HTC Hero hits FCC with US 3G

No mention was made of a Hero with 3G that'd work on Rogers or AT&T back at its announcement a few days ago, but HTC has been getting awfully good at making phones that work properly around these parts -- so we can't say we're entirely surprised to see a Hero approved for WCDMA on Bands II and V gracing the FCC today. For the record, Bands II and V are 1900 and 850MHz, respectively, which is exactly the combo AT&T subscribers would need to flip the switch on high-speed data. We're not sure if this negates rumors that the Hero would be coming to Sprint, but if we can just get this version released and in our hands, you know... maybe our minds would be operating with a little more clarity.

[Andre @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:02AM]

EPIC WIN!!!!!!
Truthfully ive been a nokia fan for ages and sure the n97 is one heck of a device (I have the 5800 now) but the UI on the hero has me giggling like an excited little girl...and its making me seriously consider the Hero as a device id want to get....hopefully if at&t get it they wont butcher the %#!T out of the ui..

[Cheesus(Crust) @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:36AM]

I know right!
They fucked up the E71 with AT&T shit(You can't remove their shit from the menu), and ruined the Touch Pro by changing the keyboard and taking out the front camera!

Go to Hell AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile for your overpriced, data plan required contracts!
T-Mobile especially since they charge $35 a month(More then anybody else), on ANY type of good phone be it a multimedia, or Blackberry, when they don't even have 3G!

[Andre @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:40AM]

I dont think it'll remove their crap even if u did a total flash, and im not even certain that the OS can be hacked either...and to some of the posters below...pray and hope that its not a standard android install becuz that would disregard the device as a g1 rehash and it wont sell well on at&t. leave the UI as is ....PLZ!

[Cheesus(Crust) @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:58AM]

I have a Touch Pro(with T-Mobile), I bought the AT&T version unlocked it, then flashed it to the heROM. That DOES in fact remove the AT&T stuff, and makes it hell of a lot faster too!

[Lazy Genius @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:19PM]

@cheesus

tmo charges $35 a month for unlimited data AND texting.... iphone data plan is $30 for unlimited data ONLY then $20 more for unlimited texting.

[ALBGunner04 @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:34PM]

Same thing for Nokia phones, you can change the product code of the phone and force it to upgrade firmware through a generic one which has no crap on it. That's how I removed the crap from Rogers from my N95. These things usually avoid warranties though which is the downside, but if you can keep your phone living, you'll be good.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jul 2nd 2009 2:03PM]

If this happens on at&t, SOLDIELOCKS!!

[Hurricane @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:03AM]

How long does it take a device to hit the market once it's gone to the FCC? My pre is starting to let me down...

[Luis @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:35PM]

Your kidding or trolling....right ? that thing has only just been releasd

[Chuck @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:04AM]

I'm a long time Nokia fan with an N97, but if the hero comes around i'm switching. I liked the UI on my G1 but the hardware was lacking, this should more than make up for it.

[PEZOLLA @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:36AM]

The hardware is identicle except the hero has more memory and a gravity meter. The CPU is the same, and all other compnents.

[itsthechuck @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:40AM]

Yeah the memory, form factor and 5mpix camera would have something to do with me switching.

[Lazy Genius @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:24PM]

plus it has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a multi-touch display.

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:06PM]

G1 has multi touch.

[KJ @ Jul 9th 2009 4:13PM]

the Hardware on the G1 was capeable of multi-touch.
The G1 does not have multi-touch

[Andre @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:06AM]

I strongly considered the n97 but i didnt think the hardware upgrades would have been enough to make up for the slight lack in power under the hood and practically the same UI as the 5800 with a few niceties...but seeing the hero's ui lit me up pretty nicely ;)

[Jon @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:12AM]

Ugh, T-Mobile please!!!

[helfrez @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:28AM]

Oh yeah! I love my G1.....buuuttt gimme this on ATT w/3G oh yeah I am all over that. Will be interesting to see if the ATT device w/keyboard actually shows up.

[John Doe @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:33AM]

Hope this comes to AT&T...T-Mobile already has 2 Android devices.

AT&T please!!!

[jeremy @ Jul 4th 2009 4:08AM]

yea but att has two iphones now so it would be sad if a phone that is going against the iphone be in the same company and plus let t-mobile have the whole android faimily

[PEZOLLA @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:36AM]

Is this an indication that the Sense UI is also coming to the US?
Seems Tmo is always getting the shaft, because once An Android device is elsewhere with a more spread on 3G, and 7.2, Tmo is going to get porkified with people leaving. Then again... ATT is only 3 letters and Tmobile is like.. a few more. And more is better!

[Andrew Kelly @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:36AM]

I read somewhere that the US version of the HTC Hero will not have the Sense UI but instead will have a standard Android install. Is there any validity to this?

[Zachary Waldowski @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:36AM]

This might very much by an iPhone replacement. For me, at least.

[kj @ Jul 9th 2009 4:16PM]

This or the SE XPERIA X2
Im leaning towards the X2

[IG @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:38AM]

Does this mean no T-Mobile? Darn.


I really want it with T-Mobile. Somebody please clarify.

[Vic @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:39AM]

I hope this comes Unlocked (not a big fan of AT&T's branding) and will try it out. If I like it, I might replace my iPhone with it!

[Aaron @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:44AM]

Hope this goes to AT&T.

And if it does, then I hope it comes out soon. I'm poised to buy 3GS.

[Andre @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:47AM]

the 3gs software's pretty nice and the hardware aint half bad either...pretty snippy...but the whole run one app at a time thing just doesnt quite cut it with me.

[YukonDawg @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:54AM]

I hate T-Mobile USA for their use of a 3G spectrum (1700) that is different that anywhere else in the world requiring a handset manufacturer to include this band specifically for them.

