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Just as fast as their LTE network is, Verizon’s speedily increasing the number of markets which enjoy Big Red 4G. This week sees a few new markets from Alabama and Florida getting 4G love, as well as expansion in Philadelphia. Read on for the full list:
- Tallahassee, Florida – Includes State Capitol, FSU, Florida A&M, Killearn, Bradfordville, Norfleet & Woodville.
- Philadelphia (Expansion) – The expansion will improve coverage in New Jersey to the northwestern sections of Gloucester, Camden and Burlington Counties including the towns of Woodbury Heights, Blackwood, Runnemede, Voorhees, Moorestown, Cinnaminson, Mount Laurel and Delran. In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 4G LTE coverage will be expanded to include the areas surrounding Newtown, Richboro and Buckingham.
- Fayetteville-Lumberton, North Carolina
- Gainesville, Florida – Includes U of FL, Downtown, Arredondo, Paradise, Fairbanks.
- Montgomery, Alabama – Prattville, Millbrook, Wetumpka, Shorter, Tallassee, Troy and Tuskegee. In addition, the US Hyundai automobile plant, Maxwell Air Force Base, Tuskegee University, Troy University and Alabama State University will be covered with LTE. Interstates 65 and 85, and US Highways 231 and 31 will also be covered.
- Pensacola, Florida
- Mobile, Alabama
[via @VerizonWireless]
Its been what, 3 weeks since their last expansion? Sprint can learn something here.
is this fake or true…
I don’t get it… I mean obviously there is reason to have LTE in these locations, but why are they prioritizing them above major metropolitan areas? For example, Kansas City isn’t even on their expected rollout map for 2011.
I don’t think it is so much prioritizing as it is, “filling in the blanks”. I am very familiar with the areas mentioned in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and I know that these are areas that either have very spotty LTE, or close, but not quite close enough to have LTE. Just speculation on my part, but makes sense.
Sure, and I understand filling out the Philly metro area way more than I understand the importance of getting into Fayetteville-Lumberton, North Carolina. No offense to that city (those cities?), but I’ve never heard of it until this article.
Really, never heard of Fayetteville, NC? How about home of Americas Army/82nd Airborne/Special Ops. Wow, glad you pay attention to where the soldiers who protect your freedom hail from, thats okay, they are deployed too much to need 4G anyway right?
In all fairness, soldiers come from all over. And how many military bases are there across the country?
Check the numbers, one of the biggest and definately one of the most deployed posts in the world. I for one think it’s nice to think that big red maybe thought about those soldiers trying to video chat with their wife and kids. Can be a pain to set up a time for the wife and kids to ensure they are at home “just in case” he gets a chance to call.
@Bryan Teeples, I know about Fayetteville, and I too think that it is deserving. I was just pointing out, that there really was no need coming down on him for it. After all, it is a relatively small city. It isnt like they make it a point to say where the soldier was stationed. Jacksonville NC, and Jacksonville FL both have very large deployment numbers as well. And JAX FL has 3 millitary bases in 1 city.
@Nlsme:disqus Didn’t realize I came off as being hard on him, just trying to point out that it isn’t exactly a no-where city. Apologies if anyone took my comment as being harsh.
No offense, but a soldier isn’t any more “deserving” than any of the rest of Americans. I respect soldiers for what they do, but I don’t worship them, or the cities they live.
Was any major Airport in or around KC on the original list? Portland, OR isn’t on any list through end of 2011 either. However, when I bought my Thunderbolt a few months back, I was delighted to find I had LTE in Portland, OR and across the river in Washington as well. The VZW rep was at the store, so I asked him about it. He said, once they announce LTE at an airport, they start rolling out to the city around the airport immediately. They just don’t identify the city has having LTE until the full roll out is complete.
No, but I suspect that Kansas City International is already serviced by Sprint’s WiMax network (Sprint is headquartered in the southwest Kansas City metro area). It kind of sucks, because everyone I know who has the Sprint 4G service here says it’s spotty at best, and barely faster than 3G anyway.
Thanks Big Red! I often drive through Newtown, Pa., Buckingham, Pa., and quite a few of the places in New Jersey as well where LTE was either spotty or non-existent. It looks like they started with the I-95 corridor for the most part on the east coast, and filling in the blanks and expanding at a good rate. VZW doesn’t seem to be wasting any time expanding their LTE network.
Okay, I went to college in Troy, Alabama. There’s…not much there. It’s getting 4GLTE, but a bigger metropolis in Alabama (Birmingham) still isn’t on the rollout map? Ridiculous…
When it says I65 is covered does it mean all cities along I65 will get 4G?
Birmingham may have been pushed back since the tornadoes.
I have a hard time accepting that Troy is getting LTE and not Dothan.
Tulsa, OK could use some love.
Hell yeah!
The only reason I can think of as to why they haven’t rolled out LTE in Kansas City yet is that there is a lot more to rolling out a new technology than just going up and bolting some stuff to the towers and/or updating firmware, etc. There are also fiber optic lines that need to be installed. Verizon initially tested a new fiber optic technology developed by Alcatel/Lucent in the Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas area a few years back which is a key part of VZW’s LTE network
http://www.fiberopticmania.com/2009_03_01_archive.html
I am guessing that, for whatever reason, LTE isn’t available in Kansas City, at least according to this:
http://deals.servicebundles.com/missouri-verizon-direct-fios-tv-deal-kansas-city.html
for the same reason FiOS isn’t available – they probably haven’t done the ground work (no pun intended) yet -I haven’t looked at every area, nor do I care to, but I am guessing if you don’t have FiOS in your area, chances are, LTE isn’t there either -yet. While I’m not in the cell industry, I know that you can’t just go and throw down thousands of miles of fiber optics without all kinds of permissions and permits (and probably kickbacks). I would be surprised if they aren’t at least working on the FO aspect in KC at the moment as it’s hardly a tiny, unknown city. LTE doesn’t just make use of this tech alone, Verizon’s FiOS uses it as well, and I’m sure they want to get it everywhere, especially the over 2 million people in the KC metro area alone – if they don’t have it there, they won’t be able to get any customers there.
Sorry for the long response, but it is the only reason I could think of. Obviously, every company has a finite amount of money, and for some reason, they choose certain areas over others; generally the most densely populated ones first – more money per square mile.
Agree. Indianapolis is not even on the radar AFAIK…
I know right ,
Gainesville! So excited!