Sprint, Verizon and AT&T announce major LTE expansion

Cell Tower

Sprint and AT&T, respectively the nation’s third and second-largest wireless carriers, announced availability of their fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology in new markets. Sprint confirmed its customers in 21 new markets can take advantage of high-speed cellular downloads, including Los Angeles, Contra Costa County, California, Charlotte, North Carolina, Norfolk, Virginia, and Memphis, Tennessee. AT&T on its part announced it has turned on LTE in Florence, Massachusetts, Cushing, Oklahoma and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Verizon flipped the switch on LTE in two new markets…

The 21 new Sprint 4G LTE markets are: Albemarle, N.C.; Bloomington, Ind.; Charlotte, N.C.; Contra Costa County, Calif.; Denison, Texas; Greeneville, Tenn.; Joplin, Mo.; Kerrville, Texas; Lafayette, Ind.; Lincolnton, N.C.; Los Angeles; Mankato/North Mankato, Minn.; Memphis, Tenn.; Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Newport News, Va.; Palm Bay, Fla.; Port St. Lucie, Fla.; Rochelle, Ill.; Salisbury, N.C.; Shelby, N.C.; Tullahoma, Tenn.; West Palm Beach, Fla.

In addition to these new markets, Sprint’s LTE, which launched in July of 2012, as of April 18 was available in these areas.

The carrier additionally said that through May 9, customers switching their number to Sprint from another carrier can save up to $100 on any smartphone with a new two-year service agreement and qualifying plan.

AT&T also listed the following cities where it plans to bring 4G LTE by the end of the summer:  Athens, TX; Florence / Muscle Shoals, AL ; Huntsville, AL; Monroeville / Evergreen, AL; Troy / Greenville, AL ; Tuscaloosa, AL; Flagstaff, AZ; Chico, CA; Merced, CA; Visalia, CA; Dover, DE; Lake City, FL; Ocala, FL ; Hancock, GA; Jefferson / Commerce (Jackson County), G; Valdosta, GA; Davenport, IA; Champaign, IL; Rockford, IL; Columbus, IN; Fort Wayne, IN; Manhattan, KS; Topeka, KS; Elizabethtown, KY; New Iberia, LA; Shreveport, LA; Cape Cod, MA; Leonardtown, MD; Flint, MI; Lansing, MIMuskegon, MI; Saginaw, MI; Duluth, MN; Cape Girardeau, MO; Columbia, MO; Biloxi-Gulfport, MS; Corinth / New; Albany, MS; Greenwood / Cleveland, MS; Meridian / Philadelphia, MS; Asheville, NC; Goldsboro, NC; Kinston, NC; Portsmouth, NH; Atlantic City, NJ; Millville, NJ; Southern NJ Shore Points, NJ; Farmington, NM; Gallup, NM; Batavia, NY; Cortland, NY; Seneca Falls, NY; Dayton, OH; Wooster, OH; Youngstown, OH; Salem, OR; Williamsport, PA; Anderson, SC; Chattanooga, TN; Cookeville, TN; Brownsville-Harlingen, TX; Corsicana, TX; Huntsville, TX; Laredo, TX; Lufkin-Nacogdoches, TX; McAllen, TX; Paris, TX; Sherman-Denison, TX; Texarkana, TX; Victoria, TX; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, US; Virgin Islands; Petersburg, VA; Roanoke, VA; Spokane, WA; Huntington, WV; Morgantown, WV and Laramie, WY.

As for Verizon, its LTE is now available in Ohio’s Cambridge and Senecaville and East Liverpool. Furthermore, the big red carrier, the nation’s leading telco, expanded its LTE presence in Bedford County and Huntingdon County in Pennsylvania and in Norhtwest Ohio.

As of today, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is available to 287 million people in 491 markets across the nation, covering more than 95 percent of Verizon’s current 3G network footprint.

You also may want to check out 4G LTE coverage maps of Verizon, Sprint and AT&T.