Before we get into what the GSM/GPRS modules are for, let us get our fundamentals

right and understand what GSM and GPRS are.

What is GSM?

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications, originally Groupe Spécial

Mobile), is a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards
Institute (ETSI).

It was created to describe the protocols for second-generation (2G) digital cellular
networks used by mobile phones and is now the default global standard for mobile
communications – with over 90% market share, operating in over 219 countries and
territories.

What is GPRS?

General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a packet oriented mobile data service on the
2G and 3G cellular communication system’s global system for mobile
communications (GSM). GPRS was originally standardised by European
Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) in response to the earlier CDPD and i-
mode packet-switched cellular technologies. It is now maintained by the 3rd
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

What are these GSM/GPRS modules you speak of?

A GSM or a GPRS module is a chip or circuit that will be used to establish

communication between a mobile device or a computing machine and a
GSM or GPRS system. The modem (modulator-demodulator) is a critical part here.
These modules consists of a GSM/GPRS modem powered by a power supply circuit
and communication interfaces (like RS-232, USB 2.0, and others) for computer. A
GSM modem can be a dedicated modem device with a serial, USB or Bluetooth
connection, or it can be a mobile phone that provides GSM modem capabilities.

The difference between modems, modules and mobiles

GSM/GPRS modules are similar to modems, but there’s one difference: A

GSM/GPRS Modem is an external equipment, whereas the GSM/GPRS Module is a
module that can be integrated within an equipment. It is an embedded piece of
hardware.

A GSM mobile, on the other hand, is a complete system in itself with embedded
processors that are dedicated to provide an interface between the user and the mobile
network.

Understanding Modems

Wireless modems generate, transmit or decode data from a cellular network, in order
to establish communication.
A GSM/GPRS modem is a class of wireless modem, designed for communication
over the GSM and GPRS network. It requires a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)
card just like mobile phones to activate communication with the network. Also they
have IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number similar to mobile
phones for their identification.

1. The MODEM needs AT commands, for interacting with processor or controller,

which are communicated through serial communication.
2. These commands are sent by the controller/processor.
3. The MODEM sends back a result after it receives a command.
 4. Different AT commands supported by the MODEM can be sent by the
processor/controller/computer to interact with the GSM and GPRS cellular network.

It’s functions include:

 Read, write and delete SMS messages.

 Send SMS messages.
 Monitor the signal strength.
 Monitor the charging status and charge level of the battery.
 Read, write and search phone book entries.

What is a mobile station?

A GSM GPRS Module project

A mobile phone and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) together form a mobile station.
It is the user equipment that communicates with the mobile network. A mobile phone
comprises of Mobile Termination, Terminal Equipment and Terminal Adapter.

Mobile Termination is interfaced with the GSM mobile network and is controlled by a
baseband processor. It handles access to SIM, speech encoding and decoding,
signalling and other network related tasks. The Terminal Equipment is an application
processor that deals with handling operations related to keypad, screen, phone
memory and other hardware and software services embedded into the handset. The
Terminal Adapter establishes communication between the Terminal Equipment and
the Mobile Termination using AT commands. The communication with the network in
a GSM/GPRS mobile is carried out by the baseband processor.

Applications of GSM/GPRS module

They can feature all the functionalities of a mobile phone through computer like
making and receiving calls, SMS, MMS etc. These are mainly employed for computer
based SMS and MMS services.
The GSM/GPRS module demonstrates the use of AT commands. They can feature all
the functionalities of a mobile phone through computer like making and receiving
calls, SMS, MMS etc. These are mainly employed for computer based SMS and MMS
services.

Pay attention!

They are known as AT commands because every command line starts with “AT” or
“at”. AT commands are instructions used to control a modem. AT is the abbreviation
of ATtention.

GSM/GPRS modems and mobile phones support an AT command set that is specific
to the GSM technology, which includes SMS-related commands like AT+CMGS
(Send SMS message), AT+CMSS (Send SMS message from storage), AT+CMGL
(List SMS messages) and AT+CMGR (Read SMS messages).

