Verizon announces 700MHz LTE plans -- can you wait 3 years?

Verizon just announced its plans for the open-access "C block" and other chunks of the 700MHz spectrum it purchased from the FCC for almost $10B. As expected, it's going to provide high speed, 4G services in the form of LTE in the newly acquired spectrum. Of course, the 2010 launch is the same target stated by AT&T. Verizon also claims to have increased its spectrum inventory by about 60%. Before and after auction coverage shots in the gallery below.

Gallery: Verizon announces 700MHz LTE plans -- can you wait 3 years?

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[superfresh @ Apr 4th 2008 8:15AM]

Can I wait three years?

Do I have a choice?

When will WiMax get off the ground?

[Flashpoint @ Apr 4th 2008 8:16AM]

I've been waiting 8 years to get rid of Bush for good.

3 years for a cellular service doesn't seem so bad.

[Vince @ Apr 4th 2008 3:54PM]

7 years.

[Mtirv @ Apr 7th 2008 5:20PM]

The year he was campaigning counts too.

[Jonathan Keim @ Apr 4th 2008 8:27AM]

Well, looks like the excitement is over for awhile then

[riggs @ Apr 4th 2008 8:47AM]

what i want to know is how theyre going to cripple milk customers for their money.

[ThePremierAssassin @ Apr 4th 2008 8:57AM]

What are the main standards that are competing in this new 4G Generation of mobile phones?

I tried Google and so far I only know of LTE and WiMax. Are there any other big names I should know about?

[ShortBusGeek @ Apr 15th 2008 12:12PM]

There's a not so well known UMB, but it's not really much of a contender. LTE and WiMax are the main two 4G choices, and it appears that most are throwing their weight towards LTE. The main carrier throwing it's weight toward WiMax has been experiencing a net loss of customers the last few quarters. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

[scott @ Apr 4th 2008 9:10AM]

dont make this a political discussion.

[mike @ Apr 4th 2008 9:28AM]

Ok but hurry up with FIOS

[Steffen Jobbs @ Apr 4th 2008 9:30AM]

We definitely don't have a choice but to wait. I only hope it's worth waiting for. The operating cost will likely be huge and that will be passed on to users. I'm sure it won't be cheap.

Aren't LTE and WIMAX pretty much the same? WIMAX is a more open 4G standard, right?

[roach @ Apr 4th 2008 9:32AM]

wow. I don't even like Bush, but now I am anxiously waiting for you to stop making stupid ass comments...how long is that gonna take?

[Nate @ Apr 4th 2008 9:32AM]

Who cares?

Do you really feel comfortable jumping on a Sprint backed technology?

at&t and Verizon are both going with LTE. I think I can wait for the big boys to get their networks going.

[roach @ Apr 4th 2008 9:33AM]

that comment was directed @Flashpoint

[Nate @ Apr 4th 2008 9:34AM]

This was supposed to be a reply to the first comment.

The comment system, apparently, decided it makes more sense down here, completely out of context. Sorry guys, I know this makes no sense down here.

[Nate @ Apr 4th 2008 9:35AM]

Apparently, the reply system is broken.

[Jason @ Apr 4th 2008 10:30AM]

Best to click on the date under the persons name to Reply to that specific comment. Hope that helps.

[Wussbag @ Apr 4th 2008 9:43AM]

WiMax is not working in real-world applications worldwide, so it is being pulled back. Sprint is soon going to announce that it has abandoned its WiMax plans. Instead, LTE is the 4G technology of choice. The problem with LTE is that it will take years to improve backhauling and deploy the network.

The short-term solution that is not discussed enough is the simple software upgrade from Rev A (the flavor of EvDO, 3G, used by Sprint and VZW and others now) to Rev B, which is several times faster. It requires only a software upgrade and could be fully deployed in months, if they wanted to. I dont understand the drive to move to LTE because Rev B would provide speeds that 99.9% of people would be happy with (faster than most decent cable modems today) at a much lower cost and shorter time frame. Qualcom already has the tech ready to go - VZW just needs to be deployed. Another advantage is that it is backwards compatible with all previous generations - RevA, Rev0, 1x - all CDMA. Of course LTE speeds would be nicer, but will likely be more expensive, and again, take several years to roll out. Triple speeds now, or quintuple several years later at a higher price? Easy call, isnt it?

[Mike @ Apr 4th 2008 11:51AM]

From what I've gathered, LTE is an IP based network while EVDO is not. I'd be willing to wait for this over a simple speed upgrade.

