Are 4G LTE Versions of the HTC Merge and Incredible 2 in the Works or at Least Being Tested?

The HTC Merge was re-introduced last week as a 3G CDMA world phone, but after disappearing just as it was supposed to launch in late 2010, rumors popped up that it had been delayed while they dropped a 4G radio into it.  But without a mention in the press release on Friday our hopes were a little crushed.  That was until we looked a little closer at the screenshots of the phone from Verizon’s internal system that snuck out over the weekend.  We’re now starting to think that there is a chance it and the Incredible 2 might be 4G LTE after all.

If you  check out the mini-description for the listings of the Merge and Dinc2 in the screen shot above, you can clearly see that there are two versions listed of each phone.  There is the standard ADR6325VW/ADR6350VW, but there is also another listing which includes the letters “EHRPD” which just so happens to be the technology used by networks to transition from CDMA to LTE.  You’ll notice that one of the descriptions also mentions “TRIA” which could easily be taken as “TRIAL”, leading us to believe that VZW is at least testing a 4G LTE Merge and Incredible 2.

While I am by no means an LTE technology expert, I’m almost 100% positive that eHRPD only has to do with handovers between CDMA and LTE networks and nothing else.  So if Verizon is testing the 4G versions of these phones, we have no idea if they’ll ever come close to a store shelf, but we can at least cross our fingers for a couple of weeks.

To learn all there is to know about  eHRPD, check out this and this.

Thoughts?  Maybe we can convince our LTE Panda friend to stop by and give his opinion on eHRPD.

Cheers VZW Tipster!