AT&T Mobility Chief Executive Ralph de la Vega said that the company’s 4G network would catch up to Verizon’s by 2014.

Speaking at the All ThingsD D9 conference at Rancho Palos Verde in California, Ralph de la Vega reportedly said that the 4G networks (Verizon’s and AT&T’s) would probably be indistinguishable in the next three years.

Verizon Wireless’ fourth-generation technology has been available since December last year, while AT&T is yet to make debut. AT&T’s 4G LTE network will be launched in the second half of this year in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

AT&T aims to ultimately cover 97 per cent of the United States with its 4G network. Verizon also wants its 4G network to cover around 97-98 per cent of the country.

Earlier this year, AT&T lost its exclusive rights to sell Apple's iPhone as carrier’s network was allegedly posing problems to iPhone customers. Apple’s ended AT&T’s exclusivity and made the phone available via AT&T’s rival carrier Verizon.

AT&T has hit a $39 billion acquisition deal with T-Mobile USA. Ralph de la Vega defended the deal, which is yet to be approved by federal regulators, saying it would improve service for customers.