Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a second generation (2G) standard for mobile networks. In the early 1980s, a group was formed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to develop a digital mobile communication system. Aptly namedGroupe Speciale Mobile(GSM), their main task was to develop a single, consistent network for the whole of Europe and to come up with a better and more efficient technical solution for wireless communication. The Global System for Mobile Communications standard operates on three different carrier frequencies: the 900 MHz band which was used by the original GSM system, the 1800 MHz band was later on added to support the swelling number of subscribers and the 1900 MHz frequency which is mainly used in the United States. Although GSM is widely based on the time division multiple access (TDMA) system, its technology uses digital signaling and speech channels and is considered a second generation (2G) mobile phone system.
The GSM standard has given birth to wireless services like General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE). Its end users were the first to take advantage of an inexpensive implementation of SMS (short message system), which is more popularly known as texting. Being a cellular network, GSM makes use of cells to provide wireless communication to subscribers who are in the vicinity of these cells. The 4 main cells that make up a GSM network are called macro, micro, pico, and femto. Outdoor coverage is typically provided by macro and micro cells, while indoor coverage is usually provided by the pico and femto cells. GSM phones can be identified by the presence of a Subscriber Identity Module or SIM. This tiny object, which is about as wide as a finger, is a removable smart card that contains the user’s subscription information as well as some entries of his contacts. This SIM card will enable the user to switch from one GSM phone to another. In some countries, especially those in Asia, GSM phones are locked to a specific carrier. However, if the user manages to unlock the phone, he can insert any SIM from any carrier into a single phone. One of the main advantages of the GSM standard is the ability to roam and switch carriers by using their own mobile units (for as long as there are partner networks in their destination).
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