[Alivemau5]

Hey

So, here in the UK we don't have CDMA networks, I was just wondering if theres an advantage to using CDMA as opposed to GSM? It kindof annoys me how there are CDMA exclusives such as the Tour and even phones like the LG enV etc. etc.

So if anyone can tell me, I'd appreciate that.
Thanks.

[Sith_Apprentice]

its a different signal type. The tour works on UK GSM and 3G

[bkir72]

I have owned both and see no benifit to CDMA. I currently have GSM and love the freedom of changing devices w/o contacting carrier for help, plus, with GSM you can unlock it to work with any carrier.I hate contracts! And the standard 2year contracts here are too long in my opinion.Unfortunatly some carriers monopolize the CDMA issue by having "agreements" with manufactures that bar us from using our devices as we the consumers want to use them. To me its like buying a car you can only drive on specific streets in a specific city.. Stay with GSM...

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[RiDeC58]

Hey

It kindof annoys me how there are CDMA exclusives such as the Tour and even phones like the LG enV etc. etc.

So if anyone can tell me, I'd appreciate that.
Thanks.

AT&T has poor coverage in my area. My carrier is CDMA. It "kind of annoys me how there are" GSM exclusives like the Bold, iPhone etc. Even the storm which is CDMA is Verizon exclusive--not my carrier. So, its not just GSM/Europe.

[SolarPlexus]

They are really more alike than not alike from a end user perspective. It is my understanding that cdma has a bit better range also requiring a little more power. Also voice under identical conditions is supposedly less compressed. That being said, I have been able to compare the 2 in a few different places. CDMA has always sounded better and given better reception for me personally.
That being said, I can't see beng disappointed with either system.

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[SolarPlexus]

I have owned both and see no benifit to CDMA. I currently have GSM and love the freedom of changing devices w/o contacting carrier for help, plus, with GSM you can unlock it to work with any carrier.I hate contracts! And the standard 2year contracts here are too long in my opinion.Unfortunatly some carriers monopolize the CDMA issue by having "agreements" with manufactures that bar us from using our devices as we the consumers want to use them. To me its like buying a car you can only drive on specific streets in a specific city.. Stay with GSM...

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Doesn't unlocking depend on the device? I can name a couple of particular phones locked to major GSM carriers, but I have also switched several sprint phones to alltel.

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[TheScionicMan]

To me its like buying a car you can only drive on specific streets in a specific city..

It's more like one uses diesel and one uses gasoline. Slight benefits from each and they'll both work in most of the same areas. Although they are similar, they are just not interchangeable.

They were competing technologies in the early days of cell tech. When Europe and the rest of the world started rolling out their cell networks, they chose one standard. It's kind of like VHS/Betamax. In the end, you still watch the movie.

BTW, I can change hardware with a simple online action and calling the activation #. I don't even have to pull the battery out to get to the SIM slot...

[Gawain]

From a technology perspective, CDMA has a higher capacity than GSM. This is due to the way CDMA manages its frequency spectrum, whereas GSM must divide its spectrum into channels, and time slots. CDMA uses code across the entire spectrum. Because of this, CDMA allows for a "soft-handoff" from tower to tower, something not inherent in GSM/TDMA type technologies.

That's the quick and dirty.

[Alivemau5]

Sweet.
I don't know, I just wish there was a CDMA network in the UK so I could get some of these CDMA devices. Although when I'm looking out for my next BlackBerry, if theres an awesome CDMA BB out which can be used on a GSM network I might import an unlocked one.

[TheScionicMan]

Sweet.
I don't know, I just wish there was a CDMA network in the UK so I could get some of these CDMA devices. Although when I'm looking out for my next BlackBerry, if theres an awesome CDMA BB out which can be used on a GSM network I might import an unlocked one.

The Tour is a World Phone, has both CDMA and GSM. So, I would think you would be able to unlock it for GSM use over there, but I can't confirm that. The Storm also has dual capability, but I noticed the SIM card appeared to be fastened into the spot. I would imagine it could be accessed with the right tool.

[xliderider]

I've heard that CDMA penetrates buildings better. I can use my Verizon 8330 in the middle of a concrete hospital in a major metropolitan area (signal is strong outside for both of us), my boss' Bold drops calls in the building.

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[camarojones]

Gsm also causes and annoying sound to come out of older, non_shielded speakers and such.

I've also noticed a slightly better sound quality from calls.

