Verizon switches on LTE Advanced in 461 cities -- is your phone compatible?

 

Verizon Wireless is what I consider to be the best cellphone carrier in the USA. Yes, it is expensive comparatively, but you get what you pay for. Both coverage and speed is top notch across the country, meaning you should have a solid experience in many places where you travel.
 
Today, the carrier announces that its LTE is getting much faster. In 461 cities across the USA, it switches on the speedier "LTE Advanced" (LTE-A). Best of all, many existing devices are compatible. Wondering if your phone, tablet, or hotspot can take advantage? Read on for the list.
 
"Verizon LTE Advanced uses software that combines multiple channels to speed mobile data over the network more quickly than ever before. The result is 50 percent faster peak speeds in cities nationwide for Verizon customers using one of the 39 LTE Advanced-capable phones and tablets already on Verizon's network -- including top-selling Samsung Galaxy S6 and S7 smartphones, Moto Droids and Apple iPhones. As new devices from Apple, Samsung, LG and other manufacturers are introduced, they will be LTE Advanced-capable right out of the box", says Verizon.
 
The wireless carrier further says, "LTE Advanced currently uses a combination of two- and three-carrier aggregation. Customers will continue to enjoy typical download speeds of 5 - 12 Mbps, but two-channel carrier aggregation has shown peak download speeds of up to 225 Mbps, far exceeding the current speeds being experienced by wireless data networks nationwide. While the speeds of two channel carrier aggregation provide a leap forward, three-channel carrier aggregation provides even greater efficiency. Verizon engineers deploying three-channel carrier aggregation have experienced speeds greater than 300 Mbps".
 
Wondering if your phone, hotspot, or tablet is compatible? Please see the list below.

• Apple iPhone 6
• Apple iPhone 6 Plus
• Apple iPhone 6s
• Apple iPhone 6s Plus
• Apple iPhone 5 SE
• Apple iPad Pro
• Apple iPad Pro 9.7
• Apple iPad Air 2
• Apple iPad Mini 4
• Asus Zenpad Z8
• Blackberry PRIV
• HTC 10
• HTC Desire 626
• HTC One M9
• LG V10
• LG G4
• LG G5
• Motorola Nexus 6
• Moto X
• Moto Z Force Droid
• Moto Z Droid
• Motorola Droid Turbo 2
• Motorola Droid Turbo
• Netgear MHS AC791L
• Novatel MiFi i6620L
• Novatel MiFi USB620L
• Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
• Samsung Note 5
• Samsung Galaxy S6
• Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
• Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
• Samsung Galaxy S7
• Samsung Galaxy View
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
• Samsung Galaxy Tab E 8.0
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7
• Sony Xperia Z3v
• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

 
I reached out to Verizon to find out how a customer can tell when they are on LTE-A. Unfortunately, it will not be displayed on your device. In other words, whether you are on regular LTE or LTE-A, the device will just display "LTE". The only way to tell if you are getting the faster speed is to run a speed test using an app or website. This is a bit disappointing, but since it carries no additional cost, I am OK with it. Hopefully it can be more apparent in the future.
 
Are you excited for this Verizon LTE roll-out? Check out the infographic below and tell me your thoughts in the comments.
 

 

Photo Credit: siiixth/Shutterstock
 
~ Brian Fagioli

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Samsung unpacks trio of Galaxy devices at IFA: Note 3 phablet, the Gear smartwatch and the Note 10.1 2014 Edition

Samsung on Wednesday hosted the second edition of their Unpacked Event in Berlin just ahead of IFA 2013. As anticipated, the Korean tech giant showcased two key products (and one surprise device) in their ever-expanding Galaxy line of devices – the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition – in typical Samsung over-the-top fashion complete with an orchestra and all.
 
The Galaxy Note 3 features a new soft textured leather-like plastic back cover with stitching around the edges and a very thin front bezel. It now has a more premium look and feel – something that critics have complained about for some time when compared with metal designs from Apple and HTC. Rear panel cover colors include black, white and pink.

Despite having a larger screen, the Note 3 is actually thinner and lighter (5.9 ounces versus 6.4 ounces) than previous iterations. It includes a 5.7-inch SuperAMOLED 1080p display operating at 1,920 x 1,080 with 368 ppi pixel density, a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor for LTE models or a 1.9GHz Samsung Exynos Octacore for 3G variants, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with High CRI LED flash and smart stabilizer, 2-megapixel front shooter, 3GB of RAM, 32B or 64GB of storage, a microSD expansion slot, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and a 3,200mAh battery.

There’s a new and improved S Pen as well as category 4 LTE technology. The latter promises support for all types of LTE networks around the world. The device will ship running Android 4.3 and will come pre-loaded with Samsung Knox security software. It will ship on September 25 globally and arrive in Japan and the US starting in October.

Galaxy Gear is described as the true companion for Galaxy Note although it will work with a myriad of Galaxy devices via software update. Available in six different colors, the device itself is crafted from stainless steel and features a camera embedded in the wrist strap. Gear is capable of displaying various information like text messages or e-mails and it can even initiate a phone call through voice control. With a speaker and microphone strategically positioned in the wrist strap, you can talk through the watch by holding it near your face. This allows you to make and receive calls without taking your phone out of your pocket.

The Galaxy Gear carries a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320 x 320. The strap-mounted camera isn't terribly impressive with a 1.9-megapixel BSI sensor and auto-focus lens. Inside is a single core 800Mhz processor, a 315mAh non-removable battery that's reportedly good for up to 25 hours of use, two internal microphones with noise cancellation support, a speaker, Bluetooth 4.0, accelerometer, gyroscope, 4GB of storage and 512MB of RAM. Expect to pay $299 for the timepiece when it ships in October.

Samsung's new Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition boasts the same 10.1-inch screen size as before in a package that weighs a little more than two ounces less than its predecessor. This time around, however, the device boasts a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 (299 ppi) thanks to the WQXGA Super Clear LCD screen.

Inside is an 8,220mAh battery, options for 16GB / 32GB / 64GB of storage, a microSD card slot, 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front shooter and the same 2.3GHz quad-core / 1.9GHz octa-core processor that will power the Note 3. It's also running 3GB of system RAM and will ship with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The Note 10.1 2014 Edition will ship in three different models: Wi-Fi only, Wi-Fi with 3G and Wi-Fi with LTE. It will be available in black and white during the third quarter although an exact release date and pricing hasn't been set as of writing.

 

~ Shawn Knight

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