Sprint to Kick Off LTE With Galaxy Nexus

An official ad from Sprint temporarily appeared on CNET's website that declared the Galaxy Nexus the network's first LTE phone. The ad has now been pulled, but it suggests the device will likely appear at Sprint sometime in the near future.

Until now, Samsung only offered an unlocked HSPA version of the Galaxy Nexus, with Verizon having exclusivity of the device in the U.S. Sprint's LTE network hasn't gotten off the ground yet, but CEO Dan Hesse said the company expects to launch the network in 10 cities by the middle of the year.

Sprint's LTE network will debut far behind rivals Verizon and even AT&T. The carrier is still depending on the inferior WiMax technology for its users' 4G reception, but bringing a device like the Galaxy Nexus to the network will provide a big boost. Samsung's new handset has received strong reviews, and some analysts argue it's the best Android phone ever made.

Sprint also does not necessarily have to launch its LTE network to release the Galaxy Nexus. The company could begin carrying the device with LTE technology built in, giving customers plenty of incentive to buy the device even before the LTE network goes live.

The Galaxy Nexus is still the only phone on the market running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Google's OS. Carrying the device will give Sprint arguably the market's best high-end Android phone to sell along with the iPhone, making Sprint's smartphone catalog far more impressive than it was just four months ago.

There is no confirmation on exactly when Sprint will launch its LTE network, which will likely underwhelm when it gets off the ground. However, customers may have the Galaxy Nexus to look forward to when the network finally does go live.