CDMA vs GSM

solanky

Jul 4 2005, 05:05 AM

Hi,
Now a days there are two different technology for mobile phones in the world.
(1) CDMA -Code Division Multiple Access
(2) GSM - Global System for Mobiles based upon TDMA ( Time Division
Multiple Access)

There are some countries where GSM is the major technology and CDMA has entered recently like India. On the other side there are some countries where CDMA is the main technoloy and GSM has entered recently like USA, Canada as far as I know.
What you think about these. I mean which technology you like and why??? And which will win in the race between these two in the future.

ivobrett

Jul 5 2005, 09:29 AM

Hi,

I work in the industry and being from Europe obviously I'd have to say GSM. Technical both technologies are level pegging. Some would argue that CDMA is better quality. But to the average Joe you cant tell the difference.

GSM however is a much more globally standardised technology. For this reason international roaming is excellent with GSM. There is so much international roaming in Europe therefore GSM is used 100%. However CDMA isnt as internationally accepted. Great in your own country but if you want to travel somewhere else the chances are your CDMA phone wont work.

Interestly, the GSM standards group have adopted WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) as the basis for the next version of GSM (i.e 3GSM).

I suppose the debate doesnt really matter as we will all be using WCDMA in 10 years time.

tmp

Aug 17 2005, 08:44 PM

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is likely to be the next standard so GSM and CDMA, TDMA and the others will probably be in our history books sooner than expected.

xip

May 10 2006, 10:22 AM

I think (like tmp) the next standard will be UMTS.
In Europe all the companies are upgrading their systems to that technology.

illini319

May 11 2006, 07:18 PM

I can't, with any technical authority, tell you which standard will win out. But, like any other standard war, better technology doesn't always win out. Money will decide this issue. So, it begs the question, in terms of usage which continent uses cellphones more? Or, which company(ies) in what country(ies) are the most profitable in wireless telecom, and which standards do they use?

sonoftheclayr

Jun 12 2006, 05:35 AM

I think that in Australia GSM will win, at least in the short-term because most of the networks here are running GSM and the major network, Telstra, is removing it's CDMA technology so GSM will dominate here eventually.
I use GSM myself, like many people and I believe most of Australia has access to a GSM network, although mine is sometimes non-existent.

xboxrulz

Jun 12 2006, 10:22 PM

technically it's called WCDMA, which is a 3G technology, and I'm all for 3G technology as I think we should always try to embrace new technologies.

Therefore, I voted CDMA, but as I said, it's called WCDMA.

In Canada, it's being introduced later this year!

I can't wait!

xboxrulz

unimatrix

Jun 13 2006, 07:01 PM

I'm going to say that TDMA/GSM/Whatever is next based on this technology tree branch will be the winner. It's really no contest as very few use WCDMA outside of north america.

The First GSM phone I had was in Germany through Vodofone. Then when I got back to the states Cingular offered a dual TDMA/GSM phone. I used that for a couple years then switched to a Motoroloa V60 series GSM (I think it was the 170 or 160, I can't remember). Now I have a Razer V3 through the Cingular Go service.

Why I do the monthly plan linked to my debt card just as I did before with the 2-year plans. The nice thing is if I can get a really good deal through someone else, I'll join, if I need to go to Germany for 6Months, I can just cancel my month to month with no $150 fee...it works for me...

jerms

Jul 21 2006, 09:27 AM

Nationwide, we have cdma, wcdma, gsm goverage. I personally like gsm because it seems faster with txt messaging and roaming is as easy as turning on your phone in a country like australia, where Ive used it before. I have both a gsm and a cdma phone. I use my cdma during the week through Telecom (cheap sms plan) and my gsm with Vodafone on the weekend (free sms). Takes up to 10 seconds at times to send messages on the cdma network :s, other people have noticed it too.

SkalariaK

Mar 21 2007, 11:12 AM

QUOTE(solanky @ Jul 4 2005, 05:05 AM)

In Europe, CDMA has never existed... in fact GSM has been arround for decades. UMTS is in fact a technology used in GSM ... So therefore GSM IS the future as UMTS belongs to GSM.

You can also tell this by the fact that the latest phones in US were obsolete in Europe nearly 10 years ago..

CDMA as well as Analogue where dead many years ago.

