Verizon 4G network zips, but all that data will cost you - USA Today

 THE BOTTOM LINE

Verizon 4G LTE service

$100 for 4G USB modem from LG (model VL600, the unit tested) or Pantech (model UML290) after rebate and with two-year data plan. $50 a month for 5 gigabytes or $80 for 10 GB. Each gigabyte over: $10.

Three stars out of four

Pro. Very speedy mobile wireless in 4G coverage areas.

Con. Heavy users will pay a lot for service. No seamless way to go from 3G to 4G when you're out and about. For now, laptop service only. No Mac support yet.

You'd think a blazing fast wireless network was all good. The 4G (fourth generation) mobile network that Verizon Wireless (VZ) launched Dec. 5 certainly qualifies as pretty darn zippy. At least, it was a lot of the time I spent testing a 4G laptop modem in and around New York City.But speed can kill — your wallet.

PCMag.com found that the 5-gigabyte monthly data allowance on Verizon's least-expensive ($50) monthly plan for 4G could be exhausted in a mere 32 minutes at max speeds in its tests. Overage charges fetch $10 a gigabyte. Bummer!

Verizon told me it won't apologize for providing the kinds of speeds that mobile warriors covet. Just know that the heaviest users will pay for the privilege of gulping data, for example, by watching video during their daily commute to the office. (Depending on where you live, you may not consistently get the fastest speeds during your commute.)

Verizon's new network is built on technology called LTE, for Long Term Evolution. It competes with a rival high-speed WiMax network technology pushed by Sprint and Clearwire. T-Mobile also offers its own faster-speed service, which is based on so-called HSPA+ technology. Verizon's entry into the fast lane, given the company's generally solid reputation, is especially significant.

While there's a debate in the industry about just what constitutes 4G, an international standards group puts the milestone at 100 megabits per second. None of the carriers comes close by that measure. Verizon says you'll experience average download speeds of 5 Mbps to 12 Mbps and average upload speeds of 2 Mbps to 5 Mbps. It says that's up to 10 times faster than its 3G networks, a quantum leap no matter what marketing labels you put on it. I sometimes bested those 4G speed results in my tests, though there's an important disclaimer. At this early stage, Verizon's 4G network isn't exactly teeming with users, crowds of whom could slow speeds.

It's what you can do as a result of higher speeds that matters, of course, whether downloading photos in a fraction of the time it would take otherwise or watching high-definition movies without hiccups.

•Where the network is. The new network covers 38 major markets around the country and more than 60 commercial airports nationwide. That's about 110 million people. Verizon expects LTE to be available for the existing 3G coverage area by 2013.

Alas, folks pining for faster speeds on their Verizon smartphones will have to wait a bit longer. Out of the gate, Verizon's service is available only to owners of laptops who spring for a $100 (after rebate) USB modem from LG or Pantech and sign two-year data-plan deals. (The modem price jumps to $250 without a data plan.)

•Hinting at the future. Verizon says LTE will make its way into consumer-oriented smartphones and tablet computers in relatively short order. It will outline plans next month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. And Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg hinted at other intriguing long-term possibilities for LTE. Speaking at a conference this week, he indicated that 4G LTE could be a substitute in some instances for wired broadband, including cable TV and, perhaps, Verizon's own FiOS service. That means you might be able to get all the TV channels you want over the Internet without having a cord. But FiOS is faster than LTE and better suited for such technologies as 3-D television.

•Pricing. Verizon's 4G pricing appears a bit cheaper than its 3G plans. The company is charging $50 for a 5 GB monthly data plan and $80 for 10 GB, with each additional gig costing $10. But at the highest speeds, heavy-duty users could blow past those limits in a blink. Also, Verizon's data plans for 4G are pricier than rivals' services.

What's more, unlike the Verizon MiFi mobile hot spot card that I use to share a 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi devices at a time, the LG VL600 model 4G USB modem I plugged into a Dell laptop provided wireless service for just that one computer. The modem is on the bulky side, too, and for now doesn't work with Macs. (Verizon expects to add Mac support soon.) By contrast, the MiFi fits in my pocket. Novatel Wireless, which produces MiFi, says it plans to release a 4G version of the card in early 2011. Novatel won't say which carrier or which technology it will use in the card.

•Fast results. I was certainly pleased by the speeds I got. My download speeds topped out at 23.3 Mbps in the New Jersey Meadowlands and 6.21 Mbps for an upload. I ran tests at Speedtest.net. In my house, I saw impressive download speeds in the 12 Mbps range and generally no slower than 7 Mbps downstream. My Wi-Fi service through Optimum Online cable is faster, but not always by much.

As I drove around the New York metro area or rode a bus, I sometimes experienced 4G speeds but also reverted to 3G in areas that are not yet covered. Other than detecting pages that no longer loaded as fast, the handoff from 4G to 3G was seamless. You can't revert to 4G (even if you drive back into coverage) without pulling the modem out, reinserting it and starting your session over. That's a step Verizon hopes will soon become unnecessary. For now it's a hassle.

Faster speeds are welcome, of course, and Verizon delivers on that promise. But a more economical pricing plan would be welcome, too.

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