AT&T boosts LTE service in Northwest suburbs
AT&T, which has its Midwest headquarters in Hoffman Estates, said it has completed its LTE rollout around many Northwest suburbs.
That means AT&T customers here have more capacity on their mobile phones to upload more data, said AT&T spokeswoman Erin McGrath.
Business and individual customers in Barrington, South Barrington, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Lake Zurich, Niles, Rolling Meadows, Wauconda, Kildeer, Wheeling, Palatine and Mount Prospect likely have seen the improved coverage in recent weeks.
“We have launched 4G LTE in 228 markets and cover more than 200 million people,” McGrath said. “We expect to cover 300 million people with 4G LTE by year-end 2014. In our 22-state wireline service area, we expect 4G LTE will cover 99 percent of all customer locations. Beyond that, we expect to announce additional market launches on an ongoing basis.”
This is part of the company's plan announced in September 2011 to provide the long-term evolution network, along with the race to 4G speeds, with improved cell sites. It promises faster mobile Internet speeds and improved performance on new 4G LTE-compatible devices.
Arch-competitor Verizon Wireless, which has its Midwest headquarters in Schaumburg, also continually enhances its 4G network, said Verizon spokeswoman Andrea Meyer.
Small cells, or short range mobile cell sites, are being used to complement larger macro cells, or cell towers. The strategy aims to boost the network for mobile devices and their downloading capabilities, Verizon said on its website.
But which provider is faster boils down to where you spend time and the network speeds in your area, said Jeff Kagan, an independent telecommunications analyst.
“However, buying based on speed is not a sound decision because both AT&T and Verizon are always rushing as fast as they can to increase speeds,” Kagan said. “They always have and they always will.”
In any particular area, things can be different. Verizon can lead in some markets and AT&T leads in other markets. What's next is AT&T will continue to expand their 4G speeds throughout their existing coverage area, Kagan said.
“So the build out is not over,” Kagan said. “It's never over. Next will come 5G. Are you ready?” he asked.
Surfing: Oak Brook-based Chiro One Wellness Centers, a provider of chiropractic services, launched its new e-store, Wellness Source at www.chiroone.net/wellness-source. It features products also sold in specific Chiro One clinics, such as pillows and traction aids, along with analgesic, massage, rehabilitation and exercise supplies.
Ÿ Will County Treasurer Steve Weber offers an Android app that allows smartphone users in Will County a chance to review their property tax bills, find more than 100 local bank and credit union branches that accept payments, and contact their local Township Assessor's office. To download the free app, search for “Will County Collector” on Google Play or visit the treasurer's website at www.WillCountyTreasurer.com. An iPhone version will be available on iTunes soon.
Ÿ As we reported in April, American Digital Corp., an IT Solutions provider that helps design and implement IT infrastructure for business customers, has finished moving into its new 7,500-square-foot corporate headquarters in Elk Grove Village. The new location will help extend its offerings to include the recent acquisition of Helixstorm, a provider of IT managed services in California.
Ÿ The 3Gstore in Cary said it's selling Pepwave Surf SOHO, a new 3G/4G mobile broadband router from for home and small business customers. It costs $129.99.
Ÿ Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter. Write to her at akukec@dailyherald.com.