Verizon’s LTE Map Is Nearly Complete, but All Four Major Carriers Are Starting to Fill in the Dots

At the beginning of 2013, Verizon Wireless had the clear lead when it came to LTE coverage, so much so that it launched an ad campaign comparing rivals’ coverage maps to modern art. But over the course of 2013, the picture has started to change.

Verizon still has the most areas covered, with the high-speed service in 500 US markets, covering 303 million people. But the others are catching up. AT&T is Verizon’s nearest competitor, with LTE service currently in 488 markets, covering more than 250 million people. AT&T expects to end 2013 with its LTE rollout 90 percent completed, covering 270 million people, with the remaining work to be done by next summer. Sprint launched LTE service in 70 cities last week, bringing its total to 300 markets, while T-Mobile’s most recent public number was that it has LTE in 254 metro areas, covering 203 million people.

[Dec 24]