We’ve got our syrup and our yearly foliage here in Vermont, and now, much to the happiness of many residents, we will soon be able to add the iPhone to that list. As a Vermont resident, I have been very disappointed with our certain lack of iPhones, causing us to go to through the hassle of using an out-of-state address. But, that may not be an issue in the near future. Recent progression in an inter-carrier deal here in the 802 show that the iPhone’s arrival to our fine state is no longer a matter of “if,” but rather “when.”
In past months, Verizon Wireless, the biggest cell provider in Vermont, has been negotiating a deal to take over Minnesota-based Rural Cellular Corp. The second biggest cell provider in Vermont, Unicel, happens to be owned and operated by Rural Cellular. The FCC put a stop on Verizon’s deal when they discovered that in taking over RC and, by extension, Unicel, they would have a near-monopoly on Vermont phone service. In an attempt to keep the deal alive, Verizon later agreed to hand Unicel’s Vermont towers over to the highest bidder, to prevent said monopoly. After many more negotiations, AT&T has made that highest bid, and pending FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice, will they start cranking out iPhones in Vermont as soon as the end of this year. But patience will be key, as Verizon Spokeswoman Robin Nicol notes that FCC approvals can take quite a long time, and may stretch “into next year”.
I will be waiting for the day that AT&T goes live here, and will pick up my iPhone soon after.
How tech sad is it that I didn't even know iPhones and Vermont were at odds. Addicted to email, not so much the phone.