Verizon launching LTE in December

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) intends to launch commercial LTE service in 38 initial markets sometime in December, the company revealed in a new commercial.

Click here to watch Verizon Wireless’ first LTE ad.In its first commercial touting its "4G LTE" service, the nation's largest carrier proclaims that the network is the "most advanced 4G network in the world." The company has not said when it will launch service or what its pricing will be, and has only indicated that it will launch service in 38 markets and at 60 airports by year-end.

The TV ad, which debuted Sunday, touts the network as "lightning fast." Verizon has said that the network will deliver real-world downlink speeds of 5-12 Mbps and uplink speeds of 2-5 Mbps. The first LTE devices will be USB dongles, followed by other devices next year. Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg last week said that Verizon's first LTE smartphone will be available in February, months earlier than the company had previously indicated.   

Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S), which resells Clearwire's (NASDAQ:CLWR) mobile WiMAX service under the Sprint 4G brand, is still touting its network as the only nationwide 4G network. The service is now available in 62 markets. Further, T-Mobile USA also has been marketing its HSPA+ service as "4G," a tactic that has drawn rebukes from other carriers.

For more:
- see this Verizon site
- see this video for the LTE commercial

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