US telecom giant AT&T (T) has teamed up with LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A. to launch the nation’s first 1 gigahertz (GHz) smartphone. The companies will commercially launch the novel device (called “LG eXpo”) on Dec 7, 2009. This demonstrates AT&T’s continued success in adding state-of-the-art devices to its existing rich smartphone portfolio. 
 
LG eXpo is the first smartphone in the US to feature Qualcomm’s (QCOM) 1 GHz Snapdragon processor. The existing top-notch smartphones such as Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone 3GS and Palm’s (PALM) Pre feature a 600 megahertz (MHz) processor.
 
LG eXpo is also the first smartphone in the country to offer an optional integrated pico projector that project images as far as eight feet and enables users to share presentations, slide shows, web sites and online videos from their handsets. The device also integrates a fingerprint sensor (“Smart Sensor”), which provides added security to the users. AT&T is the first carrier in the US to offer a smartphone with smart sensor feature and functionality.      
 
LG eXpo is preloaded with Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional and has a 3.2 inch touch screen display and a 5 mega pixel camera. It is price at $199.99 (after a $100 mail-in rebate) with a two-year service contract.
 
The device will leverage AT&T’s newly upgraded 3G network based on the HSPA 7.2 technology. AT&T has invested heavily for this network advancement in an effort to offer the nation’s fastest 3G network. The company targets to deploy the HSPA 7.2 network in key US markets such as Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami by the end of 2009. 
 
AT&T plans to cover 25 of the country’s 30 largest markets with the HSPA 7.2 network by 2010 and 90% of its 3G network footprint by 2011. Moreover, the company aims to introduce six HSPA 7.2 enabled smartphones by the end of 2009. LG eXpo represents a part of this effort. 
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