AT&T on Monday launched two new devices, the Nokia Lumia 900 and the HTC Titan II, the first Windows Phones available on the mobile operator’s speedy 4G long-term evolution (LTE) network.

The launch is a milestone for Microsoft and partner Nokia, and also for AT&T, which is giving the award-winning Lumia 900 top billing as one of the centerpieces of its spring retail and marketing campaign.

“This LTE launch is a big milestone here in the U.S. and there is some great momentum overseas as well,” says Terry Myerson, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Windows Phone Division.

Anticipation for the Nokia Lumia 900 began building after the device “stole the show” at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, according to tech blog ZDnet, and its predecessor the Nokia Lumia 800 is already a top seller in a number of European countries.

“As many media have already commented, this is a major milestone for Nokia, for our partnership with Microsoft and for the Windows Phone ecosystem,” says Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Smart Devices, at Nokia.

The Nokia Lumia 900, named "Best of CES" for all smartphones, is available in an eye-catching cyan blue and a matte black, as well as in a high-gloss white version, which will go on sale April 22.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is designed for a “different type of user,” Harlow says, explaining that Nokia’s first LTE phone is for someone who wants a larger screen and a rich content experience, and also for someone who wants something that looks and feels different from the “legions of monochromatic smartphones cluttering shelves.” AT&T is looking forward to being able to showcase the Nokia Lumia 900 and the HTC Titan II, says Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility. “The initial reaction to these handsets is amazing,” he says. “Media love the Lumia 900 and it won tons of awards at CES. We think customers will enjoy them, too.”

Woodward says the Nokia Lumia 900 is getting what AT&T calls “hero status,” which means the company will make it the primary device in marketing for a given promotional period. The Nokia Lumia 900 will sell for US$99.99 with the activation of a two-year service contract.

“We only select devices for these promotional periods that have a unique offer for our customers – Lumia 900 is truly unique,” Woodward says. “We can offer customers an unrivaled experience with the combination of the unique, fast and smooth Windows Phone operating system, Nokia’s great hardware and our blazing-fast 4G LTE network.”

The Nokia Lumia 900 comes in two colors, cyan and matte black (with a white version coming soon), but what really sets it apart is its sleek one-piece polycarbonate design and true color manufacturing process, instead of paint. The phone has a 4.3-inch active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, which makes it easy to view in sunlight or black light; a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor; an 8 megapixel camera with an exclusive Carl Zeiss wide-angle lens; and a 1 megapixel front-facing camera.

The HTC Titan II, the next-generation Titan device, is a camera buff’s dream and will be available for $199.99 with a two-year service contract. It features the most powerful camera yet among Windows Phones, at 16 megapixels. The Titan II also has a dedicated image processor and a back-illuminated sensor for low lighting. It has a 4.7-inch display, also the largest among Windows Phones, and a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S2 processor.

The 4G LTE-ready HTC Titan II is now available from AT&T, sporting a massive 16-megapixel camera and the largest Windows Phone screen (4.7 inch). The 4G LTE-ready HTC Titan II is now available from AT&T, sporting a massive 16-megapixel camera and the largest Windows Phone screen (4.7 inch). Click for larger image.

The Nokia Lumia 900 and the HTC Titan II are the first Windows Phones available on the 4G LTE network, a wireless mobile radio technology designed to succeed current wireless technology (including 3G and the like). The new 4G LTE wireless technology is not only significantly faster than existing wireless, but is rapidly growing in availability around the United States. AT&T is continually expanding its 4G LTE network.

Nokia and AT&T worked together to make sure sales representatives are familiar with the Nokia Lumia 900. “While we focus our training on providing a device that meets a customer’s needs, when a rep has a phone every hour of every day, they know it, they trust it and can present it as a viable option for ma