"Global Phone" is a phrase that gets thrown around relatively frequently these days, especially by Verizon when they're trying to sell you a dual-mode CDMA/GSM handset, but we're far from a true cellphone that can be used on all the networks deployed globally. That could be changing, however; NTT DoCoMo have revealed a new 8-band power amplifier for mobile phones, which covers frequencies between 700MHz and 2.5GHz including forthcoming LTE networks.
The board itself measures 110 x 35 mm, which NTT DoCoMo reckon is around the same size as a standard, single-band amplifier. That potentially means you could have a multiband-cellphone, capable of crossing networks wherever the user travels, but no larger than a typical, current handset.
Of course, there'll also need to be the appropriate wireless radio chips, and the phone would need suitable software to recognize and handle the different networks. You'd also need a forward-looking carrier with sufficient roaming agreements in place; after all, with a CDMA network you can't just slot in a local SIM and get talking. Still, the promise is enough to get us interested.