iPhone for the Verizon Wireless Networks

There is news this week that I know will make some of my friends happy, but make some executives at AT&T less happy. According to reports, Apple has plans to make a new iPhone model that is compatible with the Verizon Wirelss network. 

The reasons this would make some folks happy is they applaud the iPhone appliance but do/did not approve of or appreciate the AT&T wireless network.  They had complaints about technical issues relating to the service/s of AT&T.  As a former Sprint customer myself, I switched to AT&T a little more than 1 year ago when I moved to the iPhone 3Gs and have had largely positive experience with AT&T.  There _have_ been some dropped calls but not a significant number to me. Perhaps it has to do with my living in the greater SF Bay Area (where I understand AT&T network is fairly strong). 

It is my understanding that those already using an iPhone on the AT&T network would require the purchase of a new iPhone, that you could not simply switch providers (if that interests you). You can read more about the Apple/Verizon plans in today's Washington Post Online: Apple to make iPhone for Verizon Wireless

As a side note, I was catching up on my reading this past week and came across an article in the August 2010 issue of Wired Magazine, telling the story about the friction between Apple and AT&T.  It is an interesting read into the challenges between this rocky relationship.

You can read that article - written by Fred Vogelstein - here Bad Connection: Inside the iPhone Network Meltdown