critic
Member
Registered: Nov 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 201 |
 Re: GSM or CDPD?
quote:
Originally posted by NetMetro
The concept of Visorphone sounds good to me. Now anyone can offer their expert opinion if GSM or CDPD version is the way to go? I see myself will only use it mostly in US interstate. Will GSM network prevail in N. America? Is data limit only to 14.4K bps in comparison to higher potential of future CDPD? Still do you think there will be a CDPD version of Visorphone available this year?
The last part first: Sprint is supposed to have the AirPrime Visorphone "clone" later this year.
As far as which standard is going to end up being prevailant - it's hard to say at this point, but based on what I've been seeing in the consumer electronics magazines, CDMA is the future, at least here in the States. Sprint, Cingular (ugh) and others are saying they will have the first pieces of their 3G (third generation cellular) services up and running later this year (probably 4th quarter), at which point CDMA gets a boost from 14.4 kbps to 1.44 mbps - and that's just the start.
As for CDPD, I don't really know, because based on what I've been reading, CDPD's speed basically maxes out around 19 kbps, and it doesn't look like any of the major carriers have any plans to support CDPD, especially when CDMA 2000 (the name for the 3G CDMA standard) will offer greater speeds. It's one of the reasons I've been holding off on getting a wireless modem for my Prism - with 3G due at the end of the year, I want to check out all the offerings.
There can't be a CDPD Visorphone, for the simple reason that CDPD doesn't support voice.
Finally - the question of GSM versus CDPD. I'm assuming you're talking about right now, since CDPD doesn't have a whole lot of life left (IMHO). There are other threads going here which discuss the pros and cons of both services. But as for the future, well...GSM is the only one with a future - although it's also likely to undergo some form of 3G conversion over the next 2 years. But even then, GSM data speeds will lag behind CDMA.
(If I can find the TWICE article that I got all this information from, I'll post the link.)
My advice, if you want to get online with your Visor right now: If you don't already own a cell phone, you may be better off with GSM - thanks to the IR windows on certain phones, you can wirelessly connect your Visor to the phone - or, of course, you can get the GSM Visorphone. If you already own a cell phone (CDMA, most likely - Sprint, Verizon, Cingular), go to one of the online cable manufacturers and see if they have a cable to connect your Visor to your phone. It'll only run you about $30 + wireless web access through your cell provider, instead of $300 + $40/month for Omnisky/YadaYada.
Finally, regarding your question about GSM becoming dominant in the US - it's just not likely. The telcos have invested too much money in CDMA to start fresh with a new system, regardless of whether or not the rest of the world is using it. (In fact, the CDMA/GSM issue could end up costing Verizon it's stake in Vodaphone in the UK, because Vodaphone doesn't want to have to support 2 systems.) VoiceStream and (lately) AT&T have been investing in GSM to add to their coverage areas, but neither are truly nationwide yet. CDMA will remain the dominant digital wireless footprint, but GSM isn't going anywhere.
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03-29-2001 06:53 AM
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