In its campaign to be first among the cellular operators to roll out a fourth-generation network, Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) said it has made its first phone calls in Boston and Seattle using VoIP over the emerging LTE technology. Release.
The calls mark the very first baby step in rolling out a nationwide 4G network, which will compete with Clearwire’s WiMax service and offer superior speeds and capacity to today’s 3G network. But are the tests based on technology that will be used when Verizon launches commercially next year? Kind of.
Verizon’s Network VP Tom Sawanobori told us that it is technically LTE and that the hardware is commercial today, but the software is not. “The software is pre-commercial…We plan to introduce commercial service on slightly newer version of Release 8, which meets our requirements.”
Partners involved in the test included Alcatel-Lucent Ericsson (NSDQ: ERIC) for base stations equipment; LG (SEO: 066570) and Samsung for devices and Starent Networks and Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Siemens Networks for network equipment. There’s 10 cell sites up and running in both cities.
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