The evolution of EDGE

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Executive summary


Since its standardization was fi nalized by the
3GPP in 2000, EDGE – Enhanced Data rates
for Global Evolution – has achieved market
maturity in terms of networks, terminals and
business models. Upgrading to EDGE has
become a natural step for operators who
want to offer high-performance mobile data
services over GSM. EDGE gives them a costeffective
way to reach the mass market and
boost the uptake of mobile data services. The
common view from GSM/WCDMA operators
is that GSM will be used beyond 2020,
providing nationwide coverage for voice and
data for many years to come.
EDGE combines effi cient technology, a
simple upgrade path and support for many
GSM and WCDMA terminals
to create a compelling business case.
Three-quarters of all GSM and UMTS
terminals sold now support EDGE, from
low to high-end. EDGE is a viable alternative
for providing fast internet access in markets
where fi xed network infrastructure is yet to
be established.


The GSM/EDGE advantage


In the mid-1990s, GSM deployment gathered
pace around the world, and this growth
continues today. More than 80 percent of all
mobile users in the world are served by GSM,
and every month approximately 40 million new
users join the GSM community. As a mobile
technology, GSM has unmatched coverage,
economies of scale, simplicity and maturity,
and these are all benefi ts that EDGE
shares too.
The common view from the GSM/WCDMA
operators is that GSM will be used beyond
2020, meaning that GSM and EDGE will
provide the fundamental coverage for voice
and data for many years to come.
Standardized in 3GPP as part of the GSM/
WCDMA family, EDGE is a simple and costeffective
upgrade that provides a more than
three-fold increase in both the capacity and
performance of GSM/GPRS networks. It
does this by introducing sophisticated