Verizon got the jump on everyone with LTE, but AT&T has been doing its best to catch up. The carrier's newly announced upgrade plans should get it a fair way toward that goal. Ma Bell is flipping the switch on 5 new LTE markets and 8 expansions this very day, but the rate of the rollout is going to pick up for the rest of the year. AT&T plans to launch at least 50 new markets before January 1st.

Here are the markets getting new LTE today:

New Markets:

  • Ruston, LA
  • New Bern, NC
  • State College, PA
  • Georgetown, SC
  • Jayuya, PR

Expansions:

  • Atlanta, GA expansion (Putnam County)
  • Baton Rouge, LA expansion
  • Lafayette, LA expansion (St. Martin Parish)
  • Shreveport, LA expansion (north & south)
  • Oxford, MS expansion (Panola County, Lafayette County)
  • Albany, NY expansion (Delmar, Troy)
  • San Juan, PR expansion
  • Guayama, PR expansion

AT&T has even gone so far as to provide a list of the communities scheduled to get LTE this year. The full PR with the list of cities is right below. Get ready to scroll – there really are 50 of them. That will add up to over 400 markets for AT&T by the end of 2013.

DALLAS, TEXAS, AUGUST 21, 2013 —AT&T* plans to roll out 4G LTE in at least 50 additional markets by the end of this year, bringing even more customers all the benefits of the nation’s fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network**. AT&T 4G LTE currently covers more than 225 million people and 370 markets, and by the end of 2013, coverage is expected to expand to nearly 270 million people and more than 400 markets.

Markets that are scheduled to have AT&T 4G LTE service by the end of the year are:

1. Fairbanks, AK

2. Dothan, AL

3. Selma, AL

4. Redding, CA

5. Durango, CO

6. Pueblo, CO

7. Tifton, GA

8. Waycross, GA

9. Kauai, HI

10. The Big Island, HI

11. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

12. Twin Falls, ID

13. Lewiston, ID-WA

14. Decatur, IL

15. Kankakee-Bradley, IL

16. Peoria, IL

17. Paducah, KY-IL

18. Alexandria, LA

19. Lake Charles, LA

20. Lewiston-Auburn, ME

21. Battle Creek, MI

22. Jackson, MI

23. Joplin, MO

24. Poplar Bluff, MO

25. Rolla, MO

26. Brookhaven, MS

27. McComb, MS

28. Natchez, MS-LA

29. Kalispell, MT

30. Greenville, NC

31. Jacksonville, NC

32. Fargo, ND-MN

33. Elmira, NY

34. Utica-Rome, NY

35. Portsmouth, OH

36. Sandusky, OH

37. East Stroudsburg, PA

38. Pottsville, PA

39. Abilene, TX

40. Amarillo, TX

41. Longview, TX

42. Marshall, TX

43. San Angelo, TX

44. Tyler, TX

45. Port Angeles, WA

46. Appleton, WI

47. Fond du Lac, WI

48. Oshkosh-Neenah, WI

49. Gillette, WY

50. Sheridan, WY