Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network is back up and running after an outage Dec. 7 that directed many 4G customers to 3G services.
After a day that saw Verizon’s message boards light up with customer complaints of no 4G Long-Term Evolution service, some customers on the East Coast were reporting Dec. 8 that the 4G service had been restored. On its Twitter feed, Verizon said the service had been restored, though the company has not yet said what the issues were.
On Dec. 7, some users reported no 4G service at all, with complaints stretching from Massachusetts to Arizona, according to customer posts on Verizon’s 4G community Website. The problem for many seemed fixed by Dec. 8. “We’re working to resolve some 4G LTE issues ASAP,” the company said in a statement to its customers. “Some customers report operating on 3G or no data. 3G data, calls [and] texts [were] unaffected.”
On Dec. 15, Verizon Wireless will be in 190 markets with its 4G service, covering more than 200 million people. The company recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the 4G service launch. Sixteen devices are currently available to run on the 4G network, including eight smartphones such as the Droid Razr and tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Consumer demand for Apple iPhones and Android devices on its 4G network boosted Verizon’s third-quarter financial performance, company executives said during Verizon’s Oct. 21 earnings call. Verizon activated 1.3 million new wireless users, including prepaid and other customers. The 4G network grew more quickly than anticipated, which is currently available in 165 markets and covers a population of more than 186 million, the company said.
Of the 5.6 million smartphones Verizon sold during the third quarter, more than half were Android devices. Verizon also sold a total of 1.4 million LTE devices, half of which were smartphones and the rest were “Internet data service,” such as mobile hotspot devices and tablets. About 39 percent of the devices running on Verizon’s wireless network were smartphones, and nearly 95 percent of its product portfolio was 4G capable, Verizon said. The expensive data plans required for the smartphones helped push average monthly revenue per contract subscriber up 2.4 percent to $54.89.
This week Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI) and Verizon introduced two additions to the Droid family on their 4G network, the Droid XYBoard tablets. The tablets offer mobile hotspot capability, which allows users to share 4G LTE connection with up to eight WiFi-enabled devices. The 10.1 edition will be available in three models: 16GB for $529.99, 32GB for $629.99 and 64GB for $729.99, all with a new two-year customer agreement. The XYBoard 8.2 will be available in two models: 16GB for $429.99 and 32GB for $529.99, both with a new two-year customer agreement.