GSM phone work in CDMA area?

[tyme2brn]

Straight Talk says we are in CDMA area. North East Nebraska. Omaha Is a GSM area. Three hours away. When people from Omaha come up here their phones still work. Can I program a GSM phone in a GSM area then use it at home in a CDMA area?
Trying to get a Blu.

 

[esco_sid]

Two basic technologies in mobile phones, CDMA and GSM represent a gap you can't cross. They're the reason you can't use AT&T phones on Verizon's network and vice versa.

 

[gregshubert]

AT&T told me al thet had to be done was to switchthe CDMA SIM card to their GSM card.

 

[tyme2brn]

AT&T told me al thet had to be done was to switchthe CDMA SIM card to their GSM card.

CDMA phones dont have sim cards.
gsm, like at&t dont work well here. dispite what the coverage map says.

 

[gregshubert]

I have a Razr Maxx. I am with Bluegrass Cellular.. They are a CDMA provider. I am not 100% sure about the crossover but I AM sure my phone is a CDMA phone with a SIM card.

 

[LoganL]

They are most likely working off of partner towers (i.e. AT&T). As others have already said, you cannot cross GSM to CDMA and vice versa. That being said, you signal may not be the best if they recommend CDMA and you go with GSM. You are better off purchasing whatever will get you the best coverage where you spend the most time. The only way to know for sure though is to try for yourself (unfortunately).

 

[Jordan-_-]

no

 

[gregshubert]

I tend to agree with the GSM service not working as well with the CDMA service. Bluegrass, like I said has always been CDMA. AT&T phones[GSM] would not work in this rural area until a year or so ago. AT&T phones didn't work off the towers. Then all of a sudden this changed. Either system would work and have the same number of bars on the phone whether it was an ATT or Bluegrass. The kicker to this story was/is that even though they have the same number of bars on the same model of phone. The GSM internet service is MUCH slower as far as data. You can be in the same spot with the same phone and there is a noticeable amount of sifference in the speed, even though they are both getting 4g service, hitting the same rural tower. I almost changed service but after having this shown to me I decided to stay with what I have...A CDMA