Last week I told you how Windows Phone 7 handsets will probably begin shipping on November 8. Well, Microsoft aren’t about to start trying to sell handsets without at least a little hype before release.

And now it’s seeming more and more likely that the hype will begin on October 11.

The Wall Street Journal today reported that Microsoft will “formally unveil a lineup of smartphones using the revamped version of its mobile operating system on Oct. 11, and AT&T Inc. will begin offering them four weeks later”.

This sits well with what we heard last week, as well as launch rumours from June.

There is an open house event scheduled in New York City for October 11, but neither BGR nor Electronista expected any big announcements to be made there, so we’ll have to wait and see how this all pans out.

Earlier whispers said that AT&T signed up for 8 million WinPho7 devices, and will be the exclusive carrier at launch.

[via BGR]