Verizon Wireless Confirms LTE for its Network Evolution

A few months after Vodafone's Arun Sarin said that he expects the US Verizon Wireless to adopt 3GPP LTE for its network evolution, the company has now outlined its plans to develop and deploy its fourth generation mobile broadband network using LTE. The selection of LTE provides Verizon and Vodafone - joint owners of USA-based Verizon Wireless - with an opportunity to adopt a common access platform that offers compatibility with the 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. Verizon Wireless  says that discussions with device suppliers have expanded beyond traditional suppliers as consumer electronics companies anticipate embedded wireless functionality in their future products.

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."

"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."

Posted to the site on 29th November 2007