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Verizon is gearing up for the launch of their 4G LTE network come November 15th, and while no handsets will be available initially that should quickly change come early 2011. For now the only way to take advantage of the high-speed network will be through MiFi and mobile broadband cards, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t all at least a bit curious about how Verizon is positioning their LTE technology in comparison to Sprint, their biggest 4G rival at the moment, and their WiMAX network.
While we have heard arguments that could go either way in terms of which technology is actually superior, it remains a fact that a large portion of carriers are choosing to go with LTE, leaving Sprint and Clearwire as the only providers of WiMAX coverage. Verizon is boasting that LTE will allow for even greater speeds and reliability, as well as global adaptability, in contrast to WiMAX. As a Verizon subscriber, LTE is the main reason I will forego the numerous holiday launches and wait it out for a real 4G Android beast on Big Red, how about you all?
[via DroidLife]
My contract end this week, and I just gotta replace my G1 with something good and fast! LTE sounds great, but do I really have to wait till 2011? Please tell me there will be something available in 2010…pleeeeease!
They’re missing the part about FDD-LTE vs TDD-LTE and why the AT&T/Verizon FDD-LTE isn’t exactly going to fare well once it becomes more popular. :)
LTE is the reason I paid an extra $76 for my Droid X on a one-year contract instead of a two-year contract. Money well spent, I think!
Damn whats up the annoying Bing adds, I feel like this is a Windows Mobile 7 or Verizon website.
fuck verizon 4g. heres is what we really care about: oh, wait….
@#2. Matt
Are you refering to the higher spectrum efficiency of TDD?
While the comparison of Wimax to LTE will be along debated topic, I think it’s worth mentioning that Wimax release 2 (802.16m) will not only capitalize on Verizon’s 4G LTE network…it will also be compatible with current Wimax release 1 devices. Japan just featured a demonstration of Wimax release 2 transfering data at 330 Mbps…insane. You hold out for your “big red LTE”….i’m a happy EVO owner baby.
lol @ kell shmell
@Matt – You are aware in the US, most spectrum is not offered TDD (upaired) right? nearly all spectrum is allocated FDD (paired) here in the states as well as many other countries (Asia the exception).
@SoKal26 – Wimax apologist are we? both Wimax2 and LTE advanced are approved ITU 4G technologies. The major difference is the world’s largest wireless operators (DT, Vodafone, Telefonica, China Mobile, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, etc, etc, selected LTE, leaving WiMax for niche applications. Sorry, just the way it is.
The speed and promise of future speed on LTE-Advanced is awesome for sure, but the lack of latency(<30ms!!!) is the killer app.
@SoKal26 – you need to realize that’s at uncapped speeds. You won’t be getting that.
You’re right…in no way do i expect to have that type of speed on a mobile device. The only thing I wanted to illustrate is that while LTE carriers are talking “theoretical speeds,” those are actual numbers. You can’t blame me for being even the slightest bit excited. Regardless the outcome, both Wimax and LTE boast promising figures. And with Sprint/Clearwire’s possible adoption of LTE, it just makes it all the more interesting to see how the mobile community shapes up in the coming years.
5-12 Mbps? How can they call this 4G? Anything under 100 Mbps is still 3G. And I get 6 Mbps with my HSDPA HTC Hero.
I know someone who actually works for Verizon as a cell tower technician. According to him “long term evolution” will in the long run boast speeds of 50 to 100 mbps speeds. This is a guy who Verizon has spent mega money putting through school, and I think he knows his $hit. I live in Jax Fl. and they’ve had L.T.E. up and running here for years in its test phase. Definitely can’t wait to have a honeycomb version Android phone running in Verizon’s L.T.E. network!
I find it odd that Verizon listed HSPA+ as a 4G option they considered. It will be interesting to see if they claim Tmobile is falsely advertising their HSPA+ as 4G.
As a day#1 original Droid owner, I will upgrade to a Droid X in November UNLESS there’s an LTE version of the Droid X about to become available only a few weeks after mid-Nov.
I’ll be watching here for rumors about that.
why oh why oh why oh why oh why oh why oh why oh why oh is there bing search on phandroid now? I hate you.
Who wrote this article. Some Verizon shill?
This story is soooo crazy wrong on just about everything. First of all, WiMAX and LTE are both very similar so talk of one being faster or whatever proves the person who wrote this has not clue or is intentionally trying to mislead. They can both be as fast or as slow as the telco wants. Neither has any advantage here.
Second, no matter what ultimately happens, there will always be a place for WiMAX for Backhaul connections. It was originally designed specifically for this, is extremely robust, and now a mature technology with plenty of equipment out there. So chances are even if a Telco is using LTE to the customer, their backhaul will use WiMAX.
Third, both used an IP core network. In fact regardless of whether they use WiMAX or LTE basestations and customer handsets, the core networks are going to be the same.
So there are no major technical differences in terms of adoptions. The differences are business licensing. The telcos want LTE because they developed the specs and own the licensing. Intel developed WiMAX to be a more open platform more in harmony with the open standards internet. The telcos hate open standards. They want total control of everything and want to be able to limit customers options on anything and everything. That is the REAL reason they are going with LTE.
