I am now also a T-Mobile customer/user! I don't want to give up beloved Alltel, so I have both. I have a Moto RAZR V3T, which is proving to be a nice choice. It is feature filled! Does the call quality of GSM exceed CDMA? We have noticed the GSM phones have more clarity. I have some quesitons. When I perform a network search, it will provide T-Moble and ROAMING as network options, and it will allow me to use either. When I view them, the T-Mobile lists 310-260 and the roaming is like 310-390. In various areas, these numbers change. Is there a way to look up what tower or system the numbers correlate with? (much like a SID for CDMA). What are some benefits of GSM over CDMA? Thank You!
I have had Sprint (CDMA) and recently moved to T-mobile (GSM). I have not noticed a huge difference between the two. In the areas that I reside/work/play in, Sprint calls had better voice quality compared to T-mobile. However, T-mobile signal easily gets into parts of the building where Sprint did not. My opinion is that the difference is just that of the service provider and signal towers rather than a CDMA versus GSM issue. As for current advantages of GSM over CDMA, you can use your phone in very many places around the world. However, the futuristic capabilities of CDMA seriously outweigh those of GSM.
Hey jason, welcome to t-mobile. As vaccine said GSM has been adopted by the majority of world countries so just about any country you go to, you can use your phone. CDMA is by no means an inferior technology, less countries have adopted it. Outside the US, Japan and Korea are major users of CDMA. As for call quality with GSM versus CDMA, you shouldnt notice too much of a difference. CDMA has that robotic voice sound every once and a while GSM typically has less of that depending on signal quality. Otherwise GSM is a unified standard, meaning that things like SMS (text) and voice mail are generally carried across as you roam between different carriers. CDMA has a less unified structure and if you roam, it can sometimes take a long time to get VM and SMS. The network IDs can generally be found if you google them like "310-260 + GSM" or something of that nature. You will probably find that T-Mobile's coverage isnt as good as alltel esp. in the more rural areas, however generally t-mobile's value cant be beat. Test it out where you work and play and let us know how it works for you. Good Luck. -Claude.
I agree with Claude final comments. It does not matter whether it is GSM or CDMA. What does matter is: In the places where you want to, you can either use your phone (you have good signal) or you cannot. Rest is secondary. The only way to know this is to test the phone and the service in areas where you live/work/play. For example, Sprint was awesome with its voice clarity where I lived, but inside my office building, I would always drop calls or never get them. That did not mean that Sprint (or CDMA) was bad. T-mobile signal fluctuates often, but I dont drop calls in my office that often. So, it works for me. Although CDMA data services may be superior to GSM, I do not subscribe or use them (currently). When I feel a need for them, I can always switch to a CDMA provider. I was recently reading an extremely heated debate on GSM versus CDMA on another online forum and I found it very funny and irrational.
Thanks for the great advice! It appears 310-260 is T-Mobile, and the tower is a few blocks from the house. The 310-590 is Alltel GSM, which is the other option the phone shows. It allows me to use either. What is the distance a GSM signal will be usable, from a tower in the flat, wide-open plains?
GSM and CDMA dont have different propogation lengths (i.e. GSM 850 and CDMA 850 will go the same distance.) T-Mobile operates strictly in the 1900 spectrum so in open flat lands it would be about 1-2 miles. Alltel GSM has primarily 850 so that will go around 3-4 miles in given the same circumstances. In a more urban setting it all depends, but i have 3 tmo sites within a 1/4 mile of me here in boston.
