CDPD utilizes existing cellular telephone network to transmit data. It uses an idle channel in existing analog cellular systems to provide a connectionless service. When a channel is not being used for voice traffice, it can be used to send and receive packets from the CDPD-equipped mobile station. Cellular channel can be shared between voice and data service in this way, or the cellular carrier can remove some channels from voice service and dedicate them exclusively to data service. CDPD is best-suited for the shot and bursty data transmissions such as messaging, despatch, packet tracking, and remote device monitoring.