New York - Jan 14, 2011 - WOR-AM successfully broadcast the two hour "Joan Hamburg Show" from the 21 Club via Comrex Access utilizing the new Verizon 4G LTE wireless data service. The broadcast was originally scheduled to use a POTS codec with a 4G backup, but phone line issues forced a switch to the Access system at the beginning of the broadcast.

"The skyscraper-lined streets of Manhattan have often presented special challenges for radio remote broadcasts," said Tom Hartnett, Comrex technical director, who participated in the test. "ISDN is difficult and expensive to install, and 3G signals are notoriously overloaded. The new Verizon 4G service allows Access to deliver incredible quality and low delay in environments that couldn't previously support any wireless remote broadcasts. The 700MHz band used by Verizon LTE provides for superior building penetration."

The WOR technical crew utilized the Access portable codec with the Verizon Pantech UML290 4G adapter attached via USB. Tom Ray, corporate director for engineering at Buckley Broadcasting/WOR said, "We had attempted Access remotes on 3G in NYC before. It simply doesn't work well inside the city. So I was skeptical about using 4G in Manhattan. We were in an area that is notorious for poor cellular calls. But the 4G just simply worked. I must say that I'm impressed."

Support for the Verizon UML290 4G modem is included in Access firmware version 2.8, available from the Comrex website.