Verizon 4G LTE Phones to Be Incompatible with AT&T's LTE Network

Here’s but another reason right now to not be an early adopter of 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution, latest standard in the mobile network technology) technology in spite of the fast speeds that the mobile broadband standard is promising: the lack of roaming options. During 3G CDMA and GSM smartphones have been able to roam worldwide thanks to chipsets that support compatibility with various networks on various different spectrums and frequencies, so far 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution, latest standard in the mobile network technology) will be implemented on a variety of spectrums both in the U.S. and abroad limiting the phone’s ability to roam, for the time being while the research is however new. Users who have adopted Verizon’s first batch of 4G Android smartphones should know that the carrier has gone on record to say that it doesn’t anticipate that its 4G phones will be compatible with AT&T’s forthcoming 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution, latest standard in the mobile network technology) network.

The problem right now is that Verizon

The problem right now is that Verizon and AT&T will operate on different spectrums, so phones from one network won’t be able to tap into spectrum from the other network. According to PC Mag, “Verizon and AT&T both run their LTE networks in the 700-MHz band. However Verizon’s network is as a rule in 746-787MHz, during AT&T’s will be primarily in 704-746MHz. Some Verizon and AT&T spectrum overlaps in an area called the “lower B block,” yet not much.”

The problem here is that it will for the time being keep 4G limited to major cities, at least at first while both AT&T and Verizon Wireless are building out their LTE networks as the carriers cannot offer roaming agreements to overlap and augment each other’s network where it doesn’t have coverage. In order to achieve roaming compatibility, manufacturers would have to support both Verizon’s and AT&T’s network on devices. As it stands, 4G chips aren’t but integrated into the processor and require an external, expensive chipset on the phone so that chances of integration right now at this nascent stage is probably unlikely as it would add to the size of the overall device as so then as the cost.

Additionally, even if 4G roaming was supported in a hypothetical and ideal situation, phones at the time would have to support GSM, CDMA, HSPA/WCDMA/UMTS, EV-DO in order for there to be true roaming on AT&T and Verizon. As it stands, Verizon’s phones right now offer simultaneous voice and data through a hybrid radio system where data would be utilized on the faster LTE network during voice would be handled on CDMA.

In the future, Verizon had said that it would explore the opportunity of doing Voice over LTE in a mechanism similar to delivering VoIP or using data to transmit voice so that it doesn’t need to have the CDMA radio active alongside the LTE radio. The result of VoLTE is that phones would last longer as both radios won’t have to be fired up concurrently during on a voice and data call.

PC Mag reports that at this time, AT&T doesn’t even know if its devices will be compatible with Verizon’s network. Even though the carrier had announced two mobile data devices for LTE, it has but to announce any phone products.

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