MetroPCS Fires Up LTE in Boston, New York City and Sacramento

Today, mobile phone carrier MetroPCS Communications, Inc. announced officially the launch of its LTE (Long Term Evolution) services in new markets around the United States, including Boston, New York City and Sacramento metropolitan areas.

According to the company, its 4G LTE services are available via the first commercially available 4G LTE handset, the Samsung Craft.

MetroPCS' 4G LTE network offers customers the possibility to enjoy unlimited talk, text and enhanced entertainment and web browsing, all included in a plan that starts at $55 per month including taxes and regulatory fees, without having to commit to a contract agreement with the carrier.

“As the only no annual contract, pay-in-advance wireless service provider offering 4G LTE services, we continue to build our network to allow more customers to experience our unparalleled value and flexible, affordable service,” said Roger D. Linquist, president, CEO and chairman of MetroPCS.

"By offering customers the ability to do more with easy access to their social networks, exclusive MetroSTUDIO content and expanded web browsing capabilities, we are giving our customers what they need – a way to stay connected, without sacrificing time or money.”

With the launch in the Boston, New York City and Sacramento metropolitan areas, the carrier's 4G network offers enhanced connectivity levels to a number of nine metropolitan areas, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

Moreover, the wireless carrier plans the release of its 4G services in more markets around the United States before the end of the ongoing year and in early 2011, including Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa.

The Samsung Craft can be purchased from MetroPCS with a price tag of $299 plus tax after a $50 instant rebate. The handset would offer a nice range of features when paired with the MetroPCS 4G LTE service, including:

- MetroSTUDIO, powered by RealNetworks and available on the $60 service plan, delivers full-track downloads, ringtones and ring-back tones, as well as premium video content from NBC Universal, Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Univision, available on-demand from one easy-to-use application.

- A social networking and instant messaging application which harnesses notifications, friends and content from Facebook, MySpace and Twitter and AIM, MSN and Yahoo! IM clients into a single interface that's accessible with one click.

- Upgraded MetroNavigator feature includes new voice-activated GPS and turn-by-turn directions.