Basking Ridge, N.J. – Verizon Wireless will roll out
its 4G LTE network to 27 new markets on April 19, bringing 4G service to a
total of 230 markets, the carrier announced.
Combined with an expansion of its LTE footprint that day in 44 existing LTE markets, Verizon
said it will be providing LTE service to two-thirds of the U.S. population. Its
LTE service is currently available to 200 million.
By the end of 2012, Verizon will expand
its LTE network to more than 400 markets, reaching more than 260 million
people.
Verizon Wireless currently offers more
than 20 4G LTE-enabled devices. With these devices,
subscribers in fully
loaded networks should experience average download throughputs of 5 to 12Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5Mbps, the carrier said.
Verizon chief technology officer David Small
said Verizon offers more than six times
the geographic coverage of the next-largest LTE network, operated by AT&T.
For its part, AT&T said its LTE network,
as of January 2012, covered 94 million people in 32 markets in the U.S. and
Puerto Rico. The carrier, however, plans to double its LTE population coverage
by the end of 2012. When combining its 4G HSPA+ and 4G LTE networks, AT&T said it currently offers 4G
service in markets, reaching almost 250 million people.
AT&T expects to finish its LTE
rollout by the end of 2013.
As for Verizon’s expansion, Verizon said it will launch
LTE service on April 19 in the following markets: Auburn and
Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Pine Bluff, Siloam Springs and Van Buren, Ark.;
Visalia/Porterville, Calif.; Fort Walton Beach and Ocala, Fla.; Brunswick,
LaGrange and Macon/Warner Robins, Ga.; Peoria, Ill.; Kokomo/Logansport and
Marion, Ind.; Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend and Hays, Kan.; Salisbury,
Md.; Cattaraugus/Allegany, N.Y.; Sandusky, Ohio; Ardmore and Ponca City, Okla.;
Salem/Albany/Corvallis, Ore.; Pierre, S.D.; and Big Springs and Tyler, Texas.
Verizon on April 19 will also expand its LTE
footprint in these markets: Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Bakersfield, Fresno,
Modesto, Sacramento, Salinas/Monterey, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo
and Stockton, Calif.; Colorado Springs and Fort Collins/Loveland, Colo.;
Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla.; Boise/Nampa, Idaho; Carbondale/Marion and Rockford,
Ill.; Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Ind.; Des Moines, Iowa; Boston and
Worcester, Mass.; Detroit, Mich.; St. Louis; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.;
Manchester/Nashua, N.H.; Albuquerque and Santa Fe, N.M.; Buffalo/Niagara Falls
and New York, N.Y.; Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Oklahoma City and
Tulsa, Okla.; Portland, Ore.; Providence/Pawtucket, R.I.; Nashville, Tenn.; El
Paso, Texas; Provo/Orem and Salt Lake City/Ogden, Utah; and Olympia/Centralia
and Spokane, Wash.
