Verizon Wireless is launching the fastest wireless networking option, i.e. the Long Term Evolution/LTE or the 4G network in the U.S. from 5th December, and the speeds are claimed to be 10 times faster than that of the 3G networks. The download speeds of the 4G LTE network is the 5-12 Mbps when compared to the 0.6 to 1.4 Mbps of 3G, and the upload speed is 2-5 Mbps compared to the 0.5 Mbps. As of now, the LTE network of Verizon can be used only in two broadband USB modems, and the smartphone junkies need to wait till mid-2011 for the 4G compatible smartphones to be launched. The network is going to be launched in 30 cities, including the metropolitan and the rural areas too, which Verizon claims to be 1/3rd of all the Americans.
There are 2 plans for the 4G LTE network through Verizon. The two plans are $50 per month for 5GB of data, or $80 per month for 10GB of data. The plans can be expanded by paying $10 per 1GB increment. The speed Verizon mentioned is in a full-fledged network environment where multiple connections are running, and those are not the test speeds. Verizon is using the 700MHz spectrum for the 4G network all around, which reduces the lag time, increases the responsiveness and has a better penetration power.
There are a couple USB broadband modems through which you can use the 4G LTE network of Verizon – LG VL600 or Pantech UML290 USB modems, which are available for $100 with a 2-year contract after a $50 rebate.
Here is a list of cities and airports where the 4G network would be available from December 5th –
- Akron, Ohio
- Athens, Georgia
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Chicago, Illinois
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Columbus, Ohio
- Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas
- Denver, Colorado
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Houston, Texas
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Los Angeles, California
- Miami, Florida
- Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Nashville, Tennessee
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- New York, New York
- Oakland, California
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Orlando, Florida
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Rochester, New York
- San Antonio, Texas
- San Diego, California
- San Francisco, California
- San Jose, California
- Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
- St Louis, Missouri
- Tampa, Florida
- Washington, DC
- West Lafayette, Indiana
- West Palm Beach, Florida
Airport Deployment – 60 Airports
- Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland
- Bob Hope, Burbank, California
- Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington
- Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois
- Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky
- Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio
- Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas
- Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas
- Denver International, Denver, Colorado
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas
- Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia
- Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida
- John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York
- John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California
- Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri
- La Guardia, New York, New York
- Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri
- Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts
- Long Beach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California
- Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana
- McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee
- Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California
- Miami International, Miami, Florida
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee
- New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware
- Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California
- North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Orlando International, Orlando, Florida
- Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida
- Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida
- Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona
- Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona
- Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio
- Portland International, Portland, Oregon
- Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio
- Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia
- Sacramento International, Sacramento, California
- Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah
- San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas
- San Diego International, San Diego, California
- San Francisco International, San Francisco, California
- Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington
- St Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida
- St Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida
- Tampa International, Tampa, Florida
- Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey
- Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey
- Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC
- Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- William P Hobby, Houston, Texas
Verizon 4G LTE network – $50 for 5GB, $80 for 10GB