HTCThunderBOLT2.JPGThe HTC ThunderBolt will be the first 4G LTE Android smartphone from Verizon Wireless.  Android and smartphone fans have been waiting to find out pricing and details about it.  The prices is expected to now be 9.99 with a launch date predicted sometime in February.

Leaked screenshots show the price of the HTC ThunderBolt as 9.99 for the period of 1/21/2011 to 7/21/2011.  Sales training appears to have started this week.

The HTC ThunderBolt has shown up at Walmart wireless with the description “The HTC ThunderBolt is Verizon’s first 4G LTE phone.”

The HTC ThunderBolt, when it was announced at CTIA, was supposed be the first smartphone from Verizon to offer simultaneous voice and data.  Recently, leaked documents suggest that the data will be 3G data, not 4G LTE data.  Verizon employees were informed that Verizon “cannot promise the experience will be one that is
consistent with [the] brand” and so are advising sales people to “not
reference this functionality as a benefit during your conversations with
customers.”

HTC claims that it is the first phone with integrated video Skype mobile – to any device, from anywhere – no Wi-Fi required via its
front-facing camera.

HTC ThunderBolt is a 4G LTE Android 2.2 smartphone with HTC
Sense,
4.3-inch touchscreen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, Skype video calling,
mobile hotspots, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.  Other features include a
builtt-in kickstand, Dolby/SRS surround sound, and DLNA support.

It makes sense that the HTC ThunderBolt will come out before the dual-core Droid Bionic because it has a 1GHz processor.  Verizon probably would not launch their first LTE phone during the iPhone launch starting February 10.  The new Verizon iPhone 4 cannot use voice and data at the same time but will have an unlimited data plan and mobile hotspots option.

WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS