T-Mobile, the operator amidst the process of  being acquired by AT&T, is doubling the speed of its 4G networks to 42Mbps this month. This increase will affect 55 markets in the U.S, including Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Pittsburg and others. Support for this speed in Las Vegas, New York and Orlando was announced back in March.

In addition to increasing download speeds T-Mobile also introduced a number of new data plans, including two No Annual Contract and a suite of more customized, smaller family plans:

“T-Mobile’s “unlimited” Monthly 4G plans require no annual contract. The plans also offer unlimited talk, unlimited text and unlimited Web surfing, with the first 100MB of data at 4G speeds where available, for $50; or, for $70, unlimited talk, text and Web with the first 5GB of data at 4G speeds where available.”

These plans cover Android, Windows Phone as well as Blackberry devices.  To top that all off, T-Mobile is also launching the first data stick to support these higher speeds tomorrow. The Rocket 3.0 will set customers back $99 after $50 mail-in rebate that comes with a 2-year contract.

Sprint, in a partnership with Clearwire and Comcast, also recently expanded the Clearwire 4G network to support much of the Greater Bay Area. Verizon however is pushing it all up a notch, and is currently in the process of deploying  100G networks in Los Angeles, New York and Kansas City. The carrier has started a similar initiative in Europe, but is certainly not the only one who’s entering this new space.

Google is deploying a 1 Gbps network in Kensas City, as a part of an effort to get ISPs to offer higher internet speeds, according to the company. When launched, Google’s network will offer service to between 500,000 and 1 million people in the area.