14 DAY TRIAL // Mobile phone carrier Verizon Wireless is getting ready to fire up its 4G LTE network in a number of no less than 19 new markets as soon as tomorrow, while also planning network expansions in San Francisco and Detroit.
The list of new areas to get LTE includes: Fresno and Sacramento, Calif.; Hartford, Conn.; Boise, Idaho; Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Ind.; Flint, Grand Rapids and Lansing, Mich.; Dayton, Ohio; Erie, Harrisburg and State College, Pa.; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah; Spokane, Wash.; and Madison and Milwaukee, Wis.
With the addition of the new markets to its LTE footprint, Verizon brings the number of areas where it offers 4G services up to 74.
In addition to bringing the service to these new markets, the wireless carrier will also provide users with the devices to enable them to access the network, including smartphones, USB modems, and WiFi Hotspots.
There are three handsets that Verizon launched with 4G LTE connectivity on board, including the Revolution by LG, DROID Charge by Samsung and ThunderBolt by HTC.
The carrier also offers the MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot so that users can share 4G connectivity with more WiFi-enabled devices.
Moreover, in its lineup the carrier has three USB modems from Novatel, Pantech and LG, which can provide laptop users with data speeds that are up to 20 times faster than on the 3G network.
“In real-world, fully-loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink,” the wireless carrier notes.
When outside the 4G coverage area, all the aforementioned devices will connect to Verizon's 3G network, which means that users can remain connected from coast to coast. In a few years, however, the LTE network should cover the entire footprint of Verizon's 3G network.
“On Thursday when we light up 19 additional 4G LTE markets, we will offer consumers and businesses in 74 metropolitan areas the most advanced 4G wireless network on the planet while continuing to offer the nation’s most reliable 3G network coast to coast,” said David Small, chief technical officer of Verizon Wireless.
“We are aggressively expanding our 4G LTE network: by the end of 2013 we plan to bring 4G LTE mobile broadband to our entire 3G coverage area.”