LTE Service to Bolster Wireless Cloud Computing
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Verizon Wireless customers can expect the company to move
to some sort of tiered pricing structure as data use increases, according to
McAdam. The details of any such tiered pricing haven't been determined yet, he said.
In two related areas, McAdam said Verizon Wireless has
already begun working with rural wireless providers on a plan to lease spectrum
space for LTE and to set up roaming arrangements so that customers of the rural
companies can use the Verizon Wireless network, giving Verizon Wireless
customers access to these rural networks. He said this will bring LTE to rural
areas much faster than would happen otherwise.
Verizon Wireless also made an announcement that new LTE
machine-to-machine devices will be available very early in the process. Verizon
has repeatedly pointed out that LTE is well-suited for M2M communications due
to its low latency.
Bryan Schromsky, manager of technical solutions for
Verizon Wireless' government sector, said the new LTE service will give better
performance in a number of areas, especially in building penetration. He said it
opens new opportunities for telework and other green initiatives. The growth of
LTE will change the face of wireless, Schromsky said.
"When you used to think of one-to-one with people to
devices, now think one-to-many," he said. With the new high speeds and low
latency, new applications including cloud computing will become part of the
wireless landscape, Schromsky said. LTE also lays down a new foundation for
machine-to-machine communications because of its data transmission
characteristics, he said.
Ultimately, data transmission will be the focus of the
Verizon LTE network. McAdam said the service is ideal for video and that some
of the first devices to be announced at CES will include platforms for both
uploading and downloading video. Furthermore, he said he expects video use to
be a significant factor in the use of LTE, but declined to address any details
about plans for video applications. Verizon Wireless already provides a broad
selection of video services for its existing 3G devices.
While the list of Verizon Wireless devices for LTE
remains under wraps, McAdam did say the devices will be able to handle voice
and data simultaneously. Currently, Samsung makes an LTE phone for MetroPCS,
and while this device could certainly be converted to work on the Verizon
network, it's not clear that the Samsung phone is one of those that will be
chosen by Verizon Wireless.
Wayne Rash is a Senior Analyst for eWEEK Labs and runs the magazineÃÃÃs Washington Bureau. Prior to joining eWEEK as a Senior Writer on wireless technology, he was a Senior Contributing Editor and previously a Senior Analyst in the InfoWorld Test Center. He was also a reviewer for Federal Computer Week and Information Security Magazine. Previously, he ran the reviews and events departments at CMP's InternetWeek.He is a retired naval officer, a former principal at American Management Systems and a long-time columnist for Byte Magazine. He is a regular contributor to Plane & Pilot Magazine and The Washington Post.
