CDMA vs. GSM vs. AMPS?

I've lived in Los Angeles and traveled the country a lot in the last 4 years. My current service and phone (Verizon, StarTac 7868) have been more than adequate to this point, and compared to my colleagues and friends, the most reliable. But I will be moving to Boston shortly, to Philly in January, and in about a year I'll be traveling all across the U.S. and will likely find myself in some pretty remote areas again. So right now I'm committed to at least getting a new phone and possibly changing carriers, and my decision is almost entirely predicated on a better understanding of the CDMA, AMPS, GSM and whatever other networks there are. If someone could explain this to me in layman's terms I would be forever grateful.

When I considered switching carriers this summer I spent a lot of time talking to a lot of cellphone sales associates and I think what I was told was:

1) AMPS is the old analog network, but in some parts of the U.S. (those remote areas) it's all that's available.

2) CDMA is the best network

3) Verizon and Sprint both use CDMA and that's why given the right phone, they provide the clearest calls

4) GSM is the network used in Europe and is newer to the U.S

5) Cingular and T-mobile only use GSM and don't have AMPS capability

6) Sprint is adding GSM to run beside CDMA and AMPS, and that's why given the right phone, they will soon be the most reliable and provide the clearest calls

If people could confirm or deny those things for me I would greatly appreciate it. I'd also like to know what the term "all digital" means. Does that mean the phone is limited to CDMA or GSM and that it's incapable of accessing AMPS? Thus far I've only considered Tri-Mode phones because of this point.

One thing I dont understand about the tri-mode phones offered by and too be offered by Verizon (Moto V325 in particular) is why they don't come with Bluetooth. Is there a tri-mode phone that comes with Bluetooth or are the technologies incompatible?

But even bluetooth is an extravagance to me. I mean I don't even send text messages - no capability on the StarTac. I just want a phone that provides good talk time, with a carrier that won't drop that many calls and has room for growth (if I want to add those many fun features or get a blackberry type product in the future).

Finally, I'd really like to know which network is strongest on the east coast (Philly and Boston in particular) and which are stronger in the remote areas. And by remote areas I mean rural towns down South and in the Midwest.

Thanks in advance for your responses. I know these are loaded questions. I wish there were a website that broke it all down for us.

There is no question that verizon is hands down the best network. Especially the east coast where it all started. I didnt know sprint was going gsm but that will definately take a longer time than you would expect ( Atleast 2-3 years). You want clear calls. Obviously anyone would. Now let me explain the networks.

Cingular/T*Mobile= GSM 900mHz

Verizon/Sprint= CDMA 850mhz

Amp'd Mobile>>>>= Amps 850mHz
(Not yet established)

The smaller mHz the better signal the less dropped calls. So basically you want CDMA. CDMA will work better in the entire country and especially rural (Unlike GSM) GSM is still being established and things are still being developed. CDMA will provide the coverage you want. GSM is best for people who will only stay in big cities like NY Philly Boston. You will be traveling so CDMA will be good in city and rural. The motorola v325 is made to be entry level ( INEXPENSIVE) so thats why it doesnt have bluetooth. That is a good question about the trimode/bluetooth though. I think that's it. Hope it helps.

Well Motorola did release the A840 for Verizon that gets both GSM and CDMA, so I'm guessing there is at least an agreement in the works for Verizon as well.

What I don't get is why no one offers a phone with GSM, CDMA, and AMPS? I have to believe there's a market for a phone that can sell in Iowa and NYC?

But what's really bothering me is that the phones with all the cool features are all digital (no AMPS). Is it really that difficult to make these phones AMPS capable?!!!

Unless someone talks me out of it, I want a Motorola. If the StarTAC/Timeport isn't the best cellphone ever made, I'd like to know what is. I can't tell you how many times I would be sitting next to my ex-girlfriend who had Verizon as well with a Samsung and watch her struggle to find a signal while I had 3 or 4 bars.

If I stay with Verizon, it sucks that my only two options are the E815 without AMPS or the V325 without Bluetooth (and I'm assuming loads of other great features). I probably spend 360 out of 365 days a year in or around big cities and will for at least the next year, so I'm starting to believe having a Tri-Mode phone isn't that important to me. I think it's more important it be a Motorola.

When 2007 rolls around and I know I'll be in rural areas pretty frequently that when I'll need access to analog. But that's beyond a year, so I might as well buy a new phone (and/or switch carriers and sign a 1-year) and maybe by then who knows what great phones will be on the market.

So with me dismissing AMPS, I guess my question has become is CDMA really that much better than GSM, specifically in Philadelphia and Boston?

Because right now it seems that based on the plans and Motorola phones available to the carriers I'm caught between staying with Verizon and getting a phone that will get the job done (Moto E815 or V325) and not a whole lot else, or switching to T-Mobile and having a cool Motorola phone (Razr, PEBL, A630) and load of more minutes. So if GSM is just as good as CDMA in Philadelphia and Boston, why not sign with T-Mobile and re-evaluate things in a year when I know I'll probably need to switch to Verizon or Sprint?

Oh yea, and T-mobile appears to have phones with GSM 850 mHz.

Razr & PEBL are quad-band (GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900). Can you tell me more about those? Are they each individual networks? What have 4 different verisions of the same GSM system? The A630 is only 850, 1800 and 1900 (no 900). What does that mean exactly?

If the lower the mHz the better the signal, is GMS 850 not on par with CDMA 850 simply because there are more CDMA towers or is it the technology?

Amps is barely used or needed anywhere so having a phone with all 3 wll not make any difference in signal. The A840 is nolonger sold and that phone is a World Phone which means when you leave the country it will work. Its like linear and metric measurements. Everyone (Country) uses Gsm (metric) but only us uses CDMA (Linear) No Gsm phone uses 850 in a merica a quad band is just a nother word for world phone. It means when you leave the countery the different frequencies that other countries used will be picked up and make your phone usable. The a630 will pick up all signals in any country that does not use 900.

EXAMPLE: Lets say you need to go on a business trip to England. They use (im guessing) a 900 frequency of GSM. If you purchase the RAZR it will pick up a signal. If you purchase the a630 you will not. Having a quad band phone in america will not help signal strength. Also america only uses 1900 on gsm. Cdma still has 850.

Well since the lower the mHz the better the call and America only uses GSM 1900 and CDMA uses 850, I can assume that in general the CDMA version of a phone would get a better signal than the GSM version? Or am I more likely to be on the CDMA 1900 than the CDMA 850?

Thank you for your comments. Because of them I think I'm closing in on the Moto E815 with Verizon.

More likley the 1900Mhz network or on the phone display it should show "1X" thats 1900mhz "D" is 800mhz and "A" is analouge 800mhz on CDMA that is

After using both 1900 and 800 services, I would strongly advise getting an 800Mhz phone! The in-building coverage is difficult at 1900.....they need roughly twice as many cell-sites as an 800Mhz service. It is funny that the old AMPS wide-band FM system actually sounded better than any of the new digital modes. Unfortunantly it was not an efficient use of spectrum. Sometimes we have to make trade-offs as we move forward...

- radio guy

CDMA vs. GSM vs. AMPS?

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