AT&T: 'On the doorstep of LTE' with devices to match
AT&T executive John Stankey said that the company is "on the doorstep" of rolling out its 4G Long-Term Evolution network this summer with five markets getting data services initially.
Speaking at a Barclays Capital investment conference, Stankey, CEO of AT&T Business Solutions, said AT&T is "taking that very strong capable nationwide HSPA footprint and marrying it with a fourth-generation air interface, the new air interface LTE."
He added:
We're right on the doorstep of beginning to bring this out -- in the position of bringing this out commercially as we roll into the summer. And I'm pleased to tell you that our initial five markets that we'll launch in -- Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio -- will have data services available as we get into the summer.
Stankey also said it will have 70 million points of presence covered by LTE by the end of the year. That tally equates to more than 15 more markets. AT&T reiterated Stankey's comments in a blog post.
AT&T's trials are comparable to what Verizon has found with its network.
Perhaps more importantly, Stankey indicated that it will have more than 20 data cards and handsets capable of HSPA or LTE access. Stankey didn't give more color on the split between LTE devices and HSPA.
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