The GSM technology was originally developed in Europe for digital voice networks. It has been extended to support fast wireless data access via the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS; 2040 kbps), EDGE (40 230 kbps), and UMTS (384 kbps and up) protocols. GSM phones operate at frequencies of around 900, 850, 1800, and 1900 MHz. It is now the most widely used wireless phone network technology in the world. Most Nokia phones support GSM and GPRS. A few newer models also support EDGE and UMTS. I discuss how to set up data networking on Nokia GSM phones in "Connect Your Phone to the Internet"

The iDEN technology is Motorola’s proprietary wireless networking technology based on (but not compatible with) GSM. It attempts to combine the digital phone, two-way radio, alphanumeric pager, and data/fax modem in a single network. The iDEN network is used in about a dozen countries. In North America, Nextel and Mike (Telus Mobility) are iDEN operators. Nokia phones do not work on iDEN networks.

The CDMA technology is developed and licensed by Qualcomm. It is a spread-spectrum technology that uses a single-frequency band for all traffic. Individual transmission is differentiated via a unique code assigned by the network before transmission. CDMA supports wireless data at a peak of 153 kbps, roughly three times the speed of GPRS. As of late 2004, 15 models of CDMA-compatible Nokia devices were available. However, when it comes to device software and additional features, Nokia’s CDMA devices are not as technically advanced as its GSM-based devices.