Verizon picks LTE for 4G network, good-bye CDMA

Well, well, well... isn't it interesting that following the "Any Devices, Any Apps" announcement, Verizon has chosen LTE for their 4G network platform? These two announcements in combination could have a tremendous impact on the U.S. cellular market in a few ways.

First off, Verizon and Vodafone (part owner of VZW) would use the same network technologies which should allow for leveraging technical strategies. Secondly, this signals a move away from CDMA for Verizon, and not with a stop-gap of CDMA with SIM cards. Then you have the benefit as a Verizon customer to have your phone work many more places in the world, since a majority of coverage areas are GSM-based. Good times are coming people...trials are planned for LTE testing in 2008, which coincides with those "network technical specifications" that Verizon promises with their new open platform initiative.

Comments

[T Man]

The 4G LTE standard is virtually nothing like GSM of the past, nor is it a guarantee that LTE will be deployed in other parts of the world. There still are competing standards that other parts of the world may embrace, such as WiMax or UMB. In the case of UMB, based on the CDMA standard, that also shares little with the CDMA of today. WiMax actually has deployments around the world, including those from Sprint with their Xohm service.

The end result is that Verizon/Vodafone may still end up with something that is not 100% compatible with the rest of the world, if the GSM based world doesn't migrate to LTE. Although with the Software Based Radio component, this may all be moot in the future anyway.

However, it does show that a major US cell company is embracing 4G technology before or coinciding with the rest of the world. Hip-hip-hooray! We (the US) may actually be ahead of the curve in the cell world for once.

[Kevin C. Tofel]

Very true, but with news earlier this year that AT&T is going LTE (and has allocated $20b to invest in an LTE network upgrade), this bodes well. I can't believe that both Verizon AND AT&T would be choosing a technology that won't be accepted as a key global standard. I had high hopes for WiMAX, but those are fizzling out right now...