RIM beginning work on LTE handset?

Long-Term Evolution is the next step for wireless networks, and RIM wants to be on board the minute the 4G technology gets deployed; according to insiders, a team has been formed to begin work on a 4G BlackBerry using the LTE standard. BlackBerrys were a little late to the 3G game, with the 8703 being the only supporting smartphone available until the EV-DO BlackBerry 8130 was released last winter. LTE is going to be quite the jump, promising data downlink speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s, a boat that RIM obviously wants to be on, especially when some impressive WiMAX devices are beginning to make the rounds already. RIM still has some time before LTE becomes widespread however – the infrastructure won’t be rolling out until 2010.

[via BGR]