Verizon’s first 4G is finally on its way to store shelves this week, the company has revealed in a press release.
The HTC Thunderbolt, which was supposed to come out some time last month, was delayed without much notification, leaving many to wonder about the opening of Verizon’s new high-speed mobile network.
Now, though, Verizon has finally come forward to announce that the Thunderbolt will be available this Thursday, at a price of $250 for those who sign up for a new two-year service agreement.
It makes Verizon the last of the major mobile carriers to launch a 4G-enabled smartphone, though it has had its network up and running for months and has had a 4G MiFi device for sale for a while.
Nevertheless, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile all beat Verizon to the 4G punch. To make up for lost time, Verizon promises a very expansive network and reliable high-speed connections.
The Thunderbolt has Android 2.2 and feature’s HTC’s Sense interface. It also has an 8-megapixel camera, in addition to a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting. It comes with 8 GB of memory, a 1 GHz processor, and the ability to share that 4G connection with other devices thanks to Android’s mobile Wi-Fi hotspot fature.
As for 4G data plans on Verizon, an unlimited plan is available for just $30 per month, the same cost as the carrier’s 3G data plan. Nationwide talk plans begin at $40 per month. The mobile hotspot feature costs an additional $20 per month – again, the same as current 3G Android phones.
