This week, I have been looking at a new phone from Verizon - the HTC Thunderbolt.

What makes this cell phone unique is that it is one of the first to use Verizon's new 4G LTE network. I've written about 4G before. It is an advanced wireless communication technology that is much faster than 3G, the older standard.

The exciting thing about this phone for me is not just that it is a phone with the latest technology - it is the fact that I am able to test this phone right here in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Amazingly, Verizon turned on its 4G service for our area last week.

To put this in perspective, you should know that most of the time, the rollout for a new cellular technology such as this occurs in large cities like New York and Chicago. Semi-rural areas like ours are usually the last to get these new technologies.

In fact, AT&T just upgraded our area to 3G in the last few months, and 3G has been available in other areas for years. So to have 4G from Verizon in our area so quickly is somewhat remarkable.

It is also quite wonderful. Using the 4G Thunderbolt is a real pleasure. The increase in speed is immediately noticeable.

Web pages appear quickly. Videos play smoothly. I was able to feel like I was in a big city while testing this phone from my home in Pinehurst.

So I must say thank you to Verizon for providing 4G in our area so quickly. I would also like to send kudos to Verizon for its work in helping to augment the education of our children in the areas of math, science and technology.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, focuses on education and domestic violence prevention. Last year, it awarded nearly $67 million to nonprofit agencies.

Verizon also has a thriving employee volunteer program. In 2010, Verizon employees volunteered more than 730,000 hours in our schools and local communities.

This foundation also uses the Web to promote educational excellence. Its Thinkfinity website (www.thinkfinity.org) provides lesson plans, learning games, homework help and other educational resources for teachers, parents and children. If you have a child or grandchild and want to get them interested in science and technology, this is a great website to visit.

The Thinkfinity website is an especially good resource for teachers. In fact, the Verizon Foundation just announced that in an effort to advance student achievement in the areas of science technology engineering and math for the 2011-2012 school year, >it is inviting public schools in North Carolina to apply for several financial grants. A total of $50,000 will be distributed to 10 schools across North Carolina later in the summer.

Applicants can apply for the grant online through the Verizon Foundation's website: www.verizon.com/foundation. The deadline to apply is July 1. So if you know any teachers, please make them aware of this outstanding opportunity. I would love to see one of our local schools obtain one of these grants.

It is great to see a company like Verizon giving our area such state of the art cellular service and at the same time supporting the education of our children in science and math.

Send your computer-related questions for publication in this column to Sandy Berger at sandy@compukiss.com.