GSM: A Revolution in Mobile Communication

• GSM was developed as a replacement for first generation (1G) analog cellular networks.
• GSM was first implemented in Finland in December 1991.
• By the mid-2010s, it became a global standard for mobile communications achieving over 90% market share.
• GSM is also a trade mark owned by the GSM Association.
• GSM may also refer to the Full Rate voice codec.
• GSM became a global standard for mobile communications in the late 2010s.
• In 1989, the Groupe Spécial Mobile committee was transferred from CEPT to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
• The IEEE/RSE awarded to Thomas Haug and Philippe Dupuis the 2018 James Clerk Maxwell medal for their "leadership in the development of the first international mobile communications standard with subsequent evolution into worldwide smartphone data communication".
• In 1991, work began to expand the GSM standard to the 1800 MHz frequency band.
• In 1995, fax, data, and SMS messaging services were launched commercially.
• In 2000, the first GPRS services were launched.
• In 2001, the first UMTS network was launched.
• In 2002, the first Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) was introduced.
• In 2005, GSM networks accounted for more than 75% of the worldwide cellular network market.
• In 2007, the first HSDPA-capable network was launched.
• In 2011, the GSM Association estimated that technologies defined in the GSM standard served 80% of the mobile market.
• In 2016, Telstra in Australia shut down its 2G GSM network.
• In 2017, AT&T Mobility from the United States shut down its GSM network.
• GSM is a cellular network used by mobile phones
• The network is structured into several discrete sections: Base-station subsystem, Cell horizontal radius, GSM carrier frequencies, Voice codecs, and GSM supports indoor coverage.
• The transmission power in the handset is limited to a maximum of 2 watts.
• GSM is a wireless communication system that uses a code division multiple access (CDMA) technology.
• GSM is widely used in the world and is the most popular mobile communication system.
• The SIM card is a detachable smart card that stores subscription information and phone book.
• GSM allows users to switch handsets without losing their information.
• Phone locking is a feature that some mobile network operators use to restrict the handsets that they sell.
• GSM supports multiple encryption algorithms and can be upgraded to use stronger algorithms.
• GSM is vulnerable to different types of attack, each of them aimed at a different part of the network.

Test your knowledge about the development and impact of GSM, the global standard for mobile communications. From its inception in Finland to its worldwide market dominance, explore the evolution of GSM and its key features such as SIM cards and encryption.