In head to head speed tests performed by BTIG Research, the new Verizon 4G LTE network was consistently much faster than the Sprint WiMax 4G network in comparing 4G upload speeds, download speeds, and latency factor. The network speed tests were conducted by Walter Piecyk and his BTIG Research team over 1,000 times in New York City.
In comparing the Verizon 4G LTE vs Sprint WiMax network, Piecyk used the new HTC Thunderbolt for running the speed tests on Verizon's LTE network and the popular HTC EVO for running the speed tests on Sprint's WiMax 4G network. As you can see from the chart we've included at the bottom of the post (courtesy of BGR), the tests were done in a building. One set of 4G network speed tests were performed near a window and the other away to account for real life cell coverage and signal strength variations. Additionally, the speed tests were performed using the mobile hotspot features of both smartphones. Piecyk connected to both 4G networks, through each smartphone's mobile hotspot, using an iPad 2 and a Toshiba laptop.
The Verizon 4G LTE vs Sprint WiMax results were astounding. On average, spanning all 4G network speed tests and accounting for the different locations in which the tests were performed, the Verizon 4G LTE network averaged 9.10 Mbps Down vs 1.17 Mbps Down on the Sprint WiMax network, 5.28 Mbps Up on the new Verizon 4G LTE network vs 0.66 Up on Sprint's WiMax network, and a latency factor of only 143 on Verizon's 4G network vs 314 on the Sprint WiMax network.
Clearly, once the results were in, there really wasn't much of a comparison between the two 4G networks in consideration of how much stronger the new Verizon LTE network performed.
If you're a Verizon customer with an upgrade in your near future these tests bode well for the 4G network performance that you should expect to get as more LTE capable handsets become available. Of course, you'll be paying a premium for the network as Verizon is certainly not the cheapest wireless service provider out there, but at least it looks like it's going to be money well spent!
