LG VL600 hybrid LTE / CDMA modem for Verizon clears FCC hurdle

Verizon has yet to publish a list of the launch devices customers in its first commercial LTE markets will be enjoying later this year, but if we had to guess, this sucker is a strong possibility. What you're looking at here is LG's VL600, a USB modem that'll do both LTE and CDMA in the same package -- in other words, it'll have you covered on Verizon for laptop data pretty much anywhere you go within the carrier's entire footprint. Judging from the size of the USB connector relative to the rest of the device's body, this might not be ridiculously large, either; typically, first-gen products like this are bordering on hilariously huge, but LG and others have had a really long time to ramp up to commercialization of their LTE products, so we're cautiously optimistic for once.

[SolidSnake Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:13PM]

You know, getting the theoretical speeds every once in a while would be nice.

[jfreckles23 Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:15PM]

@SolidSnake
8 billions GB/s. You know... give or take a few bytes.

[JonnyB Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:19PM]

@jfreckles23
Only time will tell

[bravokiloromeo Posted Jul 17th 2010 4:19PM]

@SolidSnake
Without draining the battery as well would be good too.

[Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:28PM]

so does that SIM card shaped box mean that VZ will be using SIM cards with their LTE?(if an obvious answer be gentle...lol)

[Randall Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:39PM]

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi That I believe is the FCC label. As to the sim cards part, only time will tell. Unless you happen to have a spare DeLorean lying around.

[F86 Pilot Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:49PM]

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
I think it's just where they put the FCC sticker.

[DefPoet Posted Jul 17th 2010 4:15PM]

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
Verizon will be using sim cards but they will not be removable
or that what ive read

[Nintendoftl Posted Jul 17th 2010 4:35PM]

@DefPoet that defeats the purpose of sim cards. Except. For simultanious voice and data

[d889 Posted Jul 17th 2010 4:43PM]

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
verizons lte will use sim cards, but like said above to retrain their phone exclusivity non-removable wouldnt be a surprise

all i know is if sprint build 4g infrastructure in LA before verizon im probably making the jump

[Jeff Kibuule Posted Jul 17th 2010 5:24PM]

@DefPoet

SIM cards will be swappable: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2347071,00.asp

[j3oomerang Posted Jul 17th 2010 11:23PM]

@Jeff Kibuule

Nice find, but that also says that swappable LTE SIMs won't be the only thing needed for a phone to be used on Verizon. There will be other certification a phone needs before Verizon will allow it to be used on their network. I wouldn't be surprised if only Verizon phones will continue to work on Verizon.

[Celz Posted Jul 18th 2010 1:19PM]

@d889 Sprint is working on 4g in la.. Downtown is getting between 4 and 5 mbps.. People have reported 4g Anaheim Hollywood by lax and a dew other places.. Its not official yet so I wouldn't count on it, but its a nice bonus...

[Randall Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:49PM]

With this being introduced already, it would make sense to put this tech into the Droid 2, no? Because it seems like they are releasing it just before the LTE tide is rolling in. Meaning if they didn't, it would too soon be obsolete. Spent probably a year building and 3 months later it can't be used. As said by someone else on here, making a switch from CDMA to LTE would be pretty easy if Verizon offered free upgrades and the like. It'll be a while before they have the selection they have for CDMA but they should expect that. I could also see them keeping CDMA for those that are fine with dumbphones. It seems that LTE is focued towards smartphones/data transferring to begin with....

[aschettler Posted Jul 17th 2010 4:09PM]

@Randall I don't believe they are going to have LTE-ready phones on Verizon until later this year or earlier next year, just data cards. I'm pretty sure that's what they said at CTIA. Even if they do have LTE-capable phones, their LTE network won't be ready for voice until the VoLTE/VoLGA spec is ready for primetime.

[Randall Posted Jul 17th 2010 6:14PM]

@aschettler Well yeah, that's what I mean. Droid 2 is releasing later this year but it would be a bad move not to include LTE in it. It would soon become worthless after the jump. But then again, the switch won't be instant so I guess my point was a little exaggerated a little. I guess it just depends on how fast they release it.

[rhomaion Posted Jul 18th 2010 10:40AM]

@Randall I can guarantee that the Droid 2 will not have an LTE chip in it. It would be a stupid move if anything to put it in the phone.

[Psyclotr0n Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:49PM]

it's made in Korea. we know what Steve Jobs thinks about that.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 18th 2010 10:06AM]

@Psyclotr0n

Heh, he's like a whining five year old...

[23542354 Posted Jul 17th 2010 4:10PM]

well korea thats great....there are 2 of those WHICH ONE FCC???

[longcat Posted Jul 17th 2010 4:58PM]

LTE is what was once known as an addition to the UMTS list of air interfaces, named HSOPA. High-Speed OFDM Packet Access. It is OFDMA-based versus CDMA-based. Bye-bye cmda-based systems! You were not the answer we were looking for, even though all 3G networks at the moment use the cdma channel access method. With this move to "LTE", cmdaOne and CDMA2000 will be legacy systems and the world will be united by a network named UMTS.

[rhomaion Posted Jul 18th 2010 10:48AM]

@longcat CDMA2000 is not 3G. UMTS is, so what the hell are you talking about?

[Crazy J Posted Jul 18th 2010 10:08AM]

So, is Korea CDMA? Will they switch to GSM?

[rhomaion Posted Jul 18th 2010 10:52AM]

@Crazy J Most network operators worldwide are either planning to switch over or already have begun switching their network from CDMA to GSM.

[Dale P Posted Jul 18th 2010 1:46PM]

Let's hope that tiny device is matched to a reasonable data plan. Nice knowin' ya, Clear and Sprint.