Verizon will flip the switch tomorrow on networks in Glens Falls and Utica in New York, Brownsville and McAllen in Texas, and Lawton, Oklahoma. Networks in Atlanta, Houston, and Spokane are being expanded.

Users connected to Verizon’s 4G network should generally experience downlink rates from 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps), and uplink speeds of 2-5 Mbps.

Verizon offers a wide variety of 4G devices on its network, including LG’s Spectrum, which was announced at CES 2012, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, and Motorola’s Droid line of phones. The iPhone 4S is not LTE capable, so it cannot run on Verizon’s network (a problem AT&T worked around by dual-layering their LTE network with an HSPA+ network, which the iPhone 4S is compatible with). The next-generation iPhone, presumably coming this summer, will probably have LTE capability.

If you’re looking to go the Android route, Samsung is about to unveil the next Google phone, the Galaxy Nexus, at an event taking place October 19th in Hong Kong (this evening for us in the West). And today, Motorola just unveiled their new Android device – the Droid RAZR.

And this is not your older brother’s RAZR.

The most talked-about spec of the new device is its size. The RAZR is only 7.1 mm thick (a little larger at the top), making it the thinnest device of its kind.

It will be launching on Verizon’s 4G LTE network and contain a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, making it no slouch in the speed department either. Furthermore, in the aesthetics department, it sports a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED display.

Motorola has also beefed up the durability by building the Droid RAZR out of KEVLAR fiber and Gorilla glass for scratch resistance. It also has water-repellant nanocoating to protect the phone from damage from spills and splashes.

“DROID RAZR by Motorola is a testament to the innovation and design possibilities that stem from a strong partnership between Motorola Mobility and Verizon Wireless,” said Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO, Motorola Mobility. “We set out to design the best smartphone on the planet and delivered DROID RAZR which is thinner, smarter, stronger than any device on the market.”

Additionally, its sports 1GB RAM and an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capabilities, similar to what is available on the new iPhone 4S.

Pre-orders begin on October 27th and it will run you $299.99 with a contract. They have given a non-specific “early November” release date for the device.

At first glance, it appears to be a solid entry in the ongoing battle for device supremacy. What do you think? Are you excited about the Droid RAZR? More excited about the Nexus Prime? Let us know in the comments.

Why didn’t we get an iPhone 5? According to one analyst, it’s all about the LTE.

Will Strauss, president of wireless clip market research firm Forward Concepts, told CNET that Apple is saving the “iPhone 5″ name for when they launch a new device capable of LTE speeds, commonly referred to as “4G.”

Apparently, the LTE technology simply takes up too much room for Apple’s tastes, and we won’t see and iPhone 5 until LTE is ready for smaller, compact smartphones. “They’re saving iPhone 5 for the LTE version and that won’t be out until next spring,” said Strauss.

He went on to say that the current phones out there equipped with “4G” LTE capabilities like the HTC Thunderbolt are simply too “kludgy” for what Apple wants. “There’s no way they could come out with LTE now,” he said. It just takes up too much room. As of right now, Apple woulds have to make design compromises to include the LTE chip inside their phones. This could include cutting the battery size or making to iPhone thicker to accommodate.

Apparently, Apple is unwilling to do this. When the LTE technology allows for a smaller, one-chip solution (analysts say next spring), that’s when you’ll have your iPhone 5.

In the meantime, it’s looking more and more like the iPhone 4S might just be a stopgap device, holding the reigns until Apple can unveil their iPhone 5. Having said that, it’s certainly a vast improvement upon the iPhone 4 – it’s faster, has a sharper display, better camera, and houses new features.

And what’s in a name, anyways? The 4S is certainly a “new” phone. It appears that many folks are simply let down because of the expectations of a possible redesign. If you’re dead set on upgrading to an “iPhone 5,” it looks like you’ll be waiting until 2012.

