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The HTC Thunderbolt is now available for purchase – buy it from Amazon for $179 or from Verizon for $249 (link coming soon)! After two months of waiting and grinding our teeth until we have none, Verizon has launched their very first 4G LTE smartphone. You can grab it from Verizon for $249.99 after a two-year contract. You can also find a great deal at Amazon for $179.99. If you decide to get it through Best Buy you may need to pay about $50 more.
For the latest discussion, tips, tricks, and tutorials you’ll want to visit our HTC Thunderbolt Forum where the conversation has already started. Some threads that are already popular include:
- Official “I Bought it” thread
- Thunderbolt 4G Download Speeds
- HTC Incredible 2 vs. HTC Thunderbolt
- Best HTC Thunderbolt Cases?
- Official Thunderbolt User Manual Download
We’re sure it’ll also transform into a very helpful support repository once more of our eager members get the device in their hands. We’ve already learned that CyanogenMod will be supported thanks to the section dedicated to HTC Thunderbolt Root.
Expect to be able to pick some accessories up alongside the thing, such as a multimedia dock or a 2750mAh extended battery. We leaked the first known accessories for the device a couple of days ago. Verizon’s sure to have more of the usual – cases, holsters, screen protectors, etc. – at their site, so be sure to take a look around there.
Verizon’s launching the phone with the same $30 unlimited data plan that current customers already get, whether you’re on 3G or 4G. You might want to make sure you’re locked into the plan now as Verizon has expressed plans to get rid of it sometime in the future. (Grandfather clauses have yet to be revealed.)
And why not stop back here and let us know how the device is? We’re always eager to hear our users’ opinions, especially on new devices. If you’re electing not to get it, let us know why not – I’m sure those who are on the fence will be looking for the pros and cons so they can make informed decisions before taking the plunge. Once you’ve really made your mind up, you should head on over to our Best Phones section and rate it: is it an average joe that deserves three stars or is it a knock-out punch from Verizon that deserves five? Let the world know!
I’m thinking about replacing my original Droid with one, but I’m not sure if I want the Thunderbolt, the Incredible 2, or the Bionic.
“Can you buy me now?”
What is crazy is that it has the full retail at 444.99!!!!!! Epic news.
i might on friday
Friday? ;)
Thunderbolt in the front seat
Bionic in the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
Which phone can I take?
I just ordered mine. It was a bumpy road that took an hour, but the website finally worked for me. I had a $50 NE2 discount, and was somehow charged $150 for the phone!!! I’m not one to complain, and I got a windshield mount and three screen protectors, bringing my bill to just less than $200.
I just ordered mine directly from Verizonwireless.com
They are selling it right now for 199.99, free shipping, no rebates!!!
I want it!
I copy/pasted this below from the product description on verizon’s website TB description, is ( 68 MB ) of RAM correct?
8GB eMMC
68 MB RAM
Actual formatted capacity will be less
Qualcomm® MSM8655 1Ghz
Qualcomm® MDM9600
No, I will wait for the Bionic….NEXT!!
I really want one, but I can’t upgrade till November. :( Guess I’ll wait for Tegra 3 (hopefully). Oh well. I just convinced Verizon to send me a refurb Droid 2 Global instead of an OG Droid through warranty. And it was like-new, so I don’t mind.
ari-free made me lol, btw.
Verizon finally got an Evo, while Sprint is showing the Evo2 next week. Better yet, Sprint doesn’t need you to live an airport to get a 4G signal. Way to go Verizon!
I still have the original Moto Droid and my interest in the TB is growing more and more each day, but I’m not due for my NE2 upgrade for like another six months, so I’m not sure it makes sense to jump the gun. I don’t remember for sure, but I feel like my NE2 was cut in half — down from $100 to $50 — when I upgraded to the Droid, and if that’s the case, I don’t really see any reason to wait for my current contract to run out. Plus, if the rumors are true and we only have a small window to get an LTE plan with uncapped data and wifi sharing, I may regret not upgrading to the TB now.
