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What does it mean, in non-nerd language, and if you can, how is it an advantage and disadvantage? Please answer this question!

2007-01-30 11:39:26 · 2 answers · asked by Jamie 2 in Consumer Electronics Cell Phones & Plans

2 answers

LOL i am not good with dumbed down answers but here it goes:

GSM (Global Standard for Mobile Communication) is a mobile technology that is used in the United States, Asia, and Europe, hence the global part. Each region has their own mHz bands. North America uses the GSM 850 mHz cellular and GSM 1900 mHz PCS bands. Asia and Europe use 900 and 1800 respectively. Carriers in the US that use GSM include Cingular, T-Mobile, and Dobson/Cell One. You with me? Ok! The other mainstream type of technology is called CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). CDMA carriers include Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, and US Cellular. Basically the difference is CDMA uses codes to determine conversations and GSM uses rotating time slots. I saw a good comparison for this. Let's say you are at a UN conference. GSM would be like if everyone took turns talking in the same language. CDMA would be like if everyone was talking at once but in their own seperate languages. GSM uses SIM cards to identify the phone with the network/account and CDMA uses codes called ESNs to do similar things.

Unlocked refers to the ability to use any GSM handset on any GSM carrier by simply inserting any GSM carrier's SIM into the unlocked phone. I could explain unlocking even more, but you have the idea.

Any more questions, just add additonal details

-Wireless

2007-01-30 11:49:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

A "locked" cell phone is one which can be used only on one network.

Unlocking it enables it to be used on any network.

2007-01-30 12:56:31 · answer #2 · answered by dmb06851 7 · 0 0

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