LTE Value: Different for Providers Than Consumers

For most end users, fourth-generation networks, whether using Long Term Evolution, WiMAX or HPSA-Plus, are probably about faster speeds and therefore better experience. For mobile service providers, the primary advantages, for the moment, arguably are more about ensuring there is enough bandwidth to meet growing mobile broadband demand.

That might change over time, as new applications are developed. But, at least for the moment, mobile service providers likely view 4G as important primarily because it provides lower-cost bandwidth to be sold, and not so much because it is faster than 3G, or even clearly offers a differentiated end user experience.

LTE pull is capacity, not speeds: Telstra - Communications