I know there are a handful of people here who swear this phone is being overhyped, but the only negative things I’ve seen so far is that it looks like an “upgraded Evo” and that it has Sense UI instead of vanilla Android. My understanding is that because the bootloader is unlocked, it could simply be rooted and a custom firmware could be used. And aren’t most phones — if not all — an upgraded version of another? That argument makes no sense to me. I know it’s not dual core, but I’ve heard there really aren’t any apps that could take advantage of that anyway, so that also seems like a weak argument.
I don’t claim to be an expert, though, so please tell me if I’m missing something or if I’ve gotten anything wrong. I’d love to know if there’s a better phone on the horizon that I should be holding out for.
SIGINT: Ah yes, the Evo 3D…that phone with a soon to be obsolete/useless wimax radio in it. Wimax deployment has stalled. Clear is broke. Sprint has already started switching to Lte. What a mess. Verizon’s Lte is already live in hundreds of cities, in 40 markets, covering 120 million people. Another 40 markets go live in May, bringing total markets to 80, covering 50% of the population. Will cover 178 markets, 70% of the population by November. Sprint started deploying wimax almost 3 years ago. Verizon will have passed them in 6 months. In May, Verizon will be in 80 markets, Sprint just 68. Get educated. Glad I dumped my Evo and Sprint!
I still have the original Moto Droid and my interest in the TB is growing more and more each day, but I’m not due for my NE2 upgrade for like another six months, so I’m not sure it makes sense to jump the gun. I don’t remember for sure, but I feel like my NE2 was cut in half — down from $100 to $50 — when I upgraded to the Droid, and if that’s the case, I don’t really see any reason to wait for my current contract to run out. Plus, if the rumors are true and we only have a small window to get an LTE plan with uncapped data and wifi sharing, I may regret not upgrading to the TB now.
I know there are a handful of people here who swear this phone is being overhyped, but the only negative things I’ve seen so far is that it looks like an “upgraded Evo” and that it has Sense UI instead of vanilla Android. My understanding is that because the bootloader is unlocked, it could simply be rooted and a custom firmware could be used. And aren’t most phones — if not all — an upgraded version of another? That argument makes no sense to me. I know it’s not dual core, but I’ve heard there really aren’t any apps that could take advantage of that anyway, so that also seems like a weak argument.
I don’t claim to be an expert, though, so please tell me if I’m missing something or if I’ve gotten anything wrong.
Oh, and the ThunderBolt broke Wirefly’s first day sales record by over 400%! That that means it sold at least more than 400% more than the EVO! This phone is going to be a runaway hit!
@Tim242
Take a moment and actually look at Sprint’s 4G coverage. They have way more 4G coverage than Verizon in places where people actually live, not in airports. I’m 20 miles outside of a metro area and I get Sprint 4G. No LTE to be found. If I were to get a Thunderbolt, I would have to build my house on a runway to enjoy LTE. So have fun with LTE, just make sure a 747 doesn’t run over your family in the process.
As I said, it’s in hundreds of cities, in 40 markets. It is also in 60 airports, some in which it isn’t active in that market yet. If you look at maps of the coverage, Verizon’s Lte covers a lot more land area than Sprint’s. Come May, Verizon’s Lte will have passed Sprint in coverage and pops covered. Sprint has been at it for almost 3 years! Verizon will have passed them in 6 months!!!!!!!! So, Richard, be patient, it will come :)
I also went to the verizon website, and it gave me a price of 199 when I was signed in. hopefully the store can match that price so I can have it in my hands today.
Why are people still even talking about Sprints “4G” they have “4G” coverage here and its funny watching their “4G” load slower than verizons 3G!!! >,< lolz
My price on VZW.com was 169 because I was eligible for an upgrade so I got a $30 credit too.
When I get to the order page it also lists “Mobile Hot Spot Promo $0.”
You mean you hope Verizon covers all these markets in May. Hope might work for Obama, not so much for Verizon. They definitely do not have more coverage than Sprint 4G, and Verizon’s flagship LTE phone is a rehash of a phone Sprint had nearly a year ago. Thunderbolt will be a forgotten also-ran before summer, since all their customers will have been crushed by jets while looking for an LTE signal. It’s going to be all about Sprint and the Evo2 next week, and especially come summer.
Richard, you love to ignore facts. Wimax is dead, yet the phones they are about to announce has a wimax radio. There are ZERO more wimax markets launching. Get over it, I have.
