GSM vs. CDMA - Who's the Champion?

In my experience GSM has better audio quality (to the person on the other end) than CDMA does. I realize this is also dependent on the phone, but I haven't heard a CDMA phone yet that sounds as good as a GSM phone.

Regarding data, I found GPRS to feel a little faster than 1x when using the mobile Web.

None of this is based on technical data or specs, just my personal experience.

 

The answer: Both.


It's too dependant on how well the network is tweaked, which frequency is being used, what phone you have, how congested the network is, the weather, topography, and a thousand other factors. One may be miles ahead of the other in one place, and only 10 miles down the road have the exact opposite be true.


The only reason, and I mean only reason, to pick one technology over the other is if you plan on being in europe quite a bit, and even then there are solutions for cdma.

 

That is the first statement you don't post on WA. It will NEVER end. It's like arguing about politics. Well I think i've said enough.

 

I agree with Fathead, there are too many variable. As for my experiences, I first started off with GSM then went to CDMA. From my experiences, I like CDMA better.

 

Hey guys, here is my :twocents:

Well there is NO defenate winner
Here are my statistics

GSM - AT&T/Cingular - From my experiances with AT&T/Cingular GSM it was pretty good (voice and data quality wise). AT&T/Cingular GSM also have a pretty big GSM nationwide footprint. Also good roaming and fairly priced plans. Good metro and suburban network... and ok rural wise. Great Data services.

GSM - Tmobile - They have some really generously priced plans for nationwide coverage. They have average voice quality but have awsome data services (not avalible everywhere). A down side to Tmobile is that they have very few roaming partners. They have a good GSM network (for metro and suburban) but not so good for rural areas. Ok nationwide footprint. Ok data services.

CDMA - Sprint PCS - They have fairly good nationwide footprint. Good voice quality while on SPCS network. Good roaming partners (Verizon - only one i know of). Ok data service. Pro is that they have Analog backup. Fairly priced plans. I like the fact of their fair and flexible plan.

CDMA - Alltel - They have a fairly good regional footprint (especially the southeast and midatlantic and southwest states). Fair voice quality. Nice roaming partners. Not so good at data services though. Nicely priced plans. Good advantage to have Analog for rural areas.

TDMA - AT&T/Cingular - GREAT nationwide footprint. Ok data service - such as txt messaging. Good voice quality. Ok with roaming partners (such as Suncom and US Cellular). Outrageously priced plans - only way to get TDMA is either prepaid or Cingular GAIT. Also good digital signal in rural areas and analog is a plus. Also I have AT&T Free2Go TDMA, i get secitons of ATT TDMA and Suncom TDMA network and the rest is roaming. I get roaming on US Cellulars TDMA and Analog network. I get Analog ATT for free/no roaming and also Cingular TDMA Nationwide.

 

The Champion will be the One with the Most:
1. Customers
2. Towers which means most coverage.

 

Haha, that's a good way to look at it.

 

It will be a Numbers Game.
These companies will look at their Books and see if they will be Financially Healthy in the Years to Come.

If you're a Big Company, I think the Government will Bail them out.
MCI and Chrysler were Bailed out.

 

It is easy CDMA will be the winner, that is why GSM is trying to move to WCDMA ( it would have worked out if they just paid the Qualcomm royalties ), GSM is just beefed up TDMA, CDMA has more capacity, soft handoffs.

Now from a nontechnical stand point you could say GSM has won by the numbers worldwide, but years from now CDMA will still be around and GSM will be a thing of the past.

 

I like GSM for it's phone versatility, I can choose my phone based on my mood or the occasion and not have to go through a lot of hassle to change what phone I am using. However my primary is Verizon CDMA because of coverage. If GSM and CDMA coverage were equal in the U.S. the I would find a reliable GSM provider and give them my business. However as it stands right now, Verizon gets my money for the coverage and customer service I get from them.

 

Oh, it's getting there, there have been ALOT of improvements in the past 2 years. I'm sticking to GSM because i'm don't travel often at all, and where I do I get service. The voice quality in GSM, I believe is better. Just because the U. S. isn't covered completely by the company, doesn't mean there good. GSM is in most cases less expensive than CDMA, and i've never had a problem with ATWS CS and i've called on avg about 20 times, and always polite and helpful. About UMTS (WCDMA), why didn't any of the CDMA companies launch it first in the U. S.? It was a GSM company that did it .

 

These GSM carriers will add W-CDMA.
You can Operate GSM and W_CDMA at the same time, sitting in existing RACKS using existing Cabinets/Housing/Towers.

Some here have a wrong Misconception that GSM carriers will TURN OFF GSM when they Install W-CDMA.

