The nation's only true third generation wireless network is about to go national. Verizon has announced the company intends to invest $1 billion into its EvDO BroadbandAccess system to bring the network country-wide by 2005. The service, which offers wireless speeds between 300 and 500kbps (with infrequent bursts up to 2.4Mbps), is currently only offered in San Diego and Washington D.C.

According to Verizon's press release, the upgrades will begin immediately, with many areas going on-line throughout the summer of 2004. The service will be available for a flat rate of $79.99 monthly, with a one-year contract. Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg is set to demo the service later today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

We've been particularly hard on Verizon in the past for their horrid track record when it comes to fiber deployments and phone bill trickery, but when it comes to wireless connectivity, the company is certainly getting the job done. While Consumer Reports recently had a field day slamming wireless carriers in their latest analysis (see RCR Wireless News), Verizon Wireless ranked number one in every city surveyed (though not without the potential for improvement).

Like other U.S. wireless carriers, Verizon initially attempted to pass of their 1XRTT "Express Network" service as third generation, though in reality it teetered across the finish line in "2.5G" fashion. The service claimed speeds of 144 kbps, though users only saw speeds between 40 and 60kbps, and with a fairly hefty price-tag throughout 2002.

In the summer of 2003, the company unveiled their Evolution Data Only (EvDO) network in Washinton and San Diego. RBC Capital Markets tested the new service in 20 locations throughout San Diego, finding the speeds to be as advertised; 329kbps downstream on average. Business Week recently reviewed the service, and while pleased with the speeds, noted concern about sluggish logins. The review also mentions some issues with staying connected when laptops enter power-conservation mode. Upstream speeds are the services weak-point, often barely exceeding dial-up speeds.

The only other carrier to deploy EVDO connectivity in the states is Monet Networks, who launched a small trial run in Duluth, Minnesota. The majority of other carriers remain faithful to various other standards. Sprint and AT&T have been engaged in advertising pugilism, engaged in a back-and-forth of the speeds of their respective networks. In the hopes of thrilling someone, someplace, AT&T recently launched their EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution) network, offering speeds between 100 to 130 kbps for $79.99 a month. That price can be expected to fall with Verizon's announcement.

According to the FCC website, to be able to truly call a service third generation wireless, it must be capable of minimum speeds of 144kbps while in motion (traffic), 384kbps while walking, and 2Mbps while stationary indoors. So while all of these companies may be skirting the true definition of third generation, for the time being the name of the game for U.S. wireless carriers will be playing catch-up with Verizon Wireless when it comes to mobile broadband.