4G race gaining speed, data says

Twenty-six operators are committed to the long-term evolution 4G standard, according to research released this week by the Global Mobile Suppliers Association. While the forum for GSM and 3G suppliers worldwide decidedly has a stake in promoting LTE, the number indicates growing momentum for the standard, which promises download data rates of at least 100Mbps.

Fierce competition has arisen to become the world's first LTE operator in an arena regarded as the next generation of mobile phone service and a huge draw for customers.

Ten network operators are ready to launch their networks by 2010, according to the report. In the U.S., these include Verizon, which committed to 4G at the 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February; MetroPCS; and CenturyTel.

TeliaSonera in Sweden and Norway has signed on. In Japan, NTT DoCoMo and KDDI are onboard, and in Canada, it's Rogers Wireless, Telus, and Bell Canada. Sixteen more telecommunications companies will launch their LTE 4G services after 2010.

With earlier launches of new mobile-network standards, handset availability has been a limiting factor for the commercial launch of the service. In the GSA report, two mobile players have already predicted release dates of their LTE phones. Sweden's Ericsson says it will have an LTE-capable platform for commercial release in 2009 and will deliver mobile products based on the platform in 2010. South Korea's LG has announced that its first LTE mobile phones will likely reach the market in 2010.

For users, 4G wireless technology is primarily about higher data rates to match the increasing capabilities being offered by phones. But consumers probably won't experience the full impact of 4G until 2012 or 2013, when Strategy Analytics forecasts that the global LTE handset market will increase from 70 million sales units to 150 million.

[bimmin]

Is Sprint's Wi-MAX considered 4G?

[Spartan_458]

It is, but it's not LTE, which is the GSM standard.


Funny how Verizon is still on CDMA, but will be one of the first ready to launch their LTE network. I guess it really is the network.

[coryschulz]

Wi-Max will be cool if they can ever get it established. Not sure what the battery life will be with these networks. I still have a 1st gen iPhone because the 3G gets such terrible battery life, I don't think it'd be worth the "upgrade". Plus I have Wi-Fi most places I go, so it's not such a big deal. Also, I don't know that I care to pay more than $20 a month for wireless internet that I only use a few minutes a day. Sure, sometimes it's handy, and I prefer to have faster speeds, but I also only pay $55 a month and wouldn't want to pay like $80 a month for a 4G network.

[griguolcomerranas]

Wi-Max is dead.

All the main operators are commited to LTE.

LTE will be to the current internet accesses (ADSL, broadband cable,...) what mobile phone was to the fixed telephony. You will pay a monthly suscription and you will be able to have a high speed internet connection wherever you are, not just in your home.

[carcarx]

"Wi-Max is dead."

Nonsense! The number of WiMax networks deployed around the world dwarfs what is even proposed for LTE in the next 2 years!

Some of the press is starting to wake up to that...

[Randys2cents]

hum, did not see ATT mentioned on this list?

[joshbroton]

AT&T Mobility will be deployed in 2011 (its on the list). :/

[Magallanes]

what is the point? since currently a 2.x G is still expensive for the average Joe, also 3.x G have limited coverage and is a battery hog.

[zincmann]

I think we all pay too much to wireless service providers to begin with. I just joined AT&T after being a T Mobile customer for 5 years and was shocked that a lot of the freebies in my plan was NOT included in my new plan and were ala carte. I had like 100 free text messages a month and now you want to charge me $5 extra for 200 text messages? I get 550 peak minutes a month to share with my wife which is fine, we dont use our phones that often and a data plan just to get a smartphone is $30 monthly, RIPOFF!. Well i needed better service thats why I sucked it up and made the switch

[ReviewsReviewed]

@ griguolcommerranas:

You will indeed be able to have a high speed internet connection wherever you want, and not just in your home, provided there is coverage. However the cost of downloading data over 4G will be considerably greater than over ADSL or broadband cable. I recently detailed some cost estimates quoted by Hank Kafka, VP of network architecture for AT&T here: http://www.reviewsreviewed.co.uk/index.php/mobileblog/Live-football-via-your-mobile-on-a-big-screen-and-in-HD.html

[LunaticSX]

Verizon is jumping ship from the CDMA/EVDO path to be able to join the rest of the world in available handsets. AT&T and T-Mobile are fairly certain to follow the LTE path. I f Sprint keeps pushing on WiMax they've have faster data speeds deployed first in the U.S. (like EVDO vs. HSDPA), but they'll be even more isolated from the rest of the world.

Coincidentally Apple's exclusive deal with AT&T runs out around when LTE should be widely in place, so an LTE model iPhone might become available on Verizon then. (This also means Apple has no need to ever make a CDMA/EVDO iPhone.)

[pablouk1]

Surprise surprise. England not on the list.