AT&T today announced Nov. 6 launch for its first pair of LTE-capable smartphones, the HTC Vivid and Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket.
The HTC Vivid is powered by a dual core 1.2 GHz processor and features a 4.5-inch qHD display, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1080p video capture and 16GB of native storage (expandable to 32GB). The Vivid will cost $199.99 online and in stores with a two-year commitment.
Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S II (Skyrocket) is powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and features a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED display, 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video capture and 16GB of native storage (expandable to 32GB). The Skyrocket will cost $249.99 online and in stores with a two-year commitment.
“These two LTE-powered superphones will be our 20th and 21st Android devices in 2011, adding to an outstanding year of Android success,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, in a statement. “We’ve far exceeded our commitment to offer 12 new Android devices this year – now including our first 4G LTE smartphones.”
Both devices come running Android and will launch concurrently with new LTE markets Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Athens, Ga. The Nov. 6 launches expand AT&T’s LTE network to nine markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
AT&T says it plans to reach 15 markets and reach 70 million Americans by year-end 2011.
AT&T will offer tiered LTE data plans starting at $15 per month. Existing smartphone customers do not have to make changes to their data plan. DataPlus provides 200 megabytes (MB) of data for just $15 per month. An additional 200 MB of data usage is $15. DataPro provides 2 gigabytes (GB) of data for $25 per month. An additional 1 GB of data is $10.
Customers who want to use their device as a mobile hotspot can sign up for DataPro 4GB for $45 a month, which allows users to tether or share a data connection across multiple devices.
Today’s announcement moves AT&T one step closer to Verizon Wireless’ coattails. Verizon has been the frontrunner in the LTE space and currently offers seven LTE-capable smartphones. Verizon Wireless currently offers LTE in 165 cities, covering 168 million people. The company says it will cover its entire 3G footprint with LTE by the end of 2013.
