Verizon Wireless says it’s ready to run what it calls “friendly user trials” in five cities now that it has wrapped up 4G LTE testing in Seattle and Boston. Company execs today gave the news to a group of software and hardware partners who will design devices for the new network.
So just how much speedier will you be able to surf the Web on Verizon’s 4G network compared to 3G? The company reports average download speeds of 5-12mbps during the testing phase in Boston, with average upload speeds around 2-5mbps. Its 3G speeds usually max out at 1.5mbps down and 0.5mbps up.
The carrier has said it will begin rolling out 4G in 25-30 markets by the end of this year, and believes it’s still on track now that this testing phase is complete.
"The next phase,” said David Clevenger, executive director of public affairs at Verizon Wireless, “is 'friendly user trials,' which means we're looking for feedback on the network," according to Information Week.
No word yet in which five cities those “friendly user trials” will be conducted. Expect company employees and gear-making partners to be the main testers.
Verizon claims to be ahead of the curve in 4G, and if its goals come to fruition, it will easily beat its main competitors to the punch. AT&T doesn’t expect to start technical trials of LTE until sometime next year, meaning Verizon’s launch could be more than a year ahead of AT&T.
