Just saw this on /.
CDMA is both a mobile phone standard (IS-95) and a technology (Code Division Multiple Access) and if you’re comparing “GSM” to “TDMA” to “CDMA” then you’re refering to phone standards. CDMA the phone standard is junk, in all honesty, and is being phased out. The direct replacement for it is CDMA2000, which existing US IS-95 operators like Sprint PCS and Verizon are moving to.CDMA the technology is rather better and is being used in a number of newer systems. GSM “version 2” is called UMTS, and has a configurable air interface which can be GSM’s Time Division Multiple Access, EDGE (a more modern and efficient Time Division MA system), or a variant of Code Division Multiple Access (ie the CDMA the technology, not CDMA the mobile phone standard) called WCDMA, depending on the operator’s preferences.
Only CDMA2000 is based upon CDMA the standard. UMTS is based upon GSM. TD-CDMA is a completely new system and isn’t based upon anything. It does use “CDMA the technology”, but it certainly isn’t related in any way, shape, or form to IS-95.
Ah, now that clears everything up ;)
Posted by james at April 12, 2004 01:49 PM | TrackBack