With so many mobile companies already having their 4G experience or creating it to launch sometime this year or next year, Verizon finally decided they needed to get in on the fun. Rival, Sprint Nextel Corporation has already released data cards with 4G capable speeds and plan to launch their first 4G mobile phone sometime this coming up summer, with some already available in some specific markets.
Verizon first anticipated on having their first 4G handset closer to the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012; however, they have now moved forward and expect their first handset with 4G capabilities to be available and on the market for purchase around the middle of next year, 2011. In some areas, you will find the Verizon 4G service available by the end of this 2010 year.
Prior to this time, though, Verizon customers can probably see 4G mobile broadband cards and full coverage is not likely in the beginning nor very soon after the launch of the 4G mobile phones. Verizon is hoping that at some point they can create a phone that would use Long Term Evolution integration, which is just simply a rapid wireless technology. Ideally, they hope for this to become available no more than six months from launching the 4G service.
Verizon expects for these first 4G phones with the Long Term Evolution integration to come with dual-chip sets rather than single ones. Without the dual-chips, the phones likely would not be fully compatible with Verizon’s network.
A Verizon chief technology officer, Anthony Melone, feels that unlimited data packages are going to have to diminish at some point in time. The reason for this is that the Long Term Evolution integration and technology will be a bit on the pricy side and with unlimited data plans, they are throwing away a lot of that money that they could be using on building this new 4G wireless service.
However, will Verizon be able to stay afloat if they get rid of their unlimited data and phone plans? It will be hard for them to if their competitors keep their unlimited plans.
