Verizon Wireless to hold LTE press conference tomorrow

Verizon Wireless (VZ) has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow at noon Eastern Time to “detail the company’s major 4G LTE network launch.” Attending the event will be the carrier’s SVP and CTO Tony Melone.
The carrier has already announced that it would launch LTE services in 38 markets and dozens of airport locations covering more than 100 million potential customers by the end of this year, which is rapidly approaching. The carrier plans to increase that coverage to 200 million pops by 2012 on the way to covering more than 285 million pops, virtually its entire 3G network, by the end of 2013.
Verizon Wireless has said the network will provide downlink speeds of between 5 and 12 megabits per second using the carrier’s 700 MHz spectrum holdings.
The highly anticipated launch is expected to set the stage for a new round of network competition amongst the nation’s operators.