Cingular (now AT&T) may not have been Apple’s first choice for a partner for its iPhone, reports USA Today . The newspaper said that Verizon Wireless passed on an opportunity to become the exclusive distributor of the phone almost two years ago.
Verizon Wireless vice president Jim Gerace claims that his company turned Apple down because they “couldn’t reach a deal that was mutually beneficial.” Apple wanted a percentage of the monthly fees, control over how iPhones could be sold and control of the relationship with iPhone customers, Gerace said.
Apple and Cingular won’t talk about their relationship, other than to acknowledge that Cingular will be the exclusive U.S. provider when the iPhone is introduced later this year.
Apple did not comment for the article.