Those networks aren't even out yet, so how do you know they will be? Those specs are pre-release, and as anyone knows companies will always give "best case scenario" specs as opposed to "real world".
Verizon press release:
12/14/06
A little more on the rumor yesterday that Verizon Wireless was planning to officially launch EVDO Revision A upgrades in ten markets this Friday: "We’ve had a number of communities lit up with Rev. A for a few months, and expect to introduce a first PC card in the coming weeks," says a Verizon Wireless Spokesman to GigaOM's Katie Fehrenbacher. "We won’t be announcing a launch of Rev. A until we hit a significant number of markets up and running, though." It doesn't sound like Friday as a launch date sounds too promising, but stay tuned.
As part of our continued efforts to bring you the best service possible, we will begin upgrading our high-speed wireless broadband network in February 2007. In order to continue to enjoy all the great benefits of BroadbandAccess, customers with affected PC Cards and PDAs will need to download the appropriate software upgrade. Without this important software upgrade, your PC Card or PDA will no longer be able to connect to BroadbandAccess effective February 2007. Please read the following information to see if your PC Card or PDA requires an update.
Wireless Technologies
Edge CDMA2000/1 x EV-DO WCDMA/UMTS
Standard 2.5G 3G 3G
Usage WWAN WWAN WWAN
Throughput Max 384Kbps Max 2.4 Mbps Max 2Mbps
(typical 300-600Kbps) (Up to 10Mbps with
HSDPA technology)
Range Typical 1-5 miles Typical 1-5 miles Typical 1-5 miles
Frequency 1900MHz 400, 800, 900, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100MHz
1800, 1900, 2100MHz
Again, UP TO 10MBPS WITH HSDPA TECHNOLOGY. Verizon and Sprint do not have HSDPA.
In a press release, Nortel said it and Qualcomm have successfully achieved 7.2 megabits per second (Mbps) mobile data calls based on the Universal Mobile Telephone System - High Speed Downlink Packet Access (UMTS-HSDPA) standard. The companies plan to demonstrate high-resolution video streaming enabled by the turbo-speed throughput during CTIA Wireless 2006 in Las Vegas , April 5-7 (already happened).
The news is a big help for network operators like Cingular (News - Alert) Wireless, which has placed bets on Qualcomm’s HSDPA solutions to provide the technology roadmap for the video and multimedia offerings of tomorrow.
Moreover, the actual specs for RVDO Rev A show so far Sprint leads by just a margin in time to market it's 10-city launch of its EVDO Rev A network yesterday. Customers in major cities like San Francisco, New York City and Los Angeles will be able to get average upload speeds of 300-400 kbps (compared with 50-70 kbps of current EV-DO networks) and an average download speed of 450–800 kbps.
Cingular HSDPA at 7.2 MBPS compared to 2, maybe 3, MBPS (IF all conditions are met to establish a perfect connection) seems a big difference to me...
Look, this is ridiculous, both technologies are keeping up with the other. Cingular, Sprint, Verizon, WHO CARES. The point is, all three companies are leading the market. The difference is the markets they cover. Cingular is international and DOES WORK IN JAPAN. You can rent phones in Japan and use your Cingular SIM card.
http://forums.cingular.com/cng/board/message?board.id=international&message.id=2151
http://forums.cingular.com/cng/board/message?board.id=international&message.id=1185
You can not use Verizon or Sprint in anywhere but North America. As I travel internationally, it is a HUGE difference for me. Over 1 Billion people use GSM. Verizon and Sprint are NOT international. That's a big difference. Until they are, who cares what their DL speeds are? Americans? Pffft.