| Finding a cellular phone and carrier that fits your | | | | signaling. |
| needs is never easy. There are some basic things | | | | Here are some factors you might want to check |
| you have to know about your phone and cellular | | | | before choosing one over the other: |
| carrier like coverage areas, data availability, data | | | | SIM Card: GSM SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) |
| transfer speed, roaming etc.. One of the most | | | | Card is a memory card that identify the user and |
| important things you should look for in a cellular | | | | saves his information, phone book, calender |
| carrier before you chose one is what network | | | | entries and more. SIM Cards can be taken out of |
| technology they use. | | | | one device and put into another very easily, so |
| Most cellular carriers In the U.S. (T-Mobile, Sprint, | | | | that your info, data and calling plan can be carried |
| Verizon, AT&T and others) use either | | | | into a new handset within a minute. That's one of |
| CDMA, or GSM and sometimes both. What do | | | | the major reasons for people preferring GSM SIM |
| GSM and CDMA mean, and which one is better | | | | cellular phones over CDMA phones. On the other |
| for your needs? let's first understand the meaning | | | | hand, most CDMA CSPs have a database (on the |
| and the differences between the two. | | | | CSPs computers) that stores your data, and |
| CDMA stands for Code Division Multiple Access. | | | | transfers it to a new device upon your request - |
| Using codes, in CDMA the data and voice are | | | | easily. That gives CDMA carriers an advantage: |
| separated from signals - leaving more space for | | | | user's info and phone-book recovery in case the |
| data transfers. That is why CDMA is favored by | | | | phone is lost or stolen. |
| 3G users - as they send and receive multimedia | | | | Domestic / International Usage: if you're a |
| messages or using wireless broadband to access | | | | business man going on a business trip abroad |
| the internet. CDMA technology uses wide | | | | every once in a while, or just travel a lot, GSM is |
| frequency-range to transmit voice and data. | | | | right for you. With GSM being used by almost |
| GSM or Global System Mobile (or Group Special | | | | 80% of cellular phone users around the world, it is |
| Mobile) is the most widely used network | | | | considered more accessible than CDMA. you'd be |
| technology around the world - dominating as | | | | able to use your quad-band GSM phone all over |
| much as 80% of the worldwide cellular networks | | | | Europe and in most parts of Asia, while multi-band |
| market, and even greater percentage of the | | | | is not available with CDMA - which reduces the |
| market in Europe. With GSM, roaming between | | | | use of CDMA overseas. |
| CSPs (Carrier Service Providers) is more common | | | | There are more differences between the two, of |
| than with CDMA - which is why GSM users can | | | | course, but these few are the most significant |
| use their mobile devices in almost every part of | | | | and affect the user the most. Make sure you do |
| the world. GSM is categorized as a second | | | | your research before choosing your cellular |
| generation cellular system because the speech | | | | service provider, and remember to ask what |
| channel is digital (analog audio signals are | | | | network technology they use. |
| converted into digital signals), as well as the | | | | |