14 DAY TRIAL // Verizon Wireless plans on greatly expanding its LTE network before the end of this week, with no less than 27 markets set to get a taste of the fast speeds that 4G has to offer.
The wireless carrier has announced plans to launch its fast network in said areas on April 19th, while also aiming at expanding its coverage in 44 other markets in the United States on the same day.
Following the new deployment, Verizon will be offering 4G LTE speeds to users in 230 areas across the United States.
However, the company also notes that this is only one step it makes towards providing people with better wireless connectivity.
Before the end of this year, the company’s network should cover more than 400 markets around the country, offering the enhanced data capabilities to over 260 million people in the United States.
“Verizon Wireless 4G LTE is the premier wireless data service in the nation, with more than six times the geographic coverage of our nearest competitor’s 4G LTE network and now available to more than two-thirds of the nation’s population,” said David Small, chief technical officer of Verizon Wireless.
“We will continue to introduce new markets and expand covered markets to ensure even more wireless users across the United States can take advantage of the benefits that 4G LTE brings to consumers, small businesses and enterprises.”
Verizon claims to be operating the fastest LTE network in the United States, and that 2012 will mark a year of growth and investment in the technology.
Verizon’s 4G LTE network is said to be capable of data speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink. On the uplink, these speeds range from 2 to 5 Mbps.
In addition to 4G, the carrier also offers 3G capabilities to its users, so that they can still benefit from data connectivity when traveling outside the LTE coverage area.
Smartphones, tablet PCs and other devices that offer support for Big Red’s 4G network also pack 3G connectivity capabilities, and automatically connect to CDMA when LTE is not available.
The list of markets set to receive LTE on Thursday, April 19, includes: Auburn and Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Pine Bluff, Siloam Springs and Van Buren, Ark.; Visalia/Porterville, Calif.; Fort Walton Beach and Ocala, Fla.; Brunswick, LaGrange and Macon/Warner Robins, Ga.; Peoria, Ill.; Kokomo/Logansport and Marion, Ind.; Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend and Hays, Kan.; Salisbury, Md.; Cattaraugus/Allegany, N.Y.; Sandusky, Ohio; Ardmore and Ponca City, Okla.; Salem/Albany/Corvallis, Ore.; Pierre, S.D.; and Big Springs and Tyler, Texas.
As stated above, Verizon will also expand the network in 44 existing LTE markets: Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Bakersfield, Fresno, Modesto, Sacramento, Salinas/Monterey, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo and Stockton, Calif.; Colorado Springs and Fort Collins/Loveland, Colo.; Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla.; Boise/Nampa, Idaho; Carbondale/Marion and Rockford, Ill.; Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Ind.; Des Moines, Iowa; Boston and Worcester, Mass.; Detroit, Mich.; St. Louis, Mo.; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Manchester/Nashua, N.H.; Albuquerque and Santa Fe, N.M.; Buffalo/Niagara Falls and New York, N.Y.; Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla.; Portland, Ore.; Providence/Pawtucket, R.I.; Nashville, Tenn.; El Paso, Texas; Provo/Orem and Salt Lake City/Ogden, Utah; and Olympia/Centralia and Spokane, Wash.