GSM
Global
System for Mobile communications (GSM: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile)
is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. Its promoter, the
GSM Association, estimates that 82% of the global mobile market uses the
standard.[1] GSM is used by over 3 billion people across more than 212
countries and territories.[2][3] Its ubiquity makes international roaming very
common between mobile phone operators, enabling subscribers to use their phones
in many parts of the world. GSM differs from its predecessors in that both
signalling and speech channels are digital, and thus is considered a second
generation (2G) mobile phone system. This has also meant that data
communication was easy to build into the system.
The ubiquity of the GSM
standard has been an advantage to both consumers (who benefit from the ability
to roam and switch carriers without switching phones) and also to network
operators (who can choose equipment from any of the many vendors implementing GSM[4]).
GSM also pioneered a low-cost, to the network carrier, alternative to voice
calls, the Short message service (SMS, also called "text messaging"),
which is now supported on other mobile standards as well. Another advantage is
that the standard includes one worldwide Emergency telephone number, 112[5].
This makes it easier for international travellers to connect to emergency
services without knowing the local emergency number.
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