Research confirms the obvious: Verizon’s 4G LTE network faster than Sprint’s WiMAX [In NYC at least]

New research from analysts over BTIG confirms what many in the industry already know: Verizon’s 4G LTE network is crazy fast and Sprint’s WiMAX network is slow and lacks coverage. The testing methodology involved over 1,000 speed tests done in New York City using an HTC Thunderbolt (pictured above) and HTC Evo 4G. Both devices were turned into wireless hotspots and an iPad 2 and Toshiba laptop were used to run the numbers. On average Verizon’s 4G LTE network scored 9.10 megabits down, 5.28 megabits up, and a latency of 143 milliseconds. Compare that to Sprint’s WiMAX network that got 1.17 megabits down, 0.66 megabits up, and a latency of 314 milliseconds. Now to be far Sprint’s WiMAX network is older and thus has more subscribers using it, but that’s still no excuse. Sprint’s been actively testing LTE and have been mulling a transition for quite a while now. We should be hearing an announcement regarding the potential switch sometime during the summer.

What we’d like to know is what sorts of results T-Mobile’s new 42 Mbps HSPA+ network is going to get. There should be wireless hotspot devices supporting the new high speed network coming out over the next few months. Initial tests show that T-Mobile is capable of delivering 25 megabits down using a USB modem. It’s going to be a while until T-Mobile releases a mobile phone that supports 42 Mbps HSPA+, but it’ll happen sooner rather than later since networks that fast are springing up all over Europe and Asia at a ferocious clip.

Back to Sprint, the only way they can compete now is on pricing. They’re arguably the only operator that doesn’t have data caps and they don’t even throttle. Want to churn through 100 GB in a month? Knock yourself out. Once they change that policy, if they decide to do so, then there’s no reason to even consider them as your next operator.