As promised, Verizon Wireless lit up its 400th LTE market on Thursday in Marquette, Mich. as part of a nationwide multi-market expansion of the network. The service is now available in more than 415 markets nationwide and covers 250 million people.

C Spire Wireless came out with its first LTE-capable USB modem today, the Franklin Wireless Smart USB Hotspot. The device functions both as a traditional dongle and a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to five devices. It retails for $30 with two-year contract. The modem is the operator’s third LTE device since it launched the network last month. Its other LTE devices include the Samsung Galaxy S III and Motorola Photon Q.

ABI Research issued a bullish report on NFC mobile payments yesterday, predicting the amount of money spent through the technology would rise from $4 billion this year to $191 billion in 2017. The research firm conceded that there are a number of hurdles such as unproven business models and a lack of real-world trials, but said an increase in NFC-capable smartphones would increase the use of the technology for ticketing and transportation transactions.

Sprint has added Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Mobile Fusion to its mobile device management suite. “Adding BlackBerry Mobile Fusion to our portfolio broadens the options we have available for our customers to meet their varied needs and mobile environments,” John Dupree, Sprint senior vice president of business sales, said in a statement. The solution is offered through Sprint Professional Mobility Services.