Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

So which is better, VisorPhone vs. AirPrime SB1000? Note: I have never owned a cell phone for various reasons, but now I'm forced to join the bandwagon, and I figure there's no better time than to get one for my Visor.

From AirPrime's FAQ:

Commonly referred to as a second-generation (2G) technology, GSM networks serve roughly half of the total wireless voice subscriber base in the world. <snip> All other wireless technologies, such as GSM, TDMA, GPRS and EDGE, will eventually be replaced by W-CDMA, which is also a CDMA technology.

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Garland, TX, USA
Posts: 108

GSM

Here's some more poop from the GSM Alliance:

GSM provides integrated voice mail, high-speed data, fax, paging and short message services capabilities. <snip> In addition, GSM offers the best voice quality of any digital wireless standard. Independent laboratory & field test reports validate near wireline parity. <snip> The SIM card is one of the security devices on the GSM network, making it difficult to steal numbers or otherwise make fraudulent phone calls.

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Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

CDMA has faster data service than GSM

GSM's data service is 9600bps - not what anyone would call "high speed".

CDMA's data service is 14400bps - still not high speed but faster than GSM.

CDPD (only a data service over the old analog cell phone service called AMPS) is 19200pbs.

Service coverage is much better for CDMA than GSM. (I think CDPD coverage is even better than CDMA.)

Also whenever I talk to people that call me (into my POTS phone) from their cell phone, the audio quality of the GSM phones is vastly inferior to CDMA. CDMA sounds crystal clear and I usually cannot tell that the person is calling from a cell phone. The voice codec used in the GSM phones does not handle backgound noise very well. This background noise - especially road noise in a car - modulates the persons voice and makes them sound somewhat like Darth Vader.

Also, GSM might be considered by some to be a "worldwide" standard, but in reality a GSM phone that works in the US will most likely not work in Europe. This is because there are three different frequency bands that GSM phones use across the world: 900MHz, 1.8GHz, and 1.9GHz. You can buy tri-band phones that will work on all these bands but they are expensive.

CDMA works on just one band: 1.8GHz. Now it doesn't work outside of North America, but the new WCDMA standard should cure that problem. For me, I live and work in the US so why would I need a phone that works in Europe?

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: SW Virginia
Posts: 290

Re: CDMA has faster data service than GSM

quote:

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Originally posted by MPM
CDMA works on just one band: 1.8GHz.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 15

I have CDMA (Sprint), so I can't speak for GSM. Qualcomm's FAQ site is a good source to check. Qualcomm is the worldwide license holder for CDMA.

Of particular interest to me is that Qualcomm is currently testing CDMA wireless data transfer speeds at 144+ kbps. This is better than double the 56k modems in most homes, especially since most hardwired modems are limited to less than that due to FCC regulations. Qualcomm is expected to deploy the upgrade early next year. However, I'm not certain if handset modifications are required to take avantage of all this. One thing I do know is that Sprint has their modems within their network, so one isn't required in the handset or the Visor/laptop/etc. The biggest drawback to Sprint and CDMA is because they are the new kid on the block so they are getting a lot of resistance in setting up new towers in certain areas. This results in lots of pockets where there isn't any service.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

Re: CDMA has faster data service than GSM

quote:

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Originally posted by MPM
This is because there are three different frequency bands that GSM phones use across the world: 900MHz, 1.8GHz, and 1.9GHz.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

Re: Re: CDMA has faster data service than GSM

quote:

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Originally posted by BEN

quote:

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Originally posted by MPM
This is because there are three different frequency bands that GSM phones use across the world: 900MHz, 1.8GHz, and 1.9GHz.

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Actually, GSM is 800, 900, and 1.9GHz.
BEN

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 308

From the comsumer's point of view I would have to say that CDMA wins hands down. While there are several usefull and very atractive features of GSM (SMS, smart card, price), speaking from the point of view of a person who lives in the middle of a service hole, GSM needs some help.

CDMA on the other hand, is cheep (500 min. per month with EITHER data service OR Free long distance for 30 dollars a month), reliable (there aren't huge service holes over major metropolitan areas), and clear.

Now as for the Sb1000, I hope that it is priced around 150-200 dollors, but I wouldn't be suprised if it sold for 300, any more than that and you've got to be crazy. It also must be compatable with Sprint, Verizon, SouthWestern Bell, and AT&T, now I belive that these are resonable things to ask, but you never know.

A third option is to buy a nice standalone phone(150)+ a serial cable (for 100 dollars), and wait for the sixpac (200), but that seems to be a really bad deal.

sam

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

Visor Phone or Novatel Minstrel S ?

