AT&T announced Thursday that it has expanded its high-speed 4G LTE coverage into 9 new areas of the United States, and will expand it into 40 more markets before the end of 2012.
AT&T’s massive expansion of its 4G LTE network comes as Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPhone at a media event next Wednesday. Currently, the third-generation iPad is Apple’s only 4G LTE device, but it’s anticipated that the company’s next iPhone will also be compatible with the latest high-speed cellular networks.
AT&T is the nation’s second-largest carrier, and says that its 4G LTE network is capable of delivering mobile Internet speeds of up to 10 times faster than 3G.
The current rollout is of a “true” 4G LTE network, not to be confused with AT&T’s HSPDA network which it began advertising to iPhone 4S users as “4G” starting with iOS 5.1. The iPhone 4S is capable of near 4G speeds thanks to AT&T’s HSPDA network, it is not however a true fourth-generation network.
Apple addresses this distinction by displaying a connection symbol of “LTE” in the upper left corner of the iPad when connected to a 4G LTE network. iPhone 4S owners who are connected to AT&T’s HSDPA network receive a “4G” indicator on their device.
As of Thursday, AT&T’s 4G LTE network is now available in:
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Bakersfield, Calif.
- Bridgeport, Conn.
- Jacksonville, Fla.
- Modesto, Calif.
- North Montgomery County, Md.
- Northern New Jersey
- Omaha, Neb.
- Syracuse, N.Y.
The company says that its 4G LTE network will launch in the following markets before the end of the year:
- Albany, N.Y.
- Albuquerque, N.M.
- Allentown, Penn.
- Charleston, S.C.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Columbia, S.C.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Detroit, Mich.
- El Paso, Tex.
- Fayetteville, N.C.
- Ft. Myers, Fla.
- Gary, Ind.
- Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Green Bay, Wis.
- Harrisburg, Pa.
- Hartford, Conn.
- Hawaii
- Knoxville, Tenn.
- Lancaster, Pa.
- Little Rock, Ark.
- Louisville, Ken.
- Milwaukee, Wis.
- Memphis, Tenn.
- Nashua, N.H.
- New Haven, Conn.
- Philadelphia, Penn.
- Pittsburgh, Penn.
- Portland, Ore.
- Providence, R.I
- Reading, Pa.
- Rochester, N.Y.
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Salinas-Seaside-Monterey, Calif.
- Seattle, Wash.
- Springfield, Mass.
- Toledo, Ohio
- Tucson, Ariz.
- Tulsa, Okla.
- Wilkes-Barre, Penn.
- Wilmington, Del.
