Verizon big winner from having iPhone? Not so fast

By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer Peter Svensson, Ap Technology Writer – 1 hr 13 mins ago
NEW YORK – Verizon Wireless would seem to be a big winner after its expected announcement Tuesday that it will start selling the iPhone and break Apple Inc.'s monogamous relationship with AT&T Inc. in the U.S.
But for several reasons, the iPhone's arrival to Verizon would be poorly timed, and Verizon's gains won't be as clearcut.
There's no doubt a Verizon iPhone would attract millions of buyers, and it would give the country's largest wireless carrier a chance to catch up with AT&T in attracting high-paying smart-phone customers.
Since the iPhone's debut in 2007, AT&T has been its exclusive distributor in the U.S. Many people held back because they already had service with a carrier they liked or were apprehensive about congestion on AT&T's network, particularly in New York and San Francisco.
Rumors about a Verizon iPhone have swirled for years and have risen in recent months. The Wall Street Journal has reported that an event Verizon is holding Tuesday is to announce a deal with Apple to start selling iPhones at the end of the month.