Verizon Tests LTE, and We Compare It To T-Mobile’s HSPA+

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So with T-Mobile launching it’s HSPA+ network in select markets this month, Verizon figured it would test it’s new data technology, LTE, in a market and post some numbers.

Verizon’s LTE technology is supposed to reach peak speeds of 40-50 Mbps (compared to HSPA+’s 21Mbps). Verizon engineers are also reporting average download speeds of between 5-12Mbps (compared to T-Mobile engineers 5-6Mbps) in actual tests.

The thing to understand here though is that LTE is a 4G technology, and as such requires new hardware to be put in it’s phones to utilize any of the speed, just like WiMaxx. So even though they are testing it in one market, there still aren’t any devices that support it coming anytime soon so it is a ways off.

On the other hand, HSPA+ requires new technology in the handset to get the FULL speed increase, but unlike LTE it is based on 3G technology instead of 4G and so all current 3G handsets will benefit from the speed increase as well (just not as much as an HSPA+ enabled handset would).

So while LTE is definitely the faster technology (and I’m sure Verizon’s engineers will optimize it more and more and the average download speed will increase from this report), T-Mobile’s approach is a nice way to get some benefits sooner than later.

Of course, once Verizon gets their LTE up and running with handsets that support it, T-Mobile data speeds will be left behind. But again, we have to give it to T-Mobile for going from an EDGE only network to HSPA+ in a very short time frame. And since HSPA+ is still a 3G technology, it is very possible that they could be using it as a stepping stone to a newer technology like LTE as well; giving people faster internet now while they work on LTE, or some other 4G technology.

Hopefully T-Mobile can keep up their break neck pace of upgrading their network and possibly be working on 4G when Verizon is launching theirs. That would be tough, but so was getting from EDGE to HSPA+ as quickly as they did.

Now if T-Mobile could only increase their coverage…

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  • remixfa000

    you also have to take into concideration the price disparity. Tmobile’s service its up to 50% cheaper than VZW. In real world phone browser use.. are you really going to notice that much difference between a highspeed Tmobile connection and a LTE one? Probably not. Tech geeks like us drool over this stuff, but the average user is going to see both as damn fast, but Tmobile half the price. And thats assuming that VZW doesnt innitially add another Tier to their pricing for LTE speeds. T-mobiles strategy is to squeeze out the best speeds they can from current generation tech, because its cheaper and it can fit into its pricing structure. They will at some point go to LTE when the price drops exponentially.

    Besides, both test faster than Sprints Wimax which is still barely off the ground almost a year later… and ATT isnt even in the game.