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MetroPCS launches LTE network in Las Vegas, Samsung Craft along for the ride

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:51:00 -0400

MetroPCS was quite serious when it said it wanted to have commercial LTE up and running in 2010 -- and indeed, it has made good on its word today with an official launch in Vegas. Of course, you need hardware to go along with a new network, and that's not much of a surprise either: the long-discussed Samsung Craft becomes not just MetroPCS' first 4G handset, but the first LTE phone to launch commercially anywhere in the world. It's not a smartphone, but it's got a 3.3-inch AMOLED display, 3.2 megapixel camera, and a full QWERTY slide. Interestingly, MetroPCS is not offering tethering (or any modems) at this time, which means the only way you're going to be able to enjoy those blazing speeds is on the handset itself. The carrier is offering basic unlimited service for $55 for a month, while another $5 will net you unlimited on-demand video streaming from 14 networks. The Craft, meanwhile, runs $299 contract-free -- and since it's dual-mode, it'll work just fine on MetroPCS' CDMA network once you leave the blackjack tables. Follow the break for Samsung's press release.

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Samsung: MetroPCS launching LTE service next month

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:52:00 -0400

What now, Verizon? We kid, we kid -- regional player MetroPCS' bid to become the first American carrier to launch a commercial LTE network won't likely have much bearing on the competitive landscape, but that doesn't make it any less impressive. We'd already known on the record that the company was on track for a launch before the end of 2010, but Samsung -- which is producing MetroPCS' inaugural 4G handset, the Craft -- is now saying on no uncertain terms that they're ready to flip the switch in the service's first two commercial markets, Dallas and Las Vegas, next month. Interestingly, MetroPCS won't confirm Samsung's statement, so we suspect Sammy just blew the lid off this thing before MetroPCS was ready. Whoops! Service pricing -- and device availability beyond the Craft -- both remain to be seen.

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Samsung Craft LTE phone spied enroute to MetroPCS?

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:11:00 -0400

These shots actually surfaced a few days ago buried in the depths of HowardForums, but given what we know of Samsung's R900 Craft thus far -- particularly the fact that it'll be a non-smartphone -- we have no reason to doubt that we're looking at a prototype of it here. What makes the Craft most notable is that it's slated to be MetroPCS' first LTE-capable handset (and one of the first LTE handsets anywhere in the world) for its shiny new 4G network, and it looks like we can expect full sliding QWERTY along with the typical TouchWiz UI elements. We'd like to hate on this thing for not running Android or Windows Phone 7, but hey -- it's almost certainly going to be the first LTE phone to hit these shores, so we're willing to cut it just an ounce of slack this once. The carrier's first LTE markets are lighting up later this year, so we expect to see this with a whole lot less Blurrycam before too long.

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Samsung Craft to be MetroPCS' first LTE handset, Dallas-Ft. Worth added as a launch market

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:03:00 -0400

When we think "craft," we think of airplanes, boats, and perhaps the occasional needlepoint project -- but all kidding aside, we've definitely heard worst names than "Craft" for a major phone launch, so we've got nothing to complain about here. Regional carrier MetroPCS has announced on its latest earnings call that its first LTE phone -- the FCC-approved R900 from Samsung -- will come to market as the Craft at a price in the same range as its current smartphone lineup which includes the Code for $250 and the BlackBerry Curve 8530 for $280. These guys are still on target to launch in Vegas this year, but it now looks like they'll be adding Dallas-Ft. Worth into the mix as it moves to complete its 4G build-out early next year. It's a seriously aggressive timeline for a carrier traditionally known for cheap voice and text, not blazing data -- but hey, who are we to complain?

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