We've known for quite some time that the timetable for LTE was significantly different from WiMAX - carriers have already started rolling out WiMAX service around the world while LTE was being talked about as a service that wouldn't be ready until about 2012. Now, though, that 2012 date is starting to sound a little optimistic to some experts.

Here is what wireless consultant Andrew Seybold had to say about the matter at his conference (which is being held in conjunction with the CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment conference in San Francisco):

• There is no huge rush on the part of the carriers to provide 4G services
• LTE likely wont become available until 2015
• LTE download speeds of 71-143 Mbps are entirely theoretical and will be considerably slower when they are applied to the real world.
• Handset and chip-makers are pushing to get LTE out there, not carriers

In other words, there is no real threat of LTE usurping 3G technologies like EVDO anytime soon. However, Seybold failed to mention anything about how WiMAX will effect 3G technologies, though - which is unfortunate since that is the technology that is actually becoming available as we speak...