Why is CDMA better than GSM

Before getting into the discussion about which technology is superior, let us first elaborate the Abbreviations. CDMA stands for Code Division Multiple Access, while GSM stands for Global System Mobile. There is also a third technology called Time Division Multiple access or TDMA, but judging by the current competition, it will soon be replaced by CDMA. As far as the competition in the rival technology is concerned, both claim to be superior than the other. But, CDMA is indeed the comparatively latest technology and it is capable of handling 3G operations effectively, unlike GSM. GSM on the other hand claim superiority as it is the most extensively used mobile technology in the entire world and also in terms of security. Discerning which technology is superior was not hard earlier as GSM operators were able to provide better services like MMS transfer, top speed internet facilities and video streaming, but these are common features in both technologies now.

Now that I have given a rough picture of the market condition, let me tell you that in terms of technology, CDMA is indeed superior to GSM in the long run. The prime reason for that is the fact that GSM does not have the same growth possibilities like CDMA in the future; for example, the 3G technology has chosen CDMA as it has room for greater and faster data transfer systems to be built around this technology.

However, the claim of the CDMA operators, that all GSM operators must use CDMA technology if they want to adapt to the upcoming technologies like 3G, is not entirely accurate. 1xEV-DO and 1XEV-DV are the two technologies that CDMA operators depend on to provide 3G services, which was thought to be the only way to go for even GSM networks that wanted to provide 3G services. This is not the case though, as GSM operators with 3G services at their disposal have chosen to move onto Wide-band CDMA instead of being dependent on CDMA technology. WCDMA will also allow them to work through the same GSM networks that they worked on earlier, but with 3G capabilities. Thus the customers will hardly be affected by the change and therefore it is safe to say that the tug of war between CDMA and GSM will continue even in the future.