hello. i just have a few questions about unlocked cell phones. Will a sim card from any gsm phone work in another gsm phone? eg: a sim card from the motorola razer being but in a samsung gravity. what is the difference between a gsm cell phone and a cdma cell phone? will i sim card from a gsm phone work in a cdma phone? are all sim cards the same? thank you for your time and any other info that you know of that you think will help me out will be appreciated.
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MurphyLaw Posts: 58
Phone Model: Apple iPhone 3G
Service Provider: AT&T
Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:23 am
vitovito,
Here is the ultimate short version and the crash course in cell phone tech.
The chief GSM carriers in the United States are Cingular Wireless, recently merged with AT&T Wireless, and T-Mobile USA. Major CDMA carriers are Sprint PCS, Verizon and Virgin Mobile. There are also several smaller cellular companies on both networks.
GSM (or Global System for Mobile communications):
It is the global standard, making it the most popular cellphone technology in the world! They say roughly 80% of the world uses GSM technology. That basically means it perfect for roaming. It also uses SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) along with a whole bunch of acronyms to communicate with the network.
CDMA (Code division multiple access ):
It is not the global standard. Is doesn't use a SIM card or IMEI (unless it for roaming purposes ie: Blackberry Storm from Verizon, it has a Vodaphone SIM card installed), CDMA also uses a whole lot of acronyms to place the call.
Finally CDMA requires you to deactivate your phone first (because phone cannot appear twice on the network) if you wished to give it to someone else. GSM you dont have to even let the carrier know you're using a different phone. With GSM yo have to remove your SIM card to let another user use it. That was a moht full if you ask me, and I tried my best. Hope I helped.
