4G

FreedomPop tempts with no-commit 1GB of free home Internet each month. Interested?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

The way things are now, fourth-generation cellular networks already match - and often top - data speeds offered by your home's typical DSL broadband connection. So why not just replace your broadband line with a wireless 4G router?

Enter FreedomPop, a startup backed by Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom, whose new device dubbed the Freedom Hub Burst ups the ante by giving away one gigabyte of 4G data free of charge, each month. Those needing more data will pay fair prices.

Plus, it’s a no-contract device and it supports up to ten wireless or Ethernet devices simultaneously, which should cut it for a typical Apple-branded home comprised of a few Mac or Windows PCs, iPhones, iPads and iPods...

AT&T adds 7 more cities to its LTE network

Cody Lee ∙ December 14, 2012

Following T-Mobile's lead, AT&T has just expanded its high-speed network to 7 new markets. Earlier this week, the carrier launched LTE in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Nashua, New Hampshire, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. And now it's available in Reno, Nevada and a handful of other cities...

UK’s Everything Everywhere announces LTE expansion to 17 new markets by March 2013

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 13, 2012

Everything Everywhere (EE), a joint venture between Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile and France Télécom’s Orange, launched UK's first commercial 4G LTE network on October 30 and today the company has announced a network expansion to seventeen new markets in the country, to be finished by March of next year.

The carrier powers UK's sole 4G LTE network so would-be iPhone buyers should be delighted to learn that its 4G density is “being increased on a daily basis"...

AT&T’s 4G LTE goes live in Wilkes-Barre, Nashua and Grand Rapids

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 10, 2012

Carrier AT&T this morning announced an expansion of its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology to three new markets. Beginning today, customers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Nashua, New Hampshire; and Grand Rapids, Michigan should start seeing greater download and upload speeds when using LTE-enabled smartphones, tablets and other devices on AT&T's network.

Although Consumer Reports ranks AT&T the worst of major US telcos in terms of customer satisfaction and voice/data service quality, it's also the nation's leading LTE carrier overall even though in terms of coverage AT&T trails Verizon, which claims the nation's most robust 4G network...

AT&T’s LTE now available in Albuquerque, Reading, Salt Lake City and Puerto Rico

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 3, 2012

AT&T, the nation's leading carrier, Monday morning announced its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network is now available in Albuquerque, Reading, Salt Lake City and Puerto Rico markets, with the latter including Yauco, San German -Cabo Rojo and Guayama. Consumer Reports last week ranked AT&T worst of major U.S. carriers when it comes to voice and data service quality.

However, AT&T emerged as the nation's leading carrier in terms of LTE deployment, though Verizon still has the most robust 4G network. AT&T doubled its LTE coverage in 2012, which as of mid-November covered more than 150 million people in a total of 103 markets. And as part of the ambitious $14 billion LTE network expansion project, AT&T’s LTE will expand to 250 million people by year-end 2013 and to 300 million by year-end 2014...

Apple actually tests LTE networks before giving 4G on its devices a go-ahead

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 30, 2012

When it comes to the question of an LTE network being compatible with the iPhone, Apple isn't ready to take a carrier's word. Although they've put up with clean desktops and higher-than-traditional licensing fees, wireless providers are now publicly irked that the Silicon Valley smartphone maker reportedly runs it's own tests before iPhones can operate on a 4G network.

A Swiss carrier has told a news site that Apple will issue a software update allowing iPhones to operate on an LTE network only after testing the carrier's live system. Recently, Swisscom announced the opening of its 4G network for customers - except for iPhone owners...

Sprint lights up LTE in 11 new cities

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Carrier Sprint, the nation's #3 telcon, announced Monday that its 4G LTE rolled out to customers in eleven new United States markets, including Harrisburg, Pa., South Bend/Mishawaka, Ind., Muncie, Ind., Peabody, Mass., and Salina, Kan. Per usual, folks can enjoy boosted data speeds on Sprint's 4G LTE network with an Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM, which includes unlimited data, texting and calling to and from any mobile network in the country. Sprint and other major US carriers started selling the iPad mini in mid-November...

AT&T’s LTE coverage doubles in 2012

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 16, 2012

Just in time for latest LTE iPads that Friday morning hit online and brick-and-mortar stores of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and Best Buy, the nation's #1 carrier AT&T announced its 4G LTE is now available in 24 new markets in the United States. More importantly, the company claims to have doubled its LTE coverage in 2012 versus the end of 2011.

Specifically its LTE now covers more than 150 million people in a total of 103 markets. As part of its ambitious $14 billion LTE network expansion project, AT&T's LTE will expand to 250 million people by year-end 2013 and to 300 million by year-end 2014...

Fourth-gen LTE iPads reaching Apple Stores

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Making good on its promise, Apple has started stocking its U.S. retail outlets with cellular versions of the fourth-generation iPad with Retina display. According to web reports, Apple yesterday instructed its retail staff to stock these units and to wait until Mothership instructs them to begin sales because a launch date has not yet been communicated.

By all accounts, the company should officially start selling these tomorrow, November 16. In a media release announcing opening weekend sales of three million iPads, Apple noted that cellular versions of both the iPad mini and the fourth-generation model will be available in the US on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon "in a few weeks"...

AT&T lights up LTE in eight new cities

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 14, 2012

As part of its $14 billion LTE network expansion, U.S. carrier AT&T today announced the launch of speedy LTE radio technology in eight new cities: Milwaukee, WI; Denver, CO; Louisville, KY; Orlando, FL; York, PA; Tacoma, WA; Annapolis, MD; and Provo, UT. Apple users in these areas who own an LTE device such as the iPhone 5 or cellular iPads should see notable speed gains over the coming days. Just last week, the carrier rolled out LTE in Little Rock, Arkansas and expanded LTE coverage in Bakersfield, California and Florida Keys, Florida...

First LTE iPad mini pre-orders are now en route to US customers

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 13, 2012

During the September 12 iPad mini unveiling Apple vaguely indicated that the Wi-Fi + Cellular model would start shipping “a couple of weeks after the Wi-Fi models”. Then, when it started accepting pre-orders and announced opening weekend sales of three million iPads, the company reiterated that the cellular version of both the fourth-gen iPad and the smaller one will be available in the US on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon “in a few weeks”.

We’re now receiving reports that some customers who pre-ordered a Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini are receiving shipping notices from their courier service. Many are seeing delivery dates of this Friday, November 16, or the following Monday, with some deliveries reportedly set for as early as tomorrow, November 15...

AT&T announces $14 billion LTE network expansion

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 7, 2012

AT&T, the nation's #1 carrier, today announced ambitious plans meant to improve its network infrastructure and broaden 4G LTE coverage. The company pledged to spend as much as $14 billion on network upgrades over the next three years and said it will roll out 4G LTE to cover 250 million by the end of 2013, adding an additional 50 million for a total of 300 million people by the end of 2014.

Additionally, AT&T confirmed plans to expand U-verse to an additional 8.5 million customers by the end of 2015. The investment plan even has a cool sounding code-name: Project Velocity IP (VIP)...