Verizon expands 4G wireless network to Bemidji area

BEMIDJI – Verizon Wireless announced Thursday it expanded its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in to Bemidji, enabling customers in more areas of Minnesota to take advantage of the network.
The expanded 4G LTE coverage area in Bemidji includes:
-- North on U.S. Highway 71 to two miles south of Funkley;
-- South on U.S. Highway 71 to Lake Itasca State Park;
-- East on U.S. Highway 2 to two miles west of Ball Club;
-- West on U.S. Highway 2 to two miles west of Bagley.
In addition to Bemidji, towns included in the new 4G LTE coverage area include Bagley, Blackduck, Bena, Cass Lake, Hines, Lake George and Solway.
Verizon said its 4G LTE network allows customers to better experience in wireless data usage when streaming video, sharing music and photos, downloading files and surfing the Internet. The company claims the network is up to 10 times faster than its previous networks.
“The expansion of our 4G LTE network in the Bemidji area demonstrates our ongoing commitment to provide our customers with the best network, products and services available,” Seamus Hyland, president–Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless, said in a news release. “With the expanded 4G LTE network, residents and visitors to northern Minnesota can leverage the speed and connectivity offered by our 4G LTE devices to continue pushing the boundaries of communication.”
In real-world, fully loaded network environments, Verizon Wireless 4G LTE customers should experience average data rates of 5-12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2-5 Mbps on the uplink.
When customers travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, 4G LTE devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.
Verizon has introduced its 4G LTE network to more than 75 percent of the U.S. population, including Duluth, Moorhead, St. Cloud, Rochester and more cities in southern Minnesota.