Has Verizon’s super-fast LTE network been less super-fast than normal for you lately? If so then you can blame the surge in video streaming that Verizon says has taken it by surprise. The Wall Street Journal reports that demand for mobile video streaming has put serious strain on Verizon’s LTE network, with average download speeds decreasing by more than 20% in some areas. Because of this, Verizon is spending another $500 million to boost its network capacity in key markets such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago where the strain created by video data has been particularly acute. The Journal notes that Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said this past fall that “consumption of video is far outpacing what our expectations were,” which explains why the carrier seems to be scrambling to get its network up to speed.
Here’s why your Verizon LTE downloads are taking longer than usual
Published Dec 16th, 2013 9:00PM EST
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Verizon
Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.
