Verizon
firmed up its previously announced plans for the world's first
large-scale deployment of a 4G LTE wireless services with the
announcement that these advanced services, which are capable of
delivering high quality video, will be available by year end in 38
markets where more than 110 million American live.
4G
LTE, or Long Term Evolution, networks are the most advanced wireless
networks currently available, and Verizon expects that its network will
offer average data rates that are much faster than existing networks,
with 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) speeds for downloads-fast enough
for HD video--and 2 to 5 Mbps for uplinks.
The
deployment of a high speed distribution network capable of delivering
very high quality television programming, movies, news and other content
will provide a major boost for programmers and content providers who
want to expand the distribution of their content to mobile devices. But
it will also create more competition for cable operators, who will face
increased competition from Verizon bundles of IPTV, broadband, and
wireless services and it could also strengthen the hand of over-the-top
video providers who could deliver pay TV services to wireless devices.
"With
our initial 4G LTE launch we will immediately reach more than one third
of all Americans where they live, right from the start," noted Lowell
McAdam, president and COO of Verizon in a statement. "And we will
quickly introduce 4g LTE throughout the Verizon coverage area."
The
38 markets for the initial round of 4G LTE services include New York,
Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas and large
sections of the Northeast corridor.
