Well, it took them long enough. While everyone else is already enjoying the higher speeds of 3G technology, Virgin Mobile USA has largely been left in the dust. That changed today with the announcement of the Shuttle, which happens to be the first EV-DO enabled handset for the semi-popular MVNO.

After buying Helio, Virgin Mobile USA has begun to expand into the world of EV-Do, not to mention all those features from the Helio portfolio. The Shuttle offers great access to social networks and location-based services, as well as a 1.3 megapixel camera, 2-inch display, media player, IM client, and memory card slot.

To accompany the launch of the Shuttle, Virgin also unveiled a new Mobile Web data pack that can be used as an add-on to any voice plan. “Surf the Web” gets you 20MB for $5 on top of a monthly plan or you can pay $10 for 50MB. The prepaid crew can choose from 5MB/$5, 20MB/$10, or 50MB/$20.