BlackBerry launched the QWERTY handset BlackBerry Q10 alongside the BlackBerry 10 operating system and the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone in January this year and now U.S. carriers AT&T and T-Mobile have started taking pre-registration for the handset.

Pre-registration on the carrier does not guarantee the BlackBerry Q10 on its release date and does not mean you can pre-order the handset when it's available on the network but it means that you will get updates regarding availability, pricing and more. A confirmed date for the handset's release is not known but market observers believe that the BlackBerry Q10 will release in June.

T-Mobile has indicated that the Q10 will cost customers $99.99 as a down payment and $20 per month for 24 months, which will take price of the handset to $579.99 after 24 months.

The handset has already made its debut in Canada and interestingly the handset has a premium price when compared to top-end tough-capacitive smartphones like the BlackBerry Z10 and the iPhone 5.

Along with a QWERTY keyboard, the BlackBerry Q10 sports a 3.1-inch display with 720 x 720 resolution and 330 pixels per inch (ppi). A 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4470 processor along with 2GB of RAM powers the handset.

The BlackBerry Q10 also has NFC, a microSD slot and is equipped with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The handset measures 4.71 x 2.63 x 0.41 inches and weighs 4.90 ounces. The latest BlackBerry offering is available in black and white colors.

The handset may attract customers looking out for a QWERTY handset; however, the price tag of the handset may also make customers give a second thought before buying the phone.

Visit T-Mobile's and AT&T's pre-registration page if you want to receive more information on the upcoming BlackBerry Q10.