VZW continues LTE hype ahead of launch

Verizon Wireless continued to hype its soon-to-launch LTE network today, noting trials in Boston and Seattle have produced download speeds of up to 50 megabits per second and upload speeds up to 25 Mbps. Average data rates in “real-world” environments have been between 5 and 12 Mbps on the downlink and between 2 and 5 Mbps on the uplink.
The carrier noted the network speeds are far greater than traditional 3G networks, including Verizon Wireless’ current CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision A network that typically top at out at just over 1 Mbps on the downlink and 500 kilobits per second on the uplink in real-world conditions. Verizon Wireless’ LTE claims are also slightly faster than what Clearwire Corp. is reporting on its WiMAX-based Clear service, which the carrier said is providing download speeds of between 3 and 6 Mbps with bursts up to 10 Mbps.
Clearwire does of course have the advantage of being commercially available today in more than 27 markets covering more than 34 million people, while Verizon Wireless’ LTE network is still in trials. Both companies plan to cover more than 100 million potential customers with service by the end of the year. Clearwire’s network current supports its own Clear-branded offering as well as services from Sprint Nextel Corp., Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable.
“To be sure, the [Verizon Wireless’] ambitious timeline should give Clearwire and its MVNO brethren a run for its money while possibly giving Verizon Wireless the upper hand in marketing 4G against the more conservative AT&T,” noted William Ho, research director of wireless services at Current Analysis in a recent report.
The speed claim is also becoming increasingly important as Clearwire and its MVNO partners can currently claim greater speeds than what Verizon Wireless can offer, and GSM-based operators AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile USA Inc. are both rolling out higher-speed versions of their HSPA-based networks. AT&T Mobility is currently in the midst of installing backhaul support for its 7.2 Mbps HSPA network and plans to begin rolling out LTE in 2011, while T-Mobile USA recently starting trialing 21 Mbps HSPA+ technology in its Philadelphia market.