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Submitted by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

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In terms of 3G technology, people will debate this all day long ;-), however, generally, it's my understanding that CDMA EVDO is faster than any other 3G network currently available in the U.S. I've used EVDO Rev0 (the older 3G technology) as my only Internet access for almost three years, and recently upgraded to EVDO RevA. With pretty typical usage (not a lot of streaming except for short clips here and there), I've been very happy, and Sprint and Verizon both have great coverage. 4G is another story though. WiMAX is currently available and said to be 10x faster than current 3G technology, however, the world seems to be moving towards LTE as the long term 4G solution, which has faster theoretical speeds than WiMAX. It's my understanding that LTE is a much easier evolution from GSM (HSPDA) technology, compared to CDMA-based EVDO technology. As far as you (or I) are concerned, any technology currently available on prepaid will be just fine, so long as the pricing is what you need/want, and the coverage is acceptable. I hope this helps!

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Submitted by: Anonymous

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Thank you for your timely & informative reply. I see that a few carriers are using CCDMA. I thought that was old slow technology but with wide coverage. Is this incorrect & can CDMA provide fast download sdeed?

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Submitted by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

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While there are specific international modems that will accept SIM cards from different carriers, for the most part, your standard modem will typically not work. For example, European modems will tend to work across European countries, however, taking them to the U.S. is often challenging (i.e. they often don't work!). The reason for this is the fact that even if the actual technology (ex. GSM, CDMA, HSDPA is the same, the band/frequency needs to be the same. That's why when you buy a regular cell phone, if you plan on using it abroad, it needs to be unlocked and quad-band to ensure that all frequencies are supported. That said, that doesn't mean that in your specific circumstances that you're modem won't work. I would recommend that you call your carrier and ask them if it can be used abroad; they should know. I know this is not the definitive answer you're looking for, but unfortunately this stuff is pretty new. If I had to take a risk, I would assume that it will NOT work. However, that's not to say that you many not luck out. The good news is that there is a lot more competition in the U.S. now, and you can get a good modem for $50, which is pretty reasonable. Check out the U.S. prepaid options at <a href="http://www.prepaid-wireless-guide.com/prepaid-wireless-broadband-plans.html">Prepaid Wireless Broadband Plans</a>.

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