 

Allow me to make an ANALOGY:

Did VZW turnoff Analog when it moved to CDMA?
Does'nt VZW operate Analog and CDMA at the same time?


Better make some real reasearch.

 

No, by FCC law they are not allowed to turn Analog off until 2007 or 2008. They operate both CDMA and Analog networks at the same time.

 

So let me get this straight, GSM to UMTS is going to be like Analog to CDMA? GSM is going to be UTMS back up?

 

I prefer the incoming call delivery system that GSM uses over the CDMA system. The CDMA slot cycle system delays the phone ringing time on incoming calls and also causes calls rolling to VM more often.

 

larry, this is true. here in radio shack we do a lot of verizon and sprint activations, and after about 5 minutes, when i do the test call (i call from our store land phone to their new cell phone to make sure the activation went alright), i usually hear 2 rings from my end, and at the 3rd, their new cellphone rings. this does not happen with my cingular or my sister's tmobile, which are, of course, gsm.

hehehe, everybody forgets about oceania and latin america (and sometimes asia) when they talk about gsm. remember, oceania and asia use europe's frequencies; latin america uses both american and european, depending on the country. :biggrin:

 

I would have to say definately CDMA. Just for the fact because they have the most coverage. I live in Small Town USA and GSM is non-existent. Plus, CDMA has better voice quality IMO. Just my 2 cents.

 

the point is what you need if you need! The sales man are paid to say anything to get you to buy. The good and the bad of both are already listed.
If you are going to make a trip to Europe you will need GSM or WCDMA phone.
If you travel lots of rural america you need a phone that has analog and CDMA as a digital choice. Yes there are some very rural areas the GSM covers like Union Cellular does
GSM in the US will never get the rural coverage that CDMA has becuase there are many very rural areas and both cellular providers are CDMA is why. I am sure there is a market or 2 that both providers are GSM now (don't know where?)

 

Why do people keep asking this same question instead of using the SEARCH button? This horse has been beaten to death way too many times!

 

Actually, it's the other way around. You'll be surprised to know reality is not as dark for GSM as you believe. Check this out:

In the Top 40 U.S. Markets, the 2 - 800MHz licenses are held by one cdma and one gsm carrier, with the exception of the following:

9. Dallas - both GSM (at&t, cingular)
12. Miami - both GSM (AT&T, cingular)
15. Cleveland - both CDMA (Verizon, Alltel)
16.Phoenix - both CDMA (alltel, verizon)
26. orlando- both GSM (at&t,cingular)
29. charlotte,nc - both CDMA (verizon,alltel)
32. san antonio - both GSM (at&t,cingular)
34. norfolk, va- both CDMA (alltel verizon)
35.austin,tx - both GSM (at&t,cingular)
37. greensboro,nc - both CDMA (alltel, verizon)
40. jacksonville- both GSM (cingular, at&T)

So 35/40 top US markets will have GSM850,
while 34/40 top US markets have CDMA850! how about that?

That means 6 of the top 40 markets have both cellular bands on GSM while only 5 of the top 40 markets have both cellular bands on CDMA!

Thanks to Rockon83 for the data!

 

I think you miss the Analogy here. We all know they can't turn Analog off.
But the point here is that W-CDMA is an addition to GSM.
How long will GSM be ON, that depends on Cingular or T-Mobile. They can turn it on for the next 100 years.

 

Doe anyone know why there is no 850 GSM service in this area? Does someone have a license but is not using it? Or is there no 850 license here?

Edit: I think I answered my own question. There are two available and both happen to be CDMA carriers. :O

 

Yes, there are only 2 800 blocks.



Bobo, While I agree with your data, he specifically stated rural markets. The top 40 markets are anything but "rural".

 

GSM Operators are building towers in the Rural Areas?
Where have you been?

 

That's right...you got me there

But I still disagree with the statement that GSM will never get the rural coverage CDMA has. Sooner or later it will happen even if it is at 1900Mhz. As someone used to emphasize here in the past, Lake and Mendocino counties are as rural as you can get and GSM 1900 works fine there according to him.

 

The way it works is that when you call a GSM phone you won't hear any ringing until the phone actualy starts ringing, so you'll notice there's a longer silence after you dial. Normally, when you dial a CDMA phone, you start to hear the ring right away.

However, sometimes you may hear a ring or two even if a GSM phone is not ringing. Those ring come from the Voicemail system because the phone is either out of range, or turned off.

 

Ok so there might not be as big of an advantage for GSM than I thought in that regards. If there's longer silience after you dial the call isn't going to get through as fast as I thought.

 

True bobo. But of course, by that time, we'll be arguing about which is better, EV-DV and WCDMA.