Apple's iPhone useless in Vermont — for now
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By JAMIE MUNKS Herald Correspondent - Published: June 28, 2007
You can buy an iPhone, but you won't be able to use it in Vermont.
Apple Inc. has chosen AT&T, formerly Cingular Wireless, to be the exclusive cellular carrier for its highly publicized iPhone product, and Vermont is entirely without AT&T coverage.
The iPhone is an Apple Inc. product that combines a cell phone, a computer and an iPod. Large portions of other states are without the service as well, including Maine, New Hampshire and upstate New York, as well as Alaska, the Dakotas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.
Vermont is the only state totally without AT&T coverage.
Small Dog Electronics in Waitsfield is a Vermont Apple product dealer, and CEO Don Mayer said this week he is disappointed the iPhone will not be available here.
"I think it's very unfortunate that Apple has chosen to limit distribution of the iPhone," he said. "They've frozen out Vermont as the only state in the union without service. I understand why — that they will have their hands full with what they already have, but it leaves us and people in many other rural areas out in the cold."
Whether the iPhone will be available for use to people in Vermont in the future is unclear.
For that to happen, one of two scenarios would need to occur: AT&T would have to expand service offerings to Vermont or Apple Inc. would have to open the iPhone to cell phone service carriers covering Vermont.
"In the future, I certainly think there's hope that we'll be able to have a device like this with WiFi in Vermont," Mayer said. "I guess for now, Vermonters just won't be able to participate in the excitement of the iPhone."
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