GSM vs CDMA
Apr 24, 2009 | 7:20 pm
#16
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Thanks for the comments and the links folks! Much appreciated.
As background, I'm Canadian so "domestic" has a different meaning for me.
Up here we have Bell and Telus as the CDMA providers and Rogers as our sole GSM offering. The comments about towers, proximity, past vs present coverage etc are points well made. Thanks again!
As background, I'm Canadian so "domestic" has a different meaning for me.
Up here we have Bell and Telus as the CDMA providers and Rogers as our sole GSM offering. The comments about towers, proximity, past vs present coverage etc are points well made. Thanks again!
Apr 25, 2009 | 10:05 am
#17
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...
If you're in the U.S., you'll get better coverage and reception with Verizon, which is CDMA. Just pick up a cheap GSM phone and buy a local SIM card for when you travel -- it will be lots cheaper than taking a U.S. carrier's GSM phone with you. Verizon also has the Motorola z6c, which is a dual CDMA/GSM phone.
If you're in the U.S., you'll get better coverage and reception with Verizon, which is CDMA. Just pick up a cheap GSM phone and buy a local SIM card for when you travel -- it will be lots cheaper than taking a U.S. carrier's GSM phone with you. Verizon also has the Motorola z6c, which is a dual CDMA/GSM phone.
I look at it this way, with GSM I have potentially thousands of phone models to choose from with CDMA it is hundreds. I prefer choice along with my coverage.
Apr 25, 2009 | 2:21 pm
#18
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That's a overly generalized statement. In my neck of the woods I get much better GSM (T-Mo or ATT) coverage than I did with Verizon CDMA. Generally speaking Verizon has better coverage - Generally but not always.
I look at it this way, with GSM I have potentially thousands of phone models to choose from with CDMA it is hundreds. I prefer choice along with my coverage.
I look at it this way, with GSM I have potentially thousands of phone models to choose from with CDMA it is hundreds. I prefer choice along with my coverage.
Apr 26, 2009 | 12:00 am
#19
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And even if you have a dual CDMA/GSM phone, you might want to be able to change networks.
For some of us, the best solution is two phones. I have a CDMA with VZW for use here and a GSM with Orange France for use in Europe.
Apr 26, 2009 | 12:40 am
#20
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"CDMA" may not be international, but CMDA is international. IS-95 and CDMA2000 use Code Division Multiple Access, as does a newer version of Global System for Mobile communications (ne Groupe Spcial Mobile; I guess French wasn't global enough).
CDMA is to IS-95 (e.g. old US Verizon Wireless phones) as TDMA is to GSM (as well as IS-136: your old digital AT&T/Cingular phones).
Comparing GSM and CDMA is like comparing apple trees and oranges
Please pardon my (most likely error-filled) rant.
Apr 26, 2009 | 4:19 am
#21
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CDMA is the description of a channel access method, and that is how it should have stayed. Instead it was used as a brand for IS-95 (in "cdmaOne"), and launched literally minutes of confusion.
UMTS uses W-CDMA (wideband), whereas cdmaOne and cdma2000 are both narrowband.
UMTS uses W-CDMA (wideband), whereas cdmaOne and cdma2000 are both narrowband.
Apr 27, 2009 | 1:27 am
#22
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Couldnt you just use a unlocked world phone from VZW? I use my Storm here in the states and all over world. I also use Orange for most of my Europe travel, but with my one phone.
Apr 28, 2009 | 1:33 am
#23
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Apr 28, 2009 | 1:35 am
#24
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I forgot that some parts of the world are cursed with locked phones. Here (Finland) unlocked phones are the rule, so it's not an issue at all.
Jun 30, 2009 | 9:00 am
#25
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Also
When you say "it's been a long time" since you used CDMA...carriers are building their networks all the time, increasing coverage and capacity. I worked for a carrier in the early 2000's that had a footprint that now would be laughably poor.
