Verizon boosts LTE coverage with addition of seven new markets

Verizon has announced that the rollout of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network has reached another milestone, with 200 million people (or two-thirds of the population) now covered by the operator’s 4G signal. Today, Verizon will unveil the latest seven markets to receive 4G services when it goes live in Dover (DE), Lafayette (IN), Fitchburg/Leominster (MA), Duluth, The Rochester Area and St. Cloud (MN), Manchester/Nashua (NH), Poughkeepsie (NY), Findlay/Tiffin and Youngstown/Warren (OH), and Indiana (Pa). The latest rollouts bring to 190 the number of cities and towns now covered, and the population coverage now eclipses the operator’s own target of 185 million by end-2011. Moreover, Verizon’s LTE network is now claimed to be three times larger than that of arch rival AT&T, which targeted 70 million population coverage and 15 markets in 2011; it hit the latter target last month and last week confirmed plans to expand to New York City and other markets.