While we enjoy the benefits that super fast advances in technology bring to us, it is also often difficult to keep pace with change. It can also be equally or more difficult to understand what is happening around us. The best way to understand telecom mobile network options is to dive right in and try to make sense of everything. This article will help you come to terms with the different types of networks available.

There are separate telecom mobile network options available, so let’s take a look at what they are.

GSM or global system for mobile communication is a term most of us have heard of. It is the most popular option for mobile telephone systems and it is estimated that roughly 80 percent of global mobile markets use GSM, which equates to some 1.5 billion users worldwide. International roaming agreements between mobile network operators makes it possible for subscribers to stay connected in several parts of the world. The speech and signal channels are digital, which makes GSM a second generation (2G) mobile phone system.

GSM telecom mobile network offers a range of features including call forwarding, SMS, data security through encryption codes, conferencing, call waiting and facsimile.

Wireless Fidelity or Wi-Fi as it is popularly referred to, is offered by most telecom mobile networks. Wireless connectivity has made the cellular industry one of the most lucrative of our times. The Wi-Fi option is generally found in the control panel of the handset. Handset models and network choice will determine the speed of data that gets captured. Wi-Fi technology uses radio waves to facilitate network and high speed internet connections. VoIP calls are possible with the help of Wi-Fi.

Another telecom mobile network option is enhanced data rates for GSM evolution or EDGE. It is considered to be an improved version of the GSM network option. Transmission techniques are a lot more sophisticated and a better network choice if available. Because quite simply put, it is a faster version of the GSM wireless service.

Time division multiple access (TDMA) is a technology that is used for the delivery of digital wireless service. What it does is to divide a radio frequency into time slots, these time slots are allocated to multiple calls. Basically you have one frequency supporting numerous and simultaneous data channels. GSM digital cellular service uses TDMA. It is a fast and efficient avenue for transmission and involves the use of satellite communications. TDMA is one of the oldest digital cellular technologies in use in America, Asia and New Zealand. It is not very flexible and this seriously limits its digital advancement.

Code Division Multiple Access – CDMA is the technology on which wireless calls operate. When you use your mobile phone to surf the internet or make calls you are actually using several frequency channels. CDMA makes it possible to do so. Depending on the number of frequencies available in one area, multiple users operate through a single channel. Slow function means there is heavy network traffic or too many users on one channel at the same time.