4G/LTE Network Coming at Verizon, Built by Alcatel-Lucent

Verizon Wireless and Alcatel-Lucent have just announced that they have signed a four-year agreement expected to be worth US$4 billion for Alcatel-Lucent wireless network architecture and services to support Verizon Wireless' ongoing 3G network expansion and 4G/LTE network build out.

Alcatel-Lucent is one of the major Verizon Wireless' network infrastructure suppliers and the new agreement strengthens the relationship between the two companies.

“Constant network improvement is in our DNA,” said Tony Melone, chief technology officer at Verizon Wireless.

“Network reliability is a top reason business and consumers choose and stay with us. With Alcatel-Lucent’s strong support, we continue to optimize our networks and will remain the most reliable in the nation for years to come,” added Melone.

Some of the telecommunications solutions provided by Alcatel-Lucent, under the agreement, include: end-to-end CDMA and LTE radio network solutions, IP, optical and microwave backhaul and transport, and complete portfolio of professional and network integration services.

“Verizon Wireless and Alcatel-Lucent have enjoyed a strong history dating back to the introduction of CDMA, which remains a viable technology today as we’re now enabling Verizon to evolve to the next generation that is 4G/LTE,” said Robert Vrij, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s Americas Region.

“What’s more, this agreement underscores Verizon Wireless’ confidence in our ability to support both the existing 3G and the new 4G/LTE networks with an integrated, flexible and service-aware architecture that runs the gamut from radio access to IP backhaul and transport, core and applications,” added Vrij.

Verizon Wireless is expected to launch its LTE network with speeds of up to 12 Mbps, by the end of this month. This is supposed to be the first major cellular network upgrade in North America.

As a side note, Europeans living in Sweden and Norway can already take advantage of the LTE network speeds, while Germans are about to receive the upgrade in the near future.