Sprint to Deliver First 4G Phone by Summer

So far, 2010 is definitely a year that has tech lovers waiting with anxious excitement. 3DTV. The iPad. New tablets and e-readers of all shapes and sizes. There’s a lot of exciting new products at the ends of different tunnels. Perhaps the most exciting of all for the greatest number of people–4G. It’s hard to wait for all that extra speed and bragging rights of the first 4G handsets.

Well it won’t be much longer; Sprint has said that the first handset to support 4G will be available in the first half of this year. Only a few more months (assuming you’re going with Sprint). The provider mentioned these plans to Forbes.

No specific manufacturer or specs were offered, but it’s rumored to be an HTC Android handset. Obviously, since 4G is still a work under progress, the phone will automatically switch between 3G and 4G as needed.

Sprint is currently hard at work with partner Clearwire building its 4G WiMax network, which now extends to 27 markets and about 30 million people. By the end of 2010, Sprint plans to quadruple that range, reaching 120 million people including major markets like New York, Boston and San Fran. [via Forbes]