Verizon Wireless has been deploying its LTE, or Long Term Evolution, network for some time now, with over 100 locations expected to be supported by the end of the year. But so far there have been no smartphones available to take advantage of the new network, should you happen to live in one of the few locations where the technology has already arrived.
But that wait is nearly over. The HTC Thunderbolt, the first LTE-ready Android smartphone from Verizon, is expected to begin shipping around Valentines Day. The 4.3-inch phone will run Android 2.2.1, have integrated LTE 700MHz network support for speeds up to 12Mbps, and include the expected array of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS hardware.
No word yet on pricing, but if you live in one of the 38 cities where LTE is already alive and kicking, will it really matter?