NEW YORK – Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. wireless provider, said a connection problem with its fourth-generation network is preventing some mobile phones and other devices from accessing Internet services properly.
“Customers are temporarily unable to activate any 4G LTE devices,” Jeffrey Nelson, a Verizon Wireless spokesman, said in an emailed statement, referring to the carrier’s long-term evolution network.
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The company has been rolling out the faster network to boost sales of data plans and draw new customers. The carrier last month introduced its first 4G handset, the HTC Corp. ThunderBolt. Customers can also use the 4G network to connect laptops to the Internet.
While the glitch affects data services, people with 4G handsets are still able to make voice calls, Nelson said. He said Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Verizon Wireless is working with vendors to restore service to affected customers and expects service to be restored market-by-market, without providing details.
Verizon’s third-generation network, on which the Apple Inc. iPhone and Motorola Droid X handsets run, isn’t affected, said Nelson.
The carrier said April 21 it sold more than 500,000 4G devices, including 260,000 ThunderBolts, in less than a month during the first quarter.
Verizon Communications Inc., which co-owns the wireless carrier with Vodafone Group Plc, added 62 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $38.25 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have gained 6.9 percent this year.
Update on April 28 at 11 a.m. – Verizon Wireless said it restored service to its fourth-generation network after connection problems that began on Wednesday.
Jeffrey Nelson, a spokesman for the carrier, confirmed in an email on Thursday that the issue has been fixed. Some customers were unable to connect to the 4G network with handsets and laptops on Wednesday.
