BlackBerry Passport And Classic Head To AT&T Feb 20, Classic Tipped For Feb 26 Verizon Launch

by Brandon Hill — Monday, February 16, 2015, 10:14 AM EDT

AT&T announced back in early January that it would bring the BlackBerry Passport and Classic to its network. Today, America’s second largest wireless carrier announced the official on-sale date for both devices: February 20.

The BlackBerry Passport actually had to undergo a bit of plastic surgery before it was even allowed on the network. "AT&T wanted rounded corners. Some of us are more square,” explained BlackBerry CEO John Chen last month. “No other reason than that." Beneath the refreshed exterior, you’ll find all the same hardware as the original including the 4.5-inch 1440x1440 display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and the huge 3450 mAh battery.

BlackBerry Passport

The Classic, on the other hand, is a lot less appealing with its cramped 3.5-inch 720x720 display, archaic Qualcomm MSM 8960 processor with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 8MP rear camera and 2515 mAh camera. The “Classic” name is definitely fitting, as the smartphone looks like something that would have been in fashion a decade ago.

BlackBerry Classic

The Passport can be purchased outright for $649.99 or you can signup for a two-year contract and pay $199.99. You can also opt to go for AT&T’s $0 down Next plans — you’ll pay $21.67 per month with Next 24, $27.09 with Next 18, or $32.50 per month with Next 12.

As for the Classic, it will be available off-contract for $419.99 or $49.99 with a new, two-year contract. You can also obtain the phone for $14 per month with Next 24, $17.50 per month with Next 18, or $21 per month with Next 12.

If you're a Verizon Wireless customer, Crackberry is reporting that the Classic will land on America's largest wireless carrier on February 26.

Tags: BlackBerry, classic, passport, (NYSE:T), at&t, nasdaqbbry

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

Opinions and content posted by HotHardware contributors are their own.