Difference Between GPRS and WAP Internet
Gone are the days when manufacturers and designers had a very hard time in providing Internet to the mobile users. A computer can achieve a lot with modems and HTML browsers, but it was indeed pretty tough to provide something similar on the mobile phones. It was theoretically possible to use HTML browsers on mobile phones, but with slow GPRS and weaker processing capabilities of old devices, the idea looked impractical without WAP.
If we have any dial-up and HTML, the difference between GPRS and WAP should not hard to understand. In simple words, GPRS is a toned down version of dial-up, whereas WAP can be termed as a toned down version of HTML.
WAP uses GPRS to transfer data, but it does not do this exclusively. If someone is interested in sending a lot of text messages within a given timeframe, GPRS helps this cause remarkably. The key difference between GPRS and WAP is the speed of data transfer. It is not possible to use WAP without the presence of GPRS. On the other hand, GPRS can be used as a medium for data transfer in many other services.
Instructions
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GPRS
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) was the first-ever service technology that was used to send and receive data in 2G mobile phone systems. It allows the phone companies to create a digital link to transfer the data from one source to another.
It is a method to connect to your network provider. This service is compatible both with 2G and 3G networks. GPRS comes into view as an addition to GSM. With better features and an enhanced network, this service was commercially launched in 2000.
MMS (multimedia messaging service) was one of the key features that were brought by GPRS. Internet access, walkie talkie and the modern boom of internet applications are all upshots of GPRS technology.
Image Courtesy: ntrg.cs.tcd.ie
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WAP
Since GPRS technology could not provide the mechanism to browse the Internet, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) was developed. It is an advances protocol that runs on top of GPRS. One can also use WAP on Edge. It can even be used on the 3G connections.
WAP actually uses Wireless Markup Language (WML) that was developed by Phone.com. Browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari use a lot of data due to their graphic inter-phase. On the other hand, since WAP is mainly based on text with lesser graphics, it provides the necessary information without using too much data.
Image Courtesy: alcovetechnologies.com
