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We have been hearing rumblings about how the HTC Hero was expected to become available with AT&T here in the US for a while now, and unfortunately at this time we still have nothing firm in regards to that. But we may have a glimmer of hope for any AT&T customer that is still holding out hope. Online retailer Negri Electronics is currently offering an unlocked HTC Hero that will support the AT&T 3G bands here in the US.

Of course, that little bit of good news comes in a few forms, and is also quickly taken back with the price tag. To begin with, this does not mean that AT&T will be releasing a Hero anytime soon, but the fact that one such model exists is a good sign.

Perhaps a little more important is that anyone can purchase this phone and use it with their existing AT&T SIM card. But with that you need to be prepared to pay a little premium because there is no subsidy with this one. Instead the purchase will set you back $579.50.

[Negri Electronics via PhoneArena]