Yes. Purchasing. Paying the 70 dollar premium for the 1-year contract.
I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but since I upgraded my OG Droid to 2.3 Gingerbread, my lust for a new phone has dwindled. My phone has never worked better and I feel like I have a new phone already.
Okay, I’ll be Richard, if you’ll be a female, that work for you. So from now on, you can call me Richard if that is how you get off, and I’ll call you 242-Tampons. That work?
I don’t know how you guys are seeing $199? I still see $249 – also is sales tax charged at verizon online? I ordered from amazon (but have to wait for deliver monday since they don’t do over night). Not paying tax is nearly a $40 savings.
I have an employer discount through Verizon. Does anyone know if I can still get that discount applied to my account if I sign up for a new plan through Amazon to take advantage of the $179 deal?
Sigint, he calls you richard because you make the exact same douchebag statements. Sprint is a joke. Sprints “4g” is a joke. Sprints coverage is a joke. Sprints lineup is a joke. The ONLY thing sprint has is SLIGHTLY cheaper plans. Now, fuck off.
Im getting it just to lock in the unlimited data
Showing $219.99 for me on Verizonwireless.com signed in for upgrade to 2 year deal.. Amazon showing “back order” … not so?
On verizon site, it also forces me to select a product protection plan, for something like 1.99 per month. I didn’t finish the order, because I am heading to a store in about 45 mins to get it. (the price was 199 with free overnight shipping – I am eligible for an upgrade on my second line – not primary line).
@incredibill
You can check no protection you dont need to get insurance if you dont want. I ordered online
If Sprint’s 4G coverage is a joke, what the hell does that make Verizon where you have to bunk with TSA agents to get LTE? Sprint has more 4G coverage than Verizon, period. There is no debating this fact, or getting around it. There isn’t a single tech/telco periodical that is going to say otherwise. And we’ll see who has the joke line up on the 22st, after many have been duped into getting the Verizon Evo, and Sprint has moved on to the Evo2. Let me know what life is like with Netflix on Verizon. I do 180gig a month on Sprint 4G. Try it on Verizon. I could use the laugh.
Dude, sprints 4g is a joke for many reasons. 1 it KILLS the battery, 2 it has horrible penetration, 3 it loses the connection if you are moving(its suppose to be a MOBILE network), 4 it is relatively slow, 5 they are not expanding it. Now, go ahead and keep making your ignorant statements about the tsa, as if lte coverage doesnt currently extend past airports, or it wont pass sprints coverage soon. And, I didnt even touch sprints non 4g coverage, wich is also “a joke”.
Just made a apointment to pick it up at best buy can’t wait
So I saw the $199 site through my employer’s Verizon site… however it looks like they do charge sales tax. Amazon only charges sales tax to like 5 states so if you can wait till Monday for delivery amazon is clearly the best deal – $180 out the door. versus paying $40 in sales through verizon or best buy, not to mention the higher price of 200 or 250
Just got it! 199 at the store!
I stayed up last night and ordered it on-line for $149.99 (used my $100 Free Every Two Year). It forced me to buy Insurance, and the media dock was not listed as an accessory. I am happy to get unlimited data for 2 years, and free hotspot for 2 months, and will have the Sim Card, if I want to upgrade phones sooner.
@SIGINT
You’re fighting a losing battle.. Sprint’s WiMax might have been 1st to market, but we’ve all seen that it was just a marketing gimmick.
As others of pointed out, WiMax at 2.5ghz just doesn’t work as it should. It’s got no building penetration, you have have to be stationary for it to work. For these 2 reason a lone, it makes Sprint’s Wimax coverage area look like Swiss cheese. Sprint’s coverage map doesn’t show the 10 gazillion holes in it, but WiMax coverage has so many holes, it’s Holy!
The EVO 3D might be a better phone then the Thunderbolt, but for the average user, it won’t matter because they won’t see the benefits of the faster processor or better GPU; most people use a smart phone for emails, facebook, some apps for shopping, Angrybirds, and to make calls.
If the EVO 3D ends up being what everyone thinks it’s going to be, it’ll be like driving a Corvette, but stuck on a residential street doing 25mph with a stop sign ever 50 feet. The stop signs are the holes in Sprint’s Wimax network.. LOL..
