Verizon plans to offer LTE service to old DSL users
updated 02:10 pm EDT, Fri April 1, 2011
Verizon to win back DSL users with LTE service
In an interview with GigaOM, Verizon EVP and CTO Dick Lynch revealed that the carrier wants to win back the customers it lost when it sold its DSL copper lines to providers like Frontier or Fairpoint. By 2013, it hopes to cover 97 percent of the US population, or about 285 million people, with its 4G wireless service. Speeds are competitive with those of wired DSL connections, at between 5 and 12Mbps.
"[LTE] provides a real opportunity for the first time to give a fixed customer in a home, broadband service — wireless — but broadband service," Lynch said. "In wireless, I see a great opportunity within the LTE plans we have to begin to service the customers who don't have broadband today… they will be able to have mobile LTE and also to be able to have fixed broadband."
Pricing remains one issue to work out, however, as Verizon charges $50 per month for 5GB of data per month and $80 for 10GB, while DSL services often cost about $30 to $30 per month for uncapped data amounts.
Verizon's LTE network would also be suitable for rural residences and markets that have no other option but to may for expensive DSL connections as they have no competition to worry about.