[loosely_coupled @ Apr 7th 2008 9:07PM]

Well are they even mutually exclusive in Verizon's case? They said they are going to deploy LTE/HSOPA on 700mhz.. I assume they will keep their CDMA network for years and probably have dual-mode phones, don't you think? If so, why wouldn't they upgrade the existing network to EVDO rev.B while they are working on LTE on 700mhz?

[Big Al @ Apr 4th 2008 9:43AM]

UMB is 3GPP2's standard that migrated from CDMA1x and EV-DO. But two of UMB's prospects, Verizon and KDDI(reportedly), decided to go LTE, relegating UMB to be the John Edwards of the 4G war.
Then there is China who wants to upgrade their current TD-SCDMA system to meet 4G standards. But then again, their 3G network is still in construction...

[Jacob @ Apr 4th 2008 9:44AM]

@ Steffen Jobbs

There's UMB, TD-SCDMA, WIMAX, LTE, and that's pretty much it for viable 4G standards. Of those, LTE is looking like the real winner, with Verizon and AT&T and most other operators around the world going towards it.

[Hugh Newmark @ Apr 4th 2008 9:46AM]

I'm a little worried about Sprint going under, but I can't stand the way that Verizon rapes your wallet when they own you (read: when you sign a contract with them). . . so I guess I'm sticking with Metro PCS until I see something promising from either front.

[Jared @ Apr 4th 2008 10:31AM]

I wouldn't be too worried, if Sprint goes it would be gobbled up by Verizon. Think about it you can get Sprint's great prices and Verizon's network!!

[Hugh Newmark @ Apr 4th 2008 10:37AM]

Sprint's "great prices" are less than Metro. I live in the Tampa area, and the cell phone market is being dominated by Metro PCS. $50 a month (after taxes, fees, etc.) for unlimited talk and data. Granted, it isn't the fastest and doesn't work everywhere, it's still stomping out the other carriers down here.

In a perfect world: The Nuviphone comes out and lives up to the hype. Sprint gets "gobbled" by Verizon and gives up WiMax for LTE. Verizon starts to see competition in the market of unlimited talk and data and lowers the price on their everything plan to something affordable for a college student. Also, nobody ever asks about blending or Doom, because they finally realize that those jokes are beyond old.

[Abuzar @ Apr 5th 2008 8:50AM]

I like you avatar.

[Hax Or @ Apr 4th 2008 10:04AM]

ALERT: If it doesn't say "IN REPLY TO: USERNAME"

then you're doing it wrong and it is not a reply. Just an FYI.

[ThePremierAssassin @ Apr 4th 2008 10:06AM]

@ Big Al

Thanks for the summary. It definitely makes more sense to me. I'm stuck with Sprint for now but I can't wait till the new iPhone drops or someone comes up with something truly better.

[Anton @ Apr 4th 2008 10:06AM]

If in 3 years I can have FiOS too. Then I have no problem with this at all.

[jeremy @ Apr 4th 2008 10:13AM]

at least verizon will put the spectrum to good use. at&t refuses to expand their coverage. 4 different carriers work at my house, 2 don't. guess who those two are. at&t and t-mobile.

[Big Al @ Apr 4th 2008 10:17AM]

@Wussbag,

Rev A has been running on 1.25MHz bandwidth. Rev B needs 5MHz, making it more difficult that u think to upgrade their systems. This would also likely take some time to find the spectrum they have now that they won't use for LTE. Then upgrading the structures could take some time too. (see Xohm)

It seems to make more sense to me to concentrate resources on getting LTE out asap.

[Ubuntu 7.10 WindowsXP @ Apr 4th 2008 10:45AM]

I am going to stop watching this stuff. It just seems like all Cellular companies are just admitting that you will need to buy a new phone every 2 years. I am sick of contract extensions.

[Peppie @ Apr 4th 2008 11:09AM]

I'm glad I'm with verizon. Seems like things are finally looking up after I signed my life away two year ago lol

[jeremy @ Apr 4th 2008 11:09AM]

@Ubuntu 7.10 WindowsXP
you don't need to do a contract. just buy your phones at no commitment. you pay more for the phone but no contract. or you can buy it from the manufacture.

[Max @ Apr 4th 2008 11:25AM]

Sorry, that's not right. RevB is not necessarily a simple software upgrade, it actually bonds several 1.25MHz carriers together to make a faster channel. This means that a base station will require additional spectrum, modem cards, and RF cards. Qualcomm may have the spec written, but I know for a fact that the implementation by the actual network hardware vendors is still in process. This is not a case of stinky old verizon is too cheap to upgrade, this is a case of things aren't as easy or as ready as you think.

