4g

Verizon promises 4G wireless for rural America

LAS VEGAS--The new 4G wireless broadband network that Verizon Wireless plans to launch in 2010 could be rural America's answer to its broadband access prayers. But extending the network to every nook and cranny in the U.S. will likely take years.

Tony Melone, senior vice president and chief technology officer for Verizon Wireless, said during an interview at the CTIA Wireless 2009 tradeshow here Wednesday that the new 4G network that the company is building will blanket the entire continental United States, including the far corners of rural America.

"The licenses we bought in the 700MHz auction … Read more

Sprint to help connect gadgets to the Net

Cell phone operator Sprint Nextel reportedly plans to rent more of its wireless network to consumer electronics makers as it tries to gain subscribers to compete more aggressively with rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the company, which is the third largest wireless operator in the U.S., has been talking to gadget makers that plan to use its wireless network to provide wireless Internet connectivity for their devices. The company already offers this kind of service to Amazon.com for its Kindle e-book reader.

GPS device maker Garmin, camera maker Eastman … Read more

Report: 3G and 4G market share on the rise

Global wireless subscriptions for 3G and 4G networks are expected to account for 30 percent of the market within the next five years, according to a report released Wednesday by In-Stat.

That's a substantial increase from the 11 percent slice of the global market that 3G held at the end of last year, the report noted.

The increase is expected to come by 2013, as wireless carriers upgrade their cellular networks to 4G from 3G, and network equipment makers roll out their commercial 4G products toward the end of the year.

4G technology Long Term Evolution (LTE) is expected to give WiMax stiff competition … Read more

Clearwire gets new CEO

Clearwire is shaking things up in the executive suite as the company prepares for its nationwide network roll out.

On Tuesday, the company, which is promising to blanket the country with superfast wireless service, named William T. Morrow, 49, as its new CEO, replacing Ben Wolff, a co-founder of the company and current CEO of Clearwire. Wolff will become co-chairman of the board, a position he will share with Clearwire's other founder and current chairman, Craig McCaw.

Clearwire has raised more than $3 billion to build a nationwide broadband wireless network using a technology called WiMax. Late last year, … Read more

Nokia and Verizon readying a secret 4G device?

Rumor has it that Nokia is working on a new touch-screen device for Verizon Wireless's new 4G wireless network set to go live in 2010.

TheStreet.com reported this week that the two companies are working together to create a touch-screen device that will operate on Verizon's soon-to-be-built superfast wireless network. Verizon Wireless, which is jointly owned by European carrier Vodafone and Verizon Communications, announced last month at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that it will test its new 4G network that uses a technology called Long Term Evolution, or LTE, this year and will begin … Read more

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. … Read more

Clearwire stays the course despite losses

Despite heavy losses, Clearwire is sticking to its plans to expand its WiMax wireless service to as many as 120 million people by the end of 2010.

The company, which was formed late last year by combining assets from Sprint Nextel and the original Clearwire, announced fourth quarter earnings Thursday. The company said it generated about $20.5 million in revenue and lost $118 million.

Even though the company said it would continue with its original plan to roll out its network, executives acknowledged that the speed at which new cities are added to the network may change depending on … Read more

Q&A: Verizon's CTO digs into 4G

BARCELONA--So what's a big CDMA operator like Verizon Wireless doing at a conference hosted by the GSM Association?

Well, it looks like the old technology wars that divided the wireless industry are being laid to rest as operators begin marching toward building the next-generation 4G networks. While there are still technology debates, most of the world's mobile operators, including nearly every GSM provider, are planning to use the same technology to build their 4G networks.

This is a very big deal for the wireless industry, which has suffered from infighting and technology incompatibilities over the years.

As one … Read more

Verizon expects 4G launch next year

BARCELONA--Verizon Communications' chief technology officer dished out details Wednesday on the company's soon-to-be-built 4G wireless network that's set to go live in 2010.

Verizon will begin testing the service this year and launch it commercially in at least 25 to 30 markets in the U.S. in 2010, CTO Dick Lynch said during an interview with CNET News after his keynote speech Wednesday at the 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress here.

"We are modeling the roll-out after our EV-DO deployment. So we expect to get to about the same level in the first year of deploying LTE … Read more