EDGE Evolved

[Derrick]

EDGE Evolution, also called Evolved EDGE or EDGE II, is an upgraded version of EDGE technology that was ratified by the 3GPP in Release 7 (Rel-7). It applies many of the techniques employed in HSPA+ to lower latency and increase the speed of EDGE. A key part of the evolution of EDGE is the utilization of more than one radio frequency carrier. This is designed to overcome the inherent limitation of the narrow channel bandwidth of GSM. Compared to existing versions of EDGE, EDGE Evolution is expected to provide:

A dramatic increase in data rates. The actual amount depends on the version used, but peak download speeds and upload speeds are expected to increase 200 to 300 percent over EDGE.

A 50 percent increase in spectral efficiency and capacity

Reduced latency for initial access and round-trip time, enabling better quality of service (QoS) for Push-to-Talk (PTT) and Voice over IP (VoIP)

Compatibility with existing frequency plans, thus facilitating rapid deployment in existing networks

A simple upgrade to existing GSM equipment allowing a more efficient use of existing scarce radio spectrum

A better seamless experience for subscribers as they roam from HSPA networks to Evolved EDGE networks

Source: http://www.4gamericas.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&sectionid=245&printfriendly=1