Verizon Wireless, which announced last month that its LTE network reaches more than half of the U.S. population, is rolling out 4G to more than two dozen additional markets.
With 26 more cities getting the faster service starting today, Verizon Wireless says its LTE network now reaches 160 million Americans in 143 U.S. markets. The carrier offers 11 LTE-enabled devices from which to choose, including the Motorola Droid Bionic smartphone, which it just unveiled last week.
New cities hooked up to 4G speeds are: Fort Smith and Jonesboro, Ark.; San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, Calif.; Daytona, Fla.; Bloomington, Champaign/Urbana, Rockford and Springfield, Ill.; the Quad Cities, Ill./Iowa; Iowa City, Iowa; Shreveport, La.; Kalamazoo and Saginaw, Mich.; Reno, Nev.; Las Cruces, N.M.; Fargo, N.D.; Canton, Lima and Mansfield, Ohio; Dyersburg, Tenn.; the Tri-Cities, Tenn./Va.; and Austin, Beaumont/Port Arthur, Wichita Falls and El Paso, Texas.
San Francisco, Indianapolis and Cleveland/Akron, are getting major LTE expansions today as well.
“We’ve followed an aggressive roll out plan for our 4G LTE network, and consumers and businesses can connect today to the fastest 4G LTE network in the country with nearly a dozen devices," said David Small, chief technical officer of Verizon Wireless. “Speed matters, and it matters when you’re in your hometown as well as when you’re on the road. That’s why it’s important that you can connect over 4G LTE in 143 markets, from New York to San Francisco, and from Miami to Las Vegas."
The carrier promises 5-12Mbps on the downlink and 2-5Mbps uplink. AT&T just today announced it will begin offering LTE service in five markets starting Sunday, Sept. 18, giving VzW its first competition in the super-speed battle.
