Android News
Rumor: HTC Hero coming to US on Sprint network
June 26, 2009 | by Andrew Kameka
Carriers
The HTC Hero, slated for European release next month, will be coming to the United States in 2009. The carrier who offers it has yet to be determined, but rumors suggest that the Hero could be headed for service on Sprint.
PhoneNews reports that unnamed sources have revealed that Sprint is performing internal testing on the Hero, putting Sprint at the head of the pack of possible U.S. carriers for HTC’s new phone.
During the Hero press event, HTC revealed that a “distinct North American version” would be available towards the end of 2009. Distinct could mean anything, including working on the CDMA network used by Sprint rather than the GSM used by current Hero carriers Orange and T-Mobile UK.
T-Mobile’s Android-heavy slate might make it too busy to offer the Hero and AT&T is half-hearted about Android. It could be Verizon, who have a reputation of asking manufacturers to provide “distinct” versions, but Sprint appears to be the frontrunner for now.
I doubt that. There was recently a pretty comprehensive review posted, and at present, this phone looks like it's going to T-mo or Att due to the SIM card slot under the battery..
T-mobile said they will for sure not have the hero, att is a good bet to go against the pre
Sprint is heavily invested in the Pre, and T-Mobile is readying release of their "MyTouch" (G2), even though it's already being panned for some design and functionality shortcomings and quirks. AT&T is completely married to the iPhone, will have to remain so if it has any hope of retaining its exclusivity with Apple – particularly given the well-known complaints from their subscribers about 3G capacity. Plus, AT&T has other smartphone options available. So, rather than opting for a second-tier carrier like MetroPCS with poor nationwide coverage, they probably will push it onto someone looking for their own iPhone killer: say, Verizon?
Then Why doesn't T-Mo wait a few months and release it as just a new phone because This is the phone that is killing me to have… (currently have a G1 and I KNOW this is gonna be better than the MyTouch…
Um, of course its coming to T-mobile? Hello?
James, are you speaking from inside knowledge?
T-Mo def said they WEREN’T going to have it … hopefully they will see the STUPID mistake they made and try to get it back & put it out… Y didnt they just wait for the Hero?
Man, why is T-Mobile US the step child of T-Mobile UK and Europe. Why on earth they had to rush ahead with the bloody MyTouch and couldn't wait for the Hero is mind boggling. Hopefully T-Mob will change their mind as I refuse to get the MyTouch and refuse to go to Sprint or ATT, but if it ends up at Verizon then I might be jumping…
Verizon is gettin the Sholes and that is sounding like a comparable if not better phone than the HTC Hero plus it has a Keyboard… I may be going to Verizon and getting the sholes, T-Mo is about to lose ALOT of Android customers…