Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

Mar. 23, 2009

AT&T is saying that it will start selling Apple's iPhone without requiring a two-year contract.

However, the wireless carrier was quick to point out that they will cost $400 more.

AT&T spokesperson Michael Coe said the company will sell the iPhones beginning March 26 for $599 or $699, depending on the phone's storage capacity.

The two models cost either $199 or $299 under AT&T's original contract conditions.

AT&T says the new phones will still be locked to AT&T and won't work with any other mobile carrier unless they're modified.

AT&T will only activate them on the regular iPhone plans, which include a $30 monthly charge for data access.

However, AT&T said that prepaid service still won't be available, and that the company has no immediate plans to change that.

When the iPhone was launched last July, the wireless giant had said that it would sell contract-free phones in the U.S.

It should be noted that such phones are sold in other countries.

Since July 2008, Apple has been selling the iPhone from its stores and website, but would't say if it would sell the contract-free version.

Apple is widely expected to release a new version of its popular iPhone in June or July.

Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

    This article was featured on Business 5.0 and on Tech Blog.

Source: AT&T.