Besides the obvious capabilities that visor phone support telephony, as a Modem, which one supports better "in building" use in an area that supports GSM or CDMA ? Hate to find out after the fact that I have the wrong modem for mobile internet use indoors.

Any thoughts or experiences ?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

Re: CDMA has faster data service than GSM

quote:

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Originally posted by MPM
GSM's data service is 9600bps - not what anyone would call "high speed".

CDMA's data service is 14400bps - still not high speed but faster than GSM.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

I guess, using the GSM visorphone as a modem, you are racking up the minutes of your wireless phone service plan provider in minutes. I guess SMS (Short Message Service) is active all the time without being dialed. From what I have seen, the Minstrel S services would be monthly charge for unlimited real time connectivity. However I am still curious about which "signal strenth" is better to provide connectivity when you are in a building while the antenna's (or satellite)are outside. Would that be the GSM based systems or the CDMA systems?

Thanks for all of the knowledgable people contributing here.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

quote:

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Originally posted by george_vc
However I am still curious about which "signal strenth" is better to provide connectivity when you are in a building while the antenna's (or satellite)are outside. Would that be the GSM based systems or the CDMA systems?

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

[/B][/QUOTE]

I would think that it would depend on the network that you are on (1900MHz, 900, 800, etc..). Both GSM and CDMA work on different signal MHz's, so it depends on the carrier.
BEN [/B][/QUOTE]

Ben, I live in the Denver area and am a Voicestream (GSM) subscriber today. The difficulty I have is knowing if I continue on that path with a GSM Visorphone. Voicestream has a pretty good footprint here, but sometimes weak in office buildings. Not sure if airphone (sp) or mintrel S would offer better signal penetration.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 13

In my opinion GSM is better then CDMA:

1. Coverage: in the past year GSM gained lots of coverage in the States, and with the expected merger VoiceStream - Deutsche Telekom, will grow even more. I even think GSM has more coverage then CDPD, the later is mostly deployed in Metro areas as an overlay to the AMPS networks, where GSM has coverage along the freeways as well.

2. Speed is not a major issue, 14400 or 9600 is almost the same. Some GSM providers offer data service at 14400 thou.

3. Data service comes bundled with voice minutes at VoiceStream so you can get pretty good rates 600 minutes + 1000 weekend for $39.99/mo. Personally I plan to keep my Motorola Triband phone in service and get a second SIM card for my VisorPhone subscribing to Family Share: 1000 minutes weekdays + 1000 weekends for $69.99.

4. SMS is a no brainier, CDMA does not support SMS. One can use SMS-->EMAIL gateways to actually send and receive email for a flat fee of 4.99 with VoiceStream. Even better, works all the time and you get the messages pushed to your GSM phone.

5. The SIM card, you can use any simcard in a GSM phone (if is not locked) from any provider, so you are not stuck with a specific provider. If I want to upgrade my phone I just buy one on the web, insert my SIM card and I am good to go. I plan to do the same with VisorPhone.

6. Check out the variety of things that you can do with SMS, is pretty amazing, GoSMS.com is just one example. Soon you'll be able to order a Coke from the vending machine downstairs using a SMS message.

I am not biased against CDMA, I just consider it a failure: there are half a billion GSM users in the World and more then 9 billion SMS messages send in one month (August, 2000). If you are interested to find out more about GSM click here: http://www.gsmworld.com/

Sebis

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 5

I agree with sebis - it is easy to forget that here in the US we suffer from a severe Balkanization of wireless service in the name of the free market, letting the markets decide. Well, the markets have made a real mess of this situation, four (or five or six depending on your definition) incompatible systems with antennae springing up around every intersection and it only getting worse.

Hindsight is 20/20: ...people who travel from the E.U. to Asia and back use the same phone, the same number, the same GSM system. Simply forget it when travelling to the US from abroad for the reasons stated above regarding frequencies. And vice-versa, from the US to anywhere, forget it about bringing the phone along, it's useless.

Getting back to the topic, which is what format to go with for the Visor: GSM is the future, but the practicalities of cost and availability may determine the choice in the short term.

Scooter (who's stuck with an AT&T TDMA phone until GSM catches up in his service area).

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 13

You may want to consider GSM for another reason: GPRS, higher speed for data. The same OEM manufacturer that is providing the VisorPhone has announced the development of a GPRS version PCMCIA GSM phone card for BT Cellular in UK. I won't be surprize if by next year, just in time of the GPRS deployement by VoiceStream in the US, to have a VisorPhone or equivalent GPRS enabled. WAP over GPRS will be a killer application for Visor.

Sebis.