Verizon Wireless announced Tuesday it is turning on the world’s first large-scale 4G LTE (Fourth Generation, Long Term Evolution) Network in Chattanooga on July 21. Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network is the fastest and most advanced 4G network in America, officials said.
The deployment of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE in Chattanooga provides LTE coverage throughout the surrounding areas of Bakewell, Birchwood, Collegedale, Dayton, East Ridge, Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgetown, Harrison, Hixson, Lakeview, Lookout Mountain, Lupton City, Midway, Ooltewah, Red Bank, Ringgold, Rossville, Sale Creek, Shepherd and Soddy Daisy.
The 4G LTE provides wireless consumers access to services up to 10 times faster than the company’s industry-leading 3G network. With this latest progression of wireless technology, the company expects average data rates in real-world, loaded network environments to be 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.
These speeds will allow for smooth mobile video-conferencing, multiple simultaneous video streams, speedy transfer of large files, running of powerful programs, downloading of songs in seconds and movies in minutes, and numerous other applications to improve efficiency and productivity wirelessly, officials said.
The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE technology also will improve coverage strength inside buildings, as it runs on a 700 megahertz wireless frequency.
“Verizon Wireless is making the best network even better,” said Jerry Fountain, the president of the Carolinas/Tennessee Region for Verizon Wireless. “Our initial 4G LTE launch gives customers access to the fastest and most advanced mobile network in America. We will quickly expand 4G LTE, and by year-end 2013 we will cover the existing Verizon Wireless 3G coverage area. The activation of our lightning fast 4G LTE network in Chattanooga is further evidence of our commitment to and investment in the residents of this area.”
4G LTE Mobile Broadband Data Plans and Devices
Consumers can choose from several devices to access the fast speeds of the 4G LTE network, including the newly-launched Revolution by LG, DROID Charge by Samsung and ThunderBolt by HTC smartphones, as well as the MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot. Laptop users can enjoy speeds up to 10 times faster than the company’s 3G network with three USB modems from Novatel, Pantech and LG.
When customers travel outside of a 4G coverage area, the devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.