According to sources, AT&T's contract with Apple lists that the iPhone 3G is exclusively locked to their network until 2010. The agreement was reportedly until 2009, but large-scale subsidies were paid to keep the device away from other companies in the US until 2010.

The iPhone is one of the main products allowing AT&T to detach itself from the "common" mobile phones by offering a rather futuristic-looking deal to the consumer. It will fuel many sales and promote AT&T as a cellular company.

The old agreement stated that next year the iPhone could be sold by T-Mobile and that Apple could bring out a CDMA version to sell with Sprint, Verizon, and other North American carriers.

The agreement timeframe isn't confirmed by any of the parties, but AT&T's chief Randall Stephenson has said that he and AT&T are "very happy" with the deal.

Picture: Atmaspheric endeavours

Source: Electronista