Dick Lynch: Verizon's LTE rollout to launch next year, not 2010

After winning purchasing spectrum in the 700MHz FCC auction, we were all a little disappointed to hear that we'd have to wait until the year 2010 for high-speed LTE networks to launch (widescale deployments coming later) on both Verizon and AT&T. In a surprise, seemingly off-the-cuff statement made Tuesday at Cisco's C-Scape conference, Verizon's unfortunately named executive VP and CTO, Dick Lynch, said, "We expect that LTE will actually be in service somewhere here in the U.S. probably this time next year." Lynch also said that Verizon plans to coordinate the rollout of femtocell base stations (likely with WiFi) to extend the signal indoors -- something that shouldn't be too difficult since LTE will be riding the old home-penetrating 700MHz analog TV signal. With LG demonstrating 60Mbps download speeds on the world's first LTE chips for cellphones and data cards yesterday, consider us packed and ready to move to the first city VZW lights up.

[Via PhoneScoop]

[bill cant fart @ Dec 10th 2008 7:46AM]

I would hate to have that guys name.

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 10th 2008 8:22AM]

It's probably even worse in databases where surnames are in front of forenames...

[ijyt @ Dec 10th 2008 9:10AM]

We had Rich Miner not long ago, with every good name...

[The Joker @ Dec 10th 2008 5:27PM]

Is that someones name or a militant feminist group?

[Tehseen Hussain @ Dec 10th 2008 7:46AM]

Now to wait for T-Mobile to Announce in the next five years.

[Big Al @ Dec 10th 2008 8:24AM]

They already did...

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/11/08/t-mobile-likely-to-skip-hspa-head-straight-to-lte/

[BowserUSC @ Dec 10th 2008 7:52AM]

you'd think he would go by richard lynch

[OneLove @ Dec 10th 2008 11:30AM]

Dick lynch gets the ladies!

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 10th 2008 1:34PM]

"The name's Lynch, Dick Lynch."

lol

[Killer @ Dec 10th 2008 8:05AM]

mmmmmm LTE goodness. Something tells me the next version of the Storm isn't going to have WiFi and thats not even going to matter to me because with those speeds who needs it. :D I've been waiting forever for LTE to roll out and the digital transition for tv. YAY! Progress.

[Slliim @ Dec 10th 2008 8:51AM]

So you think WiFi technology will remain stagnant? I'm sure there are teams of people working on keeping WiFi competetive and finding ways to increase data transfer speeds. I am one of those (with a Storm) that doesn't feel WiFi is an absolute necessity on my phone but it would be nice to have. Much like you, I can't wait for the next version of the storm with the LTE goodness...

[Adrian Williams @ Dec 10th 2008 10:33AM]

Higher speed = the faster you hit your Cap

[loosely_coupled @ Dec 11th 2008 10:54PM]

You are forgetting two major problems with that concept:

1) WiFi chipsets in cellphones use *much* less power to operate than 3G/HSPA/EVDO, and this situation will probably not change much with LTE. A great example of this is with the iPhone... It burns through battery much faster using 3G than WiFi.

2) All the speed in the world won't matter if you have a 5GB cap!

[From My Cube @ Dec 10th 2008 8:16AM]

ill be buying the first blackberry with LTE on it....which means I have to wait 4 years

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 10th 2008 8:18AM]

Dick Lynch...That really does reflect the experiences I've had with Verizon Wireless and I'm sure I'm not alone in this!

[zephxiii @ Dec 10th 2008 8:41AM]

Nice, i can hate VZW less now that they are moving off that CDMA boat.

[Frankenstein Black @ Dec 10th 2008 10:09AM]

Here, here! The one troubling thing I can see from the big red V are SIM embedded abomination devices (meaning the SIMs wont be removable), so they can keep the tight stranglehold on their devices that they are accustomed to with current CDMA. WATCH!

[youngstunna @ Dec 10th 2008 8:53AM]

"this time next year"

oh god. im so happy i wont have to wait until 2010.

