Limitations of CDMA

1.

High Degree of Synchronization between the sender and the receiver:

In CDMA, use of orthogonal codes is widely present. When these codes are applied, even a slight
mismatching between the transmitter and the receiver can decode the whole message in a wrong way
and produce lots of errors.

2.

Power Variations When Load is Excess:

CDMA is known for high voice clarity and data efficiency. However, whenever the number of users in the
channel increases quite above than the expected, there are variable power losses as the coverage area
shrinks. This directly affects the efficiency of the system and the SNR.

The same problem in power variations is experienced whenever the user is far from the BS. In this case,
user nearer to the BS will receive more efficient results than those at farther locations. This has been
termed as the Near-Far Problem in CDMA communication.

3.

Usage Restrictions: Qualcomm Telecommunications holds the major patents of CDMA and hence,

its usage is limited.

4.

Less Popular than GSM: CDMA is still not well spread all over the world as compared to GSM and

though more efficient, it will take some time to reach all corners of the world.

5.

Practical Limitations: In the case of excessive number of CDMA users, there can be problems in

giving each user a unique spreading sequence. This may limit the performance as well as the number of
users.
Primary requirements for any wireless mode of communication include high quality of service and data
secrecy. Realizing that these two factors are to be fulfilled in the most optimized ways without the costs
going too high, CDMA, a spread spectrum based technology came into existence.

Initially restricted to the armed forces,

this technology was commercially launched in 1995 by Qualcomm Telecommunications and now, as per
Q4 of the year 2011, CDMA has over 8 billion voice and data customers in the 122 countries that it
operates.

What CDMA Means?

Code: It refers to the string of binary sequence that the transmitter and the receiver share. This code
encodes the information into a low frequency signal before it is transmitted over a channel. This same
code is used by the receiver to decode the information. The receiver attains the code with the help of the
nearest base station.

Division: In CDMA a single channel is divided into numerous slots which can be used by multiple users.
This is possible because of the use of unique code.

Multiple Accesses: Due to code based communication, multiple users can communicate and access the
same channel simultaneously without any undesirable interference and loses.

Why we need CDMA?

CDMA is regarded as an improvement over GSM technology whose need can be easily understood by
taking a simple example. Consider 5 couples that have their respective partners in different rooms. The
partners are permitted to communicate only to each other and each is provided with a communication
instrument for the purpose. The instruments are aided with a medium that facilitates the communication.
The medium can be wired or wireless and is termed as channel in communication terminology. Since
there is only one channel, the users are allotted some amount of time for which they can utilize the
channel. In this case, let it be 5 seconds. So, every user communicates for 5 seconds and then the
channel is used by other users.

The channel has a certain limit of allotting time slots and cannot accommodate more users after that.
Lets assume that in this case maximum number of users that the channel can accommodate is 6 i.e. 3
couples can use the channel. Hence, if all the couples want to communicate, 2 couples might have to wait
till the channel has an empty slot. Also, there are chances that one couple might interfere in
communication of the other due to sharing of same channel. This can be termed as cross correlation
and is a serious problem in GSM operations. This is how a usual GSM system works. In normal GSM, the
channel utilization time or time burst is determined by dynamic scheduling where number of users
determine the time for which channel is used by a user.

When we go the CDMA way, every users voice is converted to a unique code which only the intended
recipient instruments can understand. The code here is a spreading sequence of digital bits and is
common between both the transmitter and the receiver. Since, code is digital, the information to be sent is
also required to be converted to a digital format. With this method, there are no time boundations and
even if all users are using the channel at the same time, there will be no interference and secrecy will be
maintained. In CDMA, since the code is unique for every transmitter, it is determined by the receiver in
two steps: Acquisition and tracking.

Under acquisition, the receiver acquires the sent signal and generates the decoding sequence which it
receives from the base station. In tracking, it keeps synchronization between the received signal and
decoding sequence so that the output is exactly same as the input.

Advantages of CDMA
1.

Less multi-path interference

CDMA receivers resolve multipath interference if signals arrive more than one chip apart from each
other by using RAKE receivers. A figure below illustrates the basic principle of RAKE receiver.

After spreading and modulation of the information signal on the sender side, the signal suffers from the
multipath channel. The multipath signal (coming from different propagation paths) is demodulated and
passed to the RAKE receiver. The ideal RAKE receiver contains a receiver finger for each multipath
component; the number of fingers is limited by the receivers hardware complexity or costs. In each finger
the signals are dispread and time aligned with one of the multipath channels. After the dispreading
process the signals are weighted and combined.

2. Power Control Mechanism

In a DSCDMA system all transmitters use the same bandwidth at the same time to send their
information to the receiver. If multiple transmitters send information to one receiver, the signals are
received with different power levels, because of different distances of transmitters to the receiver. Due to

the attenuation effect transmitters closer to the receiver have higher power levels than transmitters that
are far away. This effect is called the nearfar effect. In addition, the signal strength differs dramatically
due to the changing propagation conditions (moving obstacles, traffic characteristics, hand over). To
overcome the changing signal strength, power control entities are implemented in the transmitters.
Transmitter Power Control adjusts transmitter power to ensure that the signals arrive at the receiver with
the same power level. Modern CDMA systems use Adaptive power control.

3.

