Why cdma is better than gsm.

[IOWA]

I have a question, would the 3G voice/4G data allow us to talk and use data like on GSM networks?

Yes, as long as your in 4G coverage, and they are currently testing a new 3G technology, called SVDO, which would also enable voice + data on CDMA 3G.

 

[cyberkamote]

this reminded me of college! hehe! all these terms - we even had one big exam with just these topic!

 

[jonbonazza]

Wow.. VERY interesting! Thanks for the post and the knowledge!

 

[Napalm]

Interesting. I always thought some of that was in the background. My crackberry on AT&T/cingular droped calls all the time transitioning to cells.

In reality its all about the number of cells and the power of the over lapped signals. Alas issues I never had with my motorola phone on the same service.

In the aviation industry I have always heard that GSM/GPRS was actually the SATCOM system implemented on the ground. Same carrier band archeticture, same single cell (satelite) for serice. etc etc.

Can't really prove it per se. but I bet someone in the industry knows.

 

[IOWA]

Interesting. I always thought some of that was in the background. My crackberry on AT&T/cingular droped calls all the time transitioning to cells.

In reality its all about the number of cells and the power of the over lapped signals. Alas issues I never had with my motorola phone on the same service.

In the aviation industry I have always heard that GSM/GPRS was actually the SATCOM system implemented on the ground. Same carrier band archeticture, same single cell (satelite) for serice. etc etc.

Can't really prove it per se. but I bet someone in the industry knows.

Interesting take. Definitely something to look into.

 

[Andy in NY]

At our radio station ... we have banned cell phones from the studio area due to the very noise you show in your demo. It's a real pain to have to redo a commercial because of this kind of noise in the background. I've never had a problem with any of my phones in the studios ...but then again, I'm on Verizon.

Same here. We use cell for most of our remotes, and GSM phones are forbidden from the site due to the interfierence they cause.


Personally I think the debate of CDMA vs GSM is like the Mcdonalds vs Burger King one. I don't think either is superior, they both have ups and downs. But I have a feeling in the end there will only be one, and the losing carriers will be forced to adapt.

 

[IOWA]

Hacker intercepts phone calls with homebuilt $1,500 IMSI catcher, claims GSM is beyond repair -- Engadget

 

[jasperwill]

this was a very informative post. thanks. i especially like knowing why the GSM carriers can use data and voice at the same time. i have always wondered why the newer CDMA standard couldnt do something that the old standard could.
you said that there is research being done to implement voice+data on 3g CDMA?
i would love to hear more about that.
i would assume that doing both would be as easy as doing QOS type association for data and voice inside the cell phone and tower in order to make sure voice was given priority over data. based on what i read above it should be really easy because of cdma already expanding the channel its using based on how much data it actually needs to use 50 times per second.

 

[IOWA]

this was a very informative post. thanks. i especially like knowing why the GSM carriers can use data and voice at the same time. i have always wondered why the newer CDMA standard couldnt do something that the old standard could.
you said that there is research being done to implement voice+data on 3g CDMA?
i would love to hear more about that.
i would assume that doing both would be as easy as doing QOS type association for data and voice inside the cell phone and tower in order to make sure voice was given priority over data. based on what i read above it should be really easy because of cdma already expanding the channel its using based on how much data it actually needs to use 50 times per second.

SVDO allow simultaneous 1x voice and EVDO data : EVDOinfo.com

 

[jasperwill]

"A complementary device enhancement known as simultaneous 1X Voice and EV-DO Data (SVDO) will also become available during the same timeframe and will enable CDMA2000 devices to access EV-DO packet data services while in an active 1X circuit-switch voice call"
does that mean a radio firmware upgrade may enable this on current devices????
or is that just wishful thinking?

 

[nateo200]

Great post! I love these debates and these two techs are my favorite. I think everyone should have to read this before they attempt to start going past the terms "3G".

 

[BobPaul]

And remember, we aren't all bad.

It is not that you are bad, it is that you participate in perhaps the most messed up systems ever created.

Why participate in a system that observes a "weakest" link type of order?

Does it not bother you that you are beholden to be within a class no matter your efforts?

Just seems so counter productive to getting ahead in the world.

 

[nateo200]

Meganet's Dominator I snoops on four GSM convos at once, fits in your overnight bag -- Engadget

Let's just say avoid GSM like the plague if your talking private business. Looks fun though to mess with these gadgets though....

 

[substring]

...But I have a feeling in the end there will only be one, and the losing carriers will be forced to adapt.

That will be LTE, right?

 

[nateo200]

That will be LTE, right?

Yeah anyone choosing WiMax is an idiot. I don't care if sprint has "4G" they jumped the gun and grabbed Wimax because they could ride clears back the whole way and brag about "4G" before the big guys. WiMax is like one step above glorified wifi. LTE May indeed be similar but it will be so much nicer and will support voice and SMS from the start if all goes right (best way to get rid of legacy 1xRTT and GSM/GPRS networks).

 

[Big D]

Yeah anyone choosing WiMax is an idiot. I don't care if sprint has "4G" they jumped the gun and grabbed Wimax because they could ride clears back the whole way and brag about "4G" before the big guys. WiMax is like one step above glorified wifi. LTE May indeed be similar but it will be so much nicer and will support voice and SMS from the start if all goes right (best way to get rid of legacy 1xRTT and GSM/GPRS networks).

WiMax is a sinking ship IMHO. I really wish all the US carriers would be forced to adopt the same technology like they do in Japan and many other countries so we can stop all the exclusivity BS.

 

[nateo200]

WiMax is a sinking ship IMHO. I really wish all the US carriers would be forced to adopt the same technology like they do in Japan and many other countries so we can stop all the exclusivity BS.

Yeah...Japans network are amazing they've had UMTS since like 2000 or 2001, no screwing around with EDGE or even GSM at all. When AT&T was beefing up EDGE and testing UMTS japan was already at HSPA 7.2 if not faster. With standardized tech and hopefully to a certain extent frequencies (please none of this 5 different frequencies for one tech because no one can allocate a set frequency) I think the mobile phone industry will be much simpler.

 

[daddyd302]

That guy looks like a business ninja on his mandatory union smoke break...

He's the red spy from Team Fortress 2. I love that game!

 

[vikingisson]

That was a long post but somehow looked familiar. oh yeah, from 2002 I think, from an engineer that actually wrote it.