Mobile Phone Tools

The Samsung Ace is coming to Sprint. It's worth noting because it's a cellphone that uses CDMA cellular tech, like all Sprint phones. But it also has an unlocked slot for a GSM SIM card in case you're wandering around a foreign country and want to buy a prepaid card (or just use Sprint's GSM roaming plan). Blackberry's World Edition 8830 has this too, FWIW. Jump for a shot of the phone's SIM slot, and more interesting points. Pretty sweet, even if the GSM range is only 800/1900MHz. (Most countries use the 900/1800Mhz bands, says Wikipedia.) The Windows Mobile 6.1 phone looks like the Blackjack, but has a different keyboard. It has a 1.3MP camera, RSS reader preloaded, can be used as a USB EVDO modem and has A2DP stereo Bluetooth streaming.

In cellular service there are two main competing network technologies: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Cellular carriers including Sprint PCS, Cingular Wireless, Verizon and T-Mobile use one or the other. Understanding the difference between GSM and CDMA will allow you to choose a carrier that uses the preferable network technology for your needs.

The GSM Association is an international organization founded in 1987, dedicated to providing, developing, and overseeing the worldwide wireless standard of GSM. CDMA, a proprietary standard designed by Qualcomm in the United States, has been the dominant network standard for North America and parts of Asia. However, GSM networks continue to make inroads in the United States, as CDMA networks make progress in other parts of the world. There are camps on both sides that firmly believe either GSM or CDMA architecture is superior to the other. That said, to the non-invested consumer who simply wants bottom line information to make a choice, the following considerations may be helpful.

Coverage: The most important factor is getting service in the areas you will be using your phone. Upon viewing competitors' coverage maps you may discover that only GSM or CDMA carriers offer cellular service in your area. If so, there is no decision to be made, but most people will find that they do have a choice.