With the Verizon iPhone 5 due for release on later this year, for many, one question on their minds will be; “Is this a phone I can use all over the world”?
First of all, we need to look in to the technology of the network, rather than the actual iPhone. Phone carries use two very differing types of wireless communication; CDMA and GSM.
These carriers use CDMA:
Alaska Communications
Alaska Digitel
Appalachian Wireless
BeyondMobile
Blue Wireless
Bluegrass Cellular
C Spire Wireless
Carolina West Wireless
Cellcom
Cellular One of Northeast Pennsylvania
Clear Talk
CloseCall America
Common Cents Mobile
Cox Wireless
CREDO Moble
Cricket Communications
Eclipse Mobile
Element Mobile
Golden State Cellular
i-wireless
Jitterbug Wireless
Liberty Wireless
Lightyear Wireless
Lucky Wireless
MetroPCS
Mobi PCS
Movida Wireless
NationPCS
Nex-Tech Wireless
nTelos
Page Plus Cellular
Panhandle Telecommunication Systems, Inc. DBA PTCI Cellular
Pioneer Cellular
PlatinumTel Prepaid Wireless
Pocket Communications
Pure Mobile
ReadyMobile
Revol Wireless
Standing Rock Telecom
STI Mobile
Syringa Wireless
Thumb Cellular
Trumpet Mobile
U.S. Cellular
Virgin Mobile USA
Xtreme Mobile
Boost Mobile
Sprint Nextel
Cellular One Bermuda
Verizon Wireless
As you can see, Verizon uses CDMA technology to power its network. One of the problems is that the rest of the planet predominately use GSM. If you’re a current Verizon customer you may have used one of our World Phones to keep you in-touch whilst you’re on vacation or business trip. So, in theory, the Verizon iPhone 5 won’t be a true world phone, not on Verizon anyway.
If you’re currently using one of the CDMA carriers, and you have an iPhone 4S, there is a solution – the Mobal SIM Card. You can easily order a MicroSIM from Mobal that you put in to the SIM Card Tray. This will enable you to use your iPhone whilst traveling – simple.
If you don’t have an iPhone, but you have another model, you may want to consider investing in an international cell phone from Mobal.