Verizon at CES: “4G” LTE devices and network
Today’s keynote at at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) by the Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg highlighted Verizon’s new “4G” LTE broadband infrastructure. Seidenberg talked about the possibilities of the “creative revolution” stemming from the hyperconnected world in which we live. Of course there is hyperconnection, hyperbole, and just plain hype. We have to remember that creative revolutions come from creative people, some of whom developed the technologies and devices showcased today. Neither the business world nor the political world are controlled by creative people. (Hint: I am almost willing to bet money that most creative people [men and women] do not routinely wear ties. 
)
I WILL agree however, that fast wireless connectivity for data is a vastly ENABLING technology!
“Wireless data is now more than doubling every year,” Seidenberg said. “Smartphones are growing at almost 90 percent a year, and a whole new computing platform for mobile broadband has emerged.”
Verizon President and Chief Operating Officer Lowell McAdam chimed in:
“We sent a signal to the entire consumer electronics industry that this market would develop very quickly,” McAdam said. “In 2011, that vision becomes a reality. One month ago, Verizon launched commercial LTE service in 38 major markets.”
Verizon’s keynote was followed in the afternoon with the unveiling of its first “4G” LTE devices:
- The LG Revolution, LG’s first “4G” smartphone
- The HTC Thunderbolt, HTC’s first “4G” LTE smartphone
- Samsung’s Galaxy Tab (formerly called the Inspiration) “4G LTE smarphone and “4G” LTE mobile hotspot, which can fit into a purse or pocket
- The Motorola Droid Bionic, and
- The Motorola Xoom tablet, running Android Honeycomb
You can read the CNET article about features of each of these devices. You can also read the Q&A which has some discussion about simultaneous voice and data.
A statement by Verizon CTO Tony Malone that global roaming will not be an issue was very interesting to me.
The CNET Reviews team will be “beating on” the new devices. Stay tuned.
There was no statement yet about iPhone and Verizon.
Verizon is my family’s wireless carrier. I wish them the very best, out of my own self-interest.
But I am still waiting for the iPhone statement, and for iPad 2 statements later on….
(In a related story, AT&T has cut the price of the previous model of the 8 GB iPhone, the iPhone 3GS, to $49 [starting tomorrow]. Of course the new price comes with a two-year service contract and data plan. I am willing to bet [yeah, it’s that kind of night ] that the phone likely also comes with the new, odious [IMHO], early termination fee [ETF]. What else would you do if you might lose MILLIONS of customers to a rival with better customer service? )
-Bill at
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