With regard to Generation 1, there are Class 0 and Class 1 specifications for tags in the UHF band. Class 0 was originated as a protocol by Matrics Technology Systems (acquired by Symbol Technologies) and Class 1 was originated as a protocol by Alien Technologies. Class 0 has been defined by EPCglobal as a read-only device. Class 1 is defined in the EPCglobal specification as a tag that is one-time programmable. In practice, the products that are available from Alien Technologies are reprogrammable. And Matrics/Symbol has released ¡°Class 0+¡± products, which are based on the same protocol as the Class 0 device, but are, in fact, fully re-writeable.

With regard to Generation 2, Class 1 (Class 0 was dropped) standards were ratified at the end of 2004 as a response to the limitations of the Generation 1 standards. Gen 2 provides expanded data functionality and better performance, is designed to support EPC codes up to 256 bits long, and has the provision for extra data to be carried in the tag based on a single RFID protocol. In addition, G2 tags should be comparable with regard to radio frequencies (from 860 MHz to 960 MHz) globally, allowing tags to work consistently in different countries under differing emissions standards. Tags must be able to understand three different approved modulation schemes as well as be able to transmit at several different speeds or data rates. In addition, Gen 2 includes a method to support ¡°dense-interrogator channelized signaling¡± (also called ¡°dense reader mode¡±), which attempts to reduce interference among readers to make it less likely that reader signals will impede tag signals. An in-depth analysis of the differences between Generation 1 and Generation 2 protocols is discussed in Zebra's white papers Managing the EPC Generation Gap and Gen 2 Implications for Smart Label Printing.