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Verizon Wireless is rolling out its 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network at warp speed.
As of July 19, the nations largest carrier will extend its LTE network to 33 new markets, expand its LTE coverage within 32 other markets and put itself well on its way to meeting its year-end goal of covering 400 U.S. markets.
With its July 19 launches, its total number of covered markets will rise to 337.
With more markets than all other U.S. wireless providers combined, our customers are the first to learn of the great advantages of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network for streaming video, downloading files, uploading pictures and so much more, at consistently reliable fast speeds, Nicola Palmer, Verizon Wireless chief technical officer, said in a statement.
You know, not to rub it in or anything.
Verizons 33 new LTE markets are El Dorado, Magnolia and Russellville, Ark.; New London County, Conn.; Fort Pierce, Vero Beach and Melbourne/Titusville, Fla.; Columbus and Rome, Ga.; Burley, Idaho; Mattoon, Ill.; Anderson and Muncie, Ind.; Manhattan, Junction City and McPherson, Kansas; Lafayette and New Iberia, La.; St. Joseph, Mo.; Bozeman, Livingston, Kalispell and Missoula, Mont.; Goldsboro, Kinston, Roanoke Rapids and Rocky Mount/Wilson, N.C.; Zanesville, Ohio; Meadville and Punxsutawney, DuBois and Clearfield, Pa.; Orangeburg, S.C.; Sherman and Denison, Texas; Cedar City and Logan, Utah; Rutland and Bennington, Vt.; Lynchburg and Winchester, Va.; Bellingham, Wash.; and Beckley, W.Va.
The 32 markets in which the carrier is expanding its service are Mobile, Ala.; Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.; Hilo, Honolulu and Kahului/Wailuku/Maui County, Hawaii; Blackfoot, Idaho Falls and Rexburg, Idaho; Peoria, Ill.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Wichita, Kansas; Baton Rouge, La.; Baltimore, Md.; Kansas City and Springfield, Mo.; Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo, Ohio; Allentown, Bethlehem, Harrisburg and Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pa.; Columbia and Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; Provo, Orem and Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah; Fredericksburg, Va.; and Seattle, Wash.
In real-world, fully loaded environments, Verizon LTE users should experience 5 to 12 megabits per second on the downlink and 2 to 5M bps on the uplink.
Such speeds have encouraged a rise in data use among subscribers, and to address thisas well as the consumer trend of using multiple data-enabled devices, such as tablets, personal hotspots, netbooks and gaming consolesVerizon Wireless began selling Share Everything plans June 28. Instead of focusing on a single device, the Share Everything plans focus on a data allotment that multiple users can attach multiple devices to.
AT&T followed suit with the July 18 announcement that it will begin offering Mobile Share plans, based on the same premise, in late August.
Verizon has promised that no one will be forced into such a planexisting customers, a Verizon spokesperson confirmed to eWEEK July 18, can continue to use and purchase the Nationwide plans.
New customers, however, have little choice; the Nationwide plans have since disappeared from the carriers site. New subscribers are now offered the choice of a Prepaid plan or a Share Everything plan, which in certain instances can offer users, particularly families or businesses with multiple devices, notable savings.
AT&T, in its announcement, likewise assured customers that the plans are intended to offer choice and even savings.
The more you share, the more you save, David Christopher, AT&Ts chief marketing officer, said in the statement. Theyll be a good fit for a variety of new and existing customers. But if customers want to stay on their current plan or choose from our existing plans, they can do that, too. Its their choice.
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