Verizon Wireless says it has completed the first calls using a brand-new network that is planned to go live next year, offering faster Internet speeds.

The calls were made Friday in Boston and earlier in Seattle, using cell-tower equipment from Alcatel-Lucent and LM Ericsson AB. Prototype tablet-style handheld devices from LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. dialed in.

The calls used the 700 megahertz frequency band, just recently freed up for cellular use after being assigned to TV stations.

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