Fifty Percent of Verizon's Data Traffic is Now 4G LTE

[dgstorm]

In an interview yesterday, Verizon revealed that 4G LTE now accounts for more than 50% of all their data traffic. This is a significant jump from October of last year when it accounted for about 35%. Here's a quote with some additional info,

The increase in data traffic on Verizon's LTE network comes as little surprise. Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam this week announced that 23 percent of Verizon's customer base used LTE phones at the end of the fourth quarter, up from 16 percent at the end of the third quarter. McAdam also said that fully 85 percent of Verizon's postpaid net adds in the fourth quarter purchased LTE smartphones.

"We are very pleased with the performance of the (LTE) network," said Mike Haberman, vice president of network engineering for Verizon Wireless, in an interview with FierceWireless here at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show.

Haberman noted that Verizon now covers 273.5 million POPs with LTE, or roughly 89 percent of its U.S. footprint. He also said the network's reliability--the ability for customers to establish an LTE connection--is roughly the same as Verizon's CDMA EV-DO network, though he declined to provide specific statistics.

While Big Red often gives us cause to be irritated with them, it is hard to deny they have the best network, and they continue to expand it at a rapid pace.

Source: FierceWireless

 

[shockracer]

Yes, it's a love hate relatioship!

 

[ntrddragn]

the other 50% are still on 3G because they are afraid to lose their unlimited. :biggrin:

 

[YelloEye]

the other 50% are still on 3G because they are afraid to lose their unlimited. :biggrin:

Fine with me, just means my unlimited 4g won't have as much shrinkage lol

 

[TOMMYBOT]

Love the 4g unlimited. Think they would start dropping 3g slowly once they have 100% LTE coverage?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

 

[GotnFX]

Love the 4g unlimited. Think they would start dropping 3g slowly once they have 100% LTE coverage?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Probably drop EDGE (enhanced data gsm environment) first which was what came before 3G..I remember my LG Voyager was on EDGE. I am sure some are still out there. Once that is phased out.. Then 3G..but as long as there are 3G phones and Co are making money from those phones...It maybe awhile. Also you still need a back up to 4G.. Think about how many angry customers will be out there if you go from 4G to nothing if 4G goes out and no back up.. People get PO'd when their 4G phones are on 3G..lol

 

[comk4ver]

I have a friend that still has a lg voyager. He doesn't even have a data plan for his phone. Incredible I know.

 

[GotnFX]

I have a friend that still has a lg voyager. He doesn't even have a data plan for his phone. Incredible I know.

How often do you tell him to upgrade already? Lol. I am assuming he doesn't care about a phone with 4/3G capabilities then.. Vz is probably sending him things all the time to upgrade, I bet.. Lol

 

[comk4ver]

Yeah he's not the brightest light bulb in box and he's definitely not the most colorful and most likely needs to be sent back to the factory! Actually I don't think he wants to pay for the luxury of Internet he doesn't even have texting!

 

[geoff5093]

Probably drop EDGE (enhanced data gsm environment) first which was what came before 3G..I remember my LG Voyager was on EDGE. I am sure some are still out there. Once that is phased out.. Then 3G..but as long as there are 3G phones and Co are making money from those phones...It maybe awhile. Also you still need a back up to 4G.. Think about how many angry customers will be out there if you go from 4G to nothing if 4G goes out and no back up.. People get PO'd when their 4G phones are on 3G..lol

Verizon doesn't use EDGE, it's a GSM technology. They use 1x.

From what I heard they will be phasing out EVDO but leaving 1x, as all calls/texts currently take place on the 1x network.