Verizon Expects a Lot More Devices for Its Old Network

Verizon announced that nearly 40 cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco would get access to its fourth-generation wireless network, known at LTE, by the end of this year. Wouldn't it make more sense to introduce a device running on the company's speedier new wireless network? Not necessarily, said Tony Melone, the chief technology office of Verizon Wireless. "We'll still be growing our 3G network for some time," he said. "We'll be adding to it for years ad selling 3G devices well into this decade, possibly through the end of the decade." Melone said he expected the first LTE mobile devices to appear next year, but that it would be another two to three years before the majority of devices available for sale would be exclusively 4G. "It takes time to get LTE in gear," he said. "Until then, people can still sell successful devices on our 3G network."