The only thing that has horrible penetration is your genitalia. And it’s a fact Verizon has not focused on residential 4G consumption, hence, the need to be either very metro, or at the airport. Sprint’s residential (metro + outer region) coverage is better with more towers to distribute consumption demands. I simply cannot wait for reality to set in and all these hopeful views of Verizon 4G get shattered, after people FINALLY start getting LTE devices like the outdated Thunderbolt. And when Sprint 4G starts being slow for me, I’ll let you know. For now, I’ll live with 7-10meg speeds from the comforts of my home. I can actually hear my HD Netlfix films over the sounds of jet engines too…
Your just ignorant.
nope, will not be buying.
i dont like verizon, and to be honest, i can care less about this phone, looks like every other htc phone now.
htc needs to do some better designs. : (
LOL, are you sure it’s not Richard? Same type of pro-sprint/EVO comments.
Back to the phone. Bionic might have better specs, but this phone has HTC Sense. This will be faster than the EVO because it has more RAM, and more space for apps.
Sigint: you are a moron, obviously a moron that cannot afford to have the type of coverage that Verizon offers, if u don’t believe me, come her to Knoxville tn, and we will take a ride, I’ll take you deep in the boonies, and then I will tether my new thunderbolt, which is better than your EVO, and then you will have data services. To say that sprint is even close to Verizon, I pie stupidity, that is not only a opinion, but it is a PROVEN Fact that Verizon is better, I bet I can think of at least 95 million people that will say that. And only about 40 million people(sprints huge client base lol) that argue yOur point.
Honestly, I just want an Optimus 2X, but I don’t think that’ll be coming to Vzw.
So just wake me up when the Bionic comes out.
I cant wait!
Picking up my TB during my lunch break. Its going to be SWEEEEEEET!!!
So does anyone know what the battery configuration on the T-bolt is? Is it a slide in through the side battery or an attach to the back battery a la EVO? For that matter if the latter will an EVO battery/EVO extended battery work with T-Bolt? …Oh, and any 4G speed tests with this thing yet?
As with ALL new phones, wait a couple weeks (usually not that long) and the price will drop by 50 bucks. Wait a month and you’ll be able to pick it up for a penny from Amazon, Best Buy or Wirefly.
I’ve never paid full price for any phone I’ve purchased. Retail is for suckers!
Hey dork, great name btw, how can you possibly change the design of these types of phones other than making it a flip phone? ALL phones are going to have similar exteriors, there’s no way around that. What do you want it shaped like, a freaking triangle? The important stuff is inside. I would think you would know that.
Look this isnt about sprint so pay attention to the thunderbolt but since where on the subject sprints 4g doesnt suck you can move with it in a building or out a building it doesnt matter yes I see that sprints switching to lte so what ?we still have more 4g coverage now and its really not that hard for sprint to switch to lte fully if it wanted to switch the cards out update the software and where talking about buying tmobile thatll give us more smart phones and more coverage but my hats off to verzion for there coverage
have lte easy as tieing your shoes and if sprint buys tmobile coverage may be even greater with more devices and better speeds
Nope, Evo 3D (longtime Sprint customer and current Evo user)
Sorry about the last part got on the phone forgot where I was but you get the point.
There is no VZW LTE coverage anywhere near Knoxville, ya big fat retard. Or are you just one of those half wits that gets a 4G phone and complains for 9 months that they don’t have 4G coverage?
@Sigint
Now, now, now … You’ve now hit the point of name calling because you’ve come to the conclusion that you’ve lost the battle. What I don’t understand is why you just don’t admit to the fact that Verizon’s LTE coverage is, not only better, but faster?
Ok, let’s say the EVO 3D is a better phone then the Thunderbolt, even though we haven’t seen the EVO 3D yet. Let’s also say the EVO 3D is the fastest, most feature packed phone on the market and the Thunderbolt is just feature rich phone. Let’s now say the EVO 3D is Ferrari and the Thunderbolt is just a Ford Focus, but loaded.
So now tell me how useful that Ferrari is if the street your driving on is pot holes everywhere compared the Focus on the German autobahn?
Bottom line is that it’s not just what you’re driving, but where your driving that vehicle. And I’m hoping by this weekend, I will be making a move from Sprint to Verizon. Sprint’s data network just sux and the down fall of the EVO 3D will be Sprint’s data network. It’s the weakest link!