[THJ @ Dec 10th 2008 12:04PM]

I know, right! If I have to wait until Jan 2010 instead of Dec 2019, I might lynch my own dick.

[What the Frack?! @ Dec 10th 2008 9:06AM]

Mmm... 60Mbps... Get to your 5GB data cap even faster...

[cb88 @ Dec 10th 2008 9:42AM]

...well avaiable *somewhere* definitly does not mean national or even major metropolitan coverage... likely will be like WiMax is now only in a very few select places

[Ekauq @ Dec 10th 2008 9:17AM]

I wonder how Verizon is going to handle the transition. Would they switch their network completely over to GSM or have a mix of CDMA/LTE? The former would probably be better in the long run for the easiest support, but screw with people who already have CDMA Verizon phones (maybe offer free upgrades for the transition?) The latter would mean custom phones to handle both CDMA and LTE which would mean slower adoption of newer phones requiring a mix of technologies and complicate support.

[KeegdnaB @ Dec 10th 2008 2:10PM]

I think you'll see the lower end phones stick with CDMA/EVDO for the time being while the mid and high end ones will be dual CDMA/GSM (like the storm) until they have the GSM network (not necessarily the LTE) more or less fully rolled out. Then over time, you'll start to see them transition to GSM only phones. I wonder how long they'll keep the CDMA network active though. Obviously they'll have to for at least a few years to accomodate the folks who insist on sticking with one phone for years.

[loosely_coupled @ Dec 11th 2008 10:58PM]

I highly doubt they will be rolling out a GSM network... That wouldn't make any sense as they can simply keep their CDMA network running until they transition everyone over.. rolling out a whole GSM network in addition to LTE wouldnt make sense unless they are both integrated into the same equipment and towers.. I'm not sure about the technical details, so I don't really know if that is possible..

Also, How exactly would a femtocell work when you are talking about real-world 15-30mbit speeds? At least in America, most people have slow broadband connections on the order of 1-5mbps...

[Jake Tobak @ Dec 10th 2008 9:30AM]

This time next year will probably turn into first quarter of 2010.

[Osayi @ Dec 10th 2008 2:38PM]

And then fall 2010 and then guess what? 2012! Like some predict. But who knows, right?

[mrsalty @ Dec 10th 2008 10:05AM]

From the "puppet" himself "AT&T will be using the 700MHz spectrum more for voice quality improvements then data when is first roles out." 700MHz AT&T voice handsets will most likely be available by september of next year. AT&T doesn't want to compete with UVERSE and 3G just yet as most are happy with that and since testing of femtocells have already begun and will rely on wifi capable phones. In 2009 and 2010 AT&T will be pushing VERY hard to close the gap between the "who has the best quality voice signal"...it's the voice side of things especially dealing with Verizon's deeper penetrating signals as to what their FIRST priority will be next year.

[zephxiii @ Dec 10th 2008 12:07PM]

A lot of that does not make sense. A channel of UMTS/HSPA is voice AND data regardless of what band it is on. Femtocells AT&T will be deploying will not be using wifi (to connect to handsets), and would require internet service (what UVERSE can provide). From what i've read, femtocells on AT&T will be 3G and offer "broadband" speeds (HSDPA).

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 10th 2008 11:46AM]

I just want them to start rolling out GSM already. I cant wait to VOIP over LTE.

[THJ @ Dec 10th 2008 12:05PM]

Will the latency be low enough for VOIP? Right now, VOIP on 3G is not a bandwidth issue, it's a latency issue.

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 10th 2008 1:11PM]

I dont know but we will have to settle in the meantime. Anything beats paying carriers exorbitant (to my cheap ass) amounts of money for a limited voice only plan when they are going to be running both voice and data through the same "pipes". It probably costs them a fraction of a penny per minute for us to make calls on their network. So I can deal with the latency via VOIP.

[dagamer34 @ Dec 10th 2008 12:52PM]

LTE = GSM = iPhone on Verizon. Huzzah for competition!

