Later this year it sounds like Verizon Wireless will launch its LTE network, and Android could play a prominent role in the early goings. Android fans might not be familiar with Salomondrin, since he mostly spreads information about new BlackBerry devices. He has, however, been all over recent Android handsets. In a recent post about the BlackBerry Storm 3, he writes an interesting note about Verizon’s LTE plans.
[The Storm 3 is] gonna be Verizon’s 1st or 2nd LTE phone. They aren’t sure if the Android phone will be first or the Storm at this point.
An Android handset on LTE sounds marvelous. Verizon has achieved practical download speeds of between 5 and 12Mbps, which is a significant improvement over what current 3G networks provide. This should even further enhance the user experience on Android, which will give it yet another leg up on competitors.
While it’s not 4G — though LTE isn’t really 4G either — HSPA+ also has considerable potential. T-Mobile, which recently upgraded many of its markets to 7Mbps HSPA, is moving towards an HSPA+ roll-out. According to Light Reading, their first compatible device will be an HTC-manufactured one running Android. Apparently they’re trying to get the device onto the market by September, and looking at the T-Mobile roadmap that AndroidSPIN posted yesterday, it looks like the HTC Vanguard, due out on September 9, could be the one. Then again, there is always Project Emerald, which, according to the road map, is due out in November. The possibilities abound.
Why is HSPA+ significant? As Eric Zeman of InformationWeek noted after Verizon announced its LTE speeds, HSPA+ has a chance to come close. Sony Ericsson realized real-world download speeds of that averaged 6.48Mbps. That doesn’t hit the top end of the LTE speed, but that’s still an upgrade over the current HSPA averages. So yes, while Verizon will have the fancy 4G brand, it might not mean that much in terms of practical download speeds. HSPA+ is going to be a player, too.
In any case, in areas with solid reception the current HSPA speeds are quite excellent. I’ve been tethering my Nexus One ever since I installed Froyo, and have enjoyed the experience. It wasn’t that much slower than my cable connection at home.