As said above - it ALL depends on where you are and what you're doing. Aside from domestic coverage issues, typically Asia favors CDMA while Europe favors GSM. Technologically there is no reason why, at the same frequency and with the same cell site that GSM would outperform CDMA. In fact, IS-95/CDMA2000 should actually work at a lower signal level in a low noise environment.
RFTraveler
When you say "it's been a long time" since you used CDMA...carriers are building their networks all the time, increasing coverage and capacity. I worked for a carrier in the early 2000's that had a footprint that now would be laughably poor.
As said above - it ALL depends on where you are and what you're doing. Aside from domestic coverage issues, typically Asia favors CDMA while Europe favors GSM. Technologically there is no reason why, at the same frequency and with the same cell site that GSM would outperform CDMA. In fact, IS-95/CDMA2000 should actually work at a lower signal level in a low noise environment.
RFTraveler
Lower Frequencies means less attentuation (transmission loss).
Last edited by Yaatri; Jun 30, 2009 at 11:45 am
Jun 30, 2009 | 11:02 am
#26
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I have always found that in the USA, the CDMA networks sound better than the current GSM networks,
but, and I have no idea why this is, the european GSM networks ALSO sound better than the USA GSM networks. It never ceases to amaze me, that I can take my SAME phone to europe and plug in a european SIM and boom, get much better voice quality than anything I have ever heard on a USA GSM network.
but, and I have no idea why this is, the european GSM networks ALSO sound better than the USA GSM networks. It never ceases to amaze me, that I can take my SAME phone to europe and plug in a european SIM and boom, get much better voice quality than anything I have ever heard on a USA GSM network.
Jun 30, 2009 | 11:14 am
#27
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but, and I have no idea why this is, the european GSM networks ALSO sound better than the USA GSM networks. It never ceases to amaze me, that I can take my SAME phone to europe and plug in a european SIM and boom, get much better voice quality than anything I have ever heard on a USA GSM network.
Many phones let you force full rate - if you have AT&T, check your phone model for how to force full rate and see how it sounds.
Jun 30, 2009 | 2:07 pm
#28
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And don't start me on the network with the longest signal range - good ol' 800 MHz AMPS. When I was a wee lad with the 3 watt Motorola Bagphone, which (in the right locations with an external antenna) would give a range in excess of 120km away from the base station.
When AMPS was withdrawn, Telstra had to implement nearly 3 times as many 800 MHz CDMA base stations to replicate the AMPS rural coverage.
When AMPS was withdrawn, Telstra had to implement nearly 3 times as many 800 MHz CDMA base stations to replicate the AMPS rural coverage.
Jun 30, 2009 | 2:36 pm
#29
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How do the Verizon world phones work? Do they have a regular CDMA device with an empty SIM slot in the back along with GSM innards to work in Europe?
I have a Palm Pre for the U.S. and a cheap unlocked oldschool Nokia that I bought on the street for something like 15 pounds in Europe. (It literally looks like a basic 1990's phone, even though it was new in its box when I bought it two years ago.) I just throw a local SIM in it wherever I go...
The AT&T GSM phones that I've seen advertised in the U.S. with worldwide capabilities have absolutely brutal per-minute rates when you leave the U.S. I wonder if T-Mobile is better since it was a European company to begin with and has its own network in multiple countries.
I have a Palm Pre for the U.S. and a cheap unlocked oldschool Nokia that I bought on the street for something like 15 pounds in Europe. (It literally looks like a basic 1990's phone, even though it was new in its box when I bought it two years ago.) I just throw a local SIM in it wherever I go...
The AT&T GSM phones that I've seen advertised in the U.S. with worldwide capabilities have absolutely brutal per-minute rates when you leave the U.S. I wonder if T-Mobile is better since it was a European company to begin with and has its own network in multiple countries.
Jun 30, 2009 | 2:42 pm
#30
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Verizon gives you a SIM that works with your Verizon number when you're out of the country. I don't know if the phone comes with it or not.
T-mobile's international roaming rates are similar to AT&T's.
T-mobile's international roaming rates are similar to AT&T's.