Windows Phone expanding 4G LTE network to success

Microsoft's Windows Phone platform lacks support for any type of 4G wireless broadband. While Sprint uses a WiMax 4G network and T-Mobile's 4G service runs on a HSPA+ network. It's also the largest 4G LTE network in the U.S
Sprint and T-Mobile are planning to move over to LTE sometime in the future, Verizon Wireless recently indicated that Windows Phone's failure to hop on the 4G bandwagon, but when they do, the two carriers will have some catching up to do, as AT&T does now.

Verizon's 4G LTE network will expand to a coverage area of 190 markets, populated by about 200 million people, the HTC Trophy. Microsoft recently provided the Mango system update to its entire line of Windows Phones, but didn't add 4G support to the platform with the new software.

LTE networks, from both AT&T and Verizon, offer higher top speeds than the other networks and can be as much as 10 times faster than 3G service. Of the new Mango phones announced so far, the HTC Titan, Samsung Focus S, and Focus Flash are available only from AT&T, while the HTC Radar 4G, with theoretical peaks of 300 megabytes per second for downloads and 75 megabytes per second for uploads.

All of Verizon's LTE-packing smartphones run Google's Android platform. RIM hasn't fielded any LTE-equipped BlackBerrys yet. Sprint's WiMax 4G lists a theoretical top speed of more than 10 megabytes per second for downloads and 1 megabyte per second for uploads.

Verizon is banking on the strength of its LTE network for the company's future. Last week, it announced plans to acquire $3.6 billion worth of 1700-MHz AWS spectrum from SpectrumCo to bolster its already-strong 4G network. HSPA+ networks have theoretical top speeds of 42 megabytes per second for downloads and 23 megabytes per second for uploads

Losing support from Verizon Wireless would be a pretty big blow to Microsoft, which has struggled to find traction in the market with Windows Phone. just how fast and how reliable a phone or tablet runs on any cellular network varies by city, by device and by carrier.