That said, RevB has a good chance of being deployed in the interim by Sprint or Verizon, while we wait for LTE or WiMax to be ready. Expect those to be later than you expect, because things always take longer than you'd like. If they're saying 2010, I wouldn't hold my breath.. figure field trials then and real deployments later.

Finally, WiMax and LTE are both going to be based on the same sort of air interface (OFDM), so I'd bet that if one of them end up working, both of them probably will. They will be incompatible, but based on the same concepts (just like UMTS and CDMA).

[ShortBusGeek @ Apr 15th 2008 12:25PM]

Finally, someone that knows what they're talking about! :-)

[oZone @ Apr 4th 2008 11:31AM]

Nice. I never thought making a post on Engadget into something political was possible. Then again, I barely ever read the comments anymore so I may be wrong.

[Allen @ Apr 4th 2008 11:32AM]

I won't wait that long.

Here is to pirate long range Wi-Fi!

[Broadband Guy @ Apr 4th 2008 11:46AM]

> WiMax is not working in real-world applications worldwide

Mobile WiMax is fully operational in its native land, Korea.

> Sprint is soon going to announce that it has abandoned its WiMax plans.

Sprint has to have something up and running by 2009, or they lose the spectrum. They have no choice but to go Mobile WiMax all the way.

> Instead, LTE is the 4G technology of choice.

LTE is not 4G. But neither is current Mobile WiMax Wave 2.

> The problem with LTE is that it will take years to improve backhauling and deploy the network.

And Mobile WiMax will be upgraded to real 4G by the time LTE launches.

> I dont understand the drive to move to LTE because Rev B would provide speeds that 99.9% of people would be happy with (faster than most decent cable modems today) at a much lower cost and shorter time frame.

People dislike doing business with Qualcomm.

> Triple speeds now, or quintuple several years later at a higher price? Easy call, isnt it?

You as a consumer no choice since Intel's putting Mobile WiMax in all of its future Centrino laptops. Which service are you going to sign up for, a service that is built into your laptop and MID or another service that must be added via USB dongle?

[Bored One @ Apr 4th 2008 12:03PM]

It isn't matter of what is built in. If WiMax can't get the coverage/building penetration/reception of LTE on 700mHz band, then it will be difficult to justify the "it's built in" difference compared to the USB dongle.

[Escher @ Apr 4th 2008 4:04PM]

Yeah, my laptop has IR built into it too, but guess how often that gets used?

[Deus Invictus @ Apr 4th 2008 12:02PM]

UMB or Ultra Mobile Broadband, is a 4G spec from Qualcom, I'm not aware of anyone that has announced that they will use it though. I also though I remember reading somewhere that WiMax wasn't declared 4G but 3.5G or something, am I wrong on that?

[CharlieX @ Apr 4th 2008 1:33PM]

Try the reply button instead of filling up the comments section with comments about your comments

[phanbouy @ Apr 4th 2008 1:53PM]

We'd like to inform you that this commenter, who replaced the previous commenter, has also been sacked.

[Rob Schoenfeld @ Apr 4th 2008 2:50PM]

Sprint is going to have to practically give away Xohm for it to take off. They simply don't have the revenue to build out the network.

Isn't LTE inherently faster then wimax any way? I think the carriers should use an agreed upon standard for 4 g. So devices can be used globally.

I will be interesting to see how everything plays out. I’m surprised that no international companies have put in a takeover bid for Sprint. With the weak USD and an almost 30 billion dollar right down, someone could get them on the cheap.

[Nate @ Apr 4th 2008 3:05PM]

Well my question is if LTE is GSM basesd and ATT is GSM and Verizon is CDMA and they are going with LTE dose that mean they are going with GSM?? And giving up CDMA cause they could go with UTB thats for CDMA any thoughs?

[Nate @ Apr 4th 2008 3:09PM]

Well my question is if LTE is GSM basesd and ATT is GSM and Verizon is CDMA and they are going with LTE dose that mean they are going with GSM?? And giving up CDMA cause they could go with UTB thats for CDMA any thoughs?

[conor @ Apr 4th 2008 3:11PM]

I want LTE now god damn!

[Nate @ Apr 4th 2008 3:16PM]

We all want it too but for anyone its still in early devolopement stages still needs a lot of field testing plus the 700mzh spectrum hasnt been released yet next year well start to see little bit maybe

[Nate @ Apr 4th 2008 3:19PM]

plus 3G is still being deployed going with HSUPA and HSPA+and also what about EGPRS 2???? Anyone thoughts?