LTE is significant
LTE is a significant improvement over Sprint's WiMax. Not just in speed.. yeah, its faster per MHz of bandwidh, but the end user only sees the network imposed speed caps anyway, not the protocol caps.
LTE is improved because they moved away from OFDM moduation on the uplink. What that means: rather than using more power on 4G links as WiMax does, 4G will actually take lower power.
The other improvement is the RF band. Verizon and AT&T have always worked a little better than Sprint and T-Mobile in buildings or rural areas, not due to any protocol differences, but he fact that they had 850Mhz channels, in addition to the 1900MHz also used by Sprint and TMo.
Sprint is on 2500Mhz for WiMax (Clear and Comcast, too, they are all partners in the same WiMax network).. lost of bandwidth, but more free air path loss, more loss through structures, way more loss through foliage. Anyone who's set up a long rang WiFi network knows what to expect.
Verizon is on 700Mhz with LTE... much better range, much better penetration. AT&T will also be using LTE on 700Mhz, sometime late tbhis year. But Verizon is seen as an early winner, largely because they haven't had the financial problems of Sprint or the upgrade expenses of AT&T prior to the 4G rollout. Verizon had full 3G coverage, every cell in the network, years ago... AT&T iisn't there yet.
So Verizon can be expected to make good on their claim to have full 4G coverage in two years... every cell. No one else even m/akes that claim. And, at least until Sprint 2G reaches my house (rural South Jersey), I wouldn't personally care.. full 4G coverage only matters if "full" includes where you actually need it.
