Kalispell is one of seven Montana cities where Verizon Wireless has launched its LTE-Advanced network.

Tapping into the LTE-Advanced network is free for Verizon customers with compatible devices that are operating with current software, according to a  Verizon spokeswoman.

While there is no indicator on a device that a phone is taking advantage of Verizon LTE Advanced, the customer will experience significantly faster speeds when using their devices for large data transfers or during times of peak traffic on the Verizon network, she said.

Customers also will be able to stream videos and music and play games at 50 percent faster peak speeds.

She compared LTE-Advanced’s ability to a highway during rush hour.

“By opening up additional lanes for traffic to proceed at fast, consistent speeds, cars can reach their destinations faster,” she said. “Oversized trucks can use two lanes at once instead of blocking all traffic. Because cars can now move faster, they get where they are going sooner and exit the highway, making room for more cars to merge into other lanes.”

In Montana, Verizon has launched the faster network in Billings, Butte, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula, in addition to Kalispell. The company now offers the faster wireless data speed to more than 288 million people in 461 cities in the United States.

“Our customers just received a major network enhancement for no additional cost,” Tami Erwin, head of operations for Verizon’s wireless unit, said in a prepared statement. “Verizon LTE-Advanced works like a turbocharger on an engine. Speed boosts kick in when you need it most, with big data use.”

Verizon has 39 LTE-Advanced capable phones and tablets already on its network, including top-selling Samsung Galaxy S6 and S7 smartphones, Moto Droids and Apple iPhones. As new devices from Apple, Samsung, LG and other manufacturers are introduced, they will be LTE-Advanced-capable right out of the box.

Customers with compatible devices won’t have any extra plan costs, no settings to charge or indicators to check with the advanced network, Beaulieu said.

Current devices that are capable of LTE-Advanced include Apple iPhone 6, Apple iPhone 6 Plus, Apple iPhone 6s, Apple iPhone 6s Plus, Apple iPhone 5 SE, Apple iPad Pro, Apple iPad Pro 9.7, Apple iPad Air 2, Apple iPad Mini 4, Asus Zenpad Z8, Blackberry PRIV, HTC 10, HTC Desire 626, HTC One M9, LG V10, LG G4, LG G5, Motorola Nexus 6, Moto X, Moto Z Force Droid, Moto Z Droid, Motorola Droid Turbo 2, Motorola Droid Turbo, Netgear MHS AC791L, Novatel MiFi i6620L, Novatel MiFi USB620L, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, Samsung Note 5, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy View, Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, Samsung Galaxy Tab E 8.0, Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Sony Xperia Z3v, Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.