Verizon and Vodafone to Partner on LTE

Although it’s not news that Verizon Wireless has been eyeing Long Term Evolution (LTE) as the basis for future high-speed wireless communications options, the company formally let the cat out of the bag today, with co-owners Verizon and Vodafone announcing a partnership that will have the companies launching a coordinated LTE trial in 2008. Often referred to as a “4G” mobile technology, LTE offers theoretical download rates of 100 Mbit/s and upload rates of 50 Mbit/s for every 20 MHz of spectrum available to the technology.

“The company’s move toward a 4G network is driven by our vision of pervasive wireless Internet connectivity and mobility,” said Verizon executive VP and CTO Richard Lynch, in a statement. “A number of factors are setting the stage for our 4G network migration; most importantly, our view of customers’ evolving appetite for more information, entertainment, and functionality, combined with an increasing customer expectation for easy access, high speed, easy handling, and seamless mobility. With a host of new devices and applications, and a particular focus on embedded wireless in virtually every piece of electronics you buy in any store, we believe LTE is the best technology with global scale to deliver on the promise.”

Verizon’s decision to go with LTE rather than the competing WiMax technology may hurt telecommunications developer Qualcomm, which builds the CDMA technology on which Verizon’s current network is build. Qualcomm also backs WiMax.

Verizon says it is working with Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens, and Nortel on designing and building out the service, while the company says talks with device suppliers have “expanded” beyond the usual suspects like LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson to consumer electronics companies.

The LTE announcement follows Verizon’s decision to open up its network in late 2008 to devices and applications from other providers. Taken together, LTE technology and an open network policy may put Verizon Wireless in the driver’s seat for “de-Balkanizing” the U.S. mobile phone industry as 4G technology begins to emerge.

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