I just switched from CDMA to GSM (Verizon to T-Mobile). I chose GSM. It just makes more sense in a world where lots of people are traveling from place to place.

I live out in the country, and will be going to college soon in the country, but I've found that with increasing technology, a GSM phone in my hometown has a good signal as does a GSM phone. I've also traveled to Europe and it was a pain not having my phone work while I was there.

I was more than happy to switch. The sound quality difference is barely noticeable to me, but hey, it's probably different for others.

-feedback by Katherine

I'm in Kenya and here there are both CDMA and GSM networks. The leading GSM company Safaricom intends to upgrade to WCDMA in a while and I'd say CDMA reception here is better and data transfer is better and costs less. GSM reception is fairly good though its pathetic when its time for free calls using Safaricom. The other GSM company Celtel's reception is better and calls are clear all the time though it seems to have more BTS sites (what some may call boosters) generally. With both GSM networks roaming is quite easy to East, Central and South Africa. It seems that WCDMA is the future around here.

Good info - can I have more?
CDMA vs GSM

Replying to jerms
May I ask whether you're in a large city or a rural area? And my main concern - how is the voice quality of GSM versus CDMA?

-question by Lara

------ ADMIN REPLY -----
GSM
Global System for Mobile Communication. The most widely used current technology for mobile telephony and data communication. GSM systems were originally conceived for voice telephony and provide only very limited bandwidth for data communication. Developed in the early 1980s to allow for roaming throughout Europe.

CDMA
Code Division Multiple Access. A digital technology pioneered by QUALCOMM that provides crystal clear voice quality in an exciting new generation of wireless communications products and services. Using digital encoding and "spread spectrum" radio frquency (RF) techniques, CDMA provides much better and cost-effective voice quality, privacy, system capacity, and flexibility than other wireless technologies, along with enhanced services such as short messaging, e-mail and Internet access.

CDMA Quality is technology wise is better than GSM.

Rogers is not the only GSM provider in Canada
CDMA vs GSM

Replying to xboxrulz

Nope... FIDO is GSM as well.

-reply by Lara

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.

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 - 275�380 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

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

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

CDMA sucks
CDMA vs GSM

Replying to ivobrettReplying to xboxrulzReplying 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