About GPRS Tracking
GPRS Tracking is not a new term, but one rarely ever hears about it unless you are looking for a tracking system. GPRS is general packet radio service. It was designed for collecting mobile data in relation to 2G and 3G cellular or mobile communications. In 2G systems for GPRS tracking you have 56 to 114 kbit/s of data rate because it is using cell towers rather than the satellite system. This is slower than other vehicle tracking devices, but still an option if you need to track a vehicle, asset, or person.
The GPRS data transfer is charged per megabyte for the transfer rather than billed per minute like circuit switching devices. GPRS is used to extend the GSM or global system for mobile communications. You will have an “always on” internet access, multimedia messaging service, push to talk with cellular communications, instant messaging, and internet applications. It can also have a point to point service.
There are three types of hardware within the GPRS service. You have Class A, B, and C. Class A can be connected to GPRS and GSM with voice and SMS where a user can be using both at the same time. Class B only allows one of the systems to be used at a time, either the GPRS or the GSM. Class C is where you are connected with either GPRS or GSM, and a manual switch between the two is needed. GPRS systems will be hooked to the dual transfer mode system in most cases.
GPRS Tracking has been around since 2003. At this time the system was similar to a modem connection with analogue. It was for mobile phone use only. The system could only provide 32-40 kbit/s depending on the type of phone used. The round trip time for information transfer was at 600 to 700 ms or 1 second. The quality varied. Since the original implementation of the device GPRS tracking has seen some improvement in speeds and data transfer.
GPRS is still largely used for mobile communications via mobile phones rather than other tracking systems. This means the GPRS is more of a lone tracker system than a vehicle tracking device. In other words a company that wishes to track their employees when off site can use the GPRS system by providing mobile phones equipped with the tracking. A signal will be sent from the phone to the network and it can be checked via internet by the management when they need to know where an employee is.
The phone system allows the employee to have a communication device as well. While they are being tracked the employee can also contact the home base or other employees if need be. GPRS systems are a little less expensive than vehicle tracking or other lone tracking devices out there since the technology is still at the 2G and 3G level. There are other options for lone worker tracking, but if you want to have communication between employees this is your best option because the voice mail, SMS, and mobile phone calls are a part of it.
About GPRS Tracking
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