As support from Verizon sent iPhone 4 sales through the roof, so Microsoft is no doubt hoping that bringing the operator into the Windows Phone 7 family will prove just as crucial.

Verizon, which is the largest carrier in the US with 104 million subscribers, will take its first steps for Microsoft's OS with the launch of the HTC Trophy.

The handset boasts a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3.8-inch touncshcreen, as well as 16GB of storage, and has previously been available in the UK on Vodafone.

Big backers

Though it's not clear whether other handsets will follow, the move will be seen as an important coup for Microsoft, which has been dampened by a series of sales estimates casting doubt over WP7's performance to date.

Many analysts believe the platform will go on to be a major player – thanks largely to the support of Nokia – but any future success will, in part, rely on the willingness of the industry at large to get behind a fourth OS, with iOS, Android and BlackBerry established forces in the US.

The move comes after the news that Verizon has also signed up for Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, launching on May 26.

Verizon's HTC Trophy will launch online on that same date, before landing on shop shelves on June 6, coming in at $149.99, including a $50 rebate for a two year contract. 

[source: Verizon]