Verizon Wireless to trial and deploy LTE

Verizon Wireless has announced that it will deploy Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology for what it calls its 4G network. Verizon and Vodafone, the co-owners of Verizon Wireless will coordinate a trial of LTE using equipment from Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens and Nortel. The carrier is also in talks with handset makers like LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson and other consumer electronics companies, which anticipate embedding wireless functionality in future products.

"Today's 4G announcement, coupled with our Open Development initiative announced earlier this week present a major growth opportunity for Verizon Wireless," said Doreen Toben, chief financial officer of Verizon. "Fourth generation's higher data speeds will usher in a new era of wireless applications and appliances, all of which can benefit from connecting to the nation's premier wireless network."

Back in September, Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin and Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg announced at the Goldman Sachs investor conference that both carriers were planning on using the same technology for their 4G networks and that both are studying the LTE standard. "It makes complete sense for us to go from HSDPA to LTE and it makes sense for Verizon to go from EV-DO to LTE." Sarin said at the time. Shortly afterward, however, Verizon Wireless began downplaying the remarks and even hinting that it was looking at WiMAX.

For more on Verizon's LTE announcement:
- read this press release