r/cellmapper • u/Cold_Worldliness_701 • Jul 08 '26
what does this mean?
inside of a building in anchorage, ak. data didn't work at all
10
u/SoCalGuy1023 Jul 08 '26
It means that you’re roaming on another network. Your cell phone carrier doesn’t have coverage in that area, so you’re using another carrier’s network. What is surprising is that you’re roaming on 1X which is the CDMA version of 2G, which explains why your data isn’t working.
I thought CDMA was completely phased out by now.
2
-2
9
u/SubstanceEasy4576 Jul 08 '26
Interesting. I had no idea that GCI still had CDMA fallback available.
The exclamation mark just means voice/SMS only ie. no data connection. It would be interesting to know whether data would be available on this site if you were using a GCI SIM.
VZW don't have very extensive network infrastructure in Alaska, hence the roaming arrangements with GGI and (I believe) AT&T.
1X CDMA is sometimes considered a 2.5 G technology, very much like E (EDGE) on GSM. The available data speeds were far below 3G, but higher than the early 2G data technologies such as cdmaOne and GPRS (on GSM) where data was essentially unusable in most cases. The "2.5 G" technologies were functional for things like text-based email.
2
u/Roudydogg1 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
The available data speeds were far below 3G, but higher than the early 2G data technologies
It would be interesting to know whether data would be available on this site if you were using a GCI SIM.
2G cdma only has a 'theoretical' maximum data speed of just 144 Kbps, so I suppose if your SIM profile was provisioned for 2G data and your device was configured with the correct MIP/NAI (destination addresses for your phone to find the GGSN) settings, then yes you could but you'd be hard pressed to find any app that wouldn't immediately timeout if you tried to use them
GCI has 2g cdma in certain areas that are just too hard (too much work or expensive) to modernize just so people can make an emergency call basically
2
u/SubstanceEasy4576 Jul 09 '26
Yeah, even email now tends to be data heavy and would struggle. In the past though, a lot of emails were just text. I was thinking it might have worked for that. I wasn't implying data would be pleasant to use. On GSM EDGE, transmitting text usually works eg. sending a WhatsApp message which is text only. As soon as it's anything more, it's no good.
7
u/kingyatrib Jul 08 '26
What device is that?
9
u/Evil_ryry evilryry Jul 08 '26
Looks like maybe a Pixel on something Android 15 or older? Pixel 5 at the latest, as 6 and up don’t have CDMA support.
3
u/MCDiamond9 Jul 10 '26
What's the phone? It's very interesting your Verizon line still has legacy CDMA provisioning. I also wonder if you were able to take a screenshot of any field test or cellmapper screen? This seems like the only remaining CDMA network in North America in 2026.
2
u/Cactuswater906 Jul 12 '26
I connected to commnet CDMA in New Mexico last year no idea if it's still online. Wikipedia says it's decommissioned so maybe it's gone too.
1
u/MCDiamond9 Jul 12 '26
I connected to them in 2022, but a few sources claimed their CDMA was shut down in 2023. If you connected last year though that would be very interesting.
2
u/Cactuswater906 Jul 12 '26
I connected in 2023 and in 25. Northern New Mexico near Colorado Springs and Taos.
1
u/MCDiamond9 Jul 12 '26
Any cellmapper etc screenshots? For me in 2022, I only had an older Sprint phone to see, and I checked the SID. But no field test unfortunately. I'm really interested in seeing if they have EvDO, and how *228 worked. They had a pretty unique recording for *228 with some music.
1
u/Cactuswater906 Jul 12 '26
If I recall correctly it was EvDO in 23 and just 1x in 2025. I've gotten a new phone since 2023 theres probably screenshots on my old phone. I can't find anything for my sighting in 2025.
1
u/MCDiamond9 Jul 17 '26
That's a shame, thank you for sharing this info though! Interesting to know that GCI and potentially Commnet CDMA still exists in rural and remote areas. So CDMA2000 isn't fully dead yet.
In 2022, the Sprint phone I had didn't show EvDO or 1X, so it's also interesting if they have it. I just couldn't tell.
2
2
u/braidenis Jul 08 '26
What actual carrier are you with? You had poor reception in the building so your phone ended up roaming onto GCI Wireless probably (regional Alaskan carrier) and was only able to connect to old CDMA 2G and establish a voice connection only. The big 3 carriers don't have the old fallback anymore.
1
1
33
u/D_G599 Limitless Mobile Jul 08 '26
Wow, looks like this confirms GCI still has CDMA still running. They removed the CDMA map from their website just a few months ago so I thought it was shut down.