Verizon rolls out LTE Advanced technology nationwide

[Shawn Knight]

Verizon Wireless said on Monday that has launched a major network enhancement in the form of LTE Advanced. The technology, according to Big Red, delivers 50 percent faster peak wireless data speeds and covers more than 288 million people spanning 461 cities across the country.

The nation’s largest wireless provider said LTE Advanced hits all of the major cities, highways and interstates as well as less-serviced areas such as country roads and rural America. Tami Erwin, head of operations for Verizon’s wireless unit, added that customers will benefit from the enhancements automatically and at no extra cost.

LTE Advanced, or carrier aggregation, is a technique that combines two or three bandwidth channels into a single larger channel for improved performance. Verizon said that customers will experience typical download speeds of five to 12Mbps but with two-channel aggregation, they’ve seen peak download speeds of up to 225Mbps. With three channels, that figure jumps to more than 300Mbps although don’t expect to see these sort of results in the real world.

To take advantage of the boost in speed, however, you’ll need to be using one of 39 compatible smartphones or tablets including the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S7, the HTC 10, Apple’s iPhone 6 and newer (including the iPhone SE) and the BlackBerry Priv, just to name a few. Just make sure your device is running the latest software and you should be good to go.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/66134-verizon-rolls-out-lte-advanced-technology-nationwide.html

 

[MoeJoe]

CDMA.
No thanks.

 

[The other guy]

CDMA.
No thanks.

They don't use CDMA anymore as everyone uses GSM. That is why they have SIM cards and all phones are interchangeable between carriers.

 

[TechNaWolf]

CDMA.
No thanks.

They don't use CDMA anymore as everyone uses GSM. That is why they have SIM cards and all phones are interchangeable between carriers.

wait really? does that mean I can use the OnePlus 3 on verizon's network now?

 

[gzowner]

CDMA.
No thanks.

They don't use CDMA anymore as everyone uses GSM. That is why they have SIM cards and all phones are interchangeable between carriers.

soooo wrong..

Verizon, Sprint both use CDMA, the sim card is only use to get data from the carrier. You can not simply take out the sim and insert it into another phone that is only gsm. Do some reading before you make a comment like that. Only phones that are able to switch between carriers, are unlocked phones with the proper bands. Nexus, Oneplus1, and select Iphones. Rest of the phones require flashing and hacking to make them work for other carriers tha wasnt designed for them. Verizon is the only company that has global phones that are already unlocked, just they turn off the gsm side till you pay off the phone.

 

[gzowner]

CDMA.
No thanks.

They don't use CDMA anymore as everyone uses GSM. That is why they have SIM cards and all phones are interchangeable between carriers.

wait really? does that mean I can use the OnePlus 3 on verizon's network now?

If they have the networks bands, than yes.. The problem is will they accept a unlocked phone on their network. They been picky before. Remember they wouldnt allow my nexus 6 on their network unless I pay for 20+ smartphone fees, even tho its my phone.

 

[The other guy]

Verizon's CDMA was using their EVDO tech and they moved away from that (3G). Now they have implement VoLTE and use the SIM to connect to various 4G LTE bands they own (and lease) as they use data for voice as well. Verizon has been removing their CDMA cell tower equipment around to areas where they need it still (people who use 3G/flips still) and are even making some LTE only equipment. In fact, Verizon has been moving away from CDMA because other countries have been turning it off. The active part of CDMA that Verizon is using is on their 850Mhz and some in the 1900Mhz. Otherwise, it's all LTE (GSM).

 

[The other guy]

GZ owner, you only need to be or have a VZW phone on an active account in good standings for 2 months before they unlock the GSM part of the phone.

To add to my messy comment above, LTE isn't quite GSM, but VZW has been retiring CDMA for quite some time.

 

[MoeJoe]

They don't use CDMA anymore as everyone uses GSM. That is why they have SIM cards and all phones are interchangeable between carriers.

Wrong.

Get educated.
LTE and CDMA aren't mutually exclusive.
The drone of ignorance is pretty thick around here ...

 

[MoeJoe]

soooo wrong..

Verizon, Sprint both use CDMA, the sim card is only use to get data from the carrier. You can not simply take out the sim and insert it into another phone that is only gsm. Do some reading before you make a comment like that. Only phones that are able to switch between carriers, are unlocked phones with the proper bands. Nexus, Oneplus1, and select Iphones. Rest of the phones require flashing and hacking to make them work for other carriers tha wasnt designed for them. Verizon is the only company that has global phones that are already unlocked, just they turn off the gsm side till you pay off the phone.

The short & sweet is:
Phones like the Nexus line, Moto's etc ... work on both CDMA and GSM networks.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Now you can rack up ludicrous data charges even faster!

Unless they give out an unlimited plan, these speeds are pointless.

 

[jfdevinejr]

Interesting development (hopefully) . I am running a Nexus 6P on Verizon with real call quality issues. The reality is,that while you can certainly run some unlocked phones on the Verizon network , the call quality is often not up to to par with the phones specifically "optimized" (sold directly) by Verizon. I have spent several months troubleshooting the issue (between Google and Verizon) when a straightforward Verizon engineer acknowledged this reality. The unlocked device does not always have the same call integrity as the phone sold specifically on the Verizon network . This is more noticeable outside of major metropolitan areas where cell tower saturation isn't as great. Any idea if this new "enhancement" may address voice issues in addition to better data speeds ?

 

[Rx Tech]

Now you can rack up ludicrous data charges even faster!

Unless they give out an unlimited plan, these speeds are pointless.

Exactly....I Know All The Carriers Can Accommodate Unlimited Data....BUT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GOUGE FOR EVERY PENNY....

 

[mailpup]

Rx Tech, ease up on the shouting. Thank you.

 

[Darth Shiv]

If they have the networks bands, than yes.. The problem is will they accept a unlocked phone on their network. They been picky before. Remember they wouldnt allow my nexus 6 on their network unless I pay for 20+ smartphone fees, even tho its my phone.

Yeah I think they have a list of models they will allow on the network. I know an iPhone 6 is one of them having just gone through that process (extremely painful due to Apple's network locking as well).

 

[Phr3d]

Would love to hear from anyone out in the sticks, or travelling there regularly (location, please) to see if it has actually improved 'rural' performance. betcha' benjamin-by-golly-wow that it doesn't.