Verizon rumored to be fast-tracking 4G for launch by early 2010
A new rumor suggests that Verizon could be scrambling to launch its high-speed Long-Term Evolution data network in the first quarter of 2010 -- just in time, perhaps, to accommodate an Apple-made tablet.
Citing a "knowledgeable" source, TechCrunch reported Friday that the deployment of Verizon's new 4G mobile broadband network, originally planned for a limited launch in late 2010, is allegedly being fast-tracked.
"Our source says that Verizon is putting just about everything it has in to moving many of these markets up to Q1 2010 ? which is the same timeframe for this supposed new Apple device," the report states. "While the source had no information to specifically tie Apple to this move by Verizon, they did note that there was talk of at least one non-dongle (wireless card) product that this LTE launch was being specifically geared towards."
The timing is particularly interesting given the exclusive rumor broken earlier Friday by AppleInsider that Apple is also racing toward an early 2010 launch for its still-unannounced multi-touch 10-inch tablet.
Verizon officials have kept Apple in mind as they prepare to roll out their LTE network. Earlier this year, Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg said the chances of an iPhone on his network will be greater once 4G is in place.
The problem for Apple and the iPhone has been that the device runs only on GSM devices. While SIM card-based phones are the standard internationally, carriers such as Verizon and Sprint in the U.S. use CDMA-based networks.
But that problem goes away with Verizon's choice of LTE. Unlike the artificial split between North America and the rest of the world today, a large number of both domestic and international carriers plan to move to LTE within the next few years, including AT&T and T-Mobile USA. The switch will let Apple build iPhones that stay with one core technology but which could be used worldwide with no real compromise.
Verizon's LTE network is reportedly capable of speeds up to 60 Mbps -- much faster than any existing 3G network.
TechCrunch reports that their source believes a data-only service offering for the tablet, which will not include a microphone, would not be in violation of the existing AT&T-Apple iPhone contract, due to expire in 2010. They said their source believes that a deal between Verizon and Apple "seems inevitable."
"Our source doubts that Apple would want to sell the device with a subsidy, locking customers into another contract, but believes that Apple could either try to bake the cost of the network into the device (which would work like Amazon?s Kindle)," the report reads. "Or, more likely, customers could sign up for a month-to-month data-only plan for the new device. And because it?s data only, the price would be significantly cheaper than current cellular bills we?re used to."
Citing a "knowledgeable" source, TechCrunch reported Friday that the deployment of Verizon's new 4G mobile broadband network, originally planned for a limited launch in late 2010, is allegedly being fast-tracked.
"Our source says that Verizon is putting just about everything it has in to moving many of these markets up to Q1 2010 ? which is the same timeframe for this supposed new Apple device," the report states. "While the source had no information to specifically tie Apple to this move by Verizon, they did note that there was talk of at least one non-dongle (wireless card) product that this LTE launch was being specifically geared towards."
The timing is particularly interesting given the exclusive rumor broken earlier Friday by AppleInsider that Apple is also racing toward an early 2010 launch for its still-unannounced multi-touch 10-inch tablet.
Verizon officials have kept Apple in mind as they prepare to roll out their LTE network. Earlier this year, Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg said the chances of an iPhone on his network will be greater once 4G is in place.
The problem for Apple and the iPhone has been that the device runs only on GSM devices. While SIM card-based phones are the standard internationally, carriers such as Verizon and Sprint in the U.S. use CDMA-based networks.
But that problem goes away with Verizon's choice of LTE. Unlike the artificial split between North America and the rest of the world today, a large number of both domestic and international carriers plan to move to LTE within the next few years, including AT&T and T-Mobile USA. The switch will let Apple build iPhones that stay with one core technology but which could be used worldwide with no real compromise.
Verizon's LTE network is reportedly capable of speeds up to 60 Mbps -- much faster than any existing 3G network.
