T-Mobile's first LTE-equipped mobile hotspot arrives this weekend

T-Mobile USA finally lit up its first seven 4G LTE markets today, and decided to celebrate with an affordable new LTE-capable mobile hotspot.

As part of a media event Tuesday, T-Mobile announced the availability of the Sonic 2.0, the carrier's first 4G LTE mobile hotspot.

Available to order today from the company's online store, the Sonic 2.0 Mobile HotSpot LTE will arrive by month's end at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers and national retailers.

The 4.23-ounce, pocket-friendly mobile hotspot allows T-Mobile customers to connect to available 4G LTE, 4G, 3G or EDGE connections on its network, then share data with up to eight devices via Wi-Fi.

Affordable pricing

In addition to quad-band 4G GSM and 3G UMTS connectivity, the Sonic 2.0 features a 3000mAh battery for up to seven hours of continuous use, and touted as fully compatible with the latest Windows 8 and OS X 10.8 operating systems.

The mobile hotspot features a 1.77-inch QVGA TFT color display so you'll have full control over your connections and settings, and a micro-SD card slot allows users to store up to 32GB of content, which can be shared with connected devices.

As part of T-Mobile USA's new "UNcarrier" initiative, the Sonic 2.0 Mobile HotSpot LTE is available for as little as $29.99 down with payments of $5.00 per month for 24 months for qualified buyers.

If you prefer to buy outright, the LTE mobile hotspot can also be purchased for a one-time fee of $149.99, although customers will need a qualifying rate plan to use the device in either case.