Verizon Selects LTE As 4G Wireless Broadband Direction
Technology Platform to be Trialed in 2008



Media Contact Info

Tom Pica
Thomas.Pica@VerizonWireless.com
908-559-7516



11/29/2007

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon today announced plans to develop and deploy its fourth generation mobile broadband network using LTE – Long Term Evolution – the technology developed within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization. The selection of LTE provides Verizon and Vodafone – joint owners of U.S.-based Verizon Wireless – with a unique opportunity to adopt a common access platform with true global scale and compatibility with existing technologies of both companies.

Verizon and Vodafone have a coordinated trial plan for LTE that begins in 2008. Trial suppliers include Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens, and Nortel. These suppliers, along with others in the world community, have contributed significantly towards development of the standards in 3GPP. Discussions with device suppliers have expanded beyond traditional suppliers such as LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson, as consumer electronics companies anticipate embedded wireless functionality in their future products.

Working within 3GPP, Verizon and Vodafone, as well as a broad group of infrastructure suppliers, device suppliers, and technology companies from around the globe, have advanced the standards to enable a technology that will deliver unprecedented wireless broadband service for high performance mobile computing, multimedia, and consumer electronic devices and applications. The technology is designed to deliver mobile data networks with higher speed and throughput performance, lower latency, global roaming, and improved efficiencies.

Today’s LTE announcement builds on Verizon Wireless’ technology leadership as the first company to launch high-speed wireless broadband service in the United States using CDMA Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) technology. Its data innovation and leadership have been marked by the introduction of new multimedia handsets and innovative applications such as V CAST Music, V CAST Video, VZ NavigatorSM, V CAST games, e-mail, Internet access, and picture and video messaging on a variety of devices, including handsets, PDAs and laptops.

Richard Lynch, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Verizon Communications observed that “while this next generation technology will be exciting to develop and deploy, it comes at a time when we are adding record numbers of customers to our existing CDMA2000 1x and EV-DO networks. We relish the challenge of preparing for the time when our customers start demanding such 4G capabilities, while continuing the expansion and operation of our existing technologies for many years to come.”

“The company’s move toward a 4G network is driven by our vision of pervasive wireless Internet connectivity and mobility,” said Lynch. “Customers want to be truly untethered with advanced communication devices that provide functionality comparable to today’s wired networks – whether it’s downloading or uploading video, gaming, downloading their favorite music, or social networking. They want to be able to communicate in new and innovative ways whenever and wherever they choose around the globe. A number of factors are setting the stage for our 4G network migration; most importantly, our view of customers’ evolving appetite for more information, entertainment, and functionality, combined with an increasing customer expectation for easy access, high speed, easy handling, and seamless mobility. With a host of new devices and applications, and a particular focus on embedded wireless in virtually every piece of electronics you buy in any store, we believe LTE is the best technology with global scale to deliver on the promise.”

“Vodafone is delighted to be working alongside Verizon in the development of LTE technology, and we’re looking forward to assessing the results of the joint engineering trials. We fully support Verizon’s decision to select LTE as their next generation wireless broadband solution,” said Steve Pusey, Vodafone’s global chief technology officer. “We expect LTE to form a key part of Vodafone’s future technology strategy, and the prospect of moving towards a common platform with Verizon Wireless is an attractive long-term goal. LTE will build on the capabilities of Vodafone’s 3G broadband High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network technology, which is available across the entire Vodafone 3G footprint.”

“Today’s 4G announcement, coupled with our Open Development initiative announced earlier this week present a major growth opportunity for Verizon Wireless,” said Doreen Toben, chief financial officer of Verizon. “Fourth generation’s higher data speeds will usher in a new era of wireless applications and appliances, all of which can benefit from connecting to the nation’s premier wireless network.”

Link: http://news.vzw.com/news/2007/11/pr2007-11-29.html

[cwilliams706]

With both Verizon Wireless and Vodafone transitioning to Long Term Evolution, VZW users will hopefully be able to import the same cellphones that Vodafone will pick-up in the future. I think this was a very smart move on VZW's part being that they'll be using the same technology as their parent company, allowing for more "co-existence" between the two. I'm expecting great things in the future (in unison with VZW opening up their network to any CDMA device as well).

[BigDogg795]

FWIW, I thought I saw something on phonescoop stating the first "real world" LTE test was performed and hit speeds of 173Mbs, with sustained xfer of about 100Mbs...which sadly is faster than even my FIOS hard line...

[cwilliams706]

Originally Posted by BigDogg795

FWIW, I thought I saw something on phonescoop stating the first "real world" LTE test was performed and hit speeds of 173Mbs, with sustained xfer of about 100Mbs...which sadly is faster than even my FIOS hard line...

That is true, and I think I remember them saying Nokia was conducting the test as well.

[BigDogg795]

Sprint is still pushing with XOHM or whatever the hell it is...the sad thing is they don't have any equipment ready right now...and the pricing structure is supposed to revolve around zero term contracts and full retail equipment purchases...

[cwilliams706]

Originally Posted by BigDogg795

Sprint is still pushing with XOHM or whatever the hell it is...the sad thing is they don't have any equipment ready right now...and the pricing structure is supposed to revolve around zero term contracts and full retail equipment purchases...

I want to know how this "Xohm" is going to coincide with current and future handsets. WiMax for mobile phones?

[BigDogg795]

Originally Posted by 706VZWUser

I want to know how this "Xohm" is going to coincide with current and future handsets. WiMax for mobile phones?

I really don't see Sprint pushing this much bandwidth for conventional handsets...

In fact, IIRC, the first major piece of equipment is a UMPC that has support for WiMax...I think they are pushing this moreso as an answer for wireless mobility, rather than handset data...

I mean, if you think about it, the majority of handsets out there work off of WAP 2.0 that works fine even on 1X...those of us who use Smart Phones, Opera, or in your case, the Voyager (b/c of the HTML browser), we will see a limit to what high speed will really do for us...there will always be those who simply say, EV-DO is fast enough...
(of course, for me it isn't, I'm one of the few, the proud...a FIOS user!)