Durango and environs this week became the 492nd market in the Verizon Wireless network to receive 4G LTE service.
“We now have 4G service reaching 287 million people across the country,” Verizon spokesman Bob Kelley said from Denver.
The faster and more efficient service relies on Long Term Evolution, a new type of technology, Kelley said. Customers with compatible 4G LTE devices can experience the new technology.
“The 4G is 10 times faster than the 3G for data,” Kelley said. “It’s the equivalent of a home Internet broadband connection.”
If you buy a two-year contract, a 4G phone is available for less than $100, he said.
The 4G coverage area in La Plata County extends from Haviland Lake south to County Road 217; west along U.S. Highway 160 to Wildcat Canyon Road (County Road 141); and east along U.S. Highway 160 to Bayfield. Fort Lewis College also is included.
The speed and efficiency of 4G in handling data, gaming, videos and music is its biggest selling point, Kelley said. 4G carries more data simultaneously, he said.
Scott Huscher, a spokesman for AT&T in Phoenix, said the carrier is working on making 4G available in Durango, but it isn’t ready to make an announcement.
“We’ll have 4G in Farmington by the end of summer,” Huscher said. “But we have nothing specific for Durango.”
daler@durangoherald.com