TechCrunch reports that their source believes a data-only service offering for the tablet, which will not include a microphone, would not be in violation of the existing AT&T-Apple iPhone contract, due to expire in 2010. They said their source believes that a deal between Verizon and Apple "seems inevitable."
"Our source doubts that Apple would want to sell the device with a subsidy, locking customers into another contract, but believes that Apple could either try to bake the cost of the network into the device (which would work like Amazon?s Kindle)," the report reads. "Or, more likely, customers could sign up for a month-to-month data-only plan for the new device. And because it?s data only, the price would be significantly cheaper than current cellular bills we?re used to."
Comments
And because it?s data only, the price would be significantly cheaper than current cellular bills we?re used to."
So, they expect Verizon's 4G plans to be cheaper than Sprint's (currently 80 USD per month with a 24 months contract)? Color me doubtful...
I hope a lot of people leave ATT for verizon. It will free up network bandwidth for those of us who remain.
I agree, and as it turns out alot of the speed issues appear to be with the 3G iPhones processing power rather than the speed of the network.
I agree, and as it turns out alot of the speed issues appear to be with the 3G iPhones processing power rather than the speed of the network.
I think this is the case. When tethering my iPhone 3G to my MacBook pages load incredibly fast. Much faster than on the iPhone itself in the same location.
I think this is the case. When tethering my iPhone 3G to my MacBook pages load incredibly fast. Much faster than on the iPhone itself in the same location.
I've heard similar accounts, and also the fact that the 3Gs is much faster rendering the webpages and email etc...
Verizon officials have kept Apple in mind as they prepare to roll out their LTE network. Earlier this year, Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg said the chances of an iPhone on his network will be greater once 4G is in place.
I believe they will have better chances if they stop requiring features to be removed from phones on their network. If Apple want to sell their tablet/netbook worldwide then they will need to include GSM as well. If that happens then I doubt Apple will give exclusivity to one carrier even in the US.
So, they expect Verizon's 4G plans to be cheaper than Sprint's (currently 80 USD per month with a 24 months contract)? Color me doubtful...
(in thick Sean Connery accent)... "The name is Jobs... Steve Jobs"... queue Bond music now...
But that problem goes away with Verizon's choice of LTE. Unlike the artificial split between North America and the rest of the world today, a large number of both domestic and international carriers plan to move to LTE within the next few years, including AT&T and T-Mobile USA. The switch will let Apple build iPhones that stay with one core technology but which could be used worldwide with no real compromise.
I still haven't found a precise explanation of which frequencies each country or carrier uses. While standardizing on LTE sounds great (sorry, Wimax), what frequencies and antennae will the devices need to support all the locations?
I think this is the case. When tethering my iPhone 3G to my MacBook pages load incredibly fast. Much faster than on the iPhone itself in the same location.
I bet if I tethered my iPhone 3GS to a Pentium II it would render pages slower than the iPhone.
The iPhone 3GS doesn't have a Core2Duo processor in it. End of story.
The network performance isn't measured by how fast the end device renders a web page.
Without a voice plan, data plans are very expensive - more suitable for road warriors who don't care if they pay 70USD. But for Apple to reach the masses, this device must be uncoupled from a data plan, meaning it's totally optional, or the data plan is 30USD/Mo or less. Carriers could say, "If you have a phone with us, we'll give you the data for this cheaper".
People forget that Verizon is notorious for crippling handsets and their capability. To AT&T's credit, they usually leave the phones they carry alone, only adding a few features they like to tout like mediaNET and such. Verizon is famous for rewriting the phone's OS and limiting/removing much of its functionality. Case in point - RAZR V3M.
I would only want my iPhone on Verizon because of its (slightly) better coverage for my area. But other than that, they're just as bad as AT&T in terms of service and support. The only real advantage of having it on Verizon is it finally gives some competition to AT&T, forcing both companies to improve their networks and pricing for the phone.
I find it funny that so many people want the iPhone on Verizon....
