4G shocker! The good people of Boston enjoy Verizon's trial LTE network
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 12th 2010 10:31PM
posted May 12th 2010 10:31PM
posted May 12th 2010 10:31PM
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I say, wait and see Verizon's prices on 4G... then bricks might be shat.
@Plazmic Flame
So True...
You think people are complaining about WiMax pricing now...wait until Verizon roles out its LTE networks...probably another year afterwards for wide enough coverage...and insane prices...I like Verizon's Android phones though...
@Plazmic Flame
Yeah!! Verizon's 3G is more expensive than Sprint's 4G. It's crazy that people pay more for slower service, especially people that are in 4G areas. So I can only imagine how expensive Verizon's 4G services will be. Well, I am getting the EVO 4G!! It's only $450 off contract and $200 on a new 2 year contract. That is one sick phone that will help change the way smartphones are made. There are so many features that other phones don't have, especially in one package.
@Plazmic Flame
Verizon has a rep for being... not cheap XD.
@benthe1 Wimax =/= LTE.
Not the same thing.
@benthe1 A big screen and a front facing camera? Not that revolutionary, really. Aside from that, its just part of the progression of higher resolution screens and faster processors.
@Plazmic Flame I am a college student so I don't have a lot of money. But honestly, after dealing with other carriers service problems (mainly lack of coverage and network lockup under stress), I am A-OK with Verizons prices. Whenever I pick up my Droid I can make a call or browse the web on 3G. In my opinion, you get what you pay for.
@kapanak
you like verizons phones? check out this Sprint phone!
http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/1399/
It's called an EVO
@Plazmic Flame The only reasonable way to do pricing in the future is by person. currently you have a phone plan, and then for any other device you need another monthly bill. thats crap, im paying for unlimited data, let me use it wherever. By this guys comments he sees LTE being in more devices, well only if you dont charge for each one!
@seangt If it can hold the 20dwn 2up speed I might get it and dump my cable Internet. Droid (droid incredible once it's rooted) +verizon lte+ wifi tethering=win. As long as the total of my bill+lte is < my phone bill+ cable Internet.
@benthe1
We shall wait and see what beast of a phone Verizon will drop when LTE is ready to roll and I don't think it will take a year for its release.
Did u see the difference in the speeds of Verizon LTE compare to Sprints.
Name one feature other phones do not have other than 4G, which technically does not even exist.....
Boston is once again leading America to the promised land. You brought us freedom now you are testing LTE out for us. Go Boston! (I am from New york but hey lolz)
@Mike Vick
So wait, you are from New York, you are cheering for Boston and you have a Philadelphia Eagles logo in your profile pic? You are one messed up dude.
@Mike Vick
Identity crisis much? I thought you were from VA?
@Mike Vick - Boston Piff. The news is LTE. And if they stay on schedule Verizon wont suck anymore. Crap CDMA/EVDO tech bondo is DEAD! Long live LTE!!
T-mobile does 6mbps down...right now. This is pretty weaksause for LTE
@10nisman94
I actually agree, but I am sure they will raise the speeds as time goes along. I think they dont want the network to crash? Just a guess but this is pretty good stuff.
@10nisman94
Sure, HSPA+ can even do 42Mbps/5Mbps and that's just 3G technology pushed to the limit. The problem is latency from your phone to the tower, as well as amount of bandwidth from the tower to the internet.
Verizon wants to jump to LTE quickly because CDMA doesn't have an upgrade path. That's why they're so on the ball about getting this stuff out quickly.
@Jeff Kibuule yeah carriers aren't jumping to 4g because of speeds but because its cheaper to implement and maintain compared to 3g. the only reason tmobile is improving their 3g so much is because they lack the spectrum to move to 4g.
sending this post from a laptop tether to my g1 with a 5/1 connection :)
This is pretty epic stuff... But in this PR vid, what would be the difference between this and wifi in the pizza place?
Sprint's 4G ceremony is a lot cooler too. That looked like a classroom with a bored class. :P
So what is the difference between WIMAX and LTE? Will it be better implemented on Sprint or Verizon? Which will use sim card because I like sim phones!
@Mike Vick
The best you will find from Verizon and the word simcard is a Verizon phone and a Vodafone phone working with the same simcard after LTE goes live for both.
