Responding to an attack on Thursday by rival AT&T, Verizon Wireless said it isn’t abandoning its 3G network as it launches its higher-speed Long Term Evolution system on Sunday. “We continue to invest in and enhance our 3G network to stay ahead of the fast-growing demand by our Droid smartphone customers,” said Verizon Wireless spokesperson Howard Waterman in an e-mail to us.
‘Speed Degradation’?
AT&T Chief Technical Officer John Donovan wrote on a company blog Thursday that companies who rush to LTE — a clear reference to Verizon — without investing in their current network were setting up customers for “jarring speed degradation” if they leave the limited LTE coverage area.
“Their claim is untrue,” wrote Waterman. “We have invested $50 billion in our network since 2000, more than any other U.S. carrier.”
The war of words comes as Verizon is set to launch its version of 4G coverage in 38 markets in major cities in the U.S. and 60 airports, with data speeds up to 10 times faster than its current 3G network. The service will be available for mobile computer users only until the middle of next year, when 4G smartphones will make their way into Verizon stores.
AT&T is also planning a 4G network sometime next year, while also working to enhance its current HSPA+ network. In addition to Verizon, Sprint/Nextel, Clearwire and T-Mobile have 4G networks, but AT&T has made a point of taking its time.
Waterman noted that as of Sunday, one-third of Americans will live in areas covered by Verizon’s LTE. “AT&T has said publicly they expect to have 70-75 million people covered with their LTE network by the end of 2011,” he added. “On Sunday morning, we will have 110 million covered.”
Pantech’s Modem
On Friday, Verizon announced its second 4G-compatible USB wireless modem, the Pantech UML290, which will sell for…