GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

General Packet Radio Service, often labelled 2.5G, added packet-switched data on top of GSM with theoretical rates around 114 kbit/s. It introduced the SGSN and GGSN as the first packet-core elements and the GTP tunnelling protocol that survives in evolved form into 5G. GPRS data is encrypted with the GEA family of ciphers, of which GEA1 has been shown to be deliberately weakened. Most operators have decommissioned or are phasing out GPRS as part of broader 2G/3G sunset.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkCore NetworkSignaling

GPRS in context

The radio access network is where mobile devices attach to the operator's infrastructure. Attacks in this layer include IMSI catching, rogue base stations and downgrade attacks; defenses rest on mutual authentication, integrity-protected signaling and Open RAN supply-chain hygiene.

The mobile core carries subscriber sessions, mobility and policy. In 4G it is the EPC (MME, HSS, S/PGW); in 5G it is the Service-Based Architecture with AMF, SMF, UPF, AUSF, UDM and the NRF.

To place GPRS in the wider telecom-security picture, review Diameter, GSM, GTP, LTE, MVNO and SRVCC: each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

More from the TelcoSec Glossary

Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.