If you've been putting off getting a smart phone till the 4G LTE network has been turned on, you can finally buy your phone now. A "little bird" told me yesterday and it was just confirmed by a news story on the WXXA website, that the Albany area now has 4G service available.

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One of the things that I thought was kinda of cool or ironic, was that it was first turned on in Saratoga yesterday, just in time for Q-ruption. But, what does all this mean to you? Well, if you have a phone that supports 4G, it means you will soon be able to get faster data speeds to get digital content on your mobile device, upload photos and movies of you and your friends at Q-ruption from your phone faster, and even be able to watch more Law and Order on Netflix while sitting at your desk on the State Campus.

But to start using the 4G service, you will have to contact your local Verizon store and update your data plan. I have yet to see what they are charging for this newer service, but I'm guessing it's at a bit of a premium since it's new and from anecdotal evidence, in high demand. But from a tech standpoint, I'm pretty excited this is finally happening. It makes me feel like the area is not standing still when it comes to technology and how soon it comes to us here.

If you're not sure if your current phone supports 4G, the best thing to do, is to Google your phone's make and model and "4G LTE". Or go to the manufacturer's website and check the tech specs of the phone. Some phones may even be able to talk and surf at the same time, like on AT&T's network. This is a limitation on Verizon because of the CDMA technology that is used for their cell network. But knowing cell providers, they'll figure out a way to charge for that nifty feature on the new network, where it was something already available because of the technology on the old networks.

And if you do get the 4G service on your phone and you upgrade, and are going to be at Q-ruption, please come find me, as I would love to see the new network in action.

 

 

 

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