4:10 PM -- Verizon Wireless is taking a clear lead in 4G network deployment in the U.S.

The operator is planning to deploy Long Term Evolution (LTE) in 14 more towns and cities on July 21. It is also expanding coverage in Los Angeles and San Diego while completing the deployment in Charleston, W.V.

This puts Verizon in the catbird seat for fast mobile service in the U.S. with 97 4G markets on the map by the end of July. In contrast, Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S) -- through Clearwire LLC (Nasdaq: CLWR) -- has just over 70, MetroPCS Inc. (NYSE: PCS) has a handful of cities and AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is expecting to launch with five cities later this year.

Realistically, MetroPCS never really had a chance in this race and is generally more concerned with pumping up its 4G profile with no-contract users in select cities anyway.

As I've already noted, Sprint is the carrier that really lost its 4G groove while squabbling with Clearwire and chatting up LightSquared . The operator is likely to announce LTE plans this summer, but it could be a case of too little, too late if Sprint doesn't get a move on.

AT&T is the unknown factor in the race to a mobile broadband future in the U.S. of A. Much depends on how quickly it can transition T-Mobile US Inc. 's spectrum to 4G LTE. An LTE iPhone is likely to punch up the interest in 4G too.

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Light Reading Mobile