9550 vs 9520
 

What is the difference between the 9550 from Verizon or Telus and the 9520 from Vodaphone?

9550 includes CDMA network radio, with GSM
9520 is a GSM network device.

Otherwise, identical.

So the 9550 is only 2G on Rogers. Would the 9520 be 3G on Rogers HSPA network?

9550 vs. 9520
 

I looked at the specs of both phones on Blackberry's site and they seem to be identical. Both have CDMA available even though it makes no sense for the phones offered by Vodafone to have this capability - unless they have a roaming agreement with Verizon in the US. I know that neither model will support 3G on GSM based service providers while in the US. However, if you have a US carrier sim card and are roaming in Europe with it, it is likely that you will get a 3G signal. I wish the 9520 was a dedicated GSM phone without any of the built in and redundant CDMA contraption within the unit... Unfortunately only the 9700 (BOLD2) supports global 3G on GSM carriers and I say unfortunate due to it's being one of the highest radiation emitting phones according to EWG. I can't stand the small screen of my new 9700 and the fact that it crashes with the infamous "APP ERROR 523 - RESET" message every day. I wish the folks at BBerry soon introduce a Storm model with signal capability that is similar to the Bold2.

KADIOGLU, the 9520 IS only GSM.
Why? because vodafone UK is ONLY GSM.

9550 vs. 9520
 

Here is a quotation from the spec page on BB/UK:

Wireless Networks

* Quad-band: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM®/GPRS/EDGE networks
* Single-band: 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA networks
* Dual-band: 800/1900/ MHz CDMA/Ev-DO Rev A networks

CDMA is a feature that is not necessary in the UK as it is not a GSM compatible signal. On the other hand, if an owner of a Vodafone sim card equipped w/ the 9520 were to visit and roam in the US, the GSM signals offered by AT&T and T-Mobile can be received only at EDGE speed - NOT in 3G. The GSM 3G signal in the US (unlike Europe) is not on the 2100MHz band. Only the 9700 (Bold2) offers true quad band 3G compatibility that works globally, including the US. The 9700 on the other hand has UMTS receiving capability (aka GSM 3G) on the bandwidths of 2100/1900/850/800 MHz.

My guess is that the STORM2 was developed primarily for the CDMA market (probably under contract w/ Verizon) and the GSM capabilty is simply a bonus that provides global capability to Verizon customers who may travel to Europe, etc. In fact, as a customer of Verizon you need to ask for the global roaming capability as an optional service - which requires Verizon to install/activate a SIM card in the device. Otherwise, the 9550 (which BTW has the same specs as the 9520) DOES NOT even need a SIM card to work under Verizon, as the hardware is designed primarily to work under CDMA. Unless Vodafone UK customers are able to roam under Verizon (when visiting the US) I find it despondent of RIM to promote this product in the UK, especially when you consider the CDMA feature completely useless. I suppose it would work if the UK customer moves to the US and starts a Verizon service on the same device...

This assertion took me a long time to confirm especially since it made no sense for RIM to introduce what is primarily a CDMA device in the UK. I am assuming that their contract obligation to Verizon was deliberately loose, so that they can tap into other markets with the same technology. This would have been acceptable only if the Storm2 design offered the broader 3G capability that the 9700 offers. I am sure that RIM's contract with Verizon is what deliberately clipped this rather simple capability so that Verizon has an exclusive advantage with this device, similar to how AT&T has exclusivity for the iPhone... in other words, their desire to have an iron clad control of the market is why we do not have the Storm2 that we should have had... In the older days coverage used to be the most important criteria in selecting a service provider... these days, and particularly since the iPhone - everything has changed.

BAQUIRAN - Short answer to your question --- You must be receiving only EDGE on your 9550. Unless you change to a CDMA carrier, you would receive only EDGE/GPRS also on the 9520. However, most companies are abandoning CDMA as did Bell Canada, in favor of GSM. I am sure that the next generation Storm's biggest improvement will be to no longer include CDMA, and become signal equivalent to the 9700.

Really? Most companies? Ever heard of Verizon Wireless?
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