So how are the carriers doing now? Verizon still leads, but not as dramatically as a year ago, according to an update that RootMetrics sent me for today's column about a low-cost, prepaid carrier, MetroPCS, that has been rolling out LTE in the Philadelphia area. Even with non-LTE service, T-Mobile was in second place, lending credence to its promise to become the country's "leading value carrier" once it completes its recently announced merger with MetroPCS. Though they use different technologies now, both plan to end up with LTE.