The much anticipated iPhone 5 from Apple finally hit the store shelves in September 2012. Besides the phone, it brought in an enhanced high-speed wireless network technology known as 4G LTE (fourth generation Long Term Evolution) to the masses. Wireless carriers such as Verizon Wireless and AT&T spent billions of dollars upgrading their networks to provide faster internet services and to boost capacity to satisfy new demand. So, far these improvements cost carriers over $6.75 billion and expect to spend additional $62 billion by 2016 for global 4G coverage.
The 4G LTE will allow smartphones to stream high-definition movies; handle video chats; and store files and photos on clouds. It is anticipated that 4G could handle twice the capacity of 3G networks, smartphone, tablets, video-streaming and cloud computing services. Sales of devices are expected to reach 50 million units by the end of the year. AT&T has two million devices connected to its LTE services. Holiday season is the busiest season for sales of gadgets. In anticipation of demand from new devices, carriers have introduced new caps for services as well as shared plans. Carriers charge a hefty fee for overages. Additionally, carriers are finding ways to handle high demand events and times by finding available Wi-Fi routes.