Warren,
N.J. – Sprint prepaid brand Virgin Mobile plans to launch its first cellphone
equipped with Nearfield Communications (NFC) and NFC-based Google Wallet
technology.
The 3G LG Optimus Elite Android phone will be
available at $149 on May 15, but preorders have begun.
With
Wallet-enabled phones, users pay for purchases by tapping on a compatible
contactless terminal at participating merchants. Sprint offers postpaid phones
with the technology
The Optimus
Elite will be available in silver with Android 2.3, 3.5-inch touchscreen, 800MHz
processor and 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. It can be used with the Virgin’s no-contract
Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans starting at $35/month.