LTE Watch: More Verizon Speed Tidbits

LR Mobile News Analysis Dan Jones, Mobile Editor 3/19/2010

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Wireless unveiled a few more tidbits about Long Term Evolution (LTE) this week, which kicks off this round-up of news about the mobile broadband technology. (See AT&T, Verizon Undecided on LTE Pricing.)

Tom Sawanobori, VP of network strategy at Verizon Wireless, says that even a user on the move should be able to get 5 Mbit/s over its LTE network, which is due to be in 25 or more US cities by the end of 2010.

The carrier has said it expects users to see 5 to 12 Mbit/s average speeds from the network. "That range includes mobility," Sawanobori said on a GSM Association (GSMA) call Thursday.

Neither AT&T nor Verizon is expecting to switch on voice-over-IMS VoIP systems for LTE as soon as the networks go live, it also emerged. Verizon says it's planning to do that in 2011 or 2012, while AT&T is looking at 2012.

Similarly, neither carrier will stop investing in its 3G footprint after LTE is commercially available. Sawanobori says that he expects investment in voice and 3G CDMA networks until the end of the decade.

In other news:

Fujitsu Ltd. (Tokyo: 6702; London: FUJ; OTC: FJTSY) says it has started shipping so-called "Super 3G" LTE base stations to NTT DoCoMo Inc. (NYSE: DCM). The Japanese mobile pioneer is supposed to get its first LTE network up and running before the end of the year.

The Dutch LTE auction is said to be attracting nine separate bidders.

Canadian CDMA startup, Public Mobile, says it is ready to upgrade to LTE when needed.

Bonus links:

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Light Reading Mobile

Evolved Packet Core is quickly emerging as the linchpin for mobile networks moving into the 4G era, and mobile operators are now starting to crank up their efforts to understand EPC and the implications it has for their network plans. Light Reading and its Heavy Reading research unit have created a brand-new program to help you pinpoint exactly where your company stands in the race to embrace EPC and related technologies. How does your company’s EPC readiness compare with the competition's? To find out, just take a few minutes to complete our EPC Benchmark questionnaire by following this link: www.lightreading.com/evolved-packet-core-benchmark-survey.asp.