MetroPCS launches first 4G LTE phone: Samsung SCH-r900 Craft

Samsung SCH-r900 Craft

Samsung SCH-r900 Craft

Today Samsung and MetroPCS officially announced the launch of the SCH-r900 Craft, the world's first commercially available multi-mode CDMA handset phone capable of running on 4G long term evolution networks - a technology more commonly known as LTE^(INFO). Samsung has said that users can expect LTE download speeds in the 3.5 to 4.0Mbps range, which is on par with many home broadband services.

The Samsung Craft has a 3.3-inch AMOLED^(INFO) touchscreen display as well as a sliding QWERTY keyboard. It also offers a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash. WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity are also included. The Craft will come with a 2GB microSD card that's preloaded with the movie "Star Trek," but the phone is capable of accepting cards as large as 32GB in size.

The Craft has been expected for quite some time. It was announced by Samsung in March, but little was revealed about it other than the model number and the promise that it would run on MetroPCS' 4G LTE network. MetroPCS' CEO most recently discussed it during the company's Q2 2010 earnings call in August, and a Samsung executive said that 4G LTE networks would launch in Las Vegas this month.

The Craft is available now for customers in the Las Vegas area both in MetroPCS stores and online for $299, after a $50 instant rebate.