Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution

Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, or EDGE, is a digital mobile phone technology which acts as a bolt-on enhancement to 2G and 2.5G General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) networks. This technology works in GSM networks. EDGE (also known as EGPRS) is a superset to GPRS and can function on any network with GPRS deployed on it, provided the carrier implements the necessary upgrades.

EDGE provides Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS), which can be used for any packet switched applications such as an Internet connection. High-speed data applications such as video services and other multimedia benefit from EGPRS’ increased data capacity. EDGE Circuit Switched is a possible future development.

In addition to Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK), EDGE uses 8 phase shift keying (8PSK) for the upper five of its nine modulation and coding schemes. EDGE produces a 3-bit word for every change in carrier phase. This effectively triples the gross data rate offered by GSM. EDGE, like GPRS, uses a rate adaptation algorithm that adapts the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) according to the quality of the radio channel, and thus the bit rate and robustness of data transmission. It introduces a new technology not found in GPRS, Incremental Redundancy, which, instead of retransmitting disturbed packets, sends more redundancy information to be combined in the receiver. This increases the probability of correct decoding.

Global System for Mobile Communications

The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. GSM service is used by over 2 billion people across more than 210 countries and territories [1] [2]. The ubiquity of the GSM standard makes international roaming very common between mobile phone operators, enabling subscribers to use their phones in many parts of the world. GSM differs significantly from its predecessors in that both signaling and speech channels are Digital call quality, which means that it is considered a second generation (2G) mobile phone system. This fact has also meant that data communication was built into the system from very early on. GSM is an open standard which is currently developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)

From the point of view of the consumer, the key advantage of GSM systems has been higher digital voice quality and low cost alternatives to making calls such as text messaging. The advantage for network operators has been the ability to deploy equipment from different vendors because the open standard allows easy inter-operability. Like other cellular standards GSM allows network operators to offer roaming services which mean subscribers can use their phones all over the world.

Short Message Service

Short Message Service (SMS) is a service available on most digital mobile phones (and other mobile devices, e.g. a Pocket PC, or occasionally even desktop computers) that permits the sending of short messages (also known as text messages, or more colloquially SMSes, texts or even txts) between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline telephones. Other uses of text messaging can be for ordering ringtones, wallpapers and entering competitions. There are also many services available on the Internet that allow users to send text messages for free.

Multimedia Messaging Service

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a standard for a telephony messaging systems that allow sending messages that includes multimedia objects (images, audio, video, rich text) and not just text messages as in Short message service (SMS). It is mainly deployed in cellular networks along with other messaging systems like SMS, Mobile Instant Messaging and Mobile E-Mail. Its main standardization effort is done by 3GPP, 3GPP2 and Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). 

Mobile phone

A mobile phone or cellular (cell) phone is an electronic telecommunications device. Most current mobile phones connect to a cellular network of base stations (cell sites), which is in turn interconnected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) (the exception are satellite phones). Cellular networks were first introduced in the early to mid 1980s (the 1G generation). Prior mobile phones operating without a cellular network (the so-called 0G generation), such as Mobile Telephone Service, date back to 1946. Until the mid to late 1980s, most mobile phones were sufficiently large that they were permanently installed in vehicles as car phones. With the advance of miniaturization, currently the vast majority of mobile phones are handheld. In addition to the standard voice function of a telephone, a mobile phone can support many additional services such as SMS for text messaging, packet switching for access to the Internet, and MMS for sending and receiving photos and video.

The world’s largest mobile phone manufacturers include Alcatel, Audiovox, BenQ-Siemens, Dopod, Fujitsu, Kyocera, LG, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Panasonic (Matsushita Electric), Pantech Curitel, Philips, Sagem, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, SK Teletech, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba.

Japan to Support Indonesia with Three Patrol Boats

Widodo A.S, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, has said that after meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Fukushiro Nukaga, Japan will support Indonesia with patrol ships.

The ships will be utilized for securing the Malacca Strait.

“Countries that make use of the strait’s waters are emphasizing the importance of safeguarding capacity and ability as regards the Malacca Strait. Japan will provide three patrol boats in the very near future,” said Widodo this afternoon (9/8).

70 Thousand Underage Prostitutes in Indonesia

Based on research by the International Labor Organization (ILO), there are 70 thousand underage prostitutes aged under 15 years in Indonesia.

This means that in terms of the quantity of underage prostitutes, Indonesia is in fourth place after Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

“Of these 70 thousand children, the areas where they are most is Bali, then Nusa Tenggara,” said Alam Boulton, ILO Director for Jakarta Representative, yesterday (8/8).

In addition to research on underage prostitutes, ILO also listed almost 4 million children under 15 in Indonesia who do not attend school.

Australian Investors Complain About Regional Autonomy

Australian investors are complaining that such matters as regional autonomy and the weak coordination among governmental institutions are the greatest obstacles as regards investing in Indonesia.

“They consider Indonesia not to be consistent in attracting investors,” said Muhammad Lutfi, Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), after accompanying President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono during a meeting with Australian entrepreneurs at the State Palace yesterday (8/8) in Jakarta.

Compensation Aid for Eradicating Bird Flu-Hit Fowls Not to Rise

The government will not increase the compensation for eradicating fowls that hit by bird flu although people have all demanded an increase.

The compensation will still be Rp10,000 per head of fowl.

Foreign Exchange Market

The foreign exchange (currency or forex or FX) market exists wherever one currency is traded for another. It is by far the largest market in the world, in terms of cash value traded, and includes trading between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions. Retail traders (small speculators) are a small part of this market. They may only participate indirectly through brokers or banks and may be targets of forex scams.