After a quick tease early last month, U.S. Cellular today finally revealed the first two devices that'll be capable of accessing is upcoming 4G LTE network. First up is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is expected to arrive next month and packs the specs similar to other versions of the Tab 10.1 we've seen pop up, including a 10.1-inch WXGA touchscreen, a front-facing camera and Android 3.2 Honeycomb. On the smartphone side of things, U.S. Cellular took the wraps off of the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator. Said to be coming sometime in April, the Aviator is a tad reminiscent of the DROID Charge and packs in a 4.3-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display, 8-megapixel camera, another shooter around front and Android 2.3.6.
U.S. Cellular also announced that it'll be flipping the switch on its 4G LTE network next month, with coverage going live in select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma. The carrier added that it plans to announce the next wave of markets later this month. Some of the initial cities that'll be seeing U.S. Cellular 4G LTE include:
It's nice to finally see U.S. Cellular take the wraps off of the first products that'll be able to hop onto its upcoming 4G LTE network. We've yet to get word on exactly how much either the Tab 10.1 or Aviator will cost when they arrive, but at least now we've got an idea of around how long we've got to save our pennies for the two devices. You can bet that we'll pass along more details on U.S. Cellular's 4G LTE network and the hardware that'll run on it as we hear more. Until then, the full press release announcing today's news is available down below.
U.S. CELLULAR ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF 4G LTE NETWORK NEXT MONTH ALONG WITH UPCOMING DEVICES
Brings up to 10 times faster download speeds and better web browsing experience
CHICAGO (Feb. 1, 2012) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM), in conjunction with its partner, King Street Wireless, is launching a 4G LTE network next month that will enhance the wireless experience with countless entertainment possibilities and help customers simplify and organize their lives. The 4G LTE network will cover 25 percent of U.S. Cellular's customers and will coincide with the launch of the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 4G LTE mobile tablet followed shortly by the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™ 4G LTE smartphone.
4G LTE speeds allow customers to begin watching a movie in seconds and enjoy smoother video streaming with little to no buffering, and video chatting with family or business colleagues is seamless.
With the Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™, customers have the ability to talk and access the Internet at the same time. They can talk to their family about dinner plans while downloading an app to find nearby restaurants and simultaneously check out reviews online.
The March rollout of 4G LTE includes select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma, including some of U.S. Cellular's leading markets such as Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wis.; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland and Bangor, Maine; and Greenville, N.C. U.S. Cellular is the first wireless carrier to offer 4G LTE in several of these markets. The next wave of market launches will be announced later this month.
"With 4G LTE speeds, you can quickly get what you want when you need it," said Mary N. Dillon, president and CEO of U.S. Cellular. "This 4G LTE network builds upon our industry-leading network satisfaction and is the only one that comes with a valuable rewards program and other unique benefits like Overage Protection and Battery Swap that make our customers the happiest in wireless."
The Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 is powered by Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) and has a 10.1-inch WXGA TFT touchscreen. It features superior multi-tasking capabilities, a video watching experience similar to TV and smooth graphics and responsive controls for faster gaming. Apps are downloaded faster on the sleek Samsung Galaxy S® Aviator™ smartphone that comes with Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread). It has a 4.3-inch WVGA s-AMOLED plus touchscreen, 8 megapixel rear camera and front-facing camera for easy video chatting. Both devices will provide download and browser speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G and be similar to a cable Internet connection.
The 4G LTE network builds on the 3G data services that U.S. Cellular customers already enjoy on the carrier's high-quality nationwide network. U.S. Cellular has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit uscellular.com/4G.
About King Street Wireless, L.P.
King Street Wireless, L.P. currently holds 700 MHz wireless spectrum in 27 states and is partnering with Chicago-based U.S. Cellular to deliver high-speed 4G LTE service to U.S. Cellular's customers in several of the carrier's markets. King Street Wireless is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia where it is recognized for its involvement in its community both through its economic development and philanthropic efforts. To learn more about King Street Wireless, visit www.kingstreetwireless.com.
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular rewards its customers with unmatched benefits and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier has a strong line-up of cutting-edge devices that are all backed by its high-speed nationwide network that has the highest call quality of any national carrier. U.S. Cellular was named a J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Customer Service Champion and received PC Magazine's 2011 Readers' Choice Award. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.