What's so funny about getting on Verizon's network? It's widely believed to be of better quality than ATT. While I've found ATT to be ok, its certainly nothing to brag about.
The real draw is the likelihood that Verizon will have their 4g network up ahead of everyone else (Sprint's WiMax network notwithstanding). If Verizon get their 4g network up by the beginning of 2010 they may be a full year ahead of ATT which IIRC aren't going to begin 4g deployment until 2011.
Next year it's possible for the iPhone to have a dual core ARM cpu. Probably capable of handling all the data LTE can throw at it.
So, they expect Verizon's 4G plans to be cheaper than Sprint's (currently 80 USD per month with a 24 months contract)? Color me doubtful...
No - that is not what the article says - the part about less expense was in reference to the Tablet device - which would NOT have telephone capabilities at all - so would not have a voice plan or voice mail - but would have a data only connection.
on a separate note - just speculating here but the LTE may be as much about the manner in which data is encoded and transmitted as it is the frequency at which the carrier wave operates. I am not saying that the carrier wave is unimportant or that it will be different than some of those currently used or may even be a multi-band thing - just that it would seem that to jump from 3 Mbps to 60 Mbps you must be doing something other than moving from one radio band to another. Though I suppose if you moved from a 20 Hz signal to a 20 MHz cycle to a 20 GHz cycle your carrier wave would be sending more bits in the same amount of time.
It sure would be interesting if we were talking about a shift akin to moving from AM to FM radio - or maybe we are already at FM and are looking at HD?
No - that is not what the article says - the part about less expense was in reference to the Tablet device - which would NOT have telephone capabilities at all - so would not have a voice plan or voice mail - but would have a data only connection.
Pardon, but the 80 USD from Sprint that I have quoted are data (and Baltimore) only. See: http://www.nextel.com/en/solutions/m...dband_4G.shtml for details.
Carriers have always raised tariffs for newer and faster networks, at least initially. I simply see no way that Verizon will offer an unlimited or reasonable (say 5-10 GB/mth) contract on a brand new 4G network for the same 30-35 USD they charge for 3G.
I still haven't found a precise explanation of which frequencies each country or carrier uses. While standardizing on LTE sounds great (sorry, Wimax), what frequencies and antennae will the devices need to support all the locations?
You're right that different locations will use different frequencies. IIRC, they were working towards some higher frequencies (with higher bandwidth) operating internationally, but even there they are having issues. Hopefully all devices will at least support the big standards (just like UMTS 2100 is standard everywhere except the US).
The problem is that carriers already own frequencies all over the place, and as they phase out older technologies they'll want to reuse those frequencies. Those frequencies will also offer better coverage and building penetration while the higher frequencies can be used in parallel for greater bandwidth in good reception areas.
It seems that both Verizon and AT&T have purchased some of the 700Mhz frequencies freed up by the US move to digital TV - so I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple focus on those with an LTE device. That's not much good for us in Australia though... we'll be using those for analogue TV for a few more years.
Couldn't find much on LTE frequencies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Lo...nel_Bandwidths
Carriers have always raised tariffs for newer and faster networks, at least initially.
Really? In what way?
In Australia when 2G was released (GSM), it was identical plans to 1G (Analog) phones. When 3G was released, it too was identical to 2G plans. The data plans gradually got bolted on as extras but that's not for a new network, rather a new feature.
I simply see no way that Verizon will offer an unlimited or reasonable (say 5-10 GB/mth) contract on a brand new 4G network for the same 30-35 USD they charge for 3G.
The LTE network is claimed to be 2-3 times more efficient with its spectrum, it also handles more users. So technically it'd be better for Verizon if you switched to the better network for the same price & quota.
All that said....
I don't want to pay ANOTHER data plan. I pay for one on my iPhone now. Let me tether my tablet via my iPhone! (AT&T can't allow that for free since they give unlimited data, but on a 3GB plan things become more plausible)