Politics Matter: Verizon Picks West Virginia for LTE Launch

Verizon said it will roll out its new 4G wireless network in Charleston, West Virginia before the end of this year, making the municipality one of 38 cities where the nation's largest carrier plans to deploy begin deploying its Long Term Evolution network technology before the close of the year.

Verizon will host a press conference next week with Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), but the news is more style than substance. So far, the Verizon release is short on details such as when the network will roll out: it may be the first announced but not the first deployed. However, for a rural state the news is still worth noting. For those of you wondering why West Virginia is receiving such an honor, Se. Rockefeller is the chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology, the committee that oversees telecommunications regulations. He has the influence to make Verizon's life difficult and as the senator of a heavily rural state, he's pushed for better broadband access and competition.