WiMAX may be the 4G technology that is currently available in the US, but providers who have chosen to use the competitor, LTE, are hard at work as well. Verizon announced in December that they had chosen the GSM-based LTE for their 4G future - an interesting move considering their 3G network is decidedly un-GSM - and they are currently testing their infant LTE network for use with mobile phones. Vice president and CTO of Verizon Communications Dick Lynch is optimistic about Verizon's LTE plans, saying "we expect that LTE will actually be in service somewhere here in the U.S. probably this time next year."
Lynch also expressed a desire to eventually incorporate LTE into far more than just phones and data cards - think consumer electronics like digital cameras. "Broadband capabilities will be found in virtually every electronics product out there," Lynch said.
It's great to hear Lynch's optimism regarding his company's adoption and development of LTE, but I think at this point consumers are more interested in seeing a network get built out than hearing cool ideas. With these sorts of promises and lofty goals, everyone will be looking to Verizon now to lead the way for LTE. Will they deliver? Will we see LTE in February 2010?
