U.S. Cellular announces plans for 4G LTE network to launch by end of 2011

By Adam Rosenberg May 8, 2011

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The national wireless carrier space will grow smaller by one when AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile moves forward, and regional carriers have been stepping up their own games. MetroPCS, the number five wireless provider in the United States, actually beat Verizon to the punch in rolling out the first domestic 4G LTE network. Now, number six contender U.S. Cellular is following suit, with plans to launch its own 4G LTE service by the end of this year.

The rollout will happen “in time for the holiday season” for more than a quarter of U.S. Cellular customers, a press release reveals. The service will kick off in “select cities,” including the carrier’s “leading markets”: Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wis.; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland and Bangor, Maine; and Greenville, N.C.. This also of course means that 4G-enabled devices are coming as well, and U.S. Cellular plans to continue expanding its rollout as 2012 progresses.

“In addition to our line-up of cutting-edge devices, customers who switch to U.S. Cellular get unique benefits like faster phone upgrades without continuously signing contracts, and join the happiest customers in wireless,” company president and CEO Mary N. Dillon said in a statement.

U.S. Cellular actually is regarded as one of the top wireless carriers out there with regards to both call quality and customer satisfaction, based on surveys conducted by Consumer Reports and J.D. Power & Associates. Late last year, the company launched “The Belief Project,” a customer rewards programs that, in addition to offering new rate plans, gives customers who generate roaming charges to pay off the overage with accumulated points.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Cellular Carriers

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Mobile

5G vs. LTE: What’s the difference, and does it matter?

5G will undoubtedly be faster than LTE, but here’s how else it will be different

android vs ios v maps

If you're shopping for a phone or thinking about switching carriers, then you're likely to come across the terms 5G and LTE. Both relate to mobile networks, but there is still a lot of confusion about the technology right now. If you're uncertain whether you need more than LTE coverage, or wondering if you should buy a 5G phone, then we have you covered right here as we pit 5G vs. LTE and explain the differences.

In short, the G stands for generation, so 5G is the collective term for the fifth generation of mobile network technology. LTE stands for Long-Term Evolution, and it's a 4G technology. The newer 5G is not a replacement for 4G, so you'll find LTE and 5G technology working together for the foreseeable future.
What advantages does 5G bring?
“The main advantage that 5G offers over 4G LTE is faster speeds -- primarily because there will be more spectrum available for 5G, and it uses more advanced radio technology," Els Baert, director of marketing and communications at NetComm, told Digital Trends. "It will also deliver much lower latency than 4G, which will enable new applications in the [Internet of Things] space."

Mobile

T-Mobile becomes the first carrier to create a nationwide U.S. 5G network

5g capable phones manufacturers header getty

Looking forward to a future connected by powerful 5G networks? T-Mobile has brought the future to us today by launching the U.S.'s first nationwide 5G network, trumping the efforts of other U.S. carriers.

The Un-carrier's new 5G network is massive by 5G standards, covering more than 200 million people in more than 5,000 cities and towns across the U.S. -- an area of more a million square miles, much of it belonging to more rural parts of America. This approach stands in strong contrast to the efforts of other carriers, which have concentrated their efforts into mostly urban areas, with small pockets of 5G available in some of the U.S.'s largest cities. The difference between the two approaches was commented by T-Mobile CEO John Legere, in his usual acerbic style.

Mobile

I asked 10 U.S. banks when they plan to support Google Pixel 4’s Face Unlock

pixel 4 xl bezel

No one likes typing in passwords, so it's surprising that with Google's latest phone -- the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL -- I had to do exactly that instead of using its facial recognition technology to access sensitive apps.

You see, there's no fingerprint sensor, as Google has opted to go along Apple's route and stick with Face Unlock as its sole tool for biometric authentication. That's fine and all when it comes to unlocking the phone, but it's not so great when you want to access secure apps like the ones you use to access your bank account.