![]() ![]() They remained split during the '00s through the third generation of cellular, which added better data speeds but stayed incompatible. When carriers switched to 2G digital systems in the 1990s, they chose among several competing options some of them died out, but CDMA and GSM are the two 2G camps that survived. The first generation was analog cellular phones. Each generation is able to support more users and has better data transfer capabilities. When cell phone providers talk about a "G," they mean a generation of wireless technology. ![]() There are more efficient ways to use our limited airwaves now. The first GSM network launched in the US in 1995 (Opens in a new window). Sprint's CDMA network is 25 years old (Opens in a new window). They'll work poorly, and pretty soon they won't work at all.ĭon't weep for CDMA and GSM. Yes, there are some 2G-only and 2G/3G-only phones still for sale, especially unlocked GSM phones. No matter how much you love your old phone, it's time to switch over. It's a 4G LTE world now, with 5G coming up fast. That means 2G and 3G reception and call quality will likely be poor, even before the formal shutdowns. ![]() In the twilight years of these networks, they're being turned down to levels primarily designed to support devices like electric meters and vending machines. ![]() Verizon will shut down its 3G CDMA network on Decem(Opens in a new window). T-Mobile will shut down the 3G CDMA network used by some Sprint and Boost customers on Ma(Opens in a new window). It has not set a date to turn off 2G, but has greatly reduced its coverage and quality. T-Mobile will shut down 3G GSM/UMTS in July 2022 (Opens in a new window). Those networks are going away! If you have a phone that only uses 2G or 3G, you need to get a 4G or 5G phone, pronto.ĪT&T has already shut down its 2G GSM network and most recently said it will shut down 3G GSM/UMTS in February 2022 (Opens in a new window). But in 2022, it's absolutely time to get off of CDMA and GSM. We first published this article in 2012 and kept it updated it throughout the 2010s, when it was important to know the differences between these two technologies. GSM really mean for you?ĬDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global System for Mobiles) are shorthand for two older radio systems (also known as 2G and 3G) used in cell phones. They're the reason you can't use old AT&T phones on Verizon's network and vice versa. Two basic technologies in mobile phones, CDMA and GSM, represent a gap you can't cross.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |