Buying a cell phone is more than a matter of choosing a handset--you also have to pick a service provider, or carrier, as well. Each carrier in the United States offers a different selection of technologies and services, so it's important to think about your needs when making a choice. For that reason, selecting a carrier should be the first step in the cell phone buying process.
Twisting technology
Wireless carriers in the United States operate over two different networks: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). Though each technology transmits voice and data, they do so in different ways, which makes them incompatible. As a result, you can't take a CDMA phone and use it on GSM or vice versa.
Thin phones such as the Motorola Razr2 V8 are popular.
Of the U.S. carriers, AT&T (formerly Cingular) and T-Mobile use GSM while Sprint, Verizon, and smaller carriers such as U.S. Cellular use
CDMA. Though Nextel is now part of Sprint, Nextel-branded phones use a third technology called iDEN, or Integrated Digital Enhanced Network.
Each technology offers distinct advantages. Generally speaking, CDMA coverage is more widespread in the United States, especially in rural areas (though this won't be true forever), and many argue that CDMA offers better voice quality. On the other hand, GSM service has a larger global footprint (it's the standard in Europe, for example) and GSM phones use the convenient SIM cards, which you allow you to, among other things, switch phones more easily. Also, when taken on a global scale, GSM users will find a wider selection of handsets.
With that in mind, if you travel overseas frequently or you enjoy switching out your phone often for the newest model available, then GSM is the better choice. Not all GSM phones will work overseas, however, so be sure to read CNET's Quick guide to world phones. But if you'll be making calls mostly in the United States, then CDMA is an equally good option. What's more, some CDMA phones now also support GSM networks for international use.
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