GPRS currently supports data rates from 9.6kbps to more than 100 kbps, and is best suited for burst forms of traffic. GPRS involves both radio and wired components. The mobile phone sends the message to a base station unit (radio based), and the base station unit sends the message to the carrier network and eventually the Internet (wired carrier network).

The network system then either sends the message back to a base station and to the destination mobile unit, or forwards the message to the proper carrier’s network where it gets routed to the mobile unit.

This section includes: