> -----Original Message-----
> From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org
> [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org] On Behalf Of Mike Miller
> Sent: Monday, January 21, 2013 1:40 PM
> To: TCLUG Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [tclug-list] Subject: Re: Ubuntu Phone - tales of CDMA vs GSM

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

> I think Chuck and Yaron both make excellent points, and
> though they disagree on which system (GSM or CDMA) they'd
> choose, I see little disagreement about the facts, just a
> disagreement about preferences.

Almost true, but Yaron didn't believe CDMA is a majority of carriers and
likely also in users in the USA.  I cannot get the provider features with
GSM that I have and use with Sprint's CDMA.  Sprint is truly unlimited,
while GSM doesn't seem to have that, and T-Mobile really sucks.
I was screwed by GSM (carrier lied about major coverage gaps.  I got out w/o
early termination by eagerly suggesting we take the issue to court).
Everyone I know who uses GSM has significant problems of one sort or
another: my preferences are clear.  Don't have a technical issue with either
GSM or other Esperanto-like fetishes some folks have   :-)

Not previouly mentioned, but Nokia (inventor and major supplier of GSM) was
going bankrupt last I heard.  Did they recover?


> CDMA is most common in the USA, but it is rare elsewhere,
> while GSM is all over most of the rest of the world.
> Sometimes I go to Ecuador or to Europe and both are GSM-only.
>  It would be really cool if I could swap out a SIM card in
> Europe or Ecuador and keep on using my phone, but I'm not
> there very often and I've always gotten by without my phone.

POINT of THIS POST:  I recall seeing some phones that do BOTH and almost
interchangeably.  Must have two RF chips..Not sure what that means at data
level or provider levels.

> The service within my home also matters to me.  Sprint phone
> service in my home works very poorly.  Because of that, we
> bought a cordless phone and a NetTalk Duo, and that works
> well.

There are boosters by Wilson for about $145 that have outside antenna, RF
amp, and inside antenna.  I think these are all/only RF and not
modulation-dependent, so would help both GSM and CDMA...  IIRC.

My Sprint signal is good inside most of my house, but weak in my basement
where my office is.  WiFi seems to fix this 4G weakness pretty well.



Chuck