Note that the starting “AT” is the prefix that informs the modem about the start of a
command line. It is not part of the AT command name. For example, D is the actual
AT command name in ATD and +CMGS is the actual AT command name in
AT+CMGS. However, some books and web sites use them interchangeably as the
name of an AT command.
Here are some of the tasks that can be done using AT commands with a GSM/GPRS
modem or mobile phone:

 Get basic information about the mobile phone or GSM/GPRS modem. For example,
name of manufacturer (AT+CGMI), model number (AT+CGMM), IMEI number
(International Mobile Equipment Identity) (AT+CGSN) and software version
(AT+CGMR).
 Get basic information about the subscriber. For example, MSISDN (AT+CNUM) and
IMSI number (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) (AT+CIMI).
 Get the current status of the mobile phone or GSM/GPRS modem. For example,
mobile phone activity status (AT+CPAS), mobile network registration status
(AT+CREG), radio signal strength (AT+CSQ), battery charge level and battery
charging status (AT+CBC).
 Establish a data connection or voice connection to a remote modem (ATD, ATA, etc).
 Send and receive fax (ATD, ATA, AT+F*).
 Send (AT+CMGS, AT+CMSS), read (AT+CMGR, AT+CMGL), write (AT+CMGW)
or delete (AT+CMGD) SMS messages and obtain notifications of newly received
SMS messages (AT+CNMI).
 Read (AT+CPBR), write (AT+CPBW) or search (AT+CPBF) phonebook entries.
 Perform security-related tasks, such as opening or closing facility locks (AT+CLCK),
checking whether a facility is locked (AT+CLCK) and changing passwords
(AT+CPWD).
(Facility lock examples: SIM lock [a password must be given to the SIM card every
time the mobile phone is switched on] and PH-SIM lock [a certain SIM card is
associated with the mobile phone. To use other SIM cards with the mobile phone, a
password must be entered.])
 Control the presentation of result codes / error messages of AT commands. For
example, you can control whether to enable certain error messages (AT+CMEE) and
whether error messages should be displayed in numeric format or verbose format
(AT+CMEE=1 or AT+CMEE=2).
 Get or change the configurations of the mobile phone or GSM/GPRS modem. For
example, change the GSM network (AT+COPS), bearer service type (AT+CBST),
radio link protocol parameters (AT+CRLP), SMS center address (AT+CSCA) and
storage of SMS messages (AT+CPMS).
  Save and restore configurations of the mobile phone or GSM/GPRS modem. For
example, save (AT+CSAS) and restore (AT+CRES) settings related to SMS
messaging such as the SMS center address.

Note that mobile phone manufacturers usually do not implement all AT commands,
command parameters and parameter values in their mobile phones. Also, the
behaviour of the implemented AT commands may be different from that defined in
the standard. In general, GSM/GPRS modems designed for wireless applications have
better support of AT commands than ordinary mobile phones.

In addition, some AT commands require the support of mobile network operators. For
example, SMS over GPRS can be enabled on some GPRS mobile phones and GPRS
modems with the +CGSMS command (command name in text: Select Service for MO
SMS Messages). But if the mobile network operator does not support the transmission
of SMS over GPRS, you cannot use this feature.

How to interface a mobile phone with the Microsoft Windows platform

The Windows (XP and lower versions) comes with an application called
HyperTerminal for data communication through serial port of the computer. The
interfacing of the GSM/GPRS module with the serial port of the computer involves
following steps:

1) Connect RS-232 port of GSM module with the serial port of the computer. Insert a
SIM card in the module.
2) Open HyperTerminal from Start -> All Programs -> Accessories ->
Communications -> HyperTerminal.
3) Enter a name for the connection and press OK.
4) Now select the communication port (COM) at which GSM module is connected.

5) Create a new connection set on HyperTerminal. Set parameters, like baud rate as
9600, handshaking mode as none, parity bit as none, stop bit as 1 and data bit as 8.