[helixtimestwo @ Dec 10th 2008 12:59PM]

Yes! Let's get the most locked-down phone on the most locked-down provider. Huzzah for competition!

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 10th 2008 1:09PM]

Fuck that lets get unlocked phones because we will have 3 GSM carriers to choose from. There are phones besides the iphone you know.

[dagamer34 @ Dec 10th 2008 1:16PM]

Even if you hate the iPhone like no other, it's hard to argue that it hasn't gotten the mobile phone industry to design something more than just RAZRs and Blackberry Curves. They're actually trying again!

[MosquitoControl @ Dec 10th 2008 2:01PM]

True, the iPhone changed the industry, at least in the US.

Also true that it's ridiculously locked down. Apple likes to say "think different" but it's really "think like us." Why else would they leave backdoors to alter what you have on your iPhone? Why else would they refuse to let you customize it like you can a WM6 device? Apple's whole problem, to me, is that if you actually think differently they don't want you as a customer.

Still a nice phone for all but the most anal power-users, such as myself. Better than all the WM6 phones, regardless of how much nicer it is to actually have control over your phone.



Verizon isn't as locked-down when it comes to smartphones, but we all know why Verizon passed on the iPhone - both sides wanted control. Verizon wants to tell you what you can use your phone for. Apple wants to tell you what you can use your phone for. A bit of a conflict of interest there.

[bartman @ Dec 10th 2008 3:48PM]

LTE = OFDM; it has nothing to do with GSM.

[loosely_coupled @ Dec 11th 2008 11:01PM]

What exactly do these people mean when they say the iPhone is "locked down" What are you looking to do on it? If you are not satisfied with the App store, it takes one second to jailbreak it and install SSH/FTP, and from there you can do whatever you want on it...

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 12th 2008 1:33PM]

Yeah you just have to void your warranty. Pretty easy for you to say. I dont have that kind of money.

[crawdad689 @ Dec 10th 2008 2:04PM]

Is LTE likely to bring a more instant ringtone, after you hit the send button on your phone to make a call?

For me, one of the main reasons that I text so much is because I can't stand the ~6 second delay between hitting the send button, and hearing it ring on the other end.

Even worse is when you have to wait for it to ring, wait for someone to NOT answer, and THEN (this is the part that kills me) wait for that dumb b*tch on the other end to tell me "your call has been forwarded to an automated voice message system. 9 1 7 8 6 7 5 3 0 9 is not available. At the tone....."

So it takes over 60 seconds to record a 2 second voicemail. They really need to improve upon this.

[Squid7085 @ Dec 10th 2008 2:42PM]

Meanwhile in AT&T's board room...

*Crickets*

Board Memeber 1: Anybody have service in here?
Board Memeber 2: No, I have AT&T

*Crickets*

[Brad @ Jan 15th 2009 3:48PM]

LOL so true.Speaking of Crickets ,when is a real ie:At&t,Verizon network going to finally buy Cricket?That crap company needs to give their customers up before LTE finishes it off.Just like Alltel,nice catch Verizon.

[zbot @ Dec 10th 2008 5:28PM]

Can someone confirm that the LTE evolution will allow 3G compatibility between ATT and Verizon handsets once ATT deployes LTE?

[Xoyuji @ Dec 10th 2008 9:54PM]

So when does Vodafone start rolling out I want Big V coverage on both sides.

[Brad @ Jan 15th 2009 3:38PM]

Actually I just got off the phone with a VZW Rep and he says Verizon is geared to not only out LTE in 2009 but he says it will be before all other networks.In addition to that,he says that (this isn't confirmed) the Blackberry Storm and a few other smartphones/PDA's will be able to handle LTE with only a Firmware update through Verizon.YAY! for Verizon!

[Brad @ Jan 15th 2009 3:41PM]

Well,although both networks will be employing LTE service,there are different types of LTE,I am not sure but EVDO and another are the two main ones.So they may or may not,just have to wait and see.