We already know that AT&T will deploy 4G LTE later this year but the company said it will have at least one 4G LTE smartphone by the end of the year.
AT&T senior VP Peter Ritcher told Mobiledia that the company will have a hotspot, laptop card and a handset that can support this faster mobile data network by the end of the year. The company is expected to roll out LTE in a few markets over the next few months and the real ramp up in devices and availability will happen in 2012.
The 4G LTE network will essentially give AT&T two 4G networks, as it has also labeled its HSPA+ as “4G” but the competition will be fierce. Verizon’s 4G LTE network will be live in 175 markets by the end of the year and it is the real deal. I’ve found Verizon’s network provides some amazing speeds consistently and it already has three smartphones out which can take advantage of it.
If the AT&T, T-Mobile deal goes through, the mega-carrier will have a ton of spectrum to roll out 4G LTE next year. Let’s hope it can provide some consistently fast speeds when it finally does come.
[Via Mobiledia]