After showing up on Walmart Wireless earlier this week — which is always an indicator for an imminent release — Verizon’s HTC Thunderbolt is rumored to hit the market on February 24, 2011.

According to the information published by Droid-life, the Thunderbolt will go for $249 on a 2-year contract, $329 on a 1-year contract and $599 straight. The February 24 rumored release date seems to be a well thought-out strategy with Verizon as they’ve recently changed their device return policy. Starting January 16, new device owners will have 14 days to return their devices. Add the 14 days to the Verizon iPhone 4′s February 10 sale-start date and all the people buying the iPhone 4 on that day will not be able to return it in order to get a Thunderbolt — which by the way does simultaneous voice and data unlike the Apple phone. How about buying on February 11?

Source: Droid-life