As a company nears to getting merged with a bigger one, it generally narrows down network upgrading attempts but the story happens to be different with T-Mobile. On April 5, T-Mobile announced that it is bringing its 4G HSPA+ network to 10 new cities, and it’s also moving forward with plans to double its 4G speeds to 42 megabits per second in some markets. T-Mobile’s new 4G markets include Ames, Iowa; Anderson, Indiana; Battle Creek, Benton Harbor and Jackson, Michigan; Fort Collins-Loveland, Colorado; Lawrence and Manhattan, Kansas; Springfield, Illinois and Wichita Falls, Texas.

Verizon’s brand-new LTE 4G network has theoretical download speeds of up to 21 Mbps This means that T-Mobile`s boosted network service which will soon launch in Las Vegas, New York and Orland will help T-Mobile climb up the chart, beating Verizon. It’s much easier for T-Mobile to expand its 4G network since it isn’t relying on LTE or WiMax 4G technology which is in vogue. It is to be noted that HSPA+ is more like a 3G technology with enhanced appeal.

In the long run, it hardly matters to the customers how their network is getting faster. What matters is enhanced download speeds. HSPA+ is already available on several T-Mobile devices, although only newer devices will be able to take advantage of the full 42 Mbps speeds. Both LTE and WiMaxrequire power-hungry radios in mobile devices but T-Mobile`s technology assures battery life advantages.

T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network currently covers over 200 million people and aims to reach 2.5 billion people by 2015. An advanced version of HSPA+ possibly reaching speeds of an outlandishly high 672Mbps makes it even more attractive.

With AT&T`sexpected purchase of T-Mobile within a year and its significantly expanded LTE footprint, there may be a negative effect on HSPA+ innovation from the combined company.