Soft Handoff

Process of moving from one cell to another without interrupting the connectivity is called handoff. In GSM
hard handoff occurs at the cell boundary. A CDMA system uses soft handoff, a unique feature which
allows cell phone to commence Communication with a new BS without interrupting communication with
old BS. Soft handoff provides different site selection diversity; process of combining information from
multiple transmitted packets to increase the effective SNR of received packets.

4. Miscellaneous

Low power spectral density.

As the signal is spread over a large frequency band, the Power Spectral Density is

small, so less

susceptible to interference.

In all situations the whole frequency-spectrum is used.

Privacy due to unknown random codes.

Codes are unknown to a hostile user; therefore, it is hardly possible to detect the message.

Spread spectrum reduces multi-path effects.

Good anti-jam performance.

Bandwidth availability on demand.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) are two
dominant technologies for mobile communication. These two technologies differ in the way calls and data

travel over the mobile phone networks take place. On comparing both the technologies GSM has some
limitation when the call quality is concerned but still has more flexibility and an easy implementation
relative to the CDMA technology. The major difference between the two lies in terms of the technology
they use, security factors, their global reach and the data transfer speeds.
1.

Technology

The CDMA is based on spread spectrum technology which makes the optimal use of available bandwidth.
It allows each user to transmit over the entire frequency spectrum all the time. On the other hand GSM
operates on the wedge spectrum called a carrier. This carrier is divided into a number of time slots and
each user is assigned a different time slot so that until the ongoing call is finished, no other subscriber
can have access to this. GSM uses both Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Frequency Division
Multiple Access (FDMA) for user and cell separation. TDMA provides multiuser access by chopping up
the channel into different time slices and FDMA provides multiuser access by separating the used
frequencies.

2.

Security

More security is provided in CDMA technology as compared with the GSM technology as encryption is
inbuilt in the CDMA. A unique code is provided to every user and all the conversation between two users
are encoded ensuring a greater level of security for CDMA users. The signal cannot be detected easily in
CDMA as compared to the signals of GSM, which are concentrated in the narrow bandwidth. Therefore,
the CDMA phone calls are more secure than the GSM calls. In terms of encryption the GSM technology
has

3.

to

be

upgraded

so

as

to

make

it

operate

more

securely.

Spectrum Frequencies

The CDMA network operates in the frequency spectrum of CDMA 850 MHz and 1900 MHz while the
GSM

4.

network

Global

operates

in

the

frequency

spectrum

of

GSM

850

MHz

and

1900

MHz.

Reach

GSM is in use over 80% of the worlds mobile networks in over 210 countries as compared to CDMA.
CDMA is almost exclusively used in United States and some parts of Canada and Japan. As the
European Union permissions GSM use, so CDMA is not supported in Europe. In North America,
especially in rural areas, more coverage is offered by CDMA as compared to GSM. As GSM is an
international standard, so its better to use GSM in international roaming. GSM is in use by 76% of users
as compared to CDMA which is in use by 24% users.

5.

Data Transfer Rate

CDMA has faster data rate as compared to GSM as EVDO data transfer technology is used in CDMA
which offers a maximum download speed of 2 mbps. EVDO ready mobile phones are required to use this
technology. GSM uses EDGEdata transfer technology that has a maximum download speed of 384 kbps
which is slower as compared to CDMA. For browsing the web, to watch videos and to download music,
CDMA is better choice as compared to GSM. So CDMA is known to cover more area with fewer towers.

6.

Radiation Exposure

GSM phones emit continuous wave pulses, so there is a large need to reduce the exposures to
electromagnetic fields focused on cell phones with continuous wave pulses. On the other hand CDMA
cell phones do not produce these pulses. GSM phones emit about 28 times more radiation on average as
compared to CDMA phones. Moreover, GSM phones are more biologically reactive as compared to
CDMA.

11.DISADVANTAGE
11.1 COLLISIONS

In general, the collisions at the channel is a disadvantage of CDMA system and can be mitigated by careful selection
of the sequence and power control that is close to perfect.

11.2 ROAMING
Since most countries have chosen the GSM standard, roaming on CDMA is limited.
11.3 M-COMMERCE
A CDMA doesnt have a SIM card, which makes m-commerce difficult.

12. CONCLUSION
Where CDMA scores
Where CDMA needs to scores

12.1 WHERE CDMA SCORES

Voice Quality
CDMA reduces background noise and cross talk, ensuring better voice quality, which is further enhanced by the
microprocessors inside the phones.
Call Security
By design, CDMA is more secure against evasdropping.
Talk Time
A CDMA phone consumes very little power, and has a longer talk time.
Bandwidth
CDMA 2000 1x offers 144kbps, which makes it capable for multimedia tasks.

 Weight
CDMA phones due to their low-power requirements can do with smaller-sized batteries, which decrease the overall
weight of a CDMA phone.

12.2 WHERE CDMA NEEDS TO SCORE

Roaming
Since most countries have chosen the GSM standard, roaming on CDMA is limited.
M-commerce
A CDMA doesnt have a SIM card, which makes m-commerce difficult.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
REFERENCE BOOKS
1. CRESPO, P.M., HONIG, M.L., and SALEHI, J.A. : Spread-Time Code-Division Multiple Access IEEE Trans. On
Commun., vol 43, pp. 2139-2148, June 1995.
2. COMPUTER NETWORKS, 3rd Ed. - By Andrew S. Tanenbaum
3. VITERBI, A.J.: CDMA Principle of Spread Spectrum Communications, Reading ,MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995.