[crescentmage @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:20PM]

I agree that it is a pain, but it's not like T-Mobile had a choice. The 1700 band was all that was available at the time, and even after they purchased it the government took its time clearing it off. Blame the governments of various countries for not allocating spectrum in the same way, not T-Mobile.

There are some other carriers in Canada and Latin America who will be using the band, so you may see more shared phones in the future.

[jonshipman @ Jul 2nd 2009 3:50PM]

It's because every where else in the world the government controls the cell towers. That's why all of Europe uses the same radios - then the providers can compete on prices and services.

If the US socializes their cellular network then we'd have the same over here. But as we all know socialism is apparently the devil.

[Unknown @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:57AM]

I hope this comes out unlocked & unbranded with AT&T 3G compatability.

[Richards | PSN: F4WMR @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:57AM]

I'm not a n0ob but sometimes I ask a n0ob question and today is one. I understand the bands are something we can't access 3g on in Canadian networks. So if I was to import the Hero, would it suffer performance or what exactly? I fear the device getting some screw job coming to Fido or Rogers, but if I can buy it unlocked isn't that good?

[Valicore @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:02PM]

You would be OK with this device because it uses the same 3G bands as Rogers (850/1900).

[skyblaze @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:58AM]

~sigh. just don't fuck it up AT&T.

[koby12 @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:00PM]

I already bought a Euro spec Hero and should have it next week; i have T-Mobile and knew that even if a US Spec game to North American it would not have T-Mobile bands and/or be crippled on someone else's bands and i'm not switching carriers since i have t-zones grandfathered in. I am not paying $25+ a month for 3G when LTE is around the corner; i'll stick with my edge and Wifi until then.

[Mike @ Jul 2nd 2009 7:37PM]

I read somewhere that if I imported a euro specced Hero that the 3G would not work here in the states, only edge. It was a deal killer for me. When you get yours, mind emailing me what you think and how much of it works?
sirchuk @ gmail . com

Thanks!

[Lazy Genius @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:18PM]

tmo charges $35 a month for unlimited data AND texting.... iphone data plan is $30 for unlimited data ONLY then $20 more for unlimited texting.

[jonshipman @ Jul 2nd 2009 3:51PM]

Not to mention you can bump it down to $25 and get unlimited data and 400 SMS/MMS

[chop @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:23PM]

dont hold your breath on this coming to at&t. i honestly believe at&t wont allow this in their lineup so long as the jesus phone is their number one priority.

however...does anyone know if android has a screen resolution limit? all (or most) of htc's newer phones have wvga-ish screen resolution (800x400) yet all the new htc android phones come with a measily 320x480?. thats hardly anything to get excited about when the screen is 3-4inches

[Muddy @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:37PM]

O2 in the Uk is the same. All they have is the iPhone and have given up trying to get any other even semi smart phone. After 6 years with them I may have to look else where to find something decent.

[Andre @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:53PM]

@ lazy
The blackberry unlimited plans come with data and texting for 39.99 and i think if u can convince them that u dont have a smartphone you can have an unlimited data plan for like 15 then add texting for not too much more than that, a sad sight cheaper than the iphone (I have a 5800 on AT&T)

but to be honest the UI looks soo sick..

[allthegoodusersweretaken @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:59PM]

God Damn it Sprint, One handset isn't going to save your sorry ass. Especially when you failed to even lock in any kind of exclusivity for more than just a few months. Haven't you ever heard of Build it and they will come. Get some decent handsets!

[eattrn @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:21PM]

Yes, please come to at&t. I have been more than happy with the HTC phones i have now and look forward to this one.

[shaitien @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:29PM]

I don't think T-Mobile will be getting the Hero. I think they are stuck with Google branded Android phones and I don't think HTC will bother supplying them with a Hero that doesn't included the Sense UI. But if it T-Mobile does get it, then goodbye G1!!

[Juan @ Jul 2nd 2009 4:17PM]

I really hope AT&T doesn't mess this one up. If they do, I'll simply Flash it with the original HTC rom.

[mlinzz @ Jul 2nd 2009 4:58PM]

For the people commenting about it coming to At&t or not... No one said you needed to buy At&t branded phones. I'm sure you'll be able to purchase this phone unlocked with At&t compatible 3G bands and then you don't have to worry about being stuck in a contract either. Tmobile people can forget it. It was said earlier, but companies don't spend the extra money and time putting in tmobile 3G radios because that would mean they have to make the phone specifically for tmobile USA. Sure T-mobile has a decent customer base, but no where near what At&t has for the GSM phone providers. VZ and Sprint can suck it.

[wallyson @ Jul 2nd 2009 5:10PM]

I loved my G1 for a while but the weight and sorry battery life took their toll on my mental state after about 4 months. I used an unlocked one on my AT&T and had no problems. It would have been nice to test the 3G but on Edge I was somewhat content. I'm currently using an E71X and while I love the size of the phone and battery life isn't bad, that S60 OS is a drag.

I'd love to have the Hero and will keep my fingers crossed I can pick up an unbranded/unlocked phone and plop in my SIM. I've been hoping for a nice Android phone that I can use on AT&T (3G) for a while. Maybe this is the end of my search.

[Bonqueesha @ Jul 2nd 2009 6:55PM]

OH GOD, OH BILL. FINALLY.

[Sheila @ Jul 2nd 2009 9:49PM]

I was hoping that this phone will come to Sprint. If this phone will allow me to create repeating Tasks with alarms, assign categories to Contacts, Appointments, and Tasks; and, sync all this information directly with an Exchange server correctly, I will become an AT & T customer.

How much would an unlocked Hero with the AT & T 3g bands cost?