I like how Verizon likes to claim that HSPA+ is only a max of 7mbps. Tmobile’s HSPA+ is currently at speeds of up to 21mbps:
http://t-mobile-coverage.t-mobile.com/hspa-mobile-broadband
regular HSPA is 7mbps…
Ya, I’d wait for a 4G phone as well, but 4G coverage for my area isn’t listed for the initial phase of Verizon’s rollout. The best thing about 4G though is finally we will have tethering speed that rivals landlines (albeit not the 25Mb/s down I get now, but I’ll take 5-10 down if it’s for free. :)
It is with sprint ;p
Oh, wait….nevermind. Damn you $10 premium data fee!!!
People, theoretical speeds and actual speeds are two different things! HSPA+ will never get 21 mb/s to a user in actual real world use. Same goes for LTE or WIMAX, you won’t see 100MB/s to the user, regardless of max speeds in testing phase, the odds you are close enough, no major topographic features, no other users, etc. etc. just not going to happen.
Regardless, folks should consider it wasn’t very many years ago you weren’t getting much better than dial-up like experience. To say you can average 12MB/s in a major populated area is really something special.
oops, its too early, MB/s should be Mb/s…
@Fred, what are you talking about? talk about the pot calling the kettle black… I’ll play along, the scary part about someone like you, is you believe you actually know what your talking about. Find me one major wireless operator using WiMAX in their backhaul (U.S. or Europe please).
Sorry, but regardless of what the WiMAX boosters say, you can’t find a production WiMAX network with the same throughput and latency found on LTE, the WiMAX standard simply isn’t optimized as LTE is, they tried to rush it to market and failed.
Regarding openness, huh? last I checked, the OFDMA technology for WIMAX is patented just like OFDMA is for LTE, your paying the IP holder regardless, in any event, I haven’t seen any open development with WiMAX as I see Verizon has done. Your post was not short of incomplete responses and everyone is now more confused than they already where, bravo to you sir.
Think about Clearwire, who only this past year really started deploying WiMAX in a major way, now giving PR to testing a major technology like LTE which may or may not be interoperable with their wireless gear (1st gen anything is rarely flexible).
Since there is not unlimited LTE data plan I will not be interested in using the network as I stream many gigs of audio weekly and will not pay extra for it. I was very excited about LTE and the first LTE handsets coming next year but with the tiered data plans and no unlimited LTE option I see it as a fail and will continue to use (abuse) the 3g network…
All of this theoretical talk is nice, in theory, but, in the real world it is going to depend on your proximity to a cell site, topographical issues, building issues, etc. And, all of the theoretical speeds are based on fixed transmission. We are talking about mobile phones, tablets, netbooks, etc., so rarely are they fixed. I don’t think many people are going to give up their broadband connections on their home and office PCs to go to a 4G wireless connection.
i think you guys are mostly idiots. how many phones do you think verizon is going to push our with lte early in the year? 0… yeah unless you want a piece of crap phone. all flagship phones will remain 3g until 2012 roles through.
this means you can expect some decent handsets close to summer but anything before is a liability for mass market sales.
why do you think verizon’s iphone will remain 3g. take the hint from apple. they are trend-setting the lte network. lte will be for laptops and tablets initially. it wont be for handsets until manufacturers are guaranteed availability. this isn’t spring.. its verizon.
jgrant,
Talk about ignorant. What exactly do you think Sprint/Clearwire is doing for backhaul you moron.
And can you even find an LTE network anywhere? Who exactly to do you think you are trying to kid here???
@Fred, so you don’t know what your talking about, so you resort to name calling? classy fella
Its called point to point (P2P) microwave wireless links. It has absolutely nothing to do WiMaX which was not designed for this application. WiMAX was designed for point to multipoint (P2MP) communications. From an engineering standpoint, they have major differences.
Most all carriers use P2P wireless in very rural and remote areas and have for years e.g. MCI – Microwave Communications Inc., been around for decades. I will give you its greatly approved to hundreds of Mb/s, but its certainly not because of WiMAX.
VZW LTE will start at much slower speeds (5-12mbps) and ramp up to faster and faster sppeds once network capacity is worked out. Always under promise, over deliver is VZW’s motto. (seriously, it is). VZW’s business structure will always give them the advantage. They, put 100% of their profit back into their network. (Seriously, check the annual sheets). 6-14billion dollars per year. No publically traded company with overpaid CEO’s can compete with that. VZW FTW!!!!!!!!!!
at post time of this response (12:37p 1/21/11) there is no mobile network is the u.s. that meets 4th generation mobile technology standards.. the specs are clear.. 100 Mb/s or greater.. doesn’t get any more simple.. current providers advertise 4g.. this is wrong.. lte is 3gpp at best.. lte advanced should meet 4g speed protocols.. come on people.. this is advertising 101.. misrepresentation!! misleading!! smoke screen!!