Verizon publishes open specs for 4G gear
updated 09:55 am EDT, Fri April 17, 2009
Verizon 4G Open Specs
Verizon on Friday gave its Open Development program a boost by publishing an early set of technical specifications for its upcoming 4G network. The addition lets hardware builders create devices known to work with the carrier's eventual 700MHz Long Term Evolution (LTE) network and which can take advantage of the extra speed. Verizon hopes that the early availability will lead to companies producing LTE-ready hardware in time for the wider launch of the 4G network in early 2010.
The advanced cellular spec is expected to step up the importance of data on Verizon's network both through sheer bandwidth and responsiveness. LTE trials have already been generating 60Mbps real-world speeds, or in many cases about 30 times faster than better 3G connections; the advance would allow for streaming HD video as well as more upstream-intensive services like video uploading. Latency is also much lower on LTE and should allow both fluid two-way video calls as well as multi-player games.
AT&T also plans to move to 4G soon but won't have the standard commercially ready until 2011, as it hopes to ride on the slower but still fast HSPA+ 3G standard later in 2009 as well as later in 2010.
