Appalachian Wireless Unveils LTE Service

Appalachian Wireless unveiled its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in heavily populated areas of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Kentucky. At launch the company will offer LTE connectivity via both handsets and tablets, with a premium 50GB ‘data pack’ priced at USD329.99 per month. The next phase of the company’s 4G rollout is tentatively scheduled for August this year. Gerald Robinette, CEO of Appalachian Wireless, is quoted as saying: ‘I am thrilled to death for what we can do with LTE, and I’m more than thrilled for what the customer will be able to do with LTE’.

Appalachian Wireless became the twelfth regional mobile operator to sign up to Verizon’s ‘LTE in Rural America’ programme, in October 2011. Under the terms of the agreement Verizon leased the cellco spectrum in the 700MHz ‘Upper C’ block in service areas where it had opted not to roll out its own LTE network. Going forward, Appalachian Wireless customers will have access to Verizon Wireless’ LTE network throughout the US.