As Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) hurtles toward the launch of its LTE network later this year, the carrier is developing a system for LTE SIM cards to be used in its new high-speed wireless devices, according to documents posted by the blog Engadget.
According to the blog, which cites internal Verizon LTE documents, the company is preparing its computer systems for LTE SIM cards. Verizon, which has long operated a CDMA network, does not use SIM cards for its current devices, but likely will be using them for LTE-enabled devices such as modems and then later smartphones and other gadgets.
Much of the information in the documents is already well-known: that Verizon plans to launch up to 30 LTE markets in the fourth quarter of 2010 covering 100 million POPs; that it will provide average downlink speeds of 5-12 Mbps; and that LTE smartphones will be coming next year. The documents also revealed that the carrier expects its LTE network to have latency of 30ms, which it compared with 100ms on current 3G networks and Sprint Nextel's (NYSE:S) mobile WiMAX service.
A Verizon spokesman declined to comment.
In other Verizon LTE news, according to FCC documents the commission approved an LG-made modem that supports EV-DO in the 850 and 1900 MHz bands as well as LTE in the 700 MHz band, where Verizon is deploying its network.
Additionally, according to Engadget, Verizon plans to launch a new CDMA/UMTS global mobile hotspot device called a "Fivespot."
For more:
- see this Engadget post
- see this Engadget post
- see this Engagdet post on the global hotspot
- see this Phone Scoop post
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