefore, EDGE technology has every chance to replace obsolete GPRS technology.