Optus or one of its virtual mobile network operators will be the sole Australian carrier for HTC’s new Android-powered Hero and Tattoo smartphones.
There’s been plenty of confusion over which Aussie carriers be on deck for next week’s launch of the HTC’s latest Android smartphones.
And while we don’t know which carrier it will be, APC can confirm that the exclusive launch partner will run on Optus’ dual-band 2100MHz and 900MHz network.
This means it could be Optus itself, the Optus-owned Virgin Mobile offshoot, or potentially one of the ‘virtual mobile network operators' which piggyback onto Optus’ network.
We know it’s not Telstra: despite a reference on the Web site of
HTC Canada to a version of the Hero running ‘850/2100 for Telstra’, shown below, HTC’s global site lists only ‘900/2100 MHz’ for both the Hero and Tattoo.
APC spoke with HTC’s local PR reps, who confirmed that both the Hero and Tattoo “do not support 850 (i.e. not compatible with Next G)”.
(This raises another set of questions: were HTC and Telstra at some stage planning a Hero for Next G? Is this still in the works, but not as a launch product?)
We also know that Vodafone and 3 won’t be offering HTC’s new wonder-twins, with Vodafone’s Consumer PR Manager Michelle O'Brien revealing to APC “Vodafone and 3 will not be ranging the HTC Hero or HTC Tattoo”.
This leaves Optus or one of its network partners as the sole launch carrier for both the Hero and Tattoo. We put the question to Optus but a spokeswoman for the carrier told APC “we have nothing to confirm at this stage”.
We’ll bring you more on the Hero and Tattoo in the lead-up to next week’s launch, and will post updates from the launch live on Twitter – watch for the #htchero hashtag.