Verizon Wireless Pumps 4G LTE Speeds To 1.45Gbps Ahead Of 5G Blitz
With the help of Nokia and Qualcomm, Verizon has demonstrated 4G LTE speeds topping out at 1.45Gbps in a live commercial environment. To achieve these breakneck speeds, Verizon is making full use of the LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) standard including six-channel carrier aggregation, 256 QAM and 4x4 MIMO technologies. This in combination with Verizon's own PCS and AWS spectrum along a Nokia AirScale base station and Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 LTE modem is what allowed Verizon to hit these enviable speeds.
“When we first launched our LTE network, we knew there would be a lot of room for innovation and to expand its capabilities," said Bill Stone, Verizon VP of Technology Planning and Development. "Eight years later, we continue our advancement of our 4G LTE network knowing our LTE network leadership is foundational for our evolution into 5G."
The further evolution of LTE serves as the foundational basis for Verizon's 5G rollout. The company said earlier this month that it has invested in 28GHz and 39GHz licenses and millimeter wave spectrum licenses. It has also inked a $1.1 billion deal with Corning to expand its fiber footprint, which is in addition to the 1.2 million miles of fiber that it acquired with its accusation of XO Communications.
Verizon's first commercial 5G rollout will actually take place next week on October 1st. Verizon 5G Home residential internet will offer up to 1Gbps "typical network speeds" with no data caps for $70 per month. Customer who sign up for the service -- initial markets are limited to Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Sacramento -- will receive a free modem, free installation and their choice of a free Apple TV 4K or a Google Chromecast Ultra.
Once Verizon's true nationwide 5G wireless network is place, the company is expecting peak download speeds of 5Gbps and uploads rated for around 500Mbps.
