It seems Verizon Wireless aims to stay much ahead in its race with its competitors; where many of them are still working to set up 3G networks nationwide, Verizon is planning for the 4G network!

CTO Dick Lynch, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, announced that the company is soliciting the companies like Nokia, Siemens, Alcatel-Lucent, and Starent Networks, to aid it in setting up a commercial 4G mobile data network next year.

According to Lynch, the company’s 4G network will be based on LTE technology i.e. Long Term Evolution technology that has been the choice of the majority of cellular providers of the world, for its theoretical 100-Mbps download speed. The technology facilities to offer the services like high-definition streaming video, which aren't possible on current mobile networks.  

Lynch elaborated, "Verizon Wireless' LTE network deployment will be driven by our vision of providing ubiquitous global wireless broadband connectivity and mobility. LTE enables us to continue to meet business customers' demands for a higher bandwidth, low-latency service that works broadly in the United States and globally, while helping us to meet consumer demand for mobilizing the many applications they frequently use when tethered to high-bandwidth wired networks.”

Lynch revealed that Verizon, along with its minority owner Vodafone, conducted LTE tests in several cities, such as Minneapolis, Columbus (Ohio), and in northern New Jersey in the US. The CTO stated that the 4G network based on LTE will be launched two test markets in 2009; the network will be expanded to 25 to 30 markets by the end of 2010; and it will offer the nationwide coverage by 2015.

So, Verizon Wireless is all set to lock horns with the Sprint backed Clearwire, which uses WiMax for its 4G network. However, WiMax has a lower theoretical download speed, yet the service is already available in many U.S. cities. Clearwire has also the support of Google, Intel, Samsung, and various cable companies.