The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo has made a repeat appearance to the FCC in order to test WCDMA bands 2 and 5. These bands are covered by AT&Ts 3G service and could mean that AT&T is looking to bring the Neo to Sony fans in the US soon. The only real difference between the WCDMA version of the Neo and the GSM version is just the bands it broadcasts to. But since that difference is enough to warrant an FCC ID designation, both are listed as FCC ID PY7A3880101 and FCC ID PY7A3880100 respectively.
XPeria Neo fans don’t have to wait until AT&T decides on a release date or price. It’s currently available unlocked for about $530 from independents. It’s always a shock to the sytem to see a hefty price tag upfront for a phone, but in the long run, users will not only pay less, they won’t have to deal with being tied to AT&T if the coverage is suspect in their particular area. But with the FCC testing complete and a usual 180 confidentiality period likely to have started, it should be around summertime that Neo fans can get their subsidized variant.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo’s specs may make it worth the wait for it’s price tag. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 processor, has a 3.7 inches FWVGA touch screen powered by Sony’s mobile Bravia engine, and it can play 3D games. How cool is that? It also has plenty of storage space with an 8GB microSD card expandable to 32GB. The Xperia will also be available in three colors when it comes to AT&T later this Spring – white, blue and red. Very all American.
[via Blog of Mobile, Japan]