Just to say something I have the evo I live in Iowa I get the best 3g coverage here not 4g I can wait tho for it because my evo is running 2.3.3 running better than ever and how do I know about 4g coverage even tho iowa doesnt have it ? My friend has an evo said the 4g was great when he traveled none of the problems you guys stated
@ToastnJam thanks, and i do know that. im not talking about shape, of course almost every phone its going to be rectangular. there are a couple of things that htc can do to differentiate the design.
take the uk hero, was a little odd but it was different. there is just a couple things you could play with to make it slighty different from all the other 4.3 phones. just saying.
great comment crabjoe. You nailed it!
Did I say there was any LTE in knoxville you illiterate moron??? No. Disburse specify? No I didn’t, troll troll troll. I’m sorry you have cell phone envy and cell service envy. Get off your couch and go get laid, or just continue trolling. Big fat retard?? Wow. If I ever met an idiot like you I would make u think big fat retard as I took you EVO and shoved it up your ass. BTW the pyramid that came out and showed it benchmarks yesterday, and that will have the same specs as EVO 3d, how did that compare to the other dual cores?? I’m just wondering? Wha? Huh? It sucked you cum dumpster
Good point dork….I guess there are a few ways, but not many. Personally I care more about the interface, user experience & internal workings than aesthetics. But to each his own right! Thats why we have such a huge variety of Android phones to choose from.
Crabjoe: glad to see a sprint customer ADMITTING the facts of life. Perhaps you should find Richard yarnell and sigint and teach those tards some humility. Since they praise a network that is literally not even on the same level as Verizon’s 3G.
After several months of fighting with the very buggy 1st Gen Droid X, I will wait until all the early adopters have thoroughly field tested this baby. It looks very promising, however!
Bought this morning, 199 at a verizon store! really enjoying it so far!
I’ve got three to four months until my contract is up… So I’ll see what’s available by then.
Saw this offered on wirefly’s friends and family site for $169.
IT’S FUNNY WATCHING THESE GEEKS GETTING WET FOR WHAT IS BASICALLY A EVO ON STEROIDS. VERIZON IS JUST GETTING THE EVO WHILE SPRINT ON MONDAY WILL BE INTRODUCING THE EVO2 OR EVO3D.
@ crabjoe – well said, sir!
Why is everyone comparing this thing to the evo? You can’t compare it to the evo what so ever. Why, you ask? Maybe because the effing evo is already 9 months old you tards! Shit. As for the sprint comments, agreed. Wimax is dying, hard to say that because I’m a sprint customer. But from the ashes LTE will rise. I cant complain either way. I live in Dallas and we were one of the first to get wimax so we will probably be a first to get sprint LTE.
FYI, Good for Enterprise (required for many corporate MS Exchange servers) is not compatible with the Thunderbolt at this time. Mine is going back to the store.
No I am waiting on The Bionic!!!
Well I think I have all of you beat… I was on the phone with verizon for an hour but I got the new every 2 discount as well as 110 dollar discount due to an older issue with my new every 2. Bottom line is I got this phone for $40 dollars. You cant beat that with a stick.
Im with you #45, this phone is just boring, same design as every last htc phone…Poor verizon fellas, if i were on vrz ill wait for the Bionic which although design sucks big time too….
@granthew where the heck did you find a retail of $444.99?
@tim242… Your a dum tool… sprint rules verizon and always will.. get educated you bum Evo 4g rocks and Evo 2 will bitch slap the best verizon can offer… LTE is overpriced we both know this why keep up the scam I support sprint and wimax and Love the Evo 4g and hope to get that hot new Evo2 soon
As usual Mr @tim242 is way off base. Fuck your Verizon and your will thunderbolt your network is OVERBLOATED JUST LIKE YOUR PRICES. I hope that messaging but saturates your whole network and they have to close down verizon and RECALL ALL THUNDERBOLTS… Go PISS on yourself and PISS on ksizzle9 also
Well i got the T bolt,,its great so far…so many features…and pretty fast
Lol^^^
I LOVE MY TB!!!!!!!!
sound like a bunch of school girls bragging over who has the biggest boobs. haha