4 ms·
I'm curious of the technical side of things, though. Sprint is CDMA, Tmobile is GSM. That doesn't mix well, at least compared to a ATT/Tmobile merger. As a cur
by jychang 12y ago
I'm curious of the technical side of things, though.
Sprint is CDMA, Tmobile is GSM. That doesn't mix well, at least compared to a ATT/Tmobile merger. As a current Tmobile user, I'd like to keep the ability to switch out SIM cards, but if Sprint buys out Tmobile and replaces it with their network, that may not be possible.
- sargun 12y agoSprint is going LTE, so is T-mobile.
- notatoad 12y agoAren't both CDMA and GSM legacy technologies at this point? It's all about the LTE and VoLTE going forward.
- Churipapiau 12y agoThink about all the countries without LTE, if you travel to one and want to get a local SIM card (since it's usually cheaper) you're gonna need those GSM bands.
- akiselev 12y ago4G LTE is based on GSM technology so as devices get more and more bandwidth heavy most of the network load will be on GSM derived technology. There are likely infrastructure differences on the switching side between TMobile/Sprint but the RF technology is the same since Sprint is moving away from WiMax based 4G to GSM 4G LTE.
- makosdv 12y agoLTE has handover capabilities with CDMA, EvDO, GSM, and UMTS. The handovers are simpler for GSM and UMTS though since LTE is also a 3GPP standard.
- apendleton 12y agoCan a single LTE node/tower/whatever handle handover for both CDMA and GSM? In other words, could a hypothetically-merged company provide the LTE part of the service to both TMobile and Sprint customers using the same equipment?
- greg5green 12y agoT-Mobile already does something similar in the US with their MetroPCS network. They've started to open the old MetroPCS network up to T-Mobile users and vice versa by broadcasting multiple MNC (mobile network codes) from the same antennas. If a phone call comes through, it'll hand off to T-Mobile's GSM network or the old MetroPCS CDMA network. I think Orange and T-Mobile do something similar in the UK with their shared EE network and Verizon with their LTE in Rural America partners in the Great Plains/Maine/etc.
- aidenn0 12y ago1) CDMA has a standard for something similar to SIM cards that is used in places outside of the US. Verizon never wanted it though, and the phone companies build what the carriers want, not what consumers want. 2) LTE is compatible with both CDMA and GSM, and furthermore specifies a SIM card. All my recent Sprint phones have SIM cards that is used solely for CDMA 3) I expect the Sprint CDMA network is more valuable than the T-Mobile GSM network, but my information is out of date; if T-Mobile has been buying up spectrum faster than Sprint, they may have caught up. 4) T-Mobile actually owns some CDMA spectrum as a legacy from MetroPCS 5) For at least a couple years after the merger, I expect that both 3G networks will continue to operate; it's possible that phones specifically for rural areas (which will get LTE last) with the ability to connect to both will be made; IIRC T-Mobile sells some tri-band phones that connect to bands it owns no spectrum in specifically for allowing that (though it's still GSM, not CDMA).
- sliverstorm 12y agoIf they replace T-Mobile's network, is that going to mean I can't use my GSM T-Mobile phone with the new company?