VERIZON BEGINS LTE TRIALS; 4G NETWORK TO HIT COMMERCIALLY IN 2010
Submitted by Noe on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 19:06.Bookmark/Search this post with:  While the cell phone world of today is currently humming along nicely with 3G networks from all the big carriers, Verizon is looking to the future, and that future is LTE. But today Verizon announced they aren't just looking any more, they are working towards getting the 4G network out commercially by 2010. Initial trials of Verizon's 4G data network are proving to be wicked fast, with download rates consistently in the 50-60Mbps range. The trials are currently underway in Minneapolis, Columbus, Ohio, and northern New Jersey (of all places). Verizon's European CDMA counterpart (also backing the new LTE 4G standard) Vodafone is running similar trials in the European cities of Budapest, Dusseldorf and Madrid. While the network is capable of producing speeds like this today, these are simply test speeds on uncluttered airwaves. Real world speeds once devices start connecting to 4G networks will likely be a bit lower, but still markedly faster than anything we've come to experience from today's 3G devices. AT&T is also focusing on LTE for the future of its 4G but hasn't produced evidence of such advanced maturity when it comes to getting it up and running. In fact they likely plan to ease the transition to 4G with multiple "3.5G" standards much like they did with the transition between from EDGE to HSDPA. Sprint meanwhile has opted for a completely different 4G standard, WiMAX, which is backed by major partners including Intel. T-Mobile? I won't even go there (they're still trying to get their 3G network off the ground nationwide). With the two major carriers in the United States backing LTE it seems easy to say that it's going to be the most popular 4G standard in the US going forward. 3G has already revolutionized the way a lot of people relate to their mobile devices, 4G will probably completely change things when you can get faster than WiFi speeds over the air with your mobile. And this isn't even scratching the surface of those people who depend on USB modems from Verizon or AT&T daily to be able to be online anywhere anytime. 2010 can't come soon enough. |
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