> -----Original Message----- > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org > [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org] On Behalf Of Yaron > Sent: Monday, January 21, 2013 4:36 PM > > > Almost true, but Yaron didn't believe CDMA is a majority of > carriers > > and likely also in users in the USA. > > Oh for goodness sake. I NEVER SAID THAT. I said GSM is > undoubtedly the most popular system GLOBALLY. I didn't see you state it that way, but no matter now. That's an opinion that the US lags anybody in technology. That's why we are copied and plagiarized so much. > > 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. > > There are what are called "World Phones" that have both CDMA and GSM. > These are few and far between, though, and while they can hop > between GSM networks with zero problems, they still have > trouble hopping around CDMA networks. > We're getting WAY the heck off topic here, but I'll say this. > > CDMA is an old, old, old and outdated technology. It is > missing a lot of features GSM does, notably that you can't use > voice and data at the same time with CDMA. I haven't checked, but I have seen claims that CDMA can do both. The modulation and coding schemes are so complex and sophisticated, that there are options to do both by various means, including code-division. > Furthermore, CDMA is a lot better for locking users into a > specific carrier. It is virtually unknown of to be able to > take a CDMA phone to a different provider - try taking a > Verizon phone to Sprint, for example. > Good luck with that. If you buy an 'unlocked' CDMA phone > you're still at the mercy of your provider. Likely true, but irrelevant for me. Never has been an issue for me. I can get used compatible phones easily enough. > Contrast this with an unlocked GSM phone. First, since GSM > /is/ in use globally, unlocked GSM phones are readily > available. Google has been directly selling unlocked GSM > Nexus phones for ages, for example, and you can get an > unlocked GSM phone, not tied to any provider, on Amazon. > Easily. But I cannot get any acceptable GSM provider, and don't need a dead technology necklace for my costume :-) > Once you have this phone, you can use it on any GSM network. > In the world. So what? I have zero interest or use for that. I have no interest in using the worst providers in the US either. GSM is a poor return on investment by any and all criteria - for me. > I have three unlocked GSM phones at home. If my primary phone > breaks, I can easily move my SIM to a backup phone. I have backup phones also. An easy call to Sprint swaps my online hardware at no cost no matter how many times I may do it per day. Takes less than 1/2 hr to fully register the phone in their national networks. I have some unusable old phones also, but they do measure in-band signal strength in dbm in their diagnostic mode so I haven't tossed them yet. > I've been using T-Mobile for a loooong time, and I can tell > you that the quality of their service AND their customer > service has gone downhill a looong way. Have never heard that it was acceptably good. > This has nothing at all to do with underlying technology and, > Chuck, I think you misunderstood me completely if you thought > that's what I'm saying. Nearly everything you say seems to say you do believe it is a technology matter and not the pragmatic one of good or best US service. Note that I greatly respect your views even when I don't share them. This is not a personal squabble at all. Some folks may benefit from seeing these different views presented... But time to quit this topic :-) Chuck