Is my Tracfone GSM or CDMA?

Tracfone GSM Vs Tracfone CDMA

Tracfone has usage contracts with almost all the Cell phone network operators in the US. Verizon, Sprint and Alltel are the biggest CDMA networks in the US. Cingular and T-Mobile are two of the biggest GSM networks in the US.

Currently GSM phones can roam to other GSM networks and CDMA phones can roam to other CDMA networks but CDMA cannot roam on GSM networks and GSM cannot roam on CDMA networks.

If you live in an area where GSM phones work Tracfone will sell you a GSM phone. Tracfone only sells CDMA phones where GSM phones will not work (GSM coverage is terrible in the Mountain northwest--Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota). I believe this is because the rates Tracfone pays to use the CDMA networks is significantly higher than what it pays Cingular and T-Mobile. It might be also linked to the roaming fees Tracfone pays. When you activate your Tracfone you will be activated on one network. When you are out of that network's coverage you are roaming on another network.

I believe if a Tracfone is activated on the Verizon network and it is roaming onto the Sprint network that Tracfone pays more per minute than if the phone is activated on the Sprint network.

Tracfone GSM and CDMA Phones at Tracfone.com

Search My Website or the Web