With all that in mind, BGR has discovered that Apple is currently testing an LTE-enabled phone with carriers, below is an excerpt from their findings:

“While we can’t confirm that the upcoming fifth-generation iPhone will be able to support 4G LTE, we can now exclusively confirm that Apple’s carrier partners are testing iPhone models with LTE capability. BGR has obtained evidence of an internal iOS test build from one of Apple’s major carrier partners, and buried in the firmware is a property list (.plist file) for LTE. This doesn’t necessarily mean every Apple device that’s about to be released will feature an embedded 4G LTE modem, but it certainly means Apple isn’t sitting on the sidelines as 4G LTE networks continue to roll out around the world. Plus, when Apple finally does make a 4G LTE device, the battery might actually last longer than a few hours. Check out our photo gallery for images of Apple’s LTE plist file.”

It’s unclear at this time if the iPhone 5 will release with full 4G LTE support, but it should be noted that t is expected to support HSPA + technology for GSM networks, which some carriers label to as 4G.

What are you expectations when Apple finally does hop on the LTE train?

The EU says the funding will go towards research on Long Term Evolution (LTE) Advanced technology, that will offer mobile Internet speeds up to a hundred times faster than current 3G networks. The funding will be released on January 1, 2010.

"With LTE technologies, Europe’s research ‘know-how’ will continue to set the tone for the development of mobile services and devices around the globe, just as we did in the past decades with the GSM standard," said Viviane Reding, the EU’s Commissioner for Telecoms and Media.

Viviane Reding
European Commission

"LTE technologies will turn mobile phones into powerful mobile computers. Millions of new users will get ultra high-speed Internet access on their portable devices, wherever they are. This will create tremendous opportunities and plenty of space for growing the digital economy."

LTE is currently being trailed by mobile operators in Finland, Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the U.K. and is set to be commercially available in Sweden and Norway in the first half of 2010.

LTE uses radio spectrum more efficiently, enabling mobile networks to benefit from the "digital dividend" and use the frequencies freed by the switchover from analogue to digital TV.

Mobile operators and manufacturers including Orange, TeliSonera, T-Mobile, AT&T, NTT-DoCoMO, Verizon, Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia Siemens Networks have already committed to using the LTE standard.

Google Will Bid On Spectrum

The biggest players in the industry are expected to bid aggressively for spectrum, which because of the federal requirement that television broadcasters switch to digital transmissions is becoming available. The spectrum is said to be ideal for high-speed wireless broadband, especially because of its ability to penetrate walls.

Google has promised a minimum of $4.6 billion for "the C block" of spectrum, the auction reserve price, the winner of which will be required by the FCC to allow users to download any device to their wireless devices and attach any compatible device to the network.

Verizon originally sued to stop the requirement, but eventually withdrew their suit. Earlier this week, the company enacted a similar policy on its own in advance of an announcement to use fourth generation LTE technology for its next evolution of wireless services, which will come available approximately the same time as the 700MHz spectrum.

The LTE technology will also be used by rival AT&T, meaning that future Verizon and AT&T devices will be able transferable (at least one way, unless AT&T opens up, too.) AT&T may have bailed on the 700 MHz auction with its purchase of Aloha Partners’ chunk of spectrum $2.5 billion, effectively setting the price for available spectrum in the federal auction.

Significant pressure from Google is thought to be a key reason both telecommunications companies made such aggressive moves forward. Google’s presence in the auction ensures more competition and more open networks.

"We believe it’s important to put our money where our principles are," said Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google. "Consumers deserve more competition and innovation than they have in today’s wireless world. No matter which bidder ultimately prevails, the real winners of this auction are American consumers who likely will see more choices than ever before in how they access the Internet."

Google made the announcement this morning in advance of Monday’s application deadline, after which Google is forbidden to talk about the auction due to the FCC’s anti-collusion rules.

Though don’t count on wireless speeds that fast right away, definitely not until well after launch sometime in 2009 or 2010. Verizon will be trialing the platform throughout 2008.

Verizon says it seeks to open up the kinds of devices used on its network beyond mobile phones.

"With a host of new devices and applications, and a particular focus on embedded wireless in virtually every piece of electronics you buy in any store, we believe LTE is the best technology with global scale to deliver on the promise,” said Richard Lynch, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Verizon Communications.

Because Verizon is switching to the same technology as AT&T, it also means that subscribers will be able to move between networks thanks to Verizon’s new open devices policy, announced at the beginning of this week.

At the time of that earlier announcement, it was unclear the impact an open devices policy would have because of the incompatibility between Verizon’s CDMA network and the rest of the world’s (save for Sprint) use of GSM.