Just as its 4G LTE trials in the US have demonstrated wireless data speeds significantly faster than today's 3G network speeds, Verizon Wireless has signed a deal to show the US National Football League (NFL) on its network.

The NFL deal sees Verizon displacing arch rival Sprint in mobile coverage of the NFL beginning with coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft to be held from April 22-24 and continuing through the regular season which ends in January 2011.

Football fans will be able to watch live streaming of NBC's Sunday Night Football and NFL Network's Thursday Night Football shows in addition to the NFL Network channel, which airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis, and is the only network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. Also included will be programming available for the first time during the regular season such as the NFL RedZone channel from the NFL Network, which airs live look-ins of every key play and touchdown from Sunday afternoon games.

Verizon believes that the NFL services will be even more enjoyable when it rolls out its LTE network during the season. Verizon plans to have 4G available in 25 to 30 markets in 2010 and in virtually all of its current nationwide 3G footprint by the end of 2013. Data from trials taking place in Boston and Seattle have indicated that the network is capable of peak download speeds of 40 to 50 Mbps and peak upload speeds of 20 to 25 Mbps.

Even though such speeds will not be typical in the day to day experience once the network is in commercial operation, Verizon says that average data rates of 5-12 Mbps on the downlink and 2-5 Mbps on the uplink in real-world environments are more likely. Such rates would be ideal to support a rich mobile video experience.