You can forget the phones, simcards sold by Verizon to be compatible in any way or form with another non affiliated company
@Mike Vick Wimax and LTE are both 4G technologies, but as different as night and day. They are both sitting on top of Verizons and Sprits CDMA technology. This means, for Verizon anway, you will use your CDMA connection for voice and use LTE for your data...this also enables simultaneos talk/surf. Dont misunderstand though, CDMA is great for reliability and dependability, as its users per tower is much greater than that of GSM, but its 3G speeds are less than that of GSM (ATT, TMO). So Sprint chose Wimax as their 4G path, while Verizon is choosing LTE. Both are substantially faster than their current 3G, and the typical end user wont really care or notice which they have, but more companies are going with LTE, such as ATT and eventually TMO. Hope that helps some.
@Trocks797 I understand the big picture now! Gracias.
@Trocks797 They actually aren't that different. They just differ in one way that can be easily changed (possibly even by software, but most likely a replacement chip). WiMAX has more coverage in the US than LTE atm, that is why Sprint went with it. It's by no means a sign that they will stick with it. LTE is looking to become the world standard (as much as I prefer CDMA, I hate not being able to use it on trips to parts of the UK and Japan... although there is technically support for CDMA in both places, it's pretty weak sauce).
competition is good.... just wait and it will be cheap
These companies should not forget about us homies in the hood!
I smell war -_- , wimax vs lte lol they would release this during the hype of the htc evo
@skiz220 LTE is going to win out. Sprint is the only one going the wimax route and the wimax alliance are already coming out and saying "our hardware could run LTE..."
By the time a 5G network rolls around, I'd bet that sprint goes to whatever the replacement for LTE is.
@TMoney2007 Hmm thats a shame on sprints behalf but oh well aslong as america finally improving our daily used devices, after all we are usually behind/late with certain technology compared to other places not saying no names :x lol so their hardware will work with LTE so power to lte :) cant wait till i get my hand on a device with those speeds :P
Pricing as well as compelling devices. iPhone 4G (or HD...LTE?) anyone?
@krisken considering major carriers don't even have LTE past testing and new iphones come out in the summer, no way we see this before summer 2011, maybe 2012 if it takes a while for multiple markets to get LTE.
Dont they have wifi there in that coffee shop?
@uck
Since WiFi is split among multiple customers, your WiFi speed at a coffee shop is often limited by the number of people there. The coffee shop itself may have a 10Mbps connection, so when you split that over 10 people, it quickly becomes something that will browse the Internet, but nothing you'd want to stream a YouTube HD video over.
But that's the value of free. If you want something better, you're gonna need to pay for it.
@Jeff Kibuule
Mobile data works the same way. The bandwith of the cell tower is limited and split among many more people. Yes, it has much more bandwith, but also many more splits.
cool but im still getting an evo come june 4th.. video chat over 3g or 4g = phonesex and man i cant wait
Boston people are ugly.
@WenJam
Proof you've never been.
@jrm125
I concur and I live in Boston (well, in the metro area).
I will leave sprint immediately if Verizon's LTE come to San Diego before Sprint's Wimax
@liljon619
Yea sure....getting hyped over Trials. VZW stated theyll go the same route as Sprint with Wifi Devices before phones..which means youll probably wont see LTE.....in San Diego.....On a phone.....For a at least 2 years.
Cant wait for at&t! WOO IM SOOOO PUMPED!
Yes, I'm pretty sure I could get 10Mbps down if no one else was on my network (or at least 7.2Mbps). That's hardly a "woohoo" for Verizon or LTE. Color me *not* impressed. Same reason why T-Moblie can get 6Mbps, because no one uses their network...ok not no one, but significantly less people on Verizon's or at&t's 3G network.
@IshimaruKenta
Theoretical for LTE network is 170Mbps down and 60Mbps up. But of course, baby steps.
@Jeff Kibuule Right, but still, no one is on the network, so these "test" are kind of pointless now. I'm sure real world, non-beta tests, will be closer to 3-4Mbps.
@IshimaruKenta So a theoretical max of 7.2 with actual speeds in the 5-6 range is no better than 160mb/s down with an actual throughput of 10mb/s (maybe 7-8 during normal useage)? Doesn't make much sense.
Requiring something to not be popular in order for it to run as advertised is not a great idea.
@TMoney2007 No it's not a great idea. What I'm essentially trying to get at is, they're touting these "speeds", yet no one is on their network yet. Whoopie do! Come back when you have more than 10 people using your data. Same would go for any provider, not just Verizon...
Sprint's WiMax will be available to the masses before Verizon's 4G network and guess what? Verizon's 4G prices will be THROUGH THE ROOF compared to Sprint's, just like they are now with 3G pricing plans.
Sprint's on a comeback, son!
@Scape3d They're still losing money and their income per customer is lower. Their prepaid segment is the only part that is getting better.