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iGuest

Jul 27 2008, 06:55 PM

CDMA sucks!
CDMA vs GSM

Replying to solanky
CDMA has been developed for an isolated society and bases its product on one PERCEIVED need- the need for spped. They have missed the main point of mobile communication- COMMUNICATION and this is what GSM provides! A great GLOBAL communication experience. I am South African, visiting in Canada, and coming from a developing world, I had a few base expectations of maintaining contact with my friends and family in SA and UK through sms's. I was disillusioned to find out that it would cost me a minimum of $35 for access to the network which I would pay $0.10 in South Africa. And what do I get for this? Nothing! A further $10 will give me airtime to that value. For $0.15 I can send and recieve an sms!? which would cost me $0.08 in South Africa (only to send- we don't pay for receiving!!??) and $0.30 to make (and receive!!??) a call which would cost me $0.22 only to receive (so halve it again!!). Oh and I STILL won't be able to send and receive sms from my friends and family in UK and SA. Now that I am using a basic CDMA phone- there are LOTS of other things that I find are better on GSM; like predictive text! T9 word is so 10 years ago!! OK so maybe I have an old phone... But the sim card offers such flexibility and offordability I believe that Americans who dominate the CDMA market are purchasing with their eyes closed. GSM rocks!! and in the gloabal world that we live in GSM has come to the fore- CDMA have developed their technology for an isolated society. I found this article VERY informative about the two types (CDMA and GSM, although it has not been updated to include 3G which I used in SA and it was great!)
Http://www.Wisegeek.Com/what-is-the-difference-between-gsm-and-cdma.Htm

-reply by gs2889

iGuest

Jul 27 2008, 06:55 PM

iGuest

Jul 27 2008, 06:53 PM

CDMA sucks
CDMA vs GSM

Replying to ivobrett Replying to xboxrulz Replying to solanky
CDMA has been developed for an isolated society and bases its product on one PERCEIVED need- the need for spped. They have missed the main point of mobile communication- COMMUNICATION and this is what GSM provides! A great GLOBAL communication experience. I am South African, visiting in Canada, and coming from a developing world, I had a few base expectations of maintaining contact with my friends and family in SA and UK through sms's. I was disillusioned to find out that it would cost me a minimum of $35 for access to the network which I would pay $0.10 in South Africa. And what do I get for this? Nothing! A further $10 will give me airtime to that value. For $0.15 I can send and recieve an sms!? which would cost me $0.08 in South Africa (only to send- we don't pay for receiving!!??) and $0.30 to make (and receive!!??) a call which would cost me $0.22 only to receive (so halve it again!!). Oh and I STILL won't be able to send and receive sms from my friends and family in UK and SA. Now that I am using a basic CDMA phone- there are LOTS of other things that I find are better on GSM; like predictive text! T9 word is so 10 years ago!! OK so maybe I have an old phone... But the sim card offers such flexibility and offordability I believe that Americans who dominate the CDMA market are purchasing with their eyes closed. GSM rocks!! and in the gloabal world that we live in GSM has come to the fore- CDMA have developed their technology for an isolated society. I found this article VERY informative about the two types (CDMA and GSM, although it has not been updated to include 3G which I used in SA and it was great!)

-reply by gs2889

iGuest

Jul 26 2008, 03:59 AM

Facts:
WCDMA is a 3G for GSM, UMTS is a part of WCDMA
EVDO(CDMA2000)is a 3G for CDMA

(WCDMA) (CDMA)
WCDMA - 70-140 kbps EVDO - 300-700 kbps
UMTS - 275ï¿½380 kbps

WCDMA != CDMA <----- FACT! (WCDMA does not equal CDMA)

My thoughts:

CDMA > WCDMA

UMTS will not rule the world and those history books will remain blank for years to come.

If you travel the world GSM is right for you, if you travel the states CDMA is right for you.

If you like to get a new phone every month GSM is right for you. If you like to send and receive large amounts of data CDMA is right for you.

Verizon has the best coverage, over Sprint (both CDMA) but the software on the phones **** (Verizon)! options: Smartphones; Sprint has coverage in concentrated coverage areas, more people in the target areas.

I have both PC cards Sprint and Verizon, Sprint seems to be in more spots I travel, however Verizon seems faster when I can connect to the faster network.

AT&T has the best phones! Lowest dropped calls my [explitive]!

I have had 6 dropped calls on Verizon, 4 of which in the same area in TN while traveling it is just a bad spot, and 50 million on AT&T. This comes back to the type of network, CDMA hands the call hand off to the next tower much much better. I drive a good distance often, if you are not moble and in one area during most of your conversations dropped calls are a moot point.

-reply by Phreay

iGuest

Jun 13 2008, 08:26 PM

Replying to Feedbacker

Thanks - I'd heard that CDMA is supposed to be superior voice quality, but I've also heard reception sucks for CDMA in large cities - specifically Montreal..

Can anyone confirm or argue with this? I'll be moving there soon and my contract with Rogers is almost finished, so I'm thinking of switching to Solo or Telus because their plans are cheaper.

CDMA vs GSM - Which will rule the world

CDMA vs GSM - Which will rule the world

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