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The average 4G LTE speeds in the largest U.S. cities

In the largest U.S. cities by population, what 4G speeds can you expect to have?
Charlie Osborne, Contributing Writer
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The largest 10 U.S. cities and their 4G LTE coverage

4G LTE network coverage is expanding worldwide.

While the U.S. enjoys rapidly expanding 4G coverage -- made possible due to spectrum auctions and extensive investment in networks by carriers -- the United Kingdom has only recently had 4G LTE networks switched on. Some European areas, including Brussels, remain a black spot, but the foundations have been laid for these services in places including Africa.

However, finding the best cities for coverage can prove to be a difficult task. Some web and app-based firms, such as Opensignal (available on Android and iOS), allow you to find better mobile signals, nearby free W-Fi networks and test their connections, and also allow you to search 4G coverage based on location.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the coverage available in the ten largest U.S. cities by population. Opensignal researchers used data compuled by speedtests actively run by the app users to compile the average download and upload speed of 4G LTE speeds in each city.

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San Jose

City: San Jose

Population: 982,765 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 8.2 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 10.8 mbps


San Jose the third-largest city in California and seat of Santa Clara County. San Jose is the capital of Silicon (Santa Clara) Valley, where many high-tech firms are based. The area is also one of the world's leading centers for medical treatment and research.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Dallas

City: Dallas

Population: 1,241,162 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 9.1 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 8.6 mbps


Dallas is the second-largest city in Texas. Aside from being a popular tourist destination and mired in the oil business, Dallas is a leading commercial, marketing, and industrial hub in the southwest.

Image credit: Flickr

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San Diego

City: San Diego

Population: 1,338,348 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 7.1 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 9.6 mbps


San Diego is the second-largest city in California, located in the southwest part of the state on San Diego Bay. Today, San Diego's harbor is a busy commercial port and a hub of U.S. naval operations.

Image credit: Flickr

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
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San Antonio

City: San Antonio

Population: 1,382,951 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 7.5 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 6.6 mbps


San Antonio is the third-largest city in Texas. San Antonio is a leading livestock center and one of the largest U.S. produce exchange markets.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Phoenix

City: Phoenix

Population: 1,488,750 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 6.9 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 9.7 mbps


Phoenix is the capital of Arizona and seat of Maricopa County, is the largest city in the state. It is located in the center of Arizona, on the Salt River. Major industries include government, agricultural products, aerospace technology, electronics and leather goods.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
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Philadelphia

City: Philadelphia

Population: 1,547,607 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 6.9 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 5.5 mbps


The city of Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is home to branches of the U.S. Mint, the Federal Reserve System, and the Internal Revenue Service.

Image credit: Flickr

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
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Houston

City: Houston

Population: 2,160,821 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 8.4 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 7.3 mbps


Houston, the largest city in Texas, is located in the southeast part of the state near the Gulf of Mexico. Houston is well-known for oil and natural-gas production and is an energy capital of the world.

Image credit: Flickr

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
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Chicago

City: Chicago

Population: 2,714,856 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 7.4 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 6.6 mbps


Chicago is the largest city in Illinois and the seat of Cook County. Chicago is a major Great Lakes port and the commercial, financial, industrial, and cultural center of the Midwest.

 

Image credit: Flickr

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Los Angeles

City: Los Angeles

Population: 3,857,799 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 7.15 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 7.45 mbps


Los Angeles is the largest city in California and the second largest urban nation in the United States. Los Angeles is a major hub of shipping, manufacturing, industry, and finance, and is a well-known tourist destination.

Image credit: Flickr

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
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New York City

City: New York City

Population: 8,336,697 

Average 4G LTE upload speed: 8.4 mbps

Average 4G LTE download speed: 6.7 mbps


New York is the largest city in the United States. Located at the mouth of the Hudson river, NYC, otherwise known as "The Big Apple," is a major world capital for business, fashion and retail.

 

Image credit: Flickr

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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