Verizon Wireless plans to once again expand its faster LTE-based wireless network in the US on October 20. The company already has well over 100 cities and metropolitan areas under its LTE umbrella that allows for faster wireless access to 160 million Americans. This week Verizon announced that the new locations will include cities such as Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico, Buffalo and Niagara, New York, Birmingham, Alabama, Fort Myers, Florida and others. In addition the company announced that the LTE network will be expanded to more locations in the Los Angeles and San Diego, California metro areas on October 20.
These new locations come just a few days after AT&T launched its own LTE network in just five US cities. Verizon clearly has a large head start in providing faster wireless access and it remains to be seen how quickly AT&T can catch up to Verizon's considerable lead.
In related news, Verizon has announced it will offer the LTE-based smartphone the Pantech Breakout for sale starting on Thursday. The Android 2.3-based smartphone will be sold for just $99.99 (after a $50 mail in rebate) with a new two year contract. Previous LTE-based phones from Verizon have had prices that started at $199.99. The Pantech Breakout phone has a number of other features normally found on more expensive smartphones, including a 1Ghz processor, a 5 megapixel rear camera, a front facing camera, a 4 inch screen and support for a LTE-based hotspot for up to 10 WiFi connected devices.
