LTE

China Mobile announces major LTE push ahead of rumored iPhone launch

Cody Lee ∙ March 14, 2013

China Mobile announced today that it's going to be spending a staggering $7 billion on its LTE network this year, setting the stage for what could be a late iPhone 5 launch. The carrier's current network standard doesn't properly support the popular popular handset.

In fact, China Mobile—the largest wireless provider in the world by subscriber base—is one of the few remaining major carriers in the world that doesn't offer Apple's smartphone. But recent chatter indicates that there's a good chance that could change this year...

AT&T’s LTE is the fastest, Verizon rules coverage

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 20, 2013

Aren't you sick and tired of top U.S. carriers advertising their 4G LTE service as the nation's fastest and most reliable? This mostly false advertising has been ticking me off for quite some time, especially how T-Mobile promotes its 3G HSPA+ network as 4G. Time for a reality check.

Research firm Rootmetrics yesterday published the results of its survey of U.S. carriers and their fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks. Surprisingly or not, AT&T's LTE came on top as the fastest, but rival Verizon grabbed the title of the nation's best LTE coverage. More tidbits right after the break..

AT&T expands LTE coverage in Phoenix, Lincoln, Lubbock, Hartford County and more

Sébastien Page ∙ February 28, 2013

AT&T has been on a roll lately. On an LTE roll out to be more precise. After opening up to 6 new markets earlier this week, AT&T is now expanding its LTE coverage to four new areas. If you live in Phoenix, AR, or Hartford County, CT, then you might notice speed increases or simply better LTE coverage overall. If you are located in Lubbock, TX, or Lincoln, NE , you'll be glad to learn that your iPhone 5 will now be able to connect to the brand new LTE service AT&T just activated in your area...

AT&T LTE expands, Wi-Fi network growth doubles

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 26, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_729aD7CfA0

U.S. carrier AT&T announced an expansion of its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology in Tunica, Mississippi; Athens and McMinn County; and LaFollette and Campbell County. The company has also flipped the switch on 4G in Tallahassee, Florida; Lawrence, Kansas; and the Salinas and Monterey areas. AT&T says its 4G network covers more than 285 million people and includes 3,000 more 4G cities and towns than Verizon. Letting us in on the latest on its network expansion, the telco underscored its Wi-Fi network doubled in 2012 versus the year-ago period...

Qualcomm’s new wireless chip makes a truly global iPhone possible

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 22, 2013

Doesn't it bother you that Apple sells its LTE devices like the iPhone 5 and latest iPads in a bunch of variants, depending on your carrier and geographical location? For example, the iPhone comes in two GSM models and one CDMA version. Blame it on the limitations with existing wireless chipsets, not Apple. Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a fantastic technology, but it's also highly fragmented.

And with nearly fifty different cellular bands in use globally worldwide, no wonder LTE is a bag of hurt, one that has introduced fragmentation unlike any other cellular radio technology before it.

Fortunately, chip maker Qualcomm has announced a new cellular solution which supports as much as 40 different bands on a single chip. It could finally allow Apple to build a truly global iPhone model that could support all implementations of the major cellular technologies used by carriers the world over...

AT&T’s LTE expands in Denver, Boise, Nassau and Suffolk counties, now available in Gainesville

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 19, 2013

U.S. carrier AT&T Tuesday announced that it is expanding its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology in Denver, Boise, Nassau and Suffolk counties while making it available in Gainesville. The carrier continues to poor billions in network expansion as it races rival Verizon Wireless for LTE coverage. According to AT&T, its 4G LTE currently covers 288 million people in the United States...

Sprint starts deploying LTE in San Francisco

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 18, 2013

Sprint's implementation of the fourth-generation Long Term Evolution radio technology has been spotted being deployed in certain parts of San Francisco, New York City and Washington, D.C., all major metropolitan markets. Apple added an additional 36 LTE carriers with the January 28 release of the iOS 6.1 software for iPhones, iPads and iPods.

Sprint on its part during January 2012 lit up LTE towers in 58 markets (here and here). This is a notable improvement because previously only those in neighborhoods in San Francisco could see Sprint's LTE signal, although coverage in San Francisco is spotty because Sprint has just begun deployment...

FreedomPop confirms LTE iPad clip, launches in H2 2013

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 7, 2013

Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom-backed FreedomPop startup made waves with its Freedom Hub Burst no-contract wireless appliance that serves one gigabyte of free 4G data each month to up to 10 wireless or wired devices simultaneously.

Monday, Forbes reported that FreedomPop could unveil an iPad sleeve with 4G data via Sprint’s LTE network. A new report out today sheds more light on the matter: a FreedomPop LTE clip compatible with iPads is indeed due in the second half of this year. We've got more tidbits right after the break...

Bureaucracy preventing French from getting LTE on their iDevices until year’s end

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 4, 2013

Owners of LTE-enabled Apple devices in France won't get to enjoy the benefits of speedy cellular downloads before the end of 2013 amid lobbying between the country's wireless carriers and the agency for telecommunications ARCEP.

The country's local carriers like Orange and SFR last year spent to the tune of €1.2 billion, or approximately $1.6 billion, to acquire the 800MHz band.

The problem is, this radio frequency is supported neither by the iPhone 5 nor by many mobile devices from other vendors, including Samsung. Moreover, these carriers are now asking the ARCEP to wait until at least end of 2013 before refarming the 1,800MHz spectrum, which is compatible with Apple's handset...

Sprint LTE coming to Boston, Fort Wayne, western Puerto Rico and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 12, 2017

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prEPa7bLDdY

Having already announced earlier this month a massive roll-out of its 4G LTE to 28 new markets, including Branson, Missouri and Columbus, Georgia, Sprint this morning has confirmed that its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution radio technology is coming to Boston, Austin and half a dozen other markets. The nation's third-largest carrier should also start offering its Total Equipment Protection (TEP) insurance to iPhone customers later this month...

Apple expanding LTE support to 36 new carriers next week

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

During Apple's quarterly earnings call yesterday, Tim Cook announced that Apple would be adding 36 additional carriers to the list of compatible LTE providers for its iPhones and iPads next week.

The good news is, Cook says these carriers will be in countries that are not currently supporting LTE. So for those of you who have a 4G iPhone or iPad and don't currently get LTE, be on the lookout...

Sprint rolling out LTE to 28 new markets

Cody Lee ∙ January 17, 2013

Great news today for Sprint subscribers who have been lusting for LTE. The carrier just announced plans for a major expansion of its new 4G network, that will see the service added to 28 new markets over the next few months including Branson, Missouri, and Columbus, Georgia. We've got the full list of cities after the break...