Verizon releases early data-focused LTE specs, CDMA nowhere in sight
By Nilay Patel 
posted Apr 17th 2009 12:44PM
posted Apr 17th 2009 12:44PM
Verizon's got a lot of work to do before it lights up its next-gen LTE network in 2010, and things are beginning to move along: the company just released the first set of specs for device manufacturers as part of its Open Development Initiative. It's still a rough draft, but there are a few big-picture tidbits buried in the dense jargon -- the LTE network will start out as a data-only service, and right now devices aren't required to support CDMA at all, which is a pretty bold move. That certainly makes sense as Verizon's test networks go live in the next few months, but the company's has already said that phones will be available at launch, so we're guessing things are going to change quickly as time marches on -- 60Mbps mobile downloads, here we come.Read - Verizon PR
Read - Specs site (registration required)
Could you toss us a bone since registration is required?
Any idea if this LTE band frequency will be a world standard, or Verizon specific? I'm getting a bit sick of current 3G phones being limited to the side of the globe they are sold on (What ever happened to quad-band???)
If they are all getting on the same standard then it is just a matter of having the right antenna which doesn't seem as big a hurdle over as the one between GSM and CDMA.
LTE can operate on any of the same frequency spectrum as GSM, CDMA or UMTS, though most carriers have indicated that it will be used on the 700MHz spectrum - either way you're more likely to end up with penta- or hexa-band UMTS/LTE handsets that cover bands 1/2/4/5-6/8/12-14 that would give you pretty good global coverage. Most UMTS handsets are moving to be tri-band or quad-band already.
Totally agree. The market will help consumers out only if the phones work on different networks. There's no real reason to buy a $700 unlocked iPhone 3G if it doesn't work on the other US HSPA network due to frequency support. The next gen of 3G phones should work on T-mobile, EU and AT&T's bands.
I wonder how LTE will do for building penetration? It's pretty clear CDMA > GSM when it comes to that but is LTE better or worse than CDMA? If it's worse than CDMA is it better than GSM? For that matter how does HSPA do for building penetration?
I'm wondering the same thing. I don't know if it was Verizon's network or the actual CDMA technology, but they always have been the best. Plus, Verizon still uses 2.5G technology for voice services. I hope that network quality won't be lessened because they decided to go with the global standard.
CDMA is no better than GSM at building penetration. It all depends on which frequency it is deployed on.
well thats why Verizon bought 700mhz spectrum... best penetration possbile...
giggity
VZW will have LTE on 700mhz. In theory, the lower the frequency the better building penetration it gives. So again in theory this should be even better than any band used right now, being lower than 800/850.
Bye bye WIMAX! 60 Mbps blows you out of the water
umm WiMax can do 75Mbps
too bad this will mean nothing with the stupid 5GB cap on everything. With speeds like that you'd be taking out a second mortgage within a week of data use.
High speed data is meaningless on cellular networks as long as providers put crippling bandwidth usage limitations in place.
Hopefully those on the LTE data plan will have a higher cap. Where Sprint has WiMax is their a cap diff. from non-wimax broadband cards?
Question: Sprint is coming out with WiMax/4G, and Verizon/AT&T is implementing LTE. Verizon and AT&T having the same technology means that they will soon have the same phones ala new Verizon Bold and AT&T Storm. Will this be the same scenario with Sprint since they will be 4G too?
Nope, Sprint phones (which will be very little) will not work with Verizon/AT&T 4G. Its like WiMax being CDMA and LTE being GSM and not working together.
I am hoping that there will be a much higher bandwidth cap or none at all. Wireless companies generally need the caps because of the nature of a wireless network. Get too many leeches working off one tower and they will degrade all services (including voice) for everyone working off that tower. LTE will be data only at first which will help take the burden off of the current 3g infrastructure and allow for significantly higher fair usage bandwidth.
The 5gb cap is all about system limitations, if VZW allowed everybody completely unlimited data, the heavy users would crash the network, or at best would use so much bandwidth that everybody would be getting dial-up speeds... with LTE implemented the network capacity will be much higher allowing for higher caps... I still wouldn't expect the return of an 'unlimited' plan though!
Even with the 5GB caps I see dial-up speeds already 60kbps.. or less! on a REV A device in supposed REV A coverage.. verizon needs to upgrade their network, backhaul or whatever the bottle neck is.
WiMax is uncapped on Sprint, with the dual cards DOrA is 5gb and WiMax is unlimited
Thanks VZW. Smh, what the hell is Sprint thinking? It's going to be a huge make or break, and I hope it's the initial part. I've read the specs for it and while it's amazing, I don't see it helping our limited phone selection.
LTE does not have a "voice mode" operation, it is all packet based like WiFi. You would have to run IMS or SIP over top of it. I expect that Big Red will be launching handsets that have EV-DO revA + LTE, and you will only use LTE for data transfers at least until 2013-15 timeframe. Rolling out IMS is not trivial.
You all can go that route but I'll be using my DOrA/WiMax Sprint device