Development

Okay, I'm going to try and clarify this here, sorry if it was, but there is a tun of replys.

Currently the world standard is GSM (Voice) AND GPRS (Data) Which runs using TDMA. EDGE is a upgrade of GPRS and runs on the same network.

Now, CDMA is the next gen up, thats correct. Currently there are two major networks on CDMA.

EV-DO Verison and Sprint

Now this is not what the world is moving to in CDMA and WCDMA.

The world is moving to: UMTS/HSDPA

Now, this is what Cingular/AT&T are working to. The reason for most phones only being GSM and GPRS/EDGE capable is that only 20 major cities use CDMA right now in cingular. They plan for the next year or so to encompass all of their network with both systems.

Now, heres everything broken down.
TDMA:
GSM/GPRS/EDGE - ATT/CGLR & TML & rest of world.

CDMA:
EV-DO VRW & SRT (primaraly america...)

UMTS/HSDPA - REST OF WORLD and soon ATT/CGLR

Also, HSDPA is a upgrade of UMTS, much like EDGE is to GPRS and uses WCDMA. Making it much faster than what VRW and SRT can offer.

As far as why V and S have reached CDMA tech first is not because they are better, its because they have smaller networks to mannage. (lest costs and less time spent updating.) They will also still be just as limited in the future regarding the next gen internationally.

Also why DOCOMO is using 5G tech now. They also are one of the founders of GSM, which is what their 5G tech is bassed from and is what Cingular is moving to in the future. They only have an island to mannage. Meaning much faster and cheaper to update systems. Its also what the rest of the world is moving to.

Not V and S. They developed and use their own cell tech.