The initial spot test results of Verizon’s newly-minted LTE deployment are unveiled. The results are from deep within Gizmodo HQ in SoHo in downtown Manhattan, the average of five speed tests. By comparison, WiMax dongle from the same spot averaged a mere 2.7Mbps downstream and 2.8Mbps upstream, and the strength of the signal seemed a little shakier. LTE is the real deal—right now anyway, while there’s nobody but lucky tech journos stealing all the internets. We’ll have to see how well it holds up as more people pile on, but the initial results are stunning, to say the least.
The Verizon network currently has only a few people on it, mainly from the tech media, who got LTE dongles sent to them for review. The real testing will begin when the gear is available for purchase starting Sunday, so next week we should have even more results in.
These results are spot tests from all across the country: New York (Gizmodo & Engadget), Seattle (MSNBC.com), Philadelphia (GigaOM), Arizona (SlashGear) and Boston (NetworkWorld). And they paint a pretty remarkable picture. Most of the “slow” results—around 7-9Mbps downstream—are with a mere two bars of signal. MSNBC.com’s crazy, fiber-fast speeds? Totally legit, Verizon told MSNBC.com super editor and Coors Light fanboy Wilson Rothman.
The spot tests are from New York, Seattle, Philadelphia, Arizona and Boston. From what Verizon’s CTO Tony Melone said at the press conference the other day, it is clear that Big Red is aiming for providing enough capacity and stability of the network, so these insane speeds will probably be valid for quite a while anyway.
At those prices, though, it doesn’t really matter if you will eat your 5GB for $50 allotment in a few minutes or two hours – these data caps will last a month only if you do light browsing and checking email anyway. Downloading or streaming a couple of movies can eat your 5GB or 10 GB allotment in a heartbeat, and then the $10 per GB overages kick in.
In the meantime, just be amazed at these speeds, finally available in America. Whether you wanna call it 4G or not, the bottom line is that it’s damn fast.
You might like: