CDMA in full is Code Division Multiple Access.
(CDMA) is a technology that allows multiple users to share the same frequency channel by using different codes to distinguish their signals. CDMA is used by some mobile phone networks, such as Verizon and Sprint in the US, to provide voice and data services. CDMA has some advantages and disadvantages compared to other technologies, such as GSM.
Some of the advantages of CDMA are:
• It can support more users per unit of bandwidth than GSM, because it uses the entire spectrum for each user instead of dividing it into narrow channels.
• It can provide better voice quality and security than GSM, because it uses a complex encoding scheme that reduces interference and encryption that protects the data.
• It can offer faster data speeds than GSM, because it can adapt to the channel conditions and use higher modulation schemes when possible.
Some of the disadvantages of CDMA are:
• It is not compatible with GSM, which means that CDMA phones cannot be used on GSM networks and vice versa. This limits the choice of phones and carriers for CDMA users.
• It is more difficult to switch phones on CDMA networks, because CDMA phones do not use removable SIM cards that store the user’s information. Instead, CDMA phones have to be activated by the carrier and linked to the user’s account.
• It is less widely available than GSM, especially outside the US and Asia. This means that CDMA users may have less coverage and roaming options than GSM users.