Verizon Wireless has LTE, Sprint has WiMAX, both are considered 4G networks, but when it comes to T-Mobile and their HSPA+ network they seem to be under some impression that HSDP+ qualifies as a 4G network

However, according to an article over on Information Week by Eric Zeman, HSPA+ has for quite some time been considered a 3.5G network and a step behind LTE, and apparently T-Mobile calling HSPA+ a 4G network is basically rubbish as far as the International Telecommunications Union is concerned, and they don’t even consider LTE or WiMAX qualifying 4G.

Then again T-Mobile seems to be somewhat adamant in their labelling of the HSPA+ network as 4G as T-Mobile’s chief technology officer, Neville Ray states…

“4G is about performance and today T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network is delivering 4G speeds that match and often beat WiMAX and are readily comparable to what early LTE will deliver. Our 4G network is capable of theoretical speeds up to 21Mbps and we have seen average download speeds approaching 5Mbps on our myTouch 4G phone in some cities with peak speeds of nearly 12Mbps. Further, independent reviewers have seen average download speeds on our webConnect Rocket between 5 and 8Mbps with peak speeds up to 8-10Mbps.”

And Zeman says that T-Mobile’s numbers add up as he’ tested the T-Mobile network “extensively” against Sprint’s WiMax and Verizon’s 3G network and found that T-Mobile HSPA+ delivers a faster performance. He used his T-Mobile myTouch 4G and managed download speeds of over 5.3Mbps while the fastest download on a Verizon Mifi was 1.8Mbps.

But when it boils right down to it with the consumer does it really matter if T-Mobile claims to have a 4G network as long at if delivers the faster speeds? Would our readers opt to go with T-Mobile over Sprint or Verizon due to T-Mobile’s claim that HSPA+ is a 4G network?