Sprint Nextel Corp. on Friday started selling a new smartphone across the United States, marking the debut of the first phone on the U.S. market using the fourth- generation (4G) wireless technology.

The EVO 4G phone, manufactured by HTC Corp., will offer the " fastest data speeds of any U.S. wireless device available today," Sprint said in a statement.

The phone will run on Sprint's 4G wireless network which can deliver download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G, the third- largest U.S. wireless carrier said.

The EVO 4G features Google Inc.'s Android 2.1 operating system and will bring new experiences for users including a video chat service providing two-way voice and video capability, according to Sprint.

Starting Friday, U.S. customers can purchase EVO 4G at Sprint retail stores, online through its website or from Walmart and other retailers.

The device will cost 199.99 U.S. dollars with a two-year service agreement and after a 100-dollar mail-in rebate, Sprint said.