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[didiwags]

I've heard that CDMA penetrates buildings better. I can use my Verizon 8330 in the middle of a concrete hospital in a major metropolitan area (signal is strong outside for both of us), my boss' Bold drops calls in the building.

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I think that might be right! When I go to my daughters gymnastics class, I am one of the few who can still use their phone in the gym downstairs. This other mother who sits next to me uses another carrier and couldnt get reception!

[Polychrome]

From a technology perspective, CDMA has a higher capacity than GSM. This is due to the way CDMA manages its frequency spectrum, whereas GSM must divide its spectrum into channels, and time slots. CDMA uses code across the entire spectrum. Because of this, CDMA allows for a "soft-handoff" from tower to tower, something not inherent in GSM/TDMA type technologies.

That's the quick and dirty.

In layman's terms, less "fast busy signal" and less dropped calls.

Kinda funny to hear a GSM-phone user wish for CDMA devices though. Usually it's the other way around. (I actually got a complaint once because a customer couldn't use an unlocked Hello Kitty phone on her account. No joke!) The grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.

[TheScionicMan]

Another thing I notice from using Google Maps is that the cell towers are usually farther away than when I'm on ATT. The one I'm on at my house is 2800 meters away. I rarely saw any distance over 1500 with GSM.

[Xpimp]

I like the security features of CDMA

Call quality I'll say is about even and in large depends on the phone. But I do like the way CDMA cancels out background noise and in "ideal" situations GSM just sounds more natural.

As far as phones go that goes to GSM, and it also makes sense since there's alot more GSM users worldwide.

[Alivemau5]

There seems to be a lot of plus sides to CDMA though, I mean, I'm perfectly happy with GSM apart from I lose signal a lot when I'm in college but I think that's just Orange as a network, but it would still be nice to have the choice?

[SolarPlexus]

There seems to be a lot of plus sides to CDMA though, I mean, I'm perfectly happy with GSM apart from I lose signal a lot when I'm in college but I think that's just Orange as a network, but it would still be nice to have the choice?

The big problem is that CDMA and GSM are very different technologies. Europe has dropped a TON of money into developing GSM. So for better or for worse, GSM is married to Europe (and most of the world). I would be surprised to see even a minute bit of CDMA rollout there. A nd really, there is no point. The fraction happened because there were several companies in North America (Japan and Korea too I think) that went in different directions. Europe had government intervention (I think) to push the standard. Neither technology is significantly better than the other. That being said, blame Vodaphone/Verizon for not pushing to have their cool phones on GSM.

[Xopher]

CDMA has some advantages over GSM from the carrier side of things (easier hand off between towers, better handling of bandwidth...) but most of us on the phone end don't notice it.

GSM has the advantage of using SIM cards to port between phones (CDMA has that capability, but carriers don't use it), and simultaneous data + voice on 3G (CDMA could if carriers used EV-DV instead of EV-DO, but noone does).

[pete6032]

I will second the reception in buildings comment. I go to a school where the buildings are very old and are basically like bomb shelters when it comes to phone signals. I switched over from a GSM network to a CDMA network and I get reception almost everywhere now whereas I hardly ever had a signal in buildings on campus before.

[Xpimp]

You guys have to understand with the Building coverage has nothing to do with the technology. It's all about whatever frequency band that particular carrier operates on is using and tower placement. I could say the same thing with my building that Verizon barely gets a signal.

For example you take a Verizon cell site and a T-mobile cell site. Now Let us say they are at the same exact location. Now there is a old brick building 3 miles up the road. Verizon will perform better inside this building. They operate on a lower frequency band 850mhz resulting in better in building penetration. T-mobiles GSM network runs on 1900mhz.

[cavingjan]

It's all about tower location, frequency, and transmission power. CDMA usually transmits at a higher power level. Consequently it uses more battery.

[losino]

In north dakota. Gsm gets no love. Cdma is where its at.

[m11stephen]

I will never go back to CDMA. I love the ability of swapping sim cards whenever you want a new phone, or want to switch a phone, and that every GSM phone will basically work around the world.

[anon(19759)]

For me it has nothing to do with CDMA vs GSM. It's all about who has the best coverage for where I spend most of my time. In my area, Verizon has the best coverage without a doubt. If AT&T had the best coverage here, I would have AT&T. I do envy those GSM users that have simultaneous voice and data.