Verizon Turns On 4G For Faster Phones, Internet

May 19, 2011

Verizon Wireless was set to turn on their new 4G LTE network in the area Thursday, allowing customers with the correct phone or modem to surf the web, download files and share music and photos up to 10 times faster than before.

“We are proud to help Pensacola residents, small businesses and local government connect faster and more fully with each other and those outside our community,” said Kay Henze, president of the Houston/Gulf Coast region for Verizon Wireless. “Our 4G LTE network is revolutionizing the way people communicate, and we know this connectivity will be a key communications and technology enabler for many years to come.”

In order to take advantage of the new 4G speeds, Verizon customers must have a phone, modem or wi-fi access point rates designed to work with the 4G network. So far, the company only offers two 4G phones — the Droid Charge (introduced just last Saturday) and the HTC Thunderbolt.

Verizon said 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. In areas outside the 4G network, the 4G LTE devices function slower on the existing 3G network.

Comments

8 Responses to “Verizon Turns On 4G For Faster Phones, Internet”

  1. Joe on May 23rd, 2011 8:03 pm

    I do not care about fast I wish they would do something about the dead zones. I live in one so there phone dose not work here. I had no problem with ALLTEL great signal. Thanks Verizon.

  2. eab on May 20th, 2011 4:41 pm

    By coincidence,I got the Verizon 4G device about a week ago because my new plan is $10 a month cheaper than the old one. I am not getting 4G service where I live (between Mc David and Bluff Springs) but the 3G is about 20% faster than with my old device.

    I tried ATT a couple of years ago and even though their salesperson told me they had coverage where I live, they did not. When I called their tech support about it, the guy said “Well, you know salespeople. They’ll tell you anything”.

    Then when I sent their device back they tried to hit me with a restocking fee. I wrote a letter to customer support letting them know I wasn’t going to pay it. The reply I got back cancelled the charge but chided me that I should bear in mind that they could not provide coverage everywhere. I take that to mean that I was told *twice* not to believe their sales staff.

    I will be doing very little ATT business in the future unless there is no alternative. Which is, of course, what the telecom companies are trying for.

  3. sniper on May 19th, 2011 12:24 pm

    at&t is a joke in the northend of the county… glad i got verizon…

  4. Left behind on May 19th, 2011 9:46 am

    Any news on when ATMORE will get AT&T 3G?

  5. William on May 19th, 2011 8:19 am

    >>>great according to the news 90% of their phones have been like cordless phones enabling people to access customers personal accounts, data etc. now criminals can do it faster.

    That was just Android operating system phones under certain circumstances.

    Posted from my Blackberry. :-)
    William

  6. george on May 19th, 2011 8:17 am

    great according to the news 90% of their phones have been like cordless phones enabling people to access customers personal accounts, data etc. now criminals can do it faster.

  7. IowaNative on May 19th, 2011 7:46 am

    Can’t wait to try it on my Thunderbolt tonight. Went thru Nashville a couple weeks ago and got 27 mbps down and 4 mbps up….pages opened instantly! Awesome!! Now to get it up here in Century ;-)

  8. 4gee on May 19th, 2011 7:07 am

    Great, so when is sprint turning on 4G?