South Africa is not far behind some of the world's most developed nations in implementing new mobile technology, such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Services).
GPRS is an enhancement to GSM technology and represents a major stepping stone to third-generation (3G) mobile technology.
Paul McKibbin of Siemens Telecommunications in South Africa says his company is currently conducting GPRS trials with cellular network operator Vodacom, which should decide on a vendor during the next few months.
"South Africa is traditionally up with the rest of the world when it comes to the latest in mobile technology, and GPRS is no exception," he says. "GPRS was developed by the same standardisation body that defined GSM and South Africans can expect, as with GSM, the same cost benefits and roaming benefits with GPRS as they are currently experiencing with GSM.
"In some areas, South Africa has even led the way. For example, Siemens and Vodacom set a world first in 1996 when the Intelligent Network platform developed by Siemens allowed Vodacom to introduce prepaid cellular services," says McKibbin.
Internationally, Siemens is at the forefront of GPRS developments. The company has already been awarded contracts for sole GPRS supplier with operators in Sweden, Germany, Austria, USA and Taiwan.
The main advantages of GPRS technology are the accelerated speed at which data can be transmitted, enhanced convenience in using mobile data, location-based data services, and personalised (user-authenticated) information services.
GPRS will enable the average user with a GPRS-enabled mobile handset to experience true Internet mobility for the first time. Without the hassles of modems, waiting for the call to be set up, or modem configuration it will be possible, for the first time, to simply connect the laptop and surf the Internet from anywhere. Using the new technologies like WAP and Bluetooth it will be possible to surf the Internet without a laptop at all, or, if you have to use a laptop, without cumbersome cables getting tangled everywhere. McKibbin says that GPRS will also allow the implementation of completely new types of services, hitherto undreamt of on the Internet. For example, services will become available to subscribers that take advantage of authenticated access to the GPRS network (subscribers will still have to enter a PIN to make use of their phone - thus confirming their identity on the network).
There will also be services that are based on the location of the subscriber, thus tailoring the content to the exact place that the subscriber is at that moment. Examples of such a service could be information on the regional emergency services appropriate to a particular town, a local restaurant finder with on-line menus and automatic dialling for bookings, local tourist information (where could we go today?), or a local wine tour guide (Hey look, winery X is just around the corner!).
Furthermore, GPRS will allow services that collect their revenue from the network operator which subsequently collects the money from the subscriber.
that could allow subscribers to buy goods on the Internet with the identity and credit-worthiness vouched by the mobile network operator. McKibbin says that Siemens offers a fully-featured GPRS solution that is both practical and cost-effective in the present mobile environment, yet also sits comfortably